These Coming Years

Chapter Twelve: Coffee Again?

It was easy enough to get in contact with some of my old coworkers. A couple of them, Marcia and Tony, had stayed at that original retail shop. I couldn't imagine six years there, and I applauded them on their strength to stick it out there since they were too lazy to go look for better jobs.

"Ah, now that's one thing we ain't been missing around here," Tony smirked through the phone, "A smart-ass." The sarcasm was refreshing.

"Alright, Tony, I'd get out of your hair if you actually still had any," I smiled as he guffawed away from the phone, "But I just got one last question. Do you know where Jediah went after he left?"

"Oh, Jed?" he repeated, "Yeah, that kid just hated it here after you left. I think he said he was going to work for some jewelry store further down the mall." He was snapping his fingers, trying to come up with a name. "Jerry's... Jackie's...?"

"Jackson's Jewelers?"

"Yeah, yeah," he gave a final snap, "You could call'em and see if he's still workin' there, but it's been a while."

"I appreciate it, Tony," I murmured as I quickly jotted down the name on my arm. "Oh, and real quick, remind me when your birthday is again so I can get you some hair plugs."

"Eh, get a life, you insufferable child," he scoffed. "August first." Dial tone.

Phone calls were my absolute least favorite thing to do. I decided to just go to the mall myself, and find out. Maybe I'd do a little window shopping. Marisol was talking about doing some serious cleaning out of all my stuff. "Just start from scratch," she'd say nonchalantly as if it were just that simple.

It was nostalgic driving through all the old streets from my high school memories. There were a couple of places that closed down to make room for some new attractions, but all in all, it was...home.

If Jed wasn't still at Jackson's, they would probably know where to find him. Jediah was with me when I started working the freight crew in that retail shop. I was nineteen, he was twenty-one. He was attending the local college, majoring in music..something. I forget what it was. But I sure knew how to surround myself with men who were musically inclined, didn't I? Most days, he and I were paired up to work on a specific project together. He typically worked at a leisurely pace, and our supervisor knew that, so she handed him off to me. She also knew I'd put him to work. I like to think I gave his work ethic a boost. We worked well together.

Aside from needing some insight on jobs around town, I also just wanted to catch up. There were new shop signs and old shop signs scattered all about the mall. It was almost like an alternate universe. It all looked the same, but it was all so different.

Jackson's Jewelers

I gazed at all the illuminated counters, sparkling thousands and thousands of dollars right into my eyes, and suddenly I became a woman. The transition from not caring about jewelry to wanting all of the jewelry was instant, and incomprehensible. The glass doors were intimidating enough, but I over-zealously opened them like I was one woman about to embark on a few too many missions.

1. Find Jed

2. Talk to Jed

3. Get something sparkly.

I barely made it to the counter when I heard, "Lisa?" I focused my attention to the very left of the room to a formally dressed man, putting jewelry in the counter beneath him. Unstained, white, button up shirt? Black vest, and suit pants? Clean-shaven, and hair slicked back? Who the hell is this guy?

"Oh my gosh, Lisa Moné!" he exclaimed, his nice shoes clicking against the linoleum as he found the nearest opening to the center floor. "I can't believe it." He appeared from behind the waist-high counter and he seemed to grow another inch with every step towards me. He hit a late growth spurt, and lost a bit of weight. He looked great.