The Gemini

7 - Telephone

Nikki didn't answer Jody's phone call the first two times she rang but the third try was a charm. Just as Jody had suspected, the woman was still upset. Jody could understand why of course, but enough hours had passed since they last talked and she figured Nikki would've simmered down by now.

"I'm scared for you, girl."

After almost twenty minutes of speaking in a volume just short of yelling, Nikki's new vulnerability caught Jody off guard.

"Aw. Nik, I'm touched." She put her hand to her chest.

This type of emotion fest didn't happen often between the two. Nikki didn't mind being open, but Jody often kept things bottled up. Most times Nikki respected that, but in a time like this she couldn't help but pry.

Their three year friendship started at a college party. Sparked by shared majors, like music tastes, and the general enjoyment of each others company. The bond was cemented when they discovered that they both called Chicago home.

"Don't try to make jokes, I'm for real. I don't wanna turn on the news and see your face during a missing persons announcement."

Lying back on the couch, Jody sighed.

"Why don't you come stay with me for a little while."

"There's no need for that. Besides aren't you worried that he'll come after you too?"

"No, because unlike you I ain't afraid to pop a bitch."

Jody rolled her eyes.

"At least go back to the police. I know they wasn't shit the first time, but it doesn't hurt to try again."

Thinking back to what Gemini said about her first attempt for help, Jody wondered if those halfwits were even real cops. She quickly dismissed the idea of him planting officers because in her mind, there was no way he could pull off something like that.

"Yeah." She mumbled.

"Swear that you'll go. First thing in the morning."

Jody had the next two days off from the doctor's office which meant no early morning wakeup alarms. Down at the radio station, her weather reports for this week were already prerecorded so her schedule was completely clear. The only thing that she planned to do first thing in the morning was sleep in. Lord knows she needed to catch up on all the rest that she had been missing.

"Swear." She lied, already knowing that Nikki didnt believe her.

"I don't know how you do it."

"Do what?"

"You go around like nothing's ever gonna happing to you. Like you're big shit. You ain't bulletproof, Jo."

"I know that."

And she did. It wasn't the first time that someone had told her that. Her parents said the same when Jody would try to jump from the top of the stairs as a kid. Her aunt said it when Jody first got her license and went everywhere without a seatbelt. Back then Jody would tell her aunt that it was useless because, I'll be there in ten minutes anyway so there's no point.

She wouldn't call herself reckless but she did consider herself fearless for the most part. The only thing that brought her the most fear wasn't so much what something could to do her but what she couldn't do for herself. The fear of failure.

And then there was Gemini. The fear that he inflicted on her felt different. It drew her in, making her to want to know more and fight back all in the same breath. Maybe she was a little reckless after all.