Love & Lies

Chapter Twenty

"I'll be right there!" Jessie called as she held her hand over the receiver that Monday morning.  "I have to get ready to go food shopping, Holl.  I'll talk to you soon, alright?"

She knew she technically wasn't lying as Brendan would be swinging by around three.  "Okay, Jess.  I'm glad you're feeling much better," Holly replied.  "I will talk to you soon.  Take care."

Jessie ended the call feeling somewhat guilty.  She knew she could have been honest and said she was having lunch with Jordan.  Friends have lunch all the time, but it was the fact that Holly, who was so supportive about Jordan and the stalker in the first place, thought their relationship was completely platonic now and that made Jessie question herself about being covert once again.  

After placing Jackson's leash back on the coat rack from their walk around the block earlier, Jessie opened the door greeting Jordan with a kiss.  "Are you sure you want to grab lunch?  It's so rare you have a morning off," Jessie remarked as he led her to the elevator.  "Maybe you want to relax."

Jordan looked at her with a dopey smile.  "Um, of course I want to have lunch with you," he responded.  "This will make the late hours I'll be at the computer much better remembering my time with my girl.  Besides, you're finally feeling better.  I just wish you told me you were sick."

The elevator chimed and opened its doors.  Jordan and Jessie waited for an older woman with two twins in a stroller to get off before hopping into the elevator.  "I really thought my stomach was just upset honestly like it has been doing a lot since the summer it seems," she answered.  "Since it wasn't going away, I just got myself an appointment while you were sleeping."

"Well next time wake me so I can help you," he urged, pressing the circular "L" button.  

When Jordan asked Jessie where she would like to eat, she figured just the local diner, which coincidentally was the place they went after her bout with food poisoning.  Also if worse came to worse, it was very close to their building.  Although Jessie was feeling much better, she figured the diner would have the most stomach friendly options.  Although she was not big on drinking fizzy drinks, she did look forward to a ginger ale.  

As they made their way around the block, an old woman puffing away with her hair in curlers outside of a salon reminded Jessie that although she had already colored her hair herself last month the usual black, it had been too long since she had cut her hair.  She examined her locks and noticed a few dead ends requiring a trim.  "Thinking of cutting your hair?" Jordan asked after watching Jessie's eyes go from the Chinese hair salon to her hair.

"It's been a while so I probably should," she replied as they continued to walk on the avenue.

"But I love your long hair," Jordan told her, sporting the puppy dog look.  

Jessie giggled.  "I probably will just go for a trim so it stays healthy," she explained.  

A few minutes later, Jordan opened the wooden door to the small diner setting off an old-fashioned greeting bell.  They quickly opted for the booth farthest from the door as today was the coldest autumn day yet.  Unlike the last time they dined here, the windows were filled with pumpkin decals while the stand holding the cash register was draped with a vine of fake colorful leaves with a pumpkin and a friendly-looking stuffed witch on the counter.  

Just as soon as they sat down, a waiter came from around the dining counter presenting them with two menus.  "What can I get you folks to drink?" he asked.

After Jessie and Jordan requested a ginger ale and seltzer with lemon, the waiter said he would be back in a few minutes with their drinks and to take their orders.  "What are you thinking of getting today?" Jordan asked as he flipped to the sandwich section of the menu.