Ties That Bind

Chapter 2. Entranced

As Stevie was reading from one of her books; highlighting things, underlining certain words and overall taking in the logic begind everything she was learning, the phone started ringing. Glancing over, she peeled herself from her desk area and raced over to answer it. Pulling it off the cradle, "Hello?" she leaned against the wall it was wired to and waited for a response, hoping it wasn't just an inconvenient call.

"Stevie, it's me," Mr. Jones responded.

"Oh, thank God---who is the guy you allowed in the vacant room? You were supposed to just gather information and--"

"Stevie, let me explain," he assured. "Would you like to come over and we'll discuss it over dinner?"

"I'm kinda busy..." she bit her bottom lip, looking over at all of her books and work.

It wasn't even that she had a lot to do, she just wanted it done first before she set it aside to do other things.

"You need to take a break---cramming it is not going to help you and it is still moderately early."

"Okay, then..." she sighed. "It'll be a short visit---I just need to know who the hell is in the back apartment," she assured.

"Perfect," he agreed, letting her go right after.

She put the phone back on the hook and kind of sighed. She then headed for the desk to kind of reorganize all of her paperwork before she came back to a mess that would just confuse what she was doing.

She had known she needed a break but each time, she tried to work passed it and it just made things harder.

Heading towards the door, she left the wood door open and the screen shut for easy access, knowing nobody would be coming around to bother the area.

It was dusk and she was trailing the pathway that would lead her to her tenants, straight across from where she was.

Knocking on the plastic of the screen door, she waited patiently.

"Hi, dear," a woman beamed, allowing her entrance.

"Hi, Mrs. Jones---how are you?" she asked, a small curl forming on her lips.

"I'm great---come in, come in," the woman urged.

Stevie entered, kind of lingering around the woman who was serving dinner. "Let me help you," she mentioned, gathering utensils and plates.

The Joneses had been tenants for as long as she had lived there, when she first became a tenant and then when she became owner of the building and since her family was in San Jose when she left, she kind of relied on the sweet couple for guidance when she was really desperate for help since she was stubborn and set in her ways.

"Thank you, dear," the woman grinned. "So, how have your classes been?"

"Strenuous," she didn't hesitate to reply with a small smile. "I've been quite busy with group meetings and classes in general. I've never had less time to do things."

"Are we passing?" the woman asked.

"Yes," she nodded.

"Then you are doing just fine. I know you're trying, but you don't need to strive for perfect. Bs and Cs are great."

Stevie kind of nodded, knowing it was absolutely true though she didn't want to follow that simple advice unless came to math because it definitely wasn't her strong point. She just wanted things done even if her head was screaming at her for a break, perhaps a semester off. "Where is Mr. Jones?"

"In the garage, working on one of the newer cars," she kind of gestured with her head.

"Ah, nice," she nodded. "That reminds me, my brother should be coming tomorrow to work on the leak in the pipe."