Dancing with Shadows

Two

      Jasmine was thankful that she didn't have to deal with her mother's antics for nearly a week after her impromptu lunch date. She was puttering around the house when she heard a noise from the direction of Derick's office.

      She cautiously made her way to the closed door. Maybe she was just hearing things. Maybe she was going crazy. Maybe-

     He'd been watching over her for the last four months. He could feel the ache in his heart every time she cried. He tried so hard to just let her know that he was still there. That he would always be with her. Derick stormed into his office, so angry with how helpless he felt that he shoved at the lamp that sat at the corner of his desk.

      To his utter surprise, the lamp toppled over making a soft thud on the thick rug that decorated the center of his office. The sight of the lamp made his spirit soar. This had to be a move in the right direction.

      Jasmine's hand shook a bit as she reached out to take hold of the brass knob. She twisted it, and slowly pushed the door in. She wasn't sure what she expected to see in that office, but what awaited her was not anything that she could wrap her mind around.

     He heard the metallic scrape of the polished brass knob turning. With the sound, Derick swiveled his head around so he could see her, yet again, open the door and peek into the room. He saw her eyes grow wide. He smiled at his startled wife only to see her eyes roll back in her head.

      Derick rushed over to Jasmine and leaned over her crumpled body. He instinctively reached out to brush her hair out of her face, and thrilled when he was able to complete the action.

     Jasmine felt his fingers gently skitter across her forehead as he brushed the hair from across her face. She couldn't help but keep her eyes closed as she savored the feel of him. She knew that she must be dreaming, or hallucinating, but didn't care. She needed with all her being to have Derick near again, and just wanted to make this feeling last as long as she could.

      When he saw the corner of her mouth turn up, he leaned down and lay a kiss on that smile and was rewarded with a sigh.

      Tears rolled down the side of her face along her temples. She squeezed her eyes tight and turned over to get to her feet. "I miss you," she whispered, and pulled the door shut on the apparition in the office.

*  *  *  *  *

      The air conditioner broke! Here it was the end of July, and her air conditioner broke! Jasmine flipped through an endless stream of repair men waiting for one of them to just jump out at her so she could get it fixed.

      Finally frustrated enough to just pick any, she pressed her finger against the glass screen of her smart phone and made the page stand still. Zeke's AC was the one that she clicked on.

      "Zeke's AC," a peppy voice declared after two rings.

      "Uh, yeah, my AC broke, and I was wondering if I could get someone out here today." Jasmine felt silly. Of course the woman must have heard the same phrase every day.

      "Yes, ma'am. If I could just get your address down, I'll send out a tech within the next hour."

      Jasmine gave all the information the woman requested, and ended the call. She decided to take a quick shower to try and cool off before the technician came. She was still toweling off her hair when the front door bell rang. She padded barefoot to the front door, dropping the towel over the hand railing at the bottom of the staircase.

     Jasmine opened the front door to see a technician holding onto a clipboard. "Hey," she said.

      He looked up at her when he heard her soft voice. Zeke was expecting some elderly woman or someone in her mid forties. Not this blond beauty occupying the lavish two floor house. His heart skipped a beat before he could answer her. Did she ask a question? She was looking at him with an expression that she was waiting for a response.