Starting our lives together Part 4 of 9

Starting our lives together
Part 4 of 9

As nice as it was to talk about a familiar topic, a few things still bugged Ken’s mind to no end. “I still can’t figure it out… why would Jacqueline do this?”

Frowning, Gabby replied, “Some people are cruel. Often the ones that are the cruelest disguise it with a kind, warm public demeanor. Jacqueline sounds like she fits that mold to a T.”

“And she hid it all that time while we were in school?”

“You were useful at the time, in her mind. She wasn’t going to chance losing that. Once she got what she needed, she had no more reason to hide her true feelings.”

“Yeah, but still. Why be all friendly to me in the store?”

“In her twisted mind, she probably felt she was doing you a favor. She wanted to ensure you never tried to contact her again. To a cruel person like her… that’s her idea of doing you a kindness,” Gabby replied sadly. “We just have to hope that there’s enough real kindness in this world to counteract such cruelty.”

Now noticing a silver cross hanging from her neck, Ken pointed to it and asked, “I guess this the part where you start lecturing me about suicide? That I’m being selfish and trying to go against God’s plan?”

“No,” she replied with simplicity.

“No?”

“No. Ken, I meant it when I said that I’ve seen that look before. I know better than most that suicidal thoughts are rarely that simple. There’s no switch that can turn them off. It’s a tide that must be turned back, bit by bit.”

Stunned, Ken started to see that this woman understood what was important in life. Realizing he still had the knife in his hand, he folded it closed and put it back in his pocket.

“Bit by bit,” she said with a smile. “My car’s around the corner. Is there somewhere I can take you? Where do you live?”

“I’m not going home. Not yet,” Ken replied. “Not with my uncles still there…”

“No problem. I’m not going to force you.” Thinking for a moment, she continued, “It’s cold out here. Why don’t you come back to my place for a bit?”

“That’s… unnecessary. I’m fine on my own.”

“Nice try, but no cigar,” she said. “I’m not leaving you alone with that knife, mister. And I’m certainly not leaving you alone on Christmas Eve.
Nobody should be alone for the holidays.”

“Thanks, but… won’t your husband mind?”

“He would, if I were married.”

“Boyfriend?”

“Nope, just my townhouse and me. Pretty cozy, all things considered. No problems with you coming over, but I do have one condition.”

“And what’s that?”

Smirking, Gabby replied, “You call your mom right now and tell her you’re ok.”

Hesitating a moment, Ken soon relented. “Fine.” Tapping his phone, Ken waited as it rang. “Hey Mom, it’s me… Yeah, I’m ok… No, seriously. I’m fine… Yeah, I’m just hanging with a friend. I probably won’t be back ‘til tomorrow… I will… Love you too… Bye.”

“See? Now that wasn’t so bad, was it?” Gabby teased him.

Eying her, Ken asked. “You’re seriously ok with bringing me to your home?”

“Positive.”

Taking his hand, Gabby led him to her car.

The drive had been silent for the most part. Ken was still trying to comprehend everything that was happening. Who was this woman? Why would she go to such great lengths for a stranger she didn’t even know? Gabby seemed to pick up on this, refraining from prodding him for any further conversation. She could tell he was still processing the events of the day. Soon, they arrived at her townhouse complex and pulled into her garage.

“Come on in, make yourself at home,” she said as she turned on the lights. “Can I offer you something to drink? Coffee? Hot chocolate?”

“Hot chocolate sounds good, thanks.”

“Comin’ right up!”

As she hung her hat and jacket up on a rack, Ken couldn’t help but stare. He now saw that she wasn’t just a pretty face; her entire body was sublime. She wore a tight burgundy sweater and a pair of tight, form-fitting jeans. This ensemble only served to accent her body even further. Her hourglass figure was delectable, her slim waist contrasting with her curvy hips and ample bust. She was also just as tall as him, perhaps a bit taller, with legs for miles. Though Ken had fantasized about some of his classmates, none of them could come anywhere close to Gabby. She was a woman, not a girl, and in the prime of her life no less.

“Here you go,” she said, handing Ken a mug.

After blowing on the hot drink, he took a sip, feeling the warm liquid spreading through his body. “Thanks,” he sighed.

“No problem,” she replied with a smile. “Come on, let’s go relax in the den.”

She led him into an intimate area with a sofa and a loveseat. The only illumination came from the twinkling multicolored lights on her Christmas tree in the corner. As Ken took in the relaxing surroundings, smelling the delicious scent of her Frazier fir tree, Gabby stepped over to the fireplace opposite the sofa. Flipping a switch, she soon had a comfortable fire roaring from the gas logs. She then sat on the sofa, placing her mug on the side table and patting the spot next to her.

“Come sit. I promise I don’t bite,” she said with a playful grin.

“Um, ok…” he mumbled, scooting as close to the armrest as he could to give Gabby plenty of space.

“Tell me about MIT,” she inquired. “You mentioned you want to go into health sciences. Does that include medical school?”

“Uh, yeah with any luck. Harvard would be my top choice, but I don’t know if I could afford it. But assuming so, my dream has always been to be a brain surgeon.”

“Brain surgeon?! That’s so cool! They’re like… the most badass of all the badass doctors! Not just surgeons, brain surgeons!” Gabby gushed.

“It’s, uh, not that big a deal,” Ken replied as he blushed with embarrassment.

“Well, I could totally see you as a brain surgeon. Don’t ever give up on it.”

“Thanks.”

“So, what then for you, Dr. Dix? What happens once you reach your dream?”

Ken began to feel a strange amount of comfort with this woman and started to open to her. “Honestly… I don’t know. I mean even if I become a brain surgeon, I’m still hopeless around girls. Maybe Jason’s right. I’m goanna die a virgin…” Realizing what he had confessed to her, he turned to Gabby and blurted out, “Not that it’s your problem, or anything. S-sorry, I just… I shouldn’t have gone that far…”

Gabby just smiled and moved closer to him, brushing her hand against his arm.

“Don’t worry about it. You have goals, both personal and professional, but aren’t sure exactly how to achieve them. So, you’re a virgin. That’s nothing to be embarrassed about, and it’s healthy to express your anxiety about it. That can help you overcome your fears. In all seriousness, I think you underestimate yourself, Ken.”

“Underestimated myself?”


To be continued