Jess slowed her steps when she reached her apartment. Vi was perched on the doorstep filing her nails and flirting with the guy who lived in the apartment across the way. When Jess approached, Vi relieved her of a bag of groceries. Jess was pleased to see her. She had worried Vi would be angry at her for leaving Alabama, with Justin but the girl didn’t even seem ruffled, and Jess marveled at how Vi always landed on her feet with a smile.
Jess stowed groceries in the cupboard shoving them into place and slamming the doors. Vi would inevitably start with the questions and she was in no mood.
“You know you can try to turn that pretty little face to stone if you want, but your emotions read like a neon sign. Why so glum, sugarplum?” Vi stood with her hands on her hips watching Jess fling dishes into the sink.
Instead of answering, Jess sighed and leaned against the Formica. “You want to go to Dez’s? I need to get out of here.”
“Of course! You have to um…get dressed, though.” Vi raised one perfect eyebrow at the sweat pants and t-shirt Jess wore.
****
Dez’s was relatively quiet, considering it was ladies' night and the Saints were playing a preseason game in the Superdome. Jess figured the entire street would be packed when the game was over.
She should have just told Vi about the strange morning with Justin. But, something kept the words from forming. So she toyed with her drink, swirling the glass as she dragged it across the table.
"Spill it."
Jess looked up, startled. "Huh? What?"
"No one pays that much attention to a glass of ice unless they have something to say. So say it."
Jess spilled the entire story to Vi, from waking up well rested for the first time since her mother had been ill to the voices, to Justin's strange behavior.
Vi gazed around the room watching the patrons who came and went through the glass door. She seemed to be avoiding the conversation all together, and it wasn’t until, Jess sighed heavily that Vi offered her thoughts on the matter. “Maybe he was mugged.”
“Yeah, and then his fairy Godmother visited and waved her wand to heal his face, before she offered him a ride in her stagecoach of pumpkins.”
“You’re hilarious when you’re mad.” Vi laughed, until Jess thought she would fall from her bar stool. Jess chewed on her lip. “That’s what Justin says too. You people are warped.”
Vi covered her mouth, as though she were making an effort to stop giggling, and Jess could see it was an effort for her to regain her composure. “Look, maybe you didn’t see what you think you saw. You couldn’t really see his face.”
“Thanks. Tell me what I want to hear, it makes me feel better.” She took a sip of her drink.
Vi giggled again. “You have to admit it. I'm a riot.”
“Uh huh.” Jess wasn’t in the mood to discuss it anymore. Vi was fun to be around, even if she refused to give Jess the facts, so Jess fidgeted with her napkin and tried to think of a topic that would change the subject.
Jess gave up on conversation all together and watched a flood of people fill the street outside. The door pushed open letting in a stream of sunshine, blinding her. When her eyes adjusted, Dawson was leaning against her bar stool, his Mohawk standing like a rooster tail on his head.
“Hi, ladies.” The charm of his southern drawl was snuffed by the venomous grin on his lips, and the way he said ladies made Jess feel like anything but.
Jess turned away to face the bar, but she could see his reflection in the mirror behind the bottles of liquor. She didn’t need to see him, though, to know he'd moved closer. His fingers brushed across her shoulders reminding Jess of icicles as they chilled her flesh, and at that moment, she wished she had the power to drive him away without speaking.
Vi turned to face him, a stone stare of death shooting like bullets from her eyes. “What do you want Dawson?”
He smiled and nestled his nose in the dark hair that draped across Jess’ back. “I love the smell of Justin’s leftovers.”
Jess flinched, her shoulders rounding to form a cage around her as she leaned into the bar.
“Go sniff somewhere else. We aren’t interested.” Vi turned away from him and offered her hand to Jess.
Jess trembled, hating that her fear would manifest in such an obvious fashion. The image of a motorcycle approaching her in the dark flashed through her mind when Dawson rested the flat of his hand on her shoulder and she jerked, scooting to the side of her chair.
Mohawk seemed to be revved up by her obvious revulsion. “Tell Justin I said hello, would ya love?” Jess could smell sweet grainy tobacco on his breath, as he whispered into her ear.
Vi looked straight into his eyes. “Get lost already would ya?” She started to leave her chair, but Dawson turned on the heels of his cowboy boots and headed to the door gesturing for a blond kid to follow.
“What is his problem?” Jess said to herself as she watched the door slam behind him.
“You can’t let him freak you out like that.” Vi pointed to Jess’ hands, which quivered in her lap.
Jess smiled and took in a breath, trying to calm her nerves. “I know, right?”
“Let’s go to the casino, get your mind off him.”
Jess’ lips twisted to one side. “Are you kidding me?”
“Justin will be there.” Vi nudged Jess with her shoulder as though the notion was supposed to make her more inclined to the idea.
Jess returned the nudge, mocking her. “Um, exactly, I know you weren’t listening, but I’m not in the mood for him.”
“It’s just cards.” Vi’s eyebrows were half-moons above her eyes as she shook her head to emphasize the point.
“Fine.” Jess stood pushing her bar stool under the counter and followed the impish redhead to Harrah’s.