15 comments/ 35986 views/ 25 favorites Sleeping on the Terrace By: Sleeping on the Terrace "Because so many people would." Then she spoke as if she was making the discovery as she was speaking the words. "But you're not like that, are you?" She glanced at Jason with a sweet smile. Then she narrowed her eyes. They sparkled with a fiery intensity. "You let me paint your toenails didn't you," she whispered as she smacked his arm playfully. "You knew what I was doing the whole time and you just laid there and played possum, didn't you?" Jason blushed a bit and grinned sheepishly. Rachel leaned back against the back of the booth and sighed. "Are you playing with me?" she asked. "Never." "I have no idea who you are," she said looking at him with a sense of wonder. "I feel the same way," he replied sipping his wine. "Someone wise once said that half the fun in life is the journey of discovery." Rachel sat a moment and looked into Jason's eyes. "How lucky for the two of us to be sharing a terrace," she said softly. "I don't believe in luck. Kismet yes, but never luck," he replied. "Kismet?" she asked. "Meant to be. It's Arabic or Turkish, or something like that. When something is meant to be it's said to be Kismet." "Oh," she said quietly lost in thought. "Do you care to explain what I saw the other day in the hallway? I don't suppose you are a cross-dresser too, are you?" "It's not really cross-dressing," she replied softly. "I'm just following my instincts." "Huh?" Rachel smiled at the perplexed look on his face. "I can't believe I'm going to tell you this," she replied. "God, I only met you three days ago and now here I sit ready to spill my whole life story. You must think I some sort of a ditz." "Hardly," he said softly and she looked at him quizzically. "In the short time that I've known you I find you totally captivating, Rachel. You're funny, and smart and you can hold an intelligent conversation, which is more than I can say for some of my students and colleagues at school." "I know this will sound a bit forward," he went on the say, "but knowing there's a chance we might bump into one another with the likelihood that it will lead to another entertaining conversation makes coming home all the more enjoyable." He blushed a bit and dropped his eyes. "I suppose I went too far with that last line but I do mean it," he continued in a hushed tone as he glanced back up to her. "I look forward to our conversations on the terrace even if I do get my toenails painted red from time to time." Rachel paused a moment and just stared at Jason. He began blushing brighter under the intensity of her beautiful blue eyes. "Did I say too much?" he asked. "Huh? Ah, no. God, I'm sorry, I just sort of blanked there, like my brain froze and I needed to reboot." Rachel blushed crimson and looked away a moment. She glanced sideways at him and smiled. "Jason, I like our conversations too," she continued. "They're just quirky enough to keep me totally enthralled and I love it. So, no, you didn't say too much. Perhaps I'm the one who's not saying enough. Anyway, here goes, I'm taking the plunge once again." She shifted in her seat and sipped her wine a second as she collected her thoughts. She was about to begin when she stopped and looked at Jason carefully. "I need to ask you something first," she whispered. "I've told people who I thought would understand my little secret and I've been burnt more times than I want to remember." Jason sat quietly as she worked through her thoughts out loud. "But then...you shared a secret with me the first day we met, didn't you?" she asked, finding herself once again on a path of discovery about him. "So I suppose it's only fair of me to share one with you. Can you keep a secret?" Jason nodded and added, "If you ask me I'll keep it forever." Rachel smiled and reached across the table to touch his hand. About then, the waiter arrived with their food. He sat platter after platter on the table and before long, the table was filled an amazing assortment of delights. Each dish gave off a remarkable aroma that swirled together and delicately teased Rachel's nose. "Enjoy, Rachel," he said as he breathed in deeply. "We can share stories later." The rest of the meal was filled with the sighs and moans of pleasure as Rachel's palate discovered the exotic world of richly spiced but not necessarily hot Indian food. The richness of the flavor and the lush aromas kept the conversation to a minimum throughout the dinner. "Oh my," she said gushing a bit, "I've just fallen in love with Indian cuisine! We have to come back here again, real soon." "It would be my pleasure," Jason replied with a broad smile. An hour later they left the restaurant and Jason drove down towards the river that meandered through the city. There was a walk that followed the riverbank. It eventually led them to one of the city parks that connected to the river walk. They found a set of swings in a play area nearby and Rachel sat in one as Jason joined her in another. "It's crazy and I can't explain it, but I feel like I've known you all my life," she murmured, swinging gently back and forth. "I know," he replied softly. "Kismet." "Yeah, Kismet." They swung silently for a while, listening to the night sounds along the river. "This has never happened to me either," Jason finally admitted. "Usually, when I meet a girl, I stumble awkwardly like some schoolboy on his first date. It's really is pathetic to watch. But you're just so easy to talk to. "Yes, so are you," she replied. She rummaged around in her purse and found her iPhone. A few clicks brought it to life and she opened up a browser window. "Here," she said as she handed him her phone, "I'm what you call an intersex person, I Googled it for you. Click the first link." Jason studied the page for a few minutes and then, with a curious smile on his face, he handed it back to her. "Thanks, this explains a lot." "Are you grossed out?" she asked, a look of worry filled her face. "No. Not in the least. Fascinated, enchanted, but never grossed out. Life is too fantastic to ever be grossed out about something like that." "I was right," she said, beaming at him, "you are unique." "But how does this explain what I saw Wednesday morning in the hallway?" he asked. "Ah, well," she paused for a moment while she collected her thoughts again and pressed on. "In the legal world I've found that some people are rather narrow-minded in their viewpoint on life. Not all of them, but it's been my experience that there are a lot more of them than you'd expect." "If I showed up in a skirt and blouse to do what I do," she continued, "I would become an object not a person. Girls don't do IT work, in their mind, only guys do. In slacks, a shirt, and the occasional tie, I can go about my day fixing their little boo-boos and nobody even looks twice at me. I'm the IT guy. They pay me very well to blend into the woodwork and not be a distraction." "Yes, but what about the women in the firm?" Jason asked. "I mean, come on, you do make a rather handsome young man, even with a hint of mascara in the corners of your eyes." "What? You saw that?" She smacked him again playfully on the arm. "Why didn't you say something?" "Because, if I did, you'd have been mortified and we wouldn't be having this conversation right now, would we?" She blushed crimson and turned away to look out over the river. "I suppose you're right. Stupid social construct," she fumed quietly. "Absolutely. Hey, we should have t-shirts with that printed on them." They fell into fits of laughter holding on to one another to keep from falling out of the swings. In a moment the laughter was gone and replaced by the silence of reflection as they retreated into their own thoughts. She looked over at Jason and smiled warmly and he returned her smile. "So do you date women or men?" he asked cautiously. "I've been with both but I'm really attracted to men." "Oh." They sat in awkward silence a while longer and watched the river lap against the bank. "I suppose we should go," he said, finally, "before the drunks take over the park and kick us out." As they strolled back to Jason's car they walked close to each other, hand in hand. He had a blissful smile on his face and she leaned her head to rest it on his shoulder as they walked. The drive home was quiet and serene. 'Kismet' was a word that seemed to meander through Jason's mind. "Meant to be," he thought peacefully. In the hallway outside of their apartments, Jason led her up to her door and kissed her cheek. "Thank you, Rachel." "That was a lovely dinner followed by a delightful evening," she said softly. "I'd like to do that again sometime," he replied. "Me too. How about we stay in and I cook up something next Friday?" she asked. "I'm looking forward to it. Oh, and Rachel..." "Yes?" "You don't have to have an excuse to visit. The terrace door is always open." She smiled and as she opened her apartment door she blew him a kiss. "Mine too." "Good night, Jason," she said as she stepped inside. "Good night Rachel," he replied and walked into his apartment. The next morning Jason walked out onto the terrace with the Sunday paper and a steaming hot cup of coffee in his hands. He plunked down on his favorite wicker chaise lounge and leaned back to enjoy the early morning tranquility. He heard Rachel's screen door slide open and he heard her step out on to the terrace. "A cup of coffee and the paper to start your day?" he asked with a wry smile. "Can I come around?" she asked, standing near the low wall in her bathrobe and nightgown. "I'm not really dressed for scaling walls." "Absolutely," he replied. "I'll unlock the front door." A few minutes later she was comfortably wrapped in her robe and slippers sipping on a cup of coffee. She buried her nose in the weekend section of the paper. "This is nice," she sighed as she looked up a moment and caught him glancing at her. "Thanks, but I can't take all the credit," he said with a smile. "Sundays are my favorite day of the week. I rush around like a madman all day Saturday to finish my homework and chores so that I can just relax and spend the day decompressing." "I forgot to ask last night, how was your first few days of school?" "Hectic," he replied, "and frenetic, with a pinch of crazy." "That doesn't sound like much fun." "It'll get better, the week leading up to classes is always nuts," he mused. "How are things in the world of 'it'?" She laughed and reached over to smack him on the arm playfully. "Fine," she said, "totally crazy too." They talked about his classes and the dummies in her office like they were old friends. There was a sense of comfort between the two of them, as if they were childhood friends who've been separated for a long time and were now finally trying to catch up. They sat quiet for a moment and idly watched the world drift by. Eventually, with a gleam in her eye, Rachel leaned over and whispered seductively in Jason's ear. "You want to play dress-up?" "What?" he asked, his face flushed red. "You heard me," she replied with a devilish smile. "Come on, you don't have a single thing planned today. You told me so a minute ago. And I want to see you in heels again." "I do not make a good looking woman," he said emphatically. She looked at him askance and he balked a moment. "I don't...honestly," he pleaded. "I'm sure you've seen those strange looking hairy men in panty hose and heels on the Internet, it's grotesque. I don't want any part of it." "But you've done it before," she begged, "you said so the first time we met." "Yes, but that was in private. Plus it was well lubricated with alcohol," he rebutted. "I took one look at myself in the mirror and swore I'd never do it again." "But you did, didn't you?" she cajoled. "Yes, but only once more and that was to prove to myself that I still looked ridiculous. Besides," he said, "I could never do it in front of you. I'd be too embarrassed." "Let me dress you." "No." "You can wear the sandals again," she added lyrically. "No." "All right, how about, just as a test, you let me do your hair and makeup?" she asked earnestly. "If, after I'm through, you aren't completely convinced that you're attractive as a woman I'll never ask you to do it again, ever." "Is that a promise?" "Yes, I promise," she replied holding her fingers crossed behind her back. And of course, she proved him wrong. Forty minutes later Jason stood awe-struck in front of the full-length mirror in her bathroom. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. What was reflected back was a really pretty woman. "You are a magician," he murmured softly. "Thank you," Rachel replied as she kissed him on the cheek. "All I did was do a little enhancing. You already have really nice features. And even though your hair is short I was able to do something perky and cute." "Why?" he asked incredulously. "Because sometimes it's nice to talk to a girlfriend." "But..." "Look in that mirror and tell me you don't see a beautiful woman," she said tilting his face towards the mirror. Jason had to admit, he did look like a woman. It was uncanny. "Besides," she continued, "ever since I saw you walk in my sandals I've wanted to get you into a dress so we could go shopping." "Oh no, I'm not leaving the apartment," he said emphatically. "That was not part of the deal." "I know sweetie but you look so good and I really do need to buy a new pair of shoes for work," she pleaded with a little girl pout. "I want to go shopping with my new girlfriend." "You don't play fair." "Never," she replied tracing her finger across his chin with a wicked smile. "I like to get my way." He sat for a minute and considered her request. The longer he sat the more doubt colored her expression. "Okay, I'll go shopping with you," he said reluctantly and her eyes began to sparkle again. "But on one condition," he added. "And that is?" she asked looking skeptical. "It doesn't happen in a dress. I'm wearing jeans and a t-shirt," he insisted with a stern expression that told her he wasn't going to budge on this issue. "Agreed," she said quickly which worried Jason that somehow he'd missed an important point in their negotiation. Rachel rummaged around in her closet and pulled out a pair of ballet flats. "Here, wear these," she said with a grin. He opened his mouth to protest but she interrupted him. "Or do you want everyone to see your red toenails with your flip-flops?" He looked down at his feet with a cockeyed grin. "Okay, but no more negotiations," he added wagging his finger at her. She leaned forward and kissed his wagging finger. "Deal." Jason pulled his car out of the building parking lot and turned towards the downtown mall. "I assume we're going to the mall?" he asked. "Nope," she said, "turn right at the light. We're going to the Shoe Boutique on 29th and Grove Street. My friend Sandra runs the place and I shop there a lot." "This isn't an attempt to tease me because I played possum is it?" he asked cautiously. "No silly," she replied with a wicked grin. "That comes later." Jason groaned and Rachel giggled. The Shoe Boutique was one of those trendy shoe warehouse places where a girl could find almost any shoe from innocent to decadent in almost any color and size. Jason parked his car in the parking lot in front of the building and turned off the engine. "I think you need a new name," she mused casually. "I can't just call my new girlfriend Jason after all." Jason thought for a moment and then he turned to Rachel with a wistful smile. "You can call me Jessica, or Jessie," he said softly. "I like it, but why did you pick that name?" she asked curiously. "That was my twin sister's name. She died when I was only seven," he said looking down at his hands. "She got meningitis at school and she was gone before I even knew what happened." "I'm so sorry," Rachel whispered as she reached over to place her hand over Jason's. "No, it's okay," he looked up quickly and smiled. "If I take her name it's as if she still lives on in me. I like that a little bit of Jessie is still with me." "Come on, Jess," she said taking a big breath to settle her emotions, "let's go buy some shoes." When they got out of his car Jason looked apprehensively at Rachel. "Oh don't worry, you look lovely," she said encouragingly. "And besides nobody cares and if they do it's their problem not ours." "Thanks." "But you do need to get your ears pierced," she said as she strode towards the shoe store. "Huh-eh," groaned Jason standing in the middle of the parking lot, "that wasn't part of the deal!" Rachel turned and waved impishly and then disappeared inside the store and beyond earshot. As Jason walked into the boutique he began to understand why women had so many shoes. "My god there are so many," he whispered once he caught up with Rachel. "I know, isn't it divine?" "What are you looking for?" he asked looking around and hoping he wasn't drawing the wrong kind of attention. "Some new flats and a pair of oxfords for work," she replied preoccupied with an elegant pair of platform pumps that, although fairly simple, looked very stylish. "Hmm, none my size," she said disappointed as she replaced the pumps on the shelf. Rachel walked further down the aisle and pulled a pair of red spiked heels off the shelf. She turned and handed them to Jason. "Here, try these on, they're your size," she said with a gleam in her eye. "I like the fact that my new girlfriend wears the same shoe size as me. That way we can share." She giggled and pushed the shoes into Jason's hands. "I can't, not here," he hissed softly. "Of course you can. Just look at them, they're gorgeous and you know you want to put them on. I can see it in your eyes." Jason blushed brightly and looked around the store to see if anyone else was watching. But the store was mostly empty so he glanced back to Rachel and saw her reassuring smile. "Okay," he whispered. Rachel smiled like a the cat who just caught the mouse as Jason took off his ballet flats and slipped his feet into the luxury of a five-inch pair of stilettos that fit like a glove. They were fire engine red with an ankle strap and a lace vamp. And from the look on Jason's face they were also 'sold'. It was obvious to anyone who paid the least bit of attention that the girl in the red shoes had a thing for heels. While Rachel browsed through the oxfords, Jason wandered up and down every aisle trying on pair after pair. He walked in his new shoes like they were made for him. A few minutes later Rachel found Jason looking at the clearance rack. "Hey Jess, what did you find?" she asked. "Look at these," he gushed with a gleam in his eye. "They're marked down too." "They're still too much," she replied, "and look, the stitching is not that great. Besides, the red ones you are wearing are way nicer for more than half as much as the markdown." Jason looked at the shoes again then sat them back on the shelf with a huff. He turned and followed Rachel to the checkout counter a bit disappointed but at the same time he knew she was right. "Is Sarah here?" Rachel asked the clerk at the sales register. "Not today, she's on a buying trip up north," the clerk replied. "Oh well," Rachel replied. "We'll take these," she said pulling out her credit card. "I think she'll wear those out, too." Jason blushed slightly and handed the clerk the shoebox that his heels came in filled with his flats. Several minutes later, with shoeboxes in hand, they made their way across the parking lot and back to his car. He loved the clicking sound his heels made on the parking lot pavement. "That was so much fun!" he said as he slipped in behind the steering wheel. "Thank you Rachel!" Sleeping on the Terrace "Thank you, Jessie," Rachel replied. "I haven't had that much fun shopping in ages. You went a little crazy in there you know." "Yes, thank you for being the voice of reason," he replied. "I nearly blew two months rent. I guess I got a little excited." "A little? I can't imagine how you'll react when we go to Victoria's Secret." Rachel mused. "No, it's just shoes," he murmured. "I love high heeled shoes. Ever since I was a little kid I've always admired my mother's shoes. The rest of women's lingerie is, well, I've never felt the need." He didn't want to take off the heels but when it was obvious that he might wreck the car if he drove in them, so he relented. Jason started the car and pulled out of the parking lot to head back to the apartment building. Jason pulled up to the stoplight at the intersection and looked over at Rachel. "So thanks again for today," Jessie smiled blissfully. "It was really special." Rachel's eyes sparkled in the late afternoon sunlight. "Can we stop for some groceries on the way back?" she asked. "Sure." It was getting dark as they climbed the three flights of stairs to their front doors. They were both laden with shoeboxes and grocery bags. Jason looked at Rachel and smiled sweetly. "I don't know how women do it," he muttered. "Three flights of stairs in five-inch heels. This is totally dangerous." "I know, that's why I've never tried it," she giggled. "I guess I'm still caught up in the moment," he replied. "Remind me how dumb this is the next time I attempt it." "Will there be a next time?" "Probably," he smirked as Rachel opened her apartment door. Jason carried her groceries into her kitchen and set them on the counter. "How about we order pizza and sit out on the terrace?" she asked with a smile. "Sounds great. Let me get my stuff put away and I'll bring the beer," he replied. Thirty minutes later they sat watching the trees sway in the evening breeze. Jessie had his new shoes propped up against the terrace rail, admiring them in the moonlight. "We both have to work in the morning, don't we?" Rachel said as she reached across and touched Jason's arm. "Yeah, back to reality. I have my first class at nine tomorrow and my first night class as well," he replied with a sigh. "It's going to be a long day." "What time do you have to leave in the morning?" "Around eight I guess," he replied as he got up and carried the dishes into her kitchen. A moment later he came back to the terrace and stood near the low wall. "I'll see you tomorrow morning I guess," Rachel replied and Jason stepped over the wall to walk towards his terrace door. "See you," Jason said and slid his door shut. The next morning was just another Monday morning only this time Jason was loaded down with books. He juggled the pile precariously while trying to lock his door. At that moment Rachel stepped out into the hallway dressed as Ray. "Hey, let me help you with that," she said as he reached for Jason's pile of books. "Thanks, the first day of classes and already I'm overwhelmed," he said with a chuckle. Jason locked his door and took his pile of books back from Ray then they both turned and walked down the stairs towards the building parking lot. "Have a good one," Ray said as she walked off towards the bus stop on the corner. Jason opened his car trunk with the remote and deposited the books in the corner of this trunk. He turned to see Ray board the bus. He thought again about his shopping trip yesterday and smiled. Then he got into his car and drove off towards the college. That night Jason didn't get in until after ten so he knew that Rachel was probably already in bed. He dropped his book bag near the couch then, exhausted, he walked slowly across the room towards his bedroom. He looked at the shoebox sitting on the chair by his closet. The red heels shimmered in the light from the hallway. He wanted to put them on but he resisted the urge. "I'll wait till I'm with Rachel again," he thought with a grin. He quickly got undressed and slipped quietly into bed. "Some people think teaching is so easy," he thought ruefully. "Boy are they full of shit." Moments later he was asleep. The next morning, feeling a lot better, he stood waiting for Ray to come out of her door. He wanted to thank her again for helping out yesterday and to ask her if her 'roommate' was up for drinks after work this afternoon. But Ray was late. In fact, it was nearly nine-thirty and she still hadn't opened the door. Jason knocked on Rachel's door and waited but she didn't answer. "Hmm," he thought, "maybe she had to leave early." He shrugged his shoulders and walked off down the stairs towards his car. Inside her bedroom, Rachel laid in her bed curled up into a tiny ball. The aspirin was just beginning to wear off. She reached over and opened the bottle to get two more pills. The swelling around her eyes and lips throbbed as she popped the pills in her mouth and swallowed a bit of the tepid water from the cup on the nightstand. Her body ached all over. The bandages that the emergency room nurse put on her pulled against her skin uncomfortably. She heard Jason knock on her front door but she didn't want to see him right now. She didn't want to see anyone. She closed her eyes and tried to will the pain away. She reached up and felt the swelling around her eyes. She was too afraid to get up and pull the bandages away to look at the damage the asshole inflicted on her last night. She sank back into her pillow with the hope that sleep would turn it all into a bad dream. Jason came home in the afternoon and stopped inside the apartment building foyer. He noticed that there were several letters still stuffed in Rachel's mailbox. When he climbed the last of the three flights of stairs to his apartment he saw that Rachel's paper was still outside her door. "That's odd," he thought, "She always takes it with her when she goes to work." Deep inside his chest he was beginning to feel uneasy. Jason opened his door and dropped his book bag near the kitchen counter. He pulled out his cellphone, then he remembered that neither of them had shared their phone numbers yet. Jason set his phone on the kitchen counter and walked briskly out the terrace door. He hopped over the low wall that separated the two apartment terraces and slid open Rachel's terrace door. When he pushed back the drapery that covered her door the afternoon light flooded the darkened room. His uneasiness continued to grow. "Rachel?" he called out softly, "are you in here?" "Jason?" he heard her weak voice coming from her bedroom. "Yeah, are you all right?" he asked as he walked down the hallway that led to her bedroom. "I saw the newspaper outside of your door and...well, I wanted to see if you're okay." Jason stepped up to her bedroom door and pushed it open gently. Inside he saw her lying on her bed with an icepack on her face. It barely covered the swelling that was evident even in the darkness of her bedroom. "Holy shit! What happened?" he asked as he raced around the bed to kneel close to her. Rachel began to cry as he knelt down next to her. "Jason, please I'm not dealing with things very well right now," her sobbing made it difficult to understand what she was saying. "Is there anything I can do, anything?" he pleaded. "Not now...Just go Jason, I'll be fine, just go, okay?" she asked weakly. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" Jason stood up slowly and walked to her bedroom door. He looked back at her; his face was filled with the pain of worry. "Would you like to talk to Jessie?" he asked in a quiet whisper and Rachel stopped crying for a moment. She pulled back the icepack from her eyes and looked at Jason. She nodded meekly and Jason smiled. "Okay." Thirty minutes later Rachel heard the click, click of Jessie's heels on the terrace floor outside of her apartment. A moment later Jessie stood at her bedroom door and peeked in. "Hey there sweetie," he said softly, "how are you doing?" Jessie walked over to Rachel's bed and sat down gently next to her. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and gave her a tender hug. She collapsed against him as her eyes filled with tears. Jessie held her a moment and let her release all the emotions and pain that had been bottled up inside her since she was beaten. Her sobs began to subside and she wiped her nose with a tissue. "What happened?" Jessie asked softly. "I came home early Monday," she sniffled, "and I knew you were going to be late with a night class so I decided to shop for some more groceries for Friday. I was almost out the door when I got a call from an old friend of mine. They were going to a club downtown and they wanted to know if I would join them. I thought 'what the heck,' and decided to indulge myself. They only knew me as Rachel so I changed clothes and headed out to meet them." Rachel snuggled against Jessie's chest and continued with her story as she pulled her arm around his chest. "Things were going along fine; everybody was having a great time. It was so nice to catch up and all. A little later a bunch of guys stopped by and started hitting on us. I was flattered and thought it wouldn't be any big deal to do a little flirting. This guy, Bob, started to get a little too aggressive so I decided to let things cool off and go to the bathroom." Rachel was beginning to get more agitated so Jessie began to calmly stroke her hair. "But when I walked out of the stall he was in the women's bathroom. He started getting really forceful. I tried to push him off but he was a lot bigger than me and he pressed me against the wall. He kept telling me how beautiful I was and that he wasn't going to hurt me. I struggled against him but he was so damn big. Then, when his hand slipped between my legs he felt something that surprised him. He called me a filthy fagot and he went ballistic." "Let me see what he did," Jessie asked lifting her face up into the light. It was swollen around the eye socket and along the bridge of her nose but it didn't look like he damaged her eyes. The bruising made it hard to determine if the bastard broke her nose. She had some scrapes and scratches on her lips and throat that looked like they needed some attention as well. She looked rough but it could have been worse. "Still," he thought kissing her head, "she needs to have everything looked at." "Come on, girl, let's get you up," Jessie said as he lifted Rachel up off the pillows. "I'm going to take you to the doctor. It doesn't look that bad but I'm no medical expert so you should have this looked at to be safe." "I don't want to go out looking like this, Jessie," she resisted Jessie's pull. "I know, sweetheart, but I would never forgive myself if this turned into something bad so come on," he said determinedly, "I insist." "What am I going to do about work?" Rachel asked looking a bit worried in spite of the bruises on her face. "We'll deal with that later," Jessie replied slipping on her shoes and pulling her out of bed. They stopped at his apartment while Jessie took off the red heels he wore to visit her and put on a pair of running shoes. He blushed a bit at Rachel as he closed his apartment door. "I still can't drive in heels," he mumbled as they walked towards the stairs. Two hours later they walked out of the clinic with a handful of painkillers and some salve. She took three stitches in her lip and there were multiple dressings on the scrapes and cuts along her neck and cheeks. When they got back to the apartment Jason helped her to her couch. "Is there someone from work that you can call?" he asked. "My supervisor," she said picking up her phone and dialing. "Hello, Oscar? Yeah, it's me Ray. I was in a bit of an accident...No; I'm all right...just a little banged up. My friend Jessie is taking care of me right now. Yeah. Anyway, I won't be in until this heals up. Hopefully, it will be only a day or two. Right, okay, I'll call you when I'm better. Okay, bye." She clipped her cellphone shut and smiled bleakly at Jason. "You still have mascara and shadow on, you know that?" she asked placing her hand on Jason's cheek. "I didn't do a very good job to begin with so the doctor probably thought we just came from a 'Goth' party," he said with a chuckle. "What? At seven in the evening? You're very silly Jason, but thank you," she said sweetly. Her smile was beautiful even though Jason knew it must really hurt to smile right now. "While you have your cellphone out, let me dial this number," he said opening up her phone and punching in his cell number. He could faintly hear his cellphone ringing in the next apartment. He let it wring a moment then stopped the call. "It's my phone," he said. "I didn't have your number today or I would have called first. But then," he said slowly realizing what that meant, "if I did have it you would never have let me see you like this, would you?" Rachel blushed a bit and dropped her eyes. "Will you stay with me for a while?" she asked shyly. "Sure, we'll get carryout and watch silly movies all night," he said sitting next to her and pulling her into a gentle hug. "I'd like that very much," she whispered. It wasn't long after the pizza was delivered that the painkillers began to really kick in and Rachel fell asleep nuzzled against his arm. Jason turned the television off and brought some blankets from her bedroom. He tucked her in and kissed her on top of her head. Then he tiptoed out the terrace door and back into his apartment. The next morning Jason called his department secretary at the college and asked her to send a note to all his students telling them that he would not be in today. He rummaged around in his refrigerator and pulled out what he needed and set it in a pile on the counter. He grabbed his cellphone and headed back to Rachel's to cook her breakfast. A few minutes after the aroma of bacon began to fill the air Rachel leaned up on the back of the couch and looked over to see him busy in the kitchen. She got up slowly and walked into the kitchen. Without a word she wrapped her arms around him and kissed him on the cheek. She smiled gently then she turned and walked slowly to the bathroom. A moment later Jason heard the shower start. When she returned her hair was wrapped in a towel and she carried her first aide kit with some of the dressings that the doctor gave her. Jason helped her redress her wounds. She was looking better. The swelling was beginning to go down a little and the discoloration was shifting towards black and blue. He knew all of this would take a while to get back to normal but he was glad that she was on the mend and that nothing that asshole did to her was permanent. After breakfast Rachel took Jason by the arm and pulled him over to the couch. "I need to talk to you about Jessie," she said shyly. "I know it's a bit strange but I like that side of you. Not more than you but," she struggled a moment to find the right words. "There are things that I feel like I can tell Jessie that I would be way too embarrassed to tell you. I know you must think I'm weird but..." "It's okay," he interrupted her gently. "I understand, kind of. I mean if you think about it, there are things that I can do with Ray that I could never do with you too." "Like what?" "Well go into the men's bathroom and pee standing up for instance," he replied with a broad grin. Rachel blushed profusely and playfully smacked him on the arm again. Then she leaned forward and kissed him gently on the lips. Jason held her shoulders and gently pushed her back to look into her dazzling eyes. She sat there a moment with an impish smile. "What?" she asked coyly. "Nothing," he replied. "I was just thinking how glad I am that you like to paint your neighbor's toenails red." He released her and she fell back into his arms and snuggled there for the rest of the day. The next morning Jason waited outside of her apartment. She walked out her door dressed as Ray and smiled shyly at Jason. "You know this is only going to solidify their resolve that you a definitely a guy, don't you?" he smirked looking to see if her shiner had further reduced its swelling. "Shut up," she grinned as she smacked his arm playfully. "Next time I'll just scratch and spit if I want to rack up some man points. Are you giving me a ride or what?" "No problem, dude," he said with a big grin as they both walked down the stairs hand in hand.