Yes, chapter 14 is finally here and it is my longest chapter. Sorry for the delay but life has been keeping me busy. I have just bought my first home and been very busy getting ready to move in. That and working two jobs with the second job asking me to cover on my days off gives me very little time to write. I thank everyone for their patience and for my editor Tigersman for doing another great job making this much better than the first version I sent him.
I do always appreciate feedback whether comments, votes, or emails and I do my best to respond to emails when I have the chance.
*****
Keith smiles thinking about the weekend he just had. Not only did he and Jackie not kill each other, they grew closer together. Sure, the sex was amazing and he lost count of how many times he made Jackie cum in the shower and in bed, but the growing trust they continued to build with each other was approaching unbreakable in his mind.
He stops at the next red light and turns his head to see Jackie still fast asleep with her head against a pillow. She looked so peaceful while she slept. Keith couldn't help but remember waking up with her still asleep in his arms, her head buried into his hairy chest. The only thing more beautiful was when she smiled at him. That smile could illuminate any dark room to full brightness.
His phone starts vibrating in the cup holder between him and Jackie and he quickly answers it as to try to not let it wake Jackie.
"Hello."
"Hey Keith, are you two close to Jackie's place yet?" Luke asks.
"Not yet. I just got off the freeway and I should be at Jackie's apartment in about ten minutes."
"Ok. Well Melissa and I there already."
"Is something wrong?" Keith asks, concerned Jillian might have shown up again to terrorize them.
"No, I think Melissa just needs her best friend right now. She is still a little shaken from Friday night."
"We'll be there soon. I still want to hear what happened from your perspective."
"Why? Didn't Andy tell you what happened?"
"He did but he is already biased against Jillian to begin with. I know you might be too but I still want to understand everything that happened."
"Ok. Text me when you get here. Melissa is taking a shower right now to try to relax."
"Will do."
Keith ends the call and gently nudges Jackie to try to wake her up. She slowly opens her eyes and looks at her boyfriend with that smile he loves to see.
"Are we at my place yet?" she asks, unaware of the phone conversation that just took place.
"We'll be there soon. Luke and Melissa are there waiting for us. She is still a little shaken and she needs you."
Jackie nods her understanding of the situation. "That bitch really has it out for us."
"I don't know what her play is," Keith turns to look at Jackie as they stop at another red light, "but I'll be damned if she gets away with trying to wreck our relationship or our group of friends."
Jackie is happy to hear Keith say those words with such confidence. Only a month ago he was worried about how Jillian could wreck everything. Now he was determined to never let that happen. She knew however that she needed to get ready to be there for her best friend now.
Once they arrive at Jackie's apartment complex they park the car. Keith sends Luke a quick text saying they are there and tells Jackie that he will get her luggage so she can help Melissa out. She doesn't argue with him and heads into her apartment. Luke comes out the main door as Jackie walks in. He meets Keith at the trunk of his car and helps him get Jackie's suitcase out.
"So how was it?" Luke asks as they walk.
"It was amazing," Keith says with a big smile. "We definitely grew a lot closer to each other and got to know each other a lot better."
"That's good," Luke says as he opens the door into the building. "What stuff did you two do?"
"Made each other dinner, watched anime, and some fun activities."
"Sounds like a good time, except for the watching anime part."
"Believe it or not, that was Jackie's idea."
Luke looks at Keith in disbelief. "Jackie's idea? Are we talking about the same woman?"
Keith lets out a small laugh. "Yes we are. She wanted to know why I like anime and suggested we watch one of the shows I like. I was just as surprised as you are but I wasn't going to complain about it."
"I guess you had no reason to."
They walk into Jackie's apartment and don't see her but hear Melissa crying in Jackie's bedroom. A few seconds later Jackie's voice is heard trying to help calm her best friend.
"How's Melissa been since Friday night?" Keith asks very concerned.
"She was fine yesterday. She and Lauren went out shopping and got their gifts for our little gift exchange. She was fine most of the evening with me but started crying in the middle of the night. I let her cry into my chest and just did my best to be there for her. I knew why she was crying and figured I just needed to let her get it out of her system. I didn't think it would continue this long."
Jackie comes out her bedroom and comes towards Keith and Luke.
"Well, the timing of everything could not have been any worse."
"Why do you say that?" Luke asks confused.
"It was around this time that her brother took his life," Jackie states. "Right now all the memories of him, good and bad, are coming back and she is just trying to get through this."
Both Luke and Keith look at each other knowing that this isn't good.
"Is there anything I can do for her?" Luke asks feeling helpless at that moment.
"Just be there for her like you always have been. Everything you've been doing is what she's needed and wanted from you." Luke nods taking in the information while still feeling helpless that his girlfriend, his love is in the other room and he can't do a thing about it. "I know you want to do more Luke but you can't right now. I can't even do much for her other than just let her tell me whatever she wants to tell me."
Luke simply nods and looks down at the ground not sure what to do next. However, Keith is feeling very different emotions.
"I think I'm going to get going," Keith says remaining as calm as he can. "She has the two people who love her most right here and I'm not sure there is anything I could do to help."
"Just being the true friend you are is more than enough," Luke says.
"Thanks Luke. I'll call you later tonight sweetie."
Keith and Jackie hug and kiss before he heads out the door. His anger starts to take hold and his mind focuses on it as he gets in his car. He exits Jackie's apartment complex but instead of driving back to his place he heads somewhere else.
During the drive he thinks of all the ways he can approach and handle the conversation he is about to have. His blood races as he grips the steering wheel tighter.
Ten minutes later he arrives at his destination, but remains in his car to try to calm himself down.
"You will only make things worse if you go in angry Keith," he says to himself. "Count to ten and breathe."
He does that and feels more in control of his anger and emotions. He gets out of his car and makes his way towards the door of a condo. He sees the person's car in the carport so he is very sure she is home.
Before he gets the chance to ring the doorbell the door opens.
"What the fuck are you doing here?" Jillian asks. "I don't seem to remember inviting you over."
Keith takes a deep breath, trying to keep his composure. "I want to know why you are harassing my friends. They have done nothing wrong to you."
"They're your friends. That is reason enough to me."
"You're issue is with me. Not with them."
"Do they even know you have Asperger's and how crazy it makes you?"
"Yes, they do know I have Asperger's, but they don't think I'm crazy."
"Wait until they meet the real you."
"You don't know the real me and you're too blinded by anger by the letter I left to even try to see what they see."
Jillian laughs at that statement. "The real you? You mean the real you that couldn't handle rejection from a woman and had to accuse her of having Asperger's to make yourself feel better? The real you that wouldn't leave me alone?"
"And how the tables have turned now that you couldn't leave my friends alone Friday night and tried to make a scene," Keith says seeing her hypocrisy. "What does it matter to you that I was making new friends? If you really claim that you want nothing to do with me then you will leave them alone."
"You can't tell me what to do!"
"I'm not telling you to do anything Jillian other than to let your rage against me go. You're dragging your own name through the mud, not mine."
"Get off my property before I call the cops for trespassing and harassment," Jillian threatens, ready to end the conversation.
Keith shakes his head in frustration and gets in his car. He drives back to his apartment and pounds his hands against the steering wheel in anger. He really wished that could have gone better, that Jillian would have agreed to leave his friends alone. He was planning on telling her about Melissa's brother but was content with the fact he didn't have the chance. That information would have probably just reinforced what Jillian already believed to be true, that people with Asperger's don't take into consideration anyone else's feeling or needs. He knows that to not be true, but he gave off that impression.
He exits the car, get his suitcase and walks into the apartment building. He goes to unlock the door, but when he puts his key in to unlock it he sees that it is already unlocked. He opens the door and talks before his uninvited guest has a chance to speak.
"I'm not in the mood and just want to relax."
