"Come on in Little Bit. Let's get you settled, and you can take a shower while I rustle us up some food. Okay?"
After a short drive Jackie had pulled her pickup into the drive of a beautiful Craftsman Style home in an upscale neighborhood a few miles north of the gun range.
The house was set back about 50 yards from the street with a beautifully manicured lawn and pleasing landscaping. Crepe myrtle trees lined the drive and were in full bloom this time of year. The flower beds were neatly arranged, and each contained a variety of plants, which provide color to the yard throughout the year.
With a semi-circular drive, an attached garage and another larger unattached garage behind and to the side of the main structure, the visage one got was a home better suited to a large family rather than a single person, living alone.
Inside the house presented a view much like that of the outside of the house; everything tastefully chosen to present an appearance of upscale domesticity. Traditional furnishings in solid cherry or walnut from Pennsylvania House, Bernhardt or Drexel filled each room Lisa entered. Most rooms featured Queen Ann styles which is one of Lisa's favorites.
"Your home is beautiful Jackie!" Lisa exclaimed. She was quite surprised given Jackie's military background that the home and furnishings would exude such a feminine flair.
"Thanks, Little Bit. Follow me and we'll get you settled into your own room for the night, and you can grab a shower. I have some things you can wear for the evening."
"Oh, Jackie! You have been so wonderful to me. How can I ever repay your kindnesses?"
"Don't worry about any of that. I'm looking forward to having you as a guest in my home for the evening. Don't forget to call your girlfriend and let her know where you are, okay?"
"I will," Lisa replied. Her response was far more positive than she felt. She really wasn't looking forward to the conversation she knew she had to have with Ashley.
Ashley had hurt her feelings at the tattoo shop and brought much uncertainty into the relationship. Plus, the cavalier way Ashley had shared Lisa with the women at Tabitha's party gave Lisa much to think about. She really wasn't sure where things stood with the two of them and wasn't mature or confident in herself to the point she felt she could confront Ashley about it.
Jackie showed Lisa a beautifully furnished bedroom with an adjoining bath, ensured the young woman had plenty of towels and went in search of something for Lisa to put on after her bath.
Lisa retrieved her phone from her purse and realized she had missed a number of calls. There were 5 missed calls from Ashley, two from Tabitha and one from a number she didn't recognize. She had several messages too, but decided to get on with the business at hand; call Ashley first. Better to deal with the worst chore the soonest and then call Tabitha. She'd get her messages later.
Ashley picked up on the second ring and quickly began to assault Lisa with questions.
"Where have you been? I've been worried half to death. You told me you'd see me after lunch and now it's past dinner time. What the hell, Lisa!" Ashley was nearly out of breath.
"Wait, I'm sorry but some things came up that took longer than I expected," the young woman began.
"Sorry! Sorry, my ass! Do you know how worried I've been? How worried everyone is? Where
are
you?"
"I'm with my instructor, my pistol instructor, Lisa begins again to explain.
"Pistol instructor! Why do you need a pistol instructor? Who is this pistol instructor person anyway and why have I never heard about him?"
"Er, it's a, my instructor is a she. She's been giving me instruction and help with my firearm for a few months now. Her name is Jackie, Jackie Sharp," Lisa explained quickly hoping she wasn't raising more questions than she was answering.
"What the fuck are you doing with guns, Lisa? Are you out of your mind? That's the stupidest idea I've ever heard of. You need to come home now!"
"Stop yelling at me! Calm down, I have reasons for doing this, Ashley." Lisa explained.
As she was just coming into the bathroom to let Lisa know dinner was almost ready and to give her the clothes she'd found, Jackie could only hear one half of the conversation, but could tell there was some kind of argument going on.
"Look, I'll see you sometime tomorrow at the gym. Try and calm down and I'll explain more when I see you, okay?" Lisa tried to reason with Ashley.
"See me tomorrow! What the fuck Lisa? Are you fucking this woman?... your pistol instructor, are you fucking her?"
"What do you care Ashley? You sure didn't mind me fucking your friends the other night at Tabitha's, what's your issue with Jackie?" Lisa almost shouted into the phone. "You didn't have a problem with me fucking your friends, so why do you have a problem with me fucking my own friends?" Lisa was on a tare now, incensed that Ashley would be such a hypocrite.
Lisa's pent-up frustrations, frustrations over her parents dying and leaving her so alone, frustration over her rapists never being punished, the women at the gym that subtly made fun of her, even Ashley who Lisa now felt had been patronizing towards her in many ways, had lit Lisa's fuse.
The normally, quiet, reserved, timid young woman was letting it all go and unfortunately, Ashley was on the receiving end of it all.
"Let me tell
you
something Ashley,
you
don't own any part of me and I'll do what the fuck I want! Do