Sudden Interventions

[ JACQUELINE ]

I waited for Jason to come here at my place after we talked about my daughter. I don't really know what exactly convinced him to join me in finding Gina but it seems like somehow, we are on the same boat. I feel like Jason misses his parents, too. To be honest, I don't know much about him. About his family and what he's been through. But based on how he's acting lately every time I speak to him about Gina, he can relate to it. I can feel it. I can sense a part of him that's broken.

We're two peas in a pod. And he's helping me build what I wrecked.

He's going to find Gina for me.

To be honest, Jason. This man. You know, every time we talk, I feel that there's this longing that he wanted to suffice; a longing that he wants to seek answers to. He's feeling me as well as this sore that succumbs my insides. I kind of felt nice when one time, I talked to him about my daughter and he just listened. It went on and on for an hour. He cares about my loss.

To some youngsters who are known to be strong and vigilant like Jason, a fifty-two year old woman should never be anything that covers his scope of interests. But this man who helped me in the middle of the rain, there's still a good part of him that's coming out. He's not as dark as a drug lord that he is.

-

After hours of waiting, I heard a knock on my door.

"Anybody home?" a voice called from the outside.

I immediately went near my door and yanked it. As it opens, I saw Jason standing on the other side of it.

He's very broad, tall, and should I say, he's really good-looking even more. His eyes were ocean blue, and his lips are as red as blood. His face resembles a Mafia boss but a little more attractive than what they shows us on movies and television.

I gulped after seeing him. He changed a lot after years we've never seen each other.

He's more attractive.

"Jac! It's always nice to see you!" He walked towards me and hugged me with his bulky arms. I did not move in a while, now that I am tangled by his extremities.

"Y-yeah, Jason. You look great! as always. I missed you too."

He stopped snuggling me right after and went inside my apartment as though this is his home. He suited himself, and it's fine.

"So.. this is where you're living now? Last year your apartment was bigger." He said, wandering his eyes around my place.

"Well, this is all I got now. I'm getting old anyway. Why bother having bigger?" I replied.

"Really, Jac? You deserve better than this. Damn, you should have told me. I could have asked Jeremy to find one for you."

"No, it's fine. I'm fine here, don't mind me. You should be worrying about yourself because what you did was risky.. you know, flying over here for a business that doesn't concern you." He just laughed as I said those. He did not respond.

After a while, he started looking on my walls and paintings. His eyes are skirting every detail of my apartment.

"By the way, are you hungry? I will buy you food at The Parfait if you want to eat." I asked randomly as he is still wandering around my place, looking from one facility to another.

Is he Obsessive Compulsive? Why is he acting like an NBI personnel right now?

"Nah, I'm good. The food at the parfait is too overrated." Thus he spoke. "Though, I appreciate your gesture if you're really buying me some, don't get me wrong." he added.

"Well.. if you're not hungry, just feel at home then." I said as I scratch my head in discomfort. Seeing him going room to room is kind of making me paranoid. What is he up to? I mean, I don't have anything against it but it's making me feel anxious.

In my discomfort, I asked him. "Excuse me, Jason. Are you looking for something?"

He stopped moving and stared at me with his ocean blue eyes. It's like I'm diving into it.. It's beguiling. "Uhh. No. Nothing. I just.. I was just wondering if you have like, family picture or anything?" He replied.

"Family picture. Oh. Uhm, I'm sorry I actually burnt everything back then. I never had any picture since divorce so.."

"Oh. That's that then. It's fine."

After that confirmation, he sat down on my couch and started suiting himself. That gesture was actually kind of weird. Does that mean the only thing he wanted to see, after swinging from room to room, is a family picture?

But why?

"Jason, why do you like to see my family's picture?"

He was a bit shocked by my question. It shows.

"Uh.. nothing really. I just want to know, uh.. your story. Who is your husband and daughter; something like that." He switched his feet from normal to his ankles crossed.

I nodded, acting like I agree. "Uh..." I uttered.

He sighed heavily. Jason is a bit acting milder right now. But some angles of him, a bit awkward.

Way back then, I used to fear him. This version of Jason, I never saw him as gentle as this. He's looking like a teenage boy to me, as though he doesn't run a black business connected to drugs. He has feelings unlike what I heard on news and media.

Well, I guess this man is still a human after all. How surprising.

"So.. Uh, where are you planning to look after her?" He just went talking about my daughter out of nowhere.

"Oh, she - yeah, my daughter. I actually have no idea yet. You being here is also overwhelming, so I cannot just puff things in my mind. I'm feeling nervous about this."

He slouched his body and faced me, looking very interested of what's with my mind.

"Jac, I know it's been years. But you know, it could mean something. Like, she already forgave you or maybe she's not angry with you anymore." He arched his back towards me more, still sitting on the couch.

"That, I don't think so. When I saw her at the Precinct, she never looked at me. Our eyes met but she never stared longer like what I did."

"That could mean she did not recognize you."

I stopped for a moment after thinking about what he said. Jason is right. If only I had the courage to run into her and hug her. If only I made her recognize me. "Yup, I am a fool I know. I am ridiculous. I just felt afraid. What if she push me away?"

"Gina will never do that to anyone."

What he responded made me feel like he knew my daughter. My eyes squinted looking at him. How could he be certain about that?

"I mean, I know your daughter has reasons, Jac. And that's what we're here for. We will find her, ask her, and explain everything." He clarified his words.

Gosh, thinking about my daughter brings me back a lot of memories. How I fucked up so bad and how things went down. How I lost all the money that I should have used to fix our lives together. I was so dumb.

The recent years before meeting Jason was a disaster. He saved me once, and now he's saving me again. I could never thank him enough.

"Jason.." I paused.

"Yes, Jac?"

I looked into this eyes and everything felt like a resurrection to me. A safe haven. This man is the best blessing that I've ever got, and he's everything that I have as of this moment.

"Thank you." I continued.

That word of gratitude is the most genuine thing that I've ever said to him over the past few years. Jason brought me back to my feet again. He made me realize second chances should never be wasted.

"You're welcome, Jac. I always tell you I got you."

He smiled as he crossed his legs and leaned his back on the couch. He became more handsome in my sight. I couldn't respond but smile.

If only I was younger.

***

[ GINA ]

"Becca, aren't you going to follow him?"

I asked her after Bryan left. This was never an easy thing for me to say to her. I don't know what came out of my mind when I kissed her but all I know is that.. it was never an impulse. I felt something in my core and it is more than just being a friend to Becca. I felt something deeper.

She was walking in circles beside the bed. She's troubled, I honestly don't know what she's thinking of right now because she's not responding to me.

"Becca, follow him!"

She stopped and stared at me, fierce. "SHUT UP GINA I'M THINKING!"

I was silenced by how she screamed that sentence in front of my face. She's dripping sweats all over her face and I can sense a caution right there. She's not feeling well. She's stressed.

"Becca, I'm sorry. I know you still love Bryan. The way you cared about him, the way you presented yourself as his girlfriend at the precinct, I - I knew it. I'm so sorry to whatever I did."

She stopped walking and looked at me. Her eyes shifted from agitated to weary; she's somehow feeling me, I can sense it.

"I honestly don't know Gina. I'm fucked up, okay? And Bryan.. I don't know if I love him or not. These things are ebbing towards me and I cannot even do anything about it. I don't know what to do!"

She bit her nails in a juncture. She's becoming paranoid again.

"Look, Becca, I know you're just confused, okay. You're not lesbian. What we did is just.. a kiss. French people do that to their friends and family."

She stopped biting her nails and responded.

"I don't know, Gina. I'm panicking. This feeling inside of me, I don't know. I'm screwed." She took a sigh, deep and bold. "I don't like men anymore."

"What? I mean, what do you mean?" I asked in confusion.

"I feel like, you know, after what Stefano did to me, I became like this. I don't know what I'm feeling, Gina. I'm losing me."

She looked at me, then suddenly burst in crying.

Is she becoming a man hater?