Chapter 4
Jon fell asleep in the back seat against his duffle bag within moments of the car moving. Lakeisha warmed her hands against the vent. Lakeisha looked back at Jon, then at Jack.
“Why are you helping him, Jack?” Lakeisha asked, her voice low.
“Do I have to have reason?” Jack asked.
“Yeah. You’re like obsessed,” Lakeisha said.
“Determined,” Jack said.
“You can’t save people who don’t want to be saved,” Lakeisha said.
“Well, I am kind of use to saving whole planets and galaxies at a time, but sometimes, you just got to focus on the one,” Jack said.
“He doesn’t want help,” Lakeisha said.
“Yes, he does. He just doesn’t know how to ask,” Jack said. He got off the freeway.
“Wait, where we are going?” Lakeisha asked.
“Taking you home,” Jack said.
“I want to see your home,” Lakeisha said. “I want to meet your family.” “Not yet,” Jack said.
“You met my family,” Lakeisha said. “You’re not being fair.”
“Life is not fair,” Jack said. “I am sorry. Look, I promise, you will understand, in time.”
“I already understand. They don’t like me because I am black,” Lakeisha said. “This is not a race thing. But I swear this, if it were, I would leave my family and marry you so you and I could change the world together,” Jack said.
“You’d marry me?” Lakeisha asked.
“If you’re still with me when we’re 18, hell yeah, that’s on the table,” Jack said. “That said, you might actually like dating in college. You want to marry after college?” “I am not going to college,” Lakeisha said.
“You marry me, I am putting you through college,” Jack said.
“I am not that smart, Jack,” Lakeisha said.
“Don’t ever say that again,” Jack said, pointing. “I will not tolerate anyone disparaging my girl.”
Her eyes teared up. “I so want to kiss you!”
Jack took her hand, squeezed it. He pulled the car to a stop in front of her house. The moment the car came to a stop, Jon sat up, taking inventory of the situation. Lakeisha’s grandfather came out onto the porch. He leaned against one of the porch pillars, and sucked in on a pipe.
“We’re here?” Jon asked.
“This is my house,” Lakeisha said. “That’s my grandfather. He and my grandmother raised me.”
“Your grandfather’s a Mason,” Jon observed.
“How did you know?” Lakeisha asked.
Jon leaned back against his duffle bag and closed his eyes. “The way he’s standing,” Jon said. He was back asleep in no time.
“How does he do that?” Lakeisha asked.
“I can do that,” Jack said. “You can go to sleep, anytime, anywhere,” Lakeisha said.
“There could even be bombs going off in the background, and I’ll sleep like a baby,” Jack said. “Touch my arm, say my name, I am up, full awake.”
“And how did you acquire such a skill?” Lakeisha said.
“Practice, mostly,” Jack said. He waved at the grandfather. “Good night, Lakeisha.”
“Papa will be disappointed if you don’t come chat,” Lakeisha said. “He does really like you.”
“Well, he and I speak the same language,” Jack said. “Explain the situation. He will understand.”
“Good night, Jack,” Lakeisha said.