Page 104 of Healed Heart
Or did he say something else?
Was he talking about someone else entirely?
I walk quickly to my car and drive home.I park and then walk the few feet to Jason’s door, pound on it.
“Jason!”I call out.
There’s no response, and my heart thumps wildly against my ribcage.
“Jason, please!”
I try the doorknob, expecting it to be locked as usual when Jason isn’t around.To my surprise, it turns easily under my grip, the door swinging open to reveal the darkened interior of Jason’s townhome.
“Jason?”I call again, stepping inside.
I flick on the light switch by the door.He’s not in the living room, nor the kitchen.I make my way toward his bedroom, trying not to think about what I might find.
The bedroom door is slightly ajar.I push it open gently and peer inside.The room is neat, the bed made.Of course.He slept with me last night.
I turn around and walk back to the living room, my thoughts racing.Where could he be?I pull out my phone and call him.It goes straight to voicemail, his message grating on my nerves.
“Hey, it’s Jason.Can’t get to my phone right now, but leave a message and I’ll call you back.”
I end the call and try again, with the same result.
“Don’t panic,” I tell myself aloud.“He’s probably just busy.”
Doing what, though?He has no job.
I sit down on his couch, the worn leather cool against my skin.I stare at the photo of Lindsay and Julia, captured in time.
I jerk when the door opens and Jason appears.
“Jason, thank God!”
“Angie?”He widens his eyes.“What are you doing here?How did you get in?”
“Your door was unlocked.”
“Jesus.”He rakes his fingers through his hair.“I had to meet Blake at the police station and answer more questions.I was in a hurry, and I must have… Damn.That’s not like me at all.”
“Everything looks fine,” I say.“But Jason, I have to talk to you.About Ralph.”
“Did you see him today?”he demands.
“I… Well, yeah, I went to see him, and?—”
He lunges toward me and grips my shoulders hard.“Don’t you ever go back there again, Angie, do you hear me?”
“I…”
“I’m serious.Don’t you ever go near Ralph again.Not ever.”
“Jason, why are you being so…”
He closes his eyes, takes a deep breath in, and sighs it out.He opens his eyes, looking at me more gently now.“I have to talk to you about Ralph.”
“Oh?I have to talk to you about Ralph too.I think he has narcissistic personality disorder.”I hold up my hand.“And before you tell me you don’t want to hear about psychiatry, let me?—”
