Free Serial Separation by Dick C. Waters Page B

very
nice.”
    “Thank you. I thought if we are
going shopping it would put me in the holiday spirit to wear red. Are you
ready?”
    “Let’s go; the cab is outside.”
    Jeremy told the cab where to go,
heard him grumble something about the downtown traffic, but flipped the flag,
gunned it, and they were off.
    “JJ, I just saw Lisa. She was on
the phone, and I saw her hang it up . . . she must have been talking with
Scott. Judy says she’s been acting strangely, but I guess I never saw it first
hand. Every time I see her she’s in control. I wonder what has her upset. I’m
more than curious as to whether Scott and Lisa will be still going skiing with
us New Year’s.”
    Jeremy considered his own situation
and bit his tongue.
    Dottie whispered, “JJ, are we
okay?”
    “Sure we are. Why are you asking
that?” He knew why she asked.
    “You’ve been acting strangely.”
    He thought he had done a good job
of hiding his problem.
    “We all have some pressure at
semester end . . . that’s all.”
    He looked out the window to hide
his eyes.
    Dottie studied him. “We all have
pressure just like you said, but, honey, I’ve known you for many semesters, and
you have never behaved like this.”
    “Can we talk about this when we’re
alone?”
    “Surrre. Let’s do that. Hopefully,
you’ll remember to tell me and not your other friend, what’s bothering you.”
    “Is that what you think . . . that
I have someone else?”
    “You know, Jeremy, we haven’t made
love in weeks . . . in fact, I can’t remember the last time we were together
that way. Can you?”
    He put his finger to his lips.
    “No, Jeremy, I won’t be quiet any
longer. It’s time you either told me what’s bothering you, or tell me you have
someone else. I can’t take your being somewhere else when we’re together. If
you really love me, you have to share what’s bothering you.” She paused looking
at him.
    “JJ, I love you with all my heart,
but you’re killing me. Please, please tell me right now, right here . . . I
don’t give a shit about him,” she said, pointing to the driver.
    However, at that moment, the driver
stopped the cab and announced they had arrived. Dottie started to cry and
jumped out of the cab. Jeremy fumbled with his wallet and tossed the driver a
twenty, which more than covered the fare and tip. He ran after her, caught up
with her, and grabbed her by the arm.
    Dottie slapped at his hand,
yelling, “Let me go . . . get your hands off me . . . I’ve had it.”
    They were drawing the attention of
people on the sidewalk.
    “Dottie, it’s not what you think.”
He grabbed her around the waist and turned her to face him. “Dottie, it’s not
someone else. I love you . . . but something happened to me . . . I can’t talk
about it.”
    She stopped her struggling, and
people went back to what they were doing. “If you love me, you know I love you,
but you have to share what’s wrong so I can help you.”
    He guided her to the nearest bench.
    “Why haven’t you made love to me in
over a month?”
    He looked into her eyes, trying to
beg her to let it go.
    They were both silent for a while.
“Okay, Jeremy. If you promise to tell me real soon I will let it drop. But you
have to know that not knowing what’s bothering you . . . well, it gives me all
kinds of ideas about what it could be. Those things could be worse than
whatever has been bothering you. If we’re going to have a future together, we
have to start sharing the bad with the good.”
    Jeremy was glad the situation was
defused but realized he had to show her more affection, if he could, or risk
losing her.

Chapter 20
     
    I had finally completed all my
Christmas shopping that morning. Good thing the next day was Christmas. The
presents were wrapped and loaded in the car. The freezing temperature wouldn’t
hurt the fruit cake I had picked up for Lisa’s parents.
    Many of the businesses near the task
force office were closed. The wind was really blowing. The