Month: May 2019

Jacob stretched his legs out several times to relieve the kinks. Sleeping on the floor, not really, but sitting on the floor with his back to the wall. Not the best night he had in a long time. The quietness of the room brought him back to the hotel basement. On his left, Karen and Lila slept on cots and Paul on his right against the wall.

“What?” Jacob asked as he noticed Paul staring at him. “Remember when you saved me from drowning at Boy Scout camp?” Paul asked. Jacob nodded, knowing Paul had more to say. “Afterwards, my aunt Bea said I owed you my life, and I should always take care of you.” “Are you kidding me,” Jacob shouted. All around, he heard, “Sh.” “Sorry,” Jacob said to the couple across from him, then he turned Paul. “So since we were twelve you have butted in my life because I saved you?” Paul winced. “When you say it, it sounds creepy.” “Paul, it has felt creepy, but you were my friend, so I dismissed the feeling.”

Their voices were at a level that all the surrounding people woke up. Karen looked at her dad and his best friend. Lila sat up against the wall. “Shawn always said it was not natural how protective you were of me,” Jacob said. “As much as I know you to be a man whore, there were times I wondered about your attention to me.” Paul began to laugh. “You thought I wanted you sexually?” Paul asked. “What was I to think? You were against every woman I had in my life.” Jacob grunted.

“Dad, I think you two need to keep your voices down. This is not the place for this kind of conversation.” Karen said. The lights in the ceiling rocked back and forth and then blinked out. A moment or two, the lights were back on. That was enough for both Paul and Jacob to forego their conversation. The manager of the hotel blew into the mic he had. “Good morning, folks, I am Arthur Wilco, the hurricane has passed over with not as much force as predicted. As soon as we get an all clear, you may go up to your rooms. Thank you for your patience, I know this was not the best way to spend your vacation.” A smattering of hands when he had finished.

“We can all go to my room until it is safe to leave the hotel,” Lila said to Jacob. “Thanks, I want to get back to my beach house as soon as possible.” The four of them sat quietly. It was a new day, and there were still too many questions. To break the tension, Paul stood and walked by the door. “Dad, was Paul the reason you and mom never had a good marriage?” Karen asked. “Honey, we had lots of problems, Paul was only one. We wanted different things and always thought the other one would change, and that never happened.” “Thanks for being honest with me. What about Lila?” Karen whispered. “I just met Lila. She has nothing to do with your mother and me.”

But I know her.

© 2019 Ivy Jade

Panic filled the area once known as a ballroom. Chairs stacked in the corner with cushions as high as the ceiling. Lila shuddered as she was pushed into the room along with Jacob, Karen, and Paul. Jacob said something but the volume of other voices did not allow her to hear him. A jolt to her system and Lila looked at her arm. Jacob had grabbed her and was aiming for a corner of the room.

Inch by inch, the four of them made it to the other side away from the crowded door. It seemed most people felt they were better off by the door when there were still others trying to get in. Lila had lived in Miami and knew how to prepare for hurricanes. Her parents’ house, not the best, but it had survived many hurricanes. She thought about the kerosene lamps that used when the power went off, and there were no lights.

A chuckle had Jacob close to her ear. “Mind telling me what is funny in this situation?’ Jacob asked. “Thought about the lamps we used years ago. Then how we did not have the electronics, what would we have done.” Lila answered as she turned to him. “I guess it is funny. I remember reading by candles when the power went off.” Jacob said.

“Dad,” Karen called. Jacob turned to see Karen frowning. Then he noticed he was still holding Lila. It was a light touch. He continued to hold Lila’s arm. “Yes, Karen, what is it?” “Are you ready to tell me what is going on with you and this woman?” “This woman has a name, and you know it, so do not let me get up in your face,” Lila said as she interrupted Jacob before he could answer Karen. “Karen, that was rude,” Jacob said.

Lila moved away from the three and found a cushion against the wall and took a seat. She pulled out her cell phone and called her best friend. Rena answered on the first ring. “Girl, tell me you are okay,” Rena said. “That is why I am calling you. I am in the hotel’s basement with too many scared people.” Rena laughed. “Only, you would go home, and a hurricane would trap you.” “Rena, this is not funny. Not in the least. There is much I want to tell you about this trip but now is not the time. I wanted to let you know that I am safe. I will be on the next flight out of here as soon as I can.” “Keep me posted,” Rena said. ‘I will.” Lila pushed end on her phone and placed in her pocket.

A pair of blue eyes watched her every move. Once again, she felt an unease. The old folks saying of someone walking over your grave came to mind. The image of the beach house going up in flames. Lila looked at Jacob, he had not wavered in his stare. She watched Jacob shake his head as if to remove an image. Oh, my goodness, I know where I know him from.

© 2019 Ivy Jade

Jacob woke startled. Karen was calling me in my dream. Shaking his head to release the sleep that threatened to take over. The night before Jacob found Paul at his door when he returned from his visit with Karen. The black woman named Lila had been at the beach house. Paul had let her know Jacob was not home. After sending Paul home, Jacob went to bed. The day had been strange on so many fronts.

Loud knocking. Jacob heard Karen’s voice. I did not dream about her calling me. Jacob jumped out of bed. The beach house shutters on the window banged. What is going on? Karen yelled, “Dad.” “Coming,” Jacob replied.

Jacob opened the door as Karen raised her fist to hit the door again. Karen, Paul, and the black woman, Lila were standing on his front porch. “Why are you all here in the middle of the night?” Jacob asked. “Dad, the hurricane switched directions, and it is headed this way,” Karen said. The rough sound of the waves caught Jacob’s attention.”Why are all of you here? You could have called.” Jacob said. “I tried calling Dad, but it went to voice mail,” Karen said. He had turned the ringer off both the house phone and his cellphone before going to sleep.

Lila stepped in front of Paul. “I am Lila. I had a dream about your beach house, and it worried me, so I came to see if you were okay.” “Do I know you?” Jacob asked. Lila smiled, “No, I do not think so, but something about you seems familiar.” “I could say the same thing about you,” Jacob said.

Karen and Paul watched the interactions between Lila and Jacob. “Dad, you need to come to my house. I told you when you bought this beach house it was not a good deal.” “Karen, this is my house, it has weathered many hurricanes.” “Jacob, I think Karen is right, you need to leave,” Paul added.

Jacob turned to Lila. “Tell me about your dream.” “Dad, this is serious, you can talk about dreams later and away from here,” Karen said. “We can talk later. It is not safe to be here.” Lila said. The concern Jacob saw pushed him to rush inside. He had a duffle in the closet packed for his various adventures. With the bag, his cellphone and his favorite coffee mug, Jacob took one last look at his beach house and locked the door. The feeling of life ending grabbed his chest.

The wind pulled them towards the ocean. “The hotel is closer,” Lila said. “Hold my hand,” Paul shouted over the roar. The four of them hand in hand struggled against the sand that pelted them. There were folks in the hotel lobby. Many had never lived through a hurricane, and the fear was evident on their faces. The staff worked tirelessly to get everyone down to the basement.

Karen pulled out her phone. A quick call to her brother to let him know she was with their dad and at the hotel. The packed elevators were not a choice. Jacob pointed to the stairs, and the four of them headed to the basement.

Will my beach house still be there? Lila touched his arm. A spark ignited between them. “I hope your beach house survives.” “Did I say that out loud?” Jacob asked. “No.” she answered.

© 2019 Ivy Jade

Lila left the cafe and headed out the back of the hotel towards the beach house. It was bad enough she had listened to a dream and come back to Miami, but now to be harassed by some guy. She wanted to slap his smug face. The heels of her shoes sinking deeper into the sand. Not the best shoes to walk on the beach. Anger continued to grow as she walked.

A fierce wind whipped the scarf from around her neck. She was not dressed for the beach, but would not turn back. Each step a moment closer to speaking with the golden man she had learned was Jacob. She knew no Jacobs in her life. Once again the calm of knowing him. Why can I not place where I know him from?

The wind continued to whirl around her, and the sand began a minor annoyance in her shoes and her face. Lila stopped to take her shoes off. The closer she got to the beach house the fiercer the wind. As the old folks would say, this had to be a sign. One she should listen to. A pause, the man from the restaurant was on the steps of the beach house.

“Well, well, look who is here,” Paul said. Ignoring his comment, Lila asked, “Is your friend here?” “You still claim to not know Jacob?” he asked. “Listen, mister, I do not know you and or your friend. I want to know why you are following me. I would ask him if he sent you.” Lila said.

“He’s not here,” Paul stated. “You can tell him for me, both of you can jump in that ocean. Do not worry about me. I am leaving, time for me to go home.” Paul laughed. “You came this way to speak to Jacob, and now you are going home.” Lila walked up to Paul and put her finger in his chest. “I do not know the game either of you is playing but I am over sixty, and I do not have time for this.” She turned and started back to the hotel. Paul yelled after her, “You are the one playing a game. I will find out what it is.” Lila continued to walk. The trip had been troubling from start to finish.

As she walked, she attempted to put the dream in place and find what or whom the dream referred to. She had now seen the beach house, looking out on the horizon she saw cranes and a small bridge. Obviously, she was in the right place. Blinking the cranes and bridge disappeared. Lila stopped short. I know I saw them. Am I losing my mind? The wind picked up again. She walked to the edge of the water and sank down. The water was cool to the touch even though the sun was warm on her back. The words your heart repeated several times. Is this place my heart or is there someone here that is my heart?

As Lila looked out into the ocean, the beach house was the only image she saw.

Jacob rose after another restless night. His mind had recounted many of the adventures he and Paul had taken over the years. None of the scenes brought him any answers to why Paul was so protective of him. Maybe protective was not the correct work. He felt smothered by Paul.

A quick shower and a cup of coffee, Jacob left the beach house to visit his daughter. “Dad, what are you doing here so early?” Karen asked. “Couldn’t sleep last night and wanted to hear about your dream.”

Karen opened the door wider and watched Jacob as he entered. “Dad, what is going on? Paul called me twice this week about you, and I never hear from him.”

“That is why I am here. Something is going on with Paul, and I think it is all connected to your dream.” “But how, he was not in my dream. Just you at first and then a black woman.”

“Tell me about the dream.” Jacob insisted. “Where was the dream?”

“The dream was happening around the beach house. There was a storm, then the sun came out, and the woman was on the patio. I think I came up to speak to her, but then she walked away, and you followed her. I kept calling you, but you never looked back. Then I woke up upset you never turned around or acknowledged me.”

“Dreams usually point to something. But none of that makes sense. There was a black woman on the beach two days ago. I had the feeling like I knew her. Paul was with me when the woman walked past the beach house. I must have starred too long for Paul because he found her hotel and annoyed her.”

Jacob paced. His daughter watched. “Dad, why don’t you sit.” “Can’t sit, too much energy.” “You are making me nervous. Why don’t you talk to the woman and find out who she is? You said Paul knows her hotel, you could talk with her.”

“Karen, I think the part about the storm is most troubling at the moment. I think my life with Paul has ended after almost fifty years.” “Why would you think?” Karen asked. “Last night I replayed so many of the events in our lives together. I don’t Paul even though I thought I did.”

Karen shook her head. “Not following you, dad.” She said. “Paul has been in our lives all of my life. I know mom did not like him, but she never voiced her opinion.” “How do you know your mother did not like Paul.” “Oh, the looks she gave whenever he came over or when you were going out with him.”

“How did I miss all of that?” Jacob asked. “You did not want to see either of them for who they were.”

Jacob plopped in the comfortable chair by the door. My life has always been a storm waiting to happen.

© 2019 Ivy Jade