Chapter 71 Chapter 71
Jojo
After I packed everything away, I started with our dinner, my famous chicken salad or should I say the only thing I can actually make. I fried the chicken and spiced it then I made the salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, feta cheese, olives, avocado, beetroot strips, carrot strips and the chicken strips with my famous homemade low fat salad dressing. Benji was sitting in front of the TV he got it to work and was super proud of himself. “Here you go.” I gave him the salad and a bottle of water. Then I went to the kitchen to get mine. He took a bite. “Mmmmmm this is delicious.” “I’m glad you approve.” “But I won’t be able to eat it every night angel.” “You get used to it.” I said looking down at my bowel. “Tomorrow night I’ll make you a mean steak.” Benji said forgetting we had plans. “Sorry you can’t we have to go to John’s tomorrow.” “Okay I’ll stay one night extra just to make you my famous steak.” She looked up at me. “You would really stay an extra day just to make me your famous steak?” “Off course I will angel, I told you I’ll stay forever if you just want to say yes.” “You know you can’t.” “I had to try.” Benji said looking down at his salad now.
I decided to change the subject “So how did you and John meet?” “University.” “He also went to University in Europe?” “Yes, you would be surprising how many Americans does that.” “I would have never thought I mean we have Princeton, Harvard, Stanfard, MIT why go to Europe?” “Stanfard, Harvard, Princeton and MIT are mostly the kids whose parents went there you know following the legacy I told my dad since I was small, I’m not going to walk in his footsteps I’m making my own path and that is why I chose Europe, I think that is the exact same reason John did it to.” It looked like he wanted to say something else as well but he didn’t. I was so tired I couldn’t get of the coach to take my bowel to the kitchen. It came on so suddenly. “What’s wrong?” Benji asked me with concern in his eyes. “I’m just suddenly dead tired I can’t even get up.” “Oh fuck. This is going to be a problem when you live alone.” “No, it won’t I’ll just stay on the coach and fall asleep here.” He shook his head took our bowels to the kitchen and put them in the dishwasher. Then he came back picked me up and carried me to bed.
Benji
What on earth will she do when she’s alone and can’t get up from the coach, I didn’t like her answer of just sleeping on the coach but what else can she do. I’ll need to find out how long this sudden onset of tiredness last maybe I can ask Sophia to check in on her or maybe I should knock on one of her neighbors’ doors. She’ll probable kill me if I do that. I picked her from the coach and carried her to the room, “Can I undress you?” “Yes please.” She must be dead tired to accept my help so quickly. I undressed her and helped her put a t-shirt on she didn’t unpack yet so she didn’t know where her PJ’s where and wasn’t going to try and find it now. I helped her into bed and made sure she was covered with the duvet. “I’m going to take a shower before I come to bed.” “Okay” she said. I’m sure by the time I get out of the shower she will be sleeping I have no doubt in my mind about that.
The next morning when I woke up there was a note on the bedside table “Went for a run.” “Oh my God can’t this woman just be still for a minute of her life and relax.” I said out load. I got up and went looking for coffee. She already made a pot so I poured myself a cup and stood in my underwear in the kitchen thinking how I’m going to get her to slow down. I was deep in thought when the front door swung open and Jojo walked in, out of breath, taking her air pods out of her ears. “Morning Benji.” “Jojo.” I said but you could hear in my voice I wasn’t happy not at all. “What’s wrong? Something happened at home?” “No Jojo something happened here.” She looked surprised “What?” “You going running at the crack of dawn.” “It’s past 7 am it’s definitely not the crack of dawn.” “Last night you couldn’t even walk to the bed but this morning you went running please explain.” I said, I knew I was getting angrier with her by the second but she doesn’t just have her to think about anymore. “I felt better so I went running.”
“I’m calling Sophia and making and OBGYN appointment for you before I leave.” “NO, they’ll be full.” She wasn’t happy with going to an OBGYN clearly. “Sophia will get us in I’m taking you end of story.” She turned her back on me and walked straight to her room where she slammed the door shut. I take it that was a tantrum of some sorts but she needs to see the baby she needs to except the fact that she’s pregnant because I think she’s in denial I need to show her the truth before I leave. Fuck.
I walked into the room and then into the bathroom, I’ve already calmed down “You not welcome in here.” She told me. “I don’t care I’m showering with you.” I got undress and got in the shower with her. She stood to the side making space for me to get in without us touching. “Jojo don’t be like that.” “Like what you are treating me like a child.” “Well, you just slammed your door like a child so what do you suggest?” She gave me a look but one that looked through me. “I was upset and didn’t have the words okay that is why I slammed the door.” “You should have found the words and not slammed your door.” I said pinning her to the wall with my body. I could feel her body starting to relax which made me relax. “I like running.” She said after a while. “I get you like running but can we go and see a doctor and find out what you can and can’t do please? I want to know you are safe and know the do’s and the don’t because frankly Jojo I feel like you are thinking by closing the door of the guest bedroom the problem doesn’t exist and I think if you see with an ultrasound there is a baby you will have to face the truth.” She put her head on my chest and started to cry. “You are right.”