Miss Jefferson

Chapter 21

December

The rest of November, and all of December, was full of accordion and piano lessons, music lyrics that didn't rhyme, and anything else I had to learn for Great Comet.

Those weeks were also full of Jasmine and Anthony spamming Jada with pictures of every sandwich they saw.

Jasmine, who'd left on December 8th, had come back to console Jada on my last night.

"I'm not going to cry again, I swear!" Jada said firmly.

Jasmine rolled her eyes. "Sure you won't."

"I won't!"

"We all know you're going to end up sobbing." I said teasingly.

She glared up at me.

I also got my own cake, with the words 'Thank You Oak' written across it in frosting.

It, like everyone else's cakes, was really good.

After the farewell party was over, I drove Jada home.

We decided to stay at her apartment for a bit, and maybe watch a movie or something.

"Did you not decorate for Christmas?" I asked her, looking around her living space.

She shook her head. "I didn't have any family to spend it with this year, and I don't decorate when that happens."

"You can spend it with me." I offered.

She smiled softly. "I did get you something." She said, as if she'd just remembered.

She disappeared briefly into her room, and returned with a small mass of fabric.

"I'm practically broke," she laughed. "So I had to make you something myself. It's not much, but it came out pretty well." She handed it to me. "Merry Christmas, I guess."

I unfolded it. It was a dark green, hand-knitted beanie. I laughed. "I like it!"

She breathed a small laugh as well, taking it from me and putting it on my head. "You look cute."

"It's soft." I said, reaching up and petting it. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Do you want to watch something?"

"Les Misérables." I asked.

She nodded, smiling. I slipped my hand into my jacket pocket, pulling out an envelope.

"Open that while I put the DVD in." I said.

I picked up the movie case from next to the DVD player, and set the disc in its place. The door slid shut, and the previews began. I turned the volume down low and turned back to her.

She's opened the envelope, and was looking down at its contents. "I swore I wouldn't cry." She whispered. I couldn't help but laugh.

She spread out the three items that were inside the envelope.

One was a picture of a sandwich, which she gave me "the look" for. The second was a picture of the two of us, her wearing my jacket, and my lips against her cheek. The third was a ticket.

"So you can come see Great Comet." I said. "The ticket is for a showing about a month away."

She looked up at me. "I'd love to come see you in Great Comet. And this," she held up the picture of us. "This is one of my favorite pictures of all time." She slid the pictures and the ticket back into their envelope. "Thank you."

She smiled and laid her head against my shoulder.

The movie began, and I loved the music instantly. I guess it was easy to fall for Les Misérables.

When we got to 'Castle on a Cloud', I heard Jada's breath hitching.

"Are you crying?" I asked her.

"Definitely not because of you. Just the movie."

"Not buying it."

She relented. "I hate that you left. I probably won't even see you tomorrow."

"Maybe not, but we'll work on it, like you said."

She exhaled. "I'm thinking I should leave too."

"Jada, don't leave if you don't want to."

"I don't want to! But I feel like I should. Sometime in January, maybe."

"What would you do after that? Where are you going?"

"I don't know. I'd probably audition for another show."

"Any ideas in mind?"

She shook her head. "Not yet."

•••••

She was so exhausted, that she fell asleep during 'Javert's Suicide'.

I've gotta say, Les Miz is a really good movie, and has a really good soundtrack. I made a mental note to go home and listen to the Broadway track as well.

I again left my jacket with Jada, and drove home, still thinking about her.

I couldn't ever get her out of my head.

I never would, and I'd never try.