Aster

Chapter Seven: To Face Insecurities With Confidence.

Jacob

     It had become a familiar sight, watching Aster walking away with him simply standing behind unable to stop her. In a way, it was good that she could get so mad, at first it seemed she was packing her emotions down and trying to remain passive about the situation. Jacob just hated seeing that the cause of her upset, was him.

     The smell of rain lingered in the air as Matthew pulled in front of the shop, streetlights reflecting against the black vehicle in streaks, creating pools of gold along the wet asphalt, "Sorry for being so late sir." He spoke quickly, rushing around to the other side of the car to open the door for him, but Jacob shook his head slowly and moved to open it himself, "No, I apologize for calling you so late. Thank you for being available." The driver simply nodded his head, closing the door before walking back over to the driver's side. 

     It was nearing two-thirty in the morning. He didn't expect to see her at least until later in the morning, but things don't always work out as planned. He at least hoped she might talk to him and try to understand, but he wasn't mad at her about it otherwise - she had every right to react the way she did. Stifling a sigh, Jacob leaned against the door as he watched the lights stream by in lines as the car sped through the streets of a city he once recognized, but like Aster, it seemed like something he'd never understand; even though Manhattan was the birth of his childhood. Things change with age. 

     His apartment complex was only a few streets over but he had Matthew go around the block because he was dreading tomorrow as much as he was excited for it. He knew the rest of the night would be preparing Aster a room, which she would most likely prefer as far away from his own as possible. It was going to be a long night.

     The next morning had been the first day off from work that he'd had in months, and it was spent making one of Jacob's spare bedrooms as bare as possible so that maybe, in the period of Aster's adjustment, she'd find some comfort in decorating it for herself. Not to mention the very little sign language he had been practicing to help her feel a little more comfortable; but it would be nice to have some color for once, or just some source of life. 

     He lived at the top of the world in the largest penthouse a man could afford and it looked as basic as he did. There were no photos, no art  along the walls, and it was so clean the place hardly looked lived in. It didn't help that every room was designed to look as modern as possible. There was no personality in it. A piece of Jacob knew that having her here would change that, maybe not at first, but eventually. At least, he hoped it would.

     He didn't originally plan to go with Matthew to pick Aster up, but when late morning approached he decided it was probably for the best. He had hoped that maybe, by going, he could show her that he wasn't being apathetic about the whole situation... Or maybe he was sorely mistaken and she would blow up just like last night. Well, he  definitely wouldn't hold he against her; Jacob supposed he deserved that much.

     The car ride felt a lot longer than it really was, and with each passing moment they got closer to the cafe, his heart thundered harder within his chest. It was such an unfamiliar feeling, he found himself fumbling with the first two buttons of his shirt to hastily undo them. This must be what it felt like to be nervous. Under any other circumstance he might have been amused, he'd been top of the food chain for so long that he didn't have much to be anxious about - but Aster brought out the rawest emotions in him.