"Yes. He actually has pretty amazing past work experience with children. Better than mine as far as the community center goes."
"He does?" Erika also looked as if she'd never heard such a strange thing.
Jo nodded. She took a sip of her water, then she got up to grab a piece of cheese and a cracker from the platter Erika had been preparing, before Jo dropped the Maksim bomb.
She leaned on the counter. "He's been a Big Brother and worked with mentally challenged children." She took a bite of her cracker, chewing thoughtfully. "He's worked with terminally ill kids."
Erika and Maggie exchanged looks again, but for once, Jo didn't find the shared glance suspect or confusing. She knew exactly what they were thinking.
"Believe me," she said, "I didn't expect that about him, either. In fact, I didn't believe it to the point I thought he must have manufactured his résumé. But I was wrong. His recommendations were wonderful. I checked them all."
Maggie and Erika looked at each other again, clearly dumbfounded.
"I find that hard to believe," Erika finally said.
Boris picked that moment to meow, jump out of Erika's arms, and begin twining through Jo's legs again.
"I did, too," Jo told them, looking down at the persistent feline. Then she shrugged, irritation rising up in her, but she refused to show it. Instead she busied herself with eating her cheese and cracker, debating why their reactions were bothering her so much. Just a week ago, she'd have agreed with them completely.
Just a week ago.
God, a week ago she wouldn't have contemplated sleeping with him, either. Okay, she might have contemplated, but she wouldn't have done it.
She was a mess, and she was taking her own issues with herself out on the wrong people. Erika and Maggie loved her, and they just worried. Of course, there was no sharing the fact that she had slept with him. Her friends were pretty accepting, but that would do them in.
She did consider telling them about Jackson. Who would have thought bringing up her married ex-lover would be a welcome change of topic?
But Maggie spoke before she mustered the courage of opening that can of worms. "You look good. Are you feeling okay?"
Jo finished chewing the cheese she'd just popped in her mouth and nodded. "I'm feeling good. Not as tired." Not after the satisfied sleep of last night.
"I've heard the tiredness passes pretty quickly," Maggie said with a smile.
But Jo frowned. "What?"
Maggie blinked. "I–I thought you might have had a touch of a flu that has been going around."
Jo studied her friend for a moment, trying to tell if that was really what she'd meant.
"Maybe that's what had me so tired," she agreed. "But I have to admit having Maksim around has really helped me out. And I've been able to sleep better." Boy, was that an understatement.
"Well, if he's a help," Erika said without finishing the sentence as if the idea was so unlikely it didn't even merit completion.
Jo didn't add to it, either. Instead she changed the topic to Erika's work, a commissioned sculpture for the New Orleans Library. Then they talked about what Jo planned to do at the community center. They talked about the new furniture Maggie and Ren had bought, and about the trip to Italy they were planning in the summer.
By the end of the visit, things had gotten back to an easier, more pleasant place. Jo still hadn't told them anything about Jackson, or everything that had gone on between Maksim and herself. She was still holding back, but at least Erika and Maggie had let go of the fact that Maksim was working at the center, and that Jo wasn't going to get rid of him right away.
"I should head home," she finally said, after suppressing the third yawn in as many minutes.
"Are you sure?" Erika asked. "You could spend the night here."
Jo laughed. "I only live a few blocks away."
"We will walk you home," Maggie said, rising from her chair.
"No. I'm fine. It's not even late."
"New Orleans can be dangerous," Maggie said, still not returning to her seat.
"I know, and I will be fine. It's only ten o'clock. And I'll stay on Royal all the way. It will be fine."
Both of her friends looked as if they wanted to argue, but they didn't, perhaps worrying they'd disagreed with her enough for one night.
"And I have my cell. I will call you if I get the least bit nervous," Jo promised.
"Okay," Erika agreed. "But call Maggie's phone if you need us. You know my phone has a mind of its own. I really need to get a new one."
Jo laughed. Erika had been saying that for years.
"I will." Jo gathered her purse and headed for the door. "Okay. I'll talk to you both soon."
Maggie came forward and hugged her. "You do know we'll support anything you do, don't you?"
Jo studied her friend, getting that weird sensation again that she somehow knew more than she was telling. More than she possibly could.
"I know," Jo said—and she did. Jo just couldn't deal with talking yet.
"We are here for you," Erika said, joining them in their hug. Jo laughed, although tears suddenly threatened to choke her.
Man, she was a mess.
"Okay," she said, blinking to hide her reaction. "I think I'm hitting the wall. Off to bed with me."
She opened the door and Boris darted past her as she did.
"That cat," Erika said. "He's been acting so weird for days now."
"Cats are always weird," Jo said, watching the animal in question pace back and forth in front of the porch door, waiting to get out into the courtyard.
"Call when you get home," Maggie said, clearly still not pleased with the idea of Jo walking home alone.
"I will. 'Night."
She waved to her friends and headed out into the courtyard. The air was still balmy and if Jo listened carefully she could hear the revelry from Bourbon Street. The nice weather and nearness of so many people made her feel at ease taking her evening stroll home.
Boris scampered through the courtyard, his dark fur making him appear as nothing more than a shadow before he disappeared totally in the lush greenery.
Jo dug around in her purse looking for her key ring. She found it and unlocked the large doors that led to the street. Once outside on St. Ann Street, she could really hear the music and partiers on Bourbon.
She hummed a little, recognizing the strains of an eighties rock classic as she relocked the doors. She tossed the keys back in her satchellike purse and turned in the direction of Royal.
It was then that she saw her. The woman Jo had seen in Maggie and Erika's courtyard a few days ago. The woman whom she'd now written off as one of the bizarre lucid dreams she'd been experiencing of late. She'd even convinced herself that she had dozed in the lawn chair and dreamed the whole event.
But there she stood as clear as day by one of the posts supporting the gallery balcony on the front of Ren's building. Her black hair fell down her back in waves; her eyes were pale and almost seemed to glow in the lamplight. She watched Jo as if she was waiting to see if she noticed her.
Jo didn't move, and she didn't look away from the woman.
"Hello," Jo called, and again Jo was struck with the notion that the woman seemed to expect her to be talking about someone else. She didn't look behind her like she had the first time, but she seemed a little startled by Jo's attention.
The woman didn't move, so Jo took a step toward her.
"Can I help you?" Jo asked.
The woman frowned, the wrinkling of her forehead doing nothing to mar her ethereal beauty. Then she nodded.
"Are you in trouble?" Jo got the feeling she was. Not that she looked frightened or panicked. More like sadness wrapped around her.
She hesitated, then nodded.
"Do you need me to call someone?"
Again she nodded.
"Can you give me a name?"