Although Jaci had several people assigned to her, she was heavily involved in the day-to-day operations, which included making quality assurance on-site inspections before each hearing. Jaci was a dangerous-building investigator before her promotion to supervisor, and she had always hated going into dangerous buildings to take pictures of the violations. She took the job because it paid so much more than other positions and she had desperately needed the higher salary. She still hated doing the on-site inspections, but she did it to keep her staff on their toes. There was no way they could be lax in doing their job because Jaci made sure she was familiar with the fine points of every file. She learned the hard way she had to cover herself.
Today, she was working with senior inspector Bill Whitmore, doing final inspections on buildings scheduled for the next hearing. While on the way to the next address, Jaci studied the file and mentally geared herself up for whatever they would find. Dread filled her when they arrived. The building, completely obscured by trees, overgrown vines, and weeds, wasn’t visible from the street. Jaci and Bill approached the abandoned building, carefully searching for the best path to reach it. Wielding a machete, Bill beat down tree limbs and underbrush to create a narrow path, and Jaci closely followed, uttering her usual prayer: “Please, Lord, let the snakes and any other culprits lurking around be more afraid of me than I am of them.”
“You know, Bill,” Jaci said loudly, hoping to scare away anything or anyone creeping in or around the building, “I’m really starting to wonder if this job is worth it. There’s no telling what we’re going to find when we reach that house. How long have we been trying to get it demolished? About eight years? And the owner is still fighting to keep it up. What could he possibly want to save it for?”
Still vigorously beating at the underbrush, Bill answered, “Probably using it for some kind of tax write-off. People have all kinds of ways to get around the system.” When they finally reached the structure, he observed, “I don’t believe the regular inspector has been here in quite a while. It’ll be interesting to see what’s in the file. Some of those guys make it so hard for the rest of us. Who is the inspector assigned to this area anyway?”
Jaci flipped through the file log trying to find the last date an inspector had visited the building. “Hmmm, from what I can determine, Daniels is the inspector, and he was here last month,” she said. “But look at the last date marked on the building—that says six months ago. Uh, uh, uh! Daniels would be mad as heck if we reported this.”
The front door of the building was missing. They tread carefully over the rotten wood of the porch and stepped cautiously over the threshold, only to find another decaying floor inside. Jaci lifted her camera and snapped shots of first one violation and then another. As they moved about inside the dark structure, Bill lifted his high-powered flashlight to provide as much light as possible.
“I don’t think we need to go any farther,” he told Jaci. “Did you get a shot of the collapsed roof and caved-in floor over there? That should be enough to prove this one needs to come down in a hurry. There ain’t nothing anyone can do with this except bulldoze it.”
“You’re right about that! Let’s get out of here,” Jaci said with relief.
They retraced their steps and stood on the dilapidated porch to mark the date of their visit on the front of the structure. “Get a shot of this, Jaci,” Bill said, busily writing with a permanent marker. “I want to show Daniels that some of us actually do our jobs.”
Jaci focused to get a close-up photo. “I like the way you think, Bill. I’m thinking seriously about showing these pictures to his supervisor. What Daniels and others fail to realize is that they actually put people in danger when they don’t do their job.”
As they stood there, they heard a low, threatening growl a second before a large dog with a chain secured around his neck rounded the corner of the building. His growling quickly became loud, aggressive barking and the dog’s sharp teeth were bared, ready for attack.
“Oh no!” Jaci yelled as she jumped off the porch and landed in a dead run. From behind, she heard a splintering noise, then a string of curse words, as Bill, hitting a spot on the rotten porch that wouldn’t support his weight, watched his foot disappear into a new hole.
The dog stopped momentarily, as though trying to decide which one to go after. Since Bill was closer, the dog headed for him. Bill quickly removed his foot and leaped from the porch. He kept looking back, expecting the chain around the dog’s neck to tighten up and restrain him. He cursed again when he saw that a large piece of wood, apparently once a part of the structure, was attached to the other end of the chain and being dragged by the dog. Jaci, who was hurriedly fighting her way back through the path they had made, looked back and saw both Bill and the dog gaining on her. She tried to speed up.
When she saw the street, she mumbled a breathless “Thank God,” but kept running. Bill overtook her, struggling to get the car keys out of his pocket and hoping the dog’s progress would be hindered by the undergrowth, giving them time to jump into the car. When he looked back, to his amazement, the dog was still in pursuit, dragging the piece of wood as if it were weightless.
Jaci reached the car as Bill nervously tried to get the key in the lock, but the keys fell to the ground and Bill yelled, “Run, Jaci!” The dog had cleared the underbrush and bore down full speed on them, with the chain and wood trailing behind him.
They both took off again, fearing the dog was going to take a chunk from their backsides any second. When they reached the end of the block and dared to look back, they noticed that the dog had stopped midway down the street and stayed there, as though in obedience to some remembered command.
Jaci dropped her clipboard and camera, threw off her hard hat, and bent over, hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath. She thought, doggonne it, I’m getting too old for this! As soon as she was able to talk, she said, “Now we know why Daniels didn’t mark the house with the dates of his inspections. He hasn’t been near that house since God only knows when. He’s in big trouble! That file should have indicated that there’s a vicious dog on the premises.”
“True,” Bill reluctantly agreed while struggling to regain his breath. As a senior inspector, Bill walked a fine line between the inspectors and management and was often forced to defend one or the other. “He deserves to be reported for this one. Or better yet, I’m more inclined to think a good butt whipping would serve the purpose.”
As they drove back to the office, Jaci’s thoughts reflected her frustration. Is this all I have to look forward to? Shaking her head, she silently talked to the Lord. Father, You know I appreciate all of Your blessings. But, Lord, is this all it’s ever going to be? Is there nothing in Your plan for me but more loneliness, more dangerous buildings, and more vicious dogs? Father, this is Your world and You own everything in it. Lord, surely, You have something else for me. She sighed. Nevertheless, Father, thank You for what I do have.
Jaci had no way of knowing that her season was about to change; that even then she was at the heart of conversations taking place hundreds of miles away in Dallas; that the person who had swept her dreams away like a tornado over twenty-two years before was about to bring more stormy weather into her life. Neither could she know that her future held another man who would help her weather the storms and would also bring refreshing breezes and new beginnings of springtime. Yep! Torrential winds were about to blow, sending Jaci through a season that would leave dramatic and irreversible changes.
J.P.
J.P. Gilmore and Herbert Williams sat in the reception area of the Housing Compliance Department, waiting to see Wynola Dickson. J.P. was ticked off. Their appointment had been for three o’clock, thirty minutes ago, and he didn’t have this kind of time to waste. He realized he probably had made a mistake in calling the woman, but he hoped she might help him to get regular listings of buildings the city planned to demolish.
As he sat there steaming and considering walking out, J.P. idl
y looked through the glass wall to the elevator in the hallway as its doors opened. Two men, obviously in the midst of an amusing conversation, stepped out. As one spoke, the second one laughed so hard he fell against the wall. “Aw man, you’re lying on her, I know you’re lying!” he cried.
“I swear, man, I ain’t lying. That lady flew by me so fast I saw dust flying from her feet. That woman can run! That dog was never going to catch her.”
Another man walking down the corridor noticed the commotion and strolled over to them. “Man, you gotta hear this!” the second man said, and began to repeat the story. Before long, the third man was bent over with laughter. “I wish I had been there,” he said between fits of laughter. “I would give anything to have been there. Where is she? Probably had to go home, didn’t she?”
The elevator doors swung open again and J.P.’s heartbeat went into overdrive when a beautiful woman stepped off. She wore black jeans, a blue long-sleeved oxford shirt, and heavy, mud-encrusted boots. Her long hair was pulled back in a ponytail and showed the imprint of where the hard hat she now carried had been sitting on her head. A camera and a small purse were slung over her shoulder and she was juggling the hard hat, a clipboard, and a cold drink in her hands. Her mouth thinned when the three men broke out in laughter, and she shook her head disgustedly.
“You just couldn’t wait to tell them, could you? You low-life jerk! Well did you tell them about yourself?” The men broke up again, doubling over and falling against the wall.
Shaking her head again, the woman entered the reception area and walked toward the receptionist’s desk, as a beautiful smile replaced her frown. “Hey, Mrs. Hinson, how’re you doing? Any messages?” An answering smile spread over the elderly lady’s face behind the desk, who handed the woman a stack of messages. “Hi, Miss ‘J,’ I can’t complain. I won’t ask how you are. I can see you’re tired. How did it go out there today?”
“Don’t worry, you’ll hear all about it from those characters out there when they finish laughing.”
She turned to leave and noticed the two men sitting across the room watching her. “Oh hi,” she said, directing her gorgeous smile toward them. “Have you all been helped?”
J.P. felt the breath leave his chest. The smile lit up her whole face and revealed beautiful teeth behind well-shaped lips, which he instinctively knew would be a joy to kiss. And those eyes! Green and sparkling like emeralds, they pierced him to the core and caused his body to go into overdrive.
He responded with a large smile of his own, forgetting all about being ticked off at Wynola. “Yes, we have, thank you. We’re waiting to see someone.”
“Okay.” She turned to the receptionist again. “See ya later.” She retraced her path through the double-glass doors leading into the corridor. Nearing the men, who were still standing there with amused expressions, she pointedly turned her head away from them as she walked by.
“Ran into any dogs lately?” one of them asked. She kept walking without acknowledging his question. The men busted out in loud laughter again.
J.P. watched her as far as he could see her down the long hallway. “Wonder who that is?” he mumbled to Herbert, who was just as engrossed.
“I don’t know, but sure would like to,” Herbert replied.
Never in his life had a woman he didn’t even know affected him so strongly, and J.P. decided that he would make it a priority to find out who she was.
Maxie
Maxie Jackson was tired of the hospital room at Parkland Hospital in Dallas. He shifted around in the lumpy visitor’s chair, trying to find a comfortable spot while he impatiently waited for his wife. Although he was awaiting his release, he still didn’t feel well after having triple bypass heart surgery. He had been in the hospital almost two weeks after suffering a massive heart attack and was anxious to feel like his old self again. His doctor told him it would take a while, but he couldn’t help wondering just how long. He didn’t like sitting idle all day because it left too much time to think. He was usually on the go, enjoying life and pursuing whatever entertainment had his attention at the moment. This sitting around was for the birds.
He was mulling these thoughts over when a woman stuck her head in the open door of his room. It was Viola Wright, a woman he had known for years.
“Hello. Aren’t you Maxie? Maxie Jackson? Yes, that is you. I was just walking by and saw you sitting here. You remember me, don’t you? I worked with Jacetta Winters way back, years ago.”
Maxie looked at her suspiciously. “Yeah, I remember you. I haven’t seen you in years. What are you doing here?” he asked.
“Oh, I’m just visiting my aunt, who’s right down the hall.” A curious look swept over her face. “You know, I’ve stayed in touch with Jacetta over the years. She’s done well in Houston. And that beautiful daughter!” Viola couldn’t stop herself from going there. She didn’t know all the particulars, but knew enough to guess that Maxie had treated Jacetta very badly. “Her daughter got married a few years ago, and it was really a lovely wedding.”
Maxie remembered Jacetta Winters well. She was the little hick who had tried to trap him into marriage by getting pregnant. Huh! Someone should have told her he wasn’t falling for that. Better women than she had tried that trick.
But now, for whatever reason—maybe boredom—even though he tried to act nonchalant, his interest was triggered. He didn’t know for sure, but had to assume the woman knew he was the father of Jacetta’s child; otherwise, she wouldn’t be telling him all this—would she?
“So, what brought you here?” Viola asked nosily.
“My old ticker blew up on me and I had to have heart surgery. I’m getting ready to go home now though. Just waiting for my wife to get here.”
“Uh huh.” Viola looked at him with thinly veiled dislike. You’re probably just getting started with your troubles, sucker. You reap what you sow in this world, she thought. She turned to leave, saying, “Well take care.” She left hoping that Maxie would suffer as much as he had caused Jacetta to suffer. “I know Your Word is true, Father. May his moments of reaping be upon him,” she prayed softly as she walked down the corridor.
Strange! The word popped into Maxie’s mind after the woman left. Strange that someone would mention Jacetta Winters and her child to him, especially at a time when he couldn’t do anything to divert unwelcome thoughts. Over the years, if a thought about Jacetta or her child happened to enter his mind, he quickly pushed it aside as he went about his pursuit of self-gratification. He hadn’t even been interested enough to try to find out the child’s sex. Now in his dreary hospital room—twenty-something years later—he chuckled, congratulating himself. So . . . he had another daughter.
Two weeks later, Maxie ran into Jacetta’s uncle, George Winters, as he entered the drugstore. George was brimming over with news of how well Jacetta and her daughter were doing.
“Man, let me tell you about that niece of mine. I was a little worried when she left here and moved down to Houston, but she’s done real well. You know she always was real smart. She went down there and got a good job with the city. Been there over twenty years, and her daddy was telling me the last time I talked to him that she’s thinking about retiring in a little while. Wants to do something different. We drove down there for her daughter’s wedding, and I tell you, Jacetta’s got a really nice house with a swimming pool in the backyard. I’m really proud of that girl.”
“What kind of dude did she marry?” Maxie asked, filled with curiosity.
“You know,” George answered slowly, “she never did get married. I guess she was too busy working and raising that child all by herself. My brother acted a big fool when she came up pregnant. Told her not to even think about coming back to his house, so I guess she was focused on what she had to do. My brother done regretted his words many times over the years. Especially after he saw how hard she was working. She wouldn’t even take any help from him when he did try to give it. Anyway, now he can’t help but feel guilty about eve
rything. Sometimes it’s not the things you do, but those you don’t that cause the deepest regrets.”
Now this is too weird, Maxie thought. He hadn’t seen George in years. They had parted on bad terms, since George hadn’t been too happy with the way things had gone between him and Jacetta. To solve that problem, Maxie transferred to another branch of the company they both worked for, then made sure he stayed out of George’s way.
A bevy of strange and unfamiliar emotions stirred within Maxie as George continued singing Jacetta’s praises and talking about how well her child had turned out. Emotions he couldn’t identify or understand assaulted him. And when he finally pinpointed them, he discovered to his amazement that he was actually feeling disappointment. In his mind, it looked as though the game had been won, and accolades were being given to the winner, but he was unable to share in the victory because he hadn’t even shown up to play in the game. Ironically, he also identified envy and even loneliness creeping in as he thought about his run-down rented house and pillar-to-post lifestyle. He’d literally had to beg for help when he’d gotten sick. Wait a minute! He scolded himself. Why am I questioning my lifestyle? I love it! Must be these health problems messing with my mind, he consoled himself.
George’s words grabbed his attention again. “Jacetta’s daughter, Randi, already has one child and another one is on the way. She ain’t wasting no time is she?” he said laughingly.
Unexplained anger flared in Maxie’s mind. Why did these people keep referring to her as Jacetta’s daughter? They knew she was his daughter too. Before he realized he was going to ask, he said, “You wouldn’t happen to have Jacetta’s phone number, would you?” He didn’t know if George would give him the information even if he had it, but surprisingly, George searched through his wallet and found the number.
Seasons Page 3