As if walking into a kiss by Joe wasn't bad enough,I entertained a call from JoJo,and he was panicked.
"True,I've reached my limit with cops! Help me out of this one"he said.
Joe walked away after briefly kissing me,and I figured she only did that to fool grandad.
Which sounded kinda smart to me.
"What did you do!"I asked,making sure Joe was far away from my conversation.
"I told the cop I was a CIA agent"JoJo said.
I face palmed.
"Jo,that is the dumbest thing I've heard from you,why did you say that?"I asked.
"True, you think that's the issue,I made her believe that am undercover,hunting a threat to the American government"he said.
"How dumb could you possibly get! How can such stupid thoughts just flow through your brain! If you even have a brain!"I said,I screamed, but not too loudly.
"And guess what else I told her?"JoJo asked.
"How on Earth am I supposed to know?"I asked, sacarstically.
"I told her that am hunting down Josephine..."
For some unknown reason,I got upset hearing that,and panicked.
"Tell me you didn't give her a picture of Joe"I said.
"Why the hell do you think am so panicked!"
"JoJo!"I yelled,I strolled outside.
"You better stop her before anything happens to Joe in the process"I cautioned.
"True,that is the least of our problems, she's a hound,she won't just go after Josephine, she'll probably try and do some research about you,and once she starts that..."
"A lie got you into this,another lie will get you out"I said,not mincing words.
I could hear him scratch his head.
"Call me In the morning and tell me the outcome"I said and ended the call.
I took cautious steps into the bedroom,afraid,of Joe.
She was already in bed, asleep,and I heaved a sigh of relief,sweet relief.
I laid down beside her,and drifted off to sleep,trying to ward off my guilt and worry.
I hope that all this will grant Grandad the peace he needs before he dies.
************
I woke up,and the room had a smell,it was of scented candles.
I rubbed my eyes with the back of my palm,adjusting to the bright light.
Yawning.
If anything was to wake me up fully,then it would be the sight in front of me.
Joe was in some kind of Yoga outfit, stretching.
"How does her body bend that way!"I thought,as I watched her.
She then started to bend over,and I let out a cough for her to realize I was awake.
She turned her head back,and her face reddened.
"Oh,hi!"she said.
"I didn't mean to interrupt your... commitment"I said,not knowing what to say.
"Oh,it's not a problem,disruptions are common in nature,but everything reverts back to tranquility"she said,and placed her leg over her neck.
I stood up,feeling uneasy.
I turned around to find a little kettle on some hot coals.
"How did you..."I was left perplexed,too perplexed to make up a question.
She sat beside the kettle and brewed us some tea.
She gave some to me,I looked inside,it was green.
Fucking green.
I am more of a coffee person,and taking tea in the morning sickened me.
But there was something about her today,her smile,she seemed so at peace.
Her hair in a ponytail really brought out her well defined face,and her pointed nose.
I sat beside her and watched her sip from her tea.
Lamenting over my rug.
I equally took a sip,and spat it back into the cup.
She looked in my direction,and I gulped the whole thing.
She smiled at me,and took both cups to the kitchen for washing.
I took to my heels,to the bathroom,I needed to get the whole tea taste off my taste buds.
But grandad was inside,and he turned on his radio,up to the loudest volume.
I was already aware of how long he tends to spend in the bathroom.
Before I could think,my phone rang,it was in my right pocket.
I took it out,with no struggle,thinking it was JoJo with the status of things over there.
Only for me to identity the caller ID to be Anon.
I regretted my decision of taking the call.
I shrugged,and went outside to answer the call.
"I hope you have not missed the sweet melody of my voice too much"she said mockingly over the phone.
"Why are you calling?"I asked her.
"Have you forgotten you have a job to do?"she asked, seriousness in her tone of voice.
"I have a week Anon,it's just been four days"I said.
"I said,I'll see what I can do,and I've done my best for you,now you have to respond by getting this job done"she said.
I got so frustrated at her,and hit the wall.
"Your partner is already waiting for you"she said.
"She's at the location am about to send you,she will brief you on the job,and your role"Anon said,and ended the call.
I hated not having a choice,I hated it when she just called me anytime of the day and expected me to comply.
I hit the showers and got dressed in casual clothing.
"Are you going to work?"Joe inquired while she made some soup for grandad.
"Yes"I said,this wasn't a lie,I was going to work,just not the kind she figured.
"When will you be back?"she asked.
"I don't know"I said.
I had gotten so used to JoJo as a roommate,and we both did the same kind of "work".
"So, should I wait up for you?"she asked,as she set the table.
"Joe"I said,grabbing her hand.
"You're okay,you don't need to do all this,and last night..."
"It was a harmless kiss,as harmless as this one"she said and locked her lips with mine.
The hell?
"Don't mind me,am just here to get some water for my pills..."grandad said from behind us.
She disengaged,and faced me, blushing.
"I can't wait to be a great grand father!"he exclaimed.
"Did you sleep well?"Joe asked,she went over to him,and assisted him into a seat.
"Thank you so much Joe,what would a weak defenseless old man do without such a caring girl as yourself in his life"grandad said.
The melodramatic old man was at it again.
"You came down the stairs just fine,getting to a chair shouldn't be such a challenge"I mumbled loud enough to be heard.
"You see,without you Joe,I don't know how I would have been living!"he said,while grinning.
She went into the kitchen and emerged with a bowl of soup.
It seemed more of leaves than soup.
Grandad passed me a helpless stare, searching for help,he really was helpless.
"Go on,don't let your soup get cold,after all Joe,took the liberty to make this for you"I said,and pushed the plate closer to him.
"It's medicinal"Joe said,and I could tell grandad had never had anything healthier than burger buns.
"Sure dear,I'll taste it"grandad said.
He took the spoon,his eyes wandering about the plate.
His hand vibrated.
I went to him,took the spoon,and took a spoonful of soup.
"True, you'll have to taste and know if it's too hot for my old helpless tongue"he said,trying to pull a fast one.
"You've had hotter things,taste"I insisted.
"Am too old for these things True,think about my condition"he said.
"I'll blow on it"I said.
"I don't want to drink your spit!"he argued.
Joe soon realised how we both were stalling and took the spoon.
"I'll taste it!"She said,and took a spoonful of the soup and shoved it down her throat.
Her smile turned to a look of disgust,she spat the whole thing out,and used the napkin to clean her tongue.
She looked at us two,her eyes widened comically at us.
In turn we stared at her,and the napkin in her hand.
"I'll go make pancakes"she said and tossed the napkin aside.
She took the bowl of soup away,keeping on a straight face.