<< Go Back

Broken Silence

By Jane Daly

Order Now!

Jinxi Lansing stopped at the bottom of the stairs, listening
to the silence. The old house seemed to be holding its breath,
waiting. Even the normal creaking and groaning had ceased.
Goosebumps broke out on her arms. She jumped when
Ted woofed from behind. “Sorry, buddy. I know you need
to go outside.”
She dumped her backpack on the wooden kitchen table
and then opened the back door. Ted dashed out, making
a beeline to his favorite tree. Rubbing her hands up and
down her sweatshirt-clad arms, Jinxi couldn’t shake
the feeling something was wrong. Two-plus decades of
vulnerability made her hyperaware of the smallest change
in the atmosphere.
Why wasn’t Janice up yet? Jinxi’s friend, mentor, and
spiritual mom usually woke with the sun. A cursory glance
around the kitchen indicated nothing had been disturbed,
plus the fact the coffee maker sat dark. Jinxi pushed the
button to start the morning’s brew, then headed down the
short, dark hall to Janice’s bedroom.
“Janice?” Jinxi’s voice echoed in the silence. Sheets
and blankets formed a messy wad at the end of Janice’s
bed. “Janice?” The bathroom door was open and the room
empty. Only the faint smell of Janice’s citrus body lotion
remained of her presence.
Jane Daly BROKEN SILENCE
2 3
Nerves skittered up Jinxi’s spine. She returned to the
kitchen, then stomped into the living room. Fear and anger
bartered for position. Janice never went anywhere without
leaving a yellow sticky note.
Gone to WalMart—back soon
Coffee is ready to brew—just turn it on
Sandwiches in fridge—Help yourself
Janice’s car was absent from the driveway. The Queen of
Sticky Notes had left without letting Jinxi know. Of course
she did. Janice didn’t owe Jinxi a thing.
Old feelings like knife jabs pierced Jinxi’s heart. After six
months of having Jinxi in her home, Janice probably tired of
having to constantly let Jinxi know where she was. Maybe it
was time to move on. It wasn’t like she was family. Her stay
at Janice’s was only due to the older woman’s hospitality.
That could change at any time.
One thing Jinxi knew for sure—relationships were
transactional. You do this for me, I do that for you. Maybe
letting Jinxi know where Janice had gone wasn’t part of the
agreement.
Jinxi returned to the kitchen and poured a cup of coffee.
As she sipped, she eyed the knife rack on the counter. A
familiar craving crawled over her skin. Pulling the paring
knife free, she tested it against her arm. One little slice and
she’d feel better. Or would she?
Ted interrupted her thoughts, clawing at the back door.
Jinxi tossed the knife on the counter and let him in. The
sound of a car door slamming had her heading back to the
living room.
“Where were you?” Jinxi demanded when Janice unlocked
the door and stepped into the house.
“I, uh …” Janice pushed the door closed with tear-filled
eyes.
Alarm bells sounded in Jinxi’s ears, drowning out
everything except Janice’s ragged breathing. Janice’s short
gray hair was a tangled mess, and her sweater was buttoned
wrong.
“You should have left me a note.” Jinxi’s words fell into
the empty space between them like shattered glass. She
crossed her arms, determined to hold onto the hurt.
“Merciful heavens. I’m sorry.” Janice set her purse on an
end table, then shrugged out of her sweater, tossing it onto
her favorite chair. “I got a call. I left in a hurry.”
Leaves chattered against the living room windows,
blown from the trees by a gust of wind. Jinxi watched them
swirl. A rock of fear in her stomach pulled her down to
slump onto one of the dining room chairs.
“What kind of call?”
“Dean …” Janice choked back a sob, one hand fisted to
her trembling lips.
Jinxi’s world tilted. Images flew through her mind.
Scenes of Janice’s son, Dean, teasing her, chasing Ted
around the yard, tossing his niece Hannah into the air. She
heard him yelling at her, their argument, she trying to get
him to forgive her.
“Is he—” She bit her lip hard enough to draw blood. “Is
he dead?”
Janice’s breath caught. “Goodness, no. But he’s in a
coma. He fell and hit his head.”
In her mind, Jinxi saw herself run to Janice and hug her,
giving and receiving comfort. But her legs were wooden,
her body frozen to the seat. How could she extend comfort
when she’d never received it?
“You should have left a note,” Jinxi said, sniffing away
the tears threatening to push their way past her burning
eyelids.
“I’m sorry,” Janice repeated, her voice a monotone. “I
have to call Brian. And Robin.” Her hands dropped to her
sides as she dragged herself toward her bedroom.
Jane Daly
4
Of course. Family first.
“Wait.” Jinxi stood, shoving the wooden chair back
under the table. “Where is he? Can I see him?”
“Sacramento General, downtown. I don’t know if they’ll
let anyone in who’s not family.”
Family. Which Jinxi was not. She heard the finality of
Janice’s bedroom door clicking shut.
The grandfather clock in the living room chimed, a
sharp reminder she’d be late for work. She retreated to the
kitchen for a drink of water to wash away the metallic taste
of her blood. The coffee mug she’d used sat in the sink.
After gulping some water, she slammed the cup down hard
enough to crack it. Not satisfied, she banged the cup down
again and again. It shattered into jagged pieces and the
handle slipped off her fingers and clattered into the sink.
She rested her arms on the counter, gripping the edge of
the sink with bloodless knuckles.

Order Now!

<< Go Back