Ch. 2: Confusion

Renee sat there in shock; did she hear him right? Did he just say 3 million dollars? She was already in shock about the house, but to learn there is a safe with that much money in it for her and the kids was unbelievable. "Renee, are you okay?" Jake asked, breaking the silence. He already hated keeping it from her for this long, but hated not knowing what she was feeling or thinking was worse. "Do I get to choose if I keep it or not" she asked after a few moments, still taking it in. Jake explained to her that she could keep it or sell it, but he suggested that she get the money at least. With so much to think about she smiled in Jakes direction and stood up finally, "Jake, I will think it over, talk to the boys considering today is their first day of school. It is a huge decision to make. I will be in touch." Jake nodded, stood with her, walked her to the office door, "I hope you consider it and take it." yes, it is a big move and a lot to take in, but you deserve this much from that dirt bag Renee." With a smile, Renee turned and left for home. Once she arrived, she unlocked the door and went inside, shutting the door behind her, she took her shoes off and headed to the kitchen. Opening the fridge, forgetting she has yet to get groceries, she shuts it and heads back to the door grabbing her keys, wallet, and of course her shoes. Renee was about to walk out the door when her phone started ringing. Before answering it this time she took a moment for the caller ID to show the name, it was Jake, again. Hesitant to answer the phone she decided to do it, "hello?". Expecting to hear Jake ask about the meeting already but instead he asked, "I am sorry to bother you, but I forgot to ask you if you had a chance to get everything you needed for your new apartment." Confused as to how Jake had so much information on her she decided to answer honestly, "Not yet I was actually heading out now to get what I can before the boys get home." The other end was silent for a few seconds before Jake responded, " come outside." Before she could ask him anything else Jake had hung up.

Still confused, starting to think today is just a weird dream she will wake from she heads outside since she is going out anyway. As she is locking the door she turns around and when she does, she nearly falls but thankfully Jake was walking up bags in tow. Jake managed to catch her only dropping a glass bottle, "well you didn't have to rush out, are you okay" he said laughing after she finds her feet. Renee laughed at him, " I promise I was not rushing, today just feels..." how does she describe it, "weird, like Leo is stalking me from the dead." They both laughed it off until Jake remembers why he is there. " I got you some things, I didn't know what to get so I got the basics, got the kids some stuff they might like at their age, what are they like 10 and 15 now? and well I did get you some whiskey but." He looks to the ground at the broken glass. Renee could not help but laugh at herself again, but then it hit her again. How did he know stuff like, that she had moved, that she did not go to get stuff for her new apartment and the whiskey, how did he know she drank that. Confused, she had to know, "Jake, how did you know I moved, needed things and what makes you think I like that stuff?" she asked, pointing to the broken bottle that still sat there on the ground. With a serious voice he said, "Leo was my client for a reason, he did have someone who agreed to work for him even after death to make sure you were okay. Strange to say that after hearing...." He paused not wanting to upset Renee by bring up her pain, "Any way they were apparently keeping an eye on the house and making sure no one would bother you knowing Leo was gone and when you packed your stuff and moved, I got the call to revisit the envelope from him again."

Renee was not happy at the least, how can he control stuff from the grave, why would he do this to me even now. Even with how unhappy she was, she remembered Leo asking not to be mad at him. With a sigh, she shrugged her shoulders and once again opened her door to allow Jake in. "Jake, can I ask you something?" Renee asks while they put the stuff he got for them away. Jake pauses and looks in her direction waiting, "Why are you doing all of this?" Renee asked him. Jake returns to putting things away then finally says, " I knew you were in a situation and I wanted to help, you were always so nice whenever we had meetings, or Leo hosted parties and I never understood why you were with him let alone why he left you with nothing and I just wanted to make sure you were taken care of until you make a decision." Once again, silence. They finally got it all put up when Renee finally broke the awkward silence, " Thank you Jake. This means a lot and I just know the boys will love the gifts. would you like to stay for dinner, after all you did buy it?" Renee felt it was the respectful thing to do since he went through all this trouble for her. Taken by surprise Jake looked at her, his face flushed red, " I would love to, but I won't be out of the office until 6 this evening." Expecting Renee to let it go, he smiled and grabbed his keys and got ready to leave when he heard her say, " Come by when you get off, I will have it ready then." With a smile on his face, he agreed to dinner and left.

With all of that, Renee realized she no longer needed food; Jake got her enough for the week, maybe two. One thing was missing though, her drink. Renee once more grabbed her keys and wallet and headed down to the nearest liquor store. With only an hour to spare to get there and back, she hurried in to get the whiskey and hurried out, arriving home just in time for the kids' bus to arrive. She greeted them with some ice cream she grabbed on her way back and told them their dad's old friend was coming bye for dinner and there was something she wanted to talk to them about. They went inside and got cleaned up, did homework, did the kid thing while Renee was preparing dinner wondering if this was a good idea, what if he got the wrong idea or worse, she did. As she finished the food, she got the table set. As she was finishing the table she got a text from Jake saying, "I will be there soon." After reading that she got nervous, but why? It is just a dinner with an old "friend" Why should she be nervous? In her thoughts, there was a knock on the door, Jake. Renee opened the door and welcomed him in and called for the kids to re-introduce them. The boys, Nate, and LJ (Leo JR) came running into the little kitchen excited to meet a friend of their father's. As soon as they came in, they stopped, "Hi, we remember you!" LJ said loudly, surprised Jake said hello to them and handed them each a small nicely wrapped present. "Thank you, Mr. Jake", They both yelled as they ran to sit at the table, " don't you think you have gotten them enough gifts today?" Renee asked him with a laugh. Still wondering how such a weird day is real, she showed him the way to the table. "Would you like a drink?" she asked. He agreed as he was taking off his coat and sitting down with the boys. Renee returned with the drinks, then served dinner to everyone, then sat down to join. She could not help but wonder why this felt nicer than she expected, could it be because he showed her kindness?

Soon they finished dinner, and the kids were off to get ready for bed. They said their goodnight, thanked Jake for his gifts and ran off. Renee then asked if Jake would like to stay longer and chat, which was something Leo never allowed her to do. Talk to other men, she was allowed to respond with certain words, answers, but never a free conversation. She did not expect him to be able to being a big-time lawyer and all but as she regretted asking, he simply said, "I would like that." They sat down at her makeshift couch with nothing more than some milk crates and a nice coffee table, poured them another glass of whiskey and handed Jake one. "Thank you" he said, they then spent a while talking about what Renee went through the last 4 years, re-adjusting to life without fear, no Leo to hold her back or hurt her. She felt something she had not felt in a long time, peace. It was getting late, Renee asked if Jake had time for one more drink or if he needed to go, she almost did not want her new friend to leave just yet. She patiently waited for his answer and was shocked when he said, "if it's okay with you I will stay as long as you like, if I need to, I will just not go to the office tomorrow ". Excited yet nervous at his answer she smiled and poured yet another drink. "Can you just do that?" Renee asked. Jake laughed at the question and shook his head at her " I own the office Renee, thankfully I answer to no one." She could not help but be proud of him, owning the office was an important thing. She could not tell if it was the multiple drinks they had drank or if she was getting sick, but she felt something she was not familiar with in her stomach. Deep in her gut, could this be what she thought would go wrong? Was he getting the wrong idea and staying longer in hopes of something happening, or worse, was she hoping he would want to, and she would want him too as well. What if she wanted something else, it had to be the whiskey right? She does not know Jake well enough to want anything with, or from him, especially.... that!