Where Would I Be

Prologue 

“You’ll learn, just keep on living.” Those were the words echoing in Lisa’s ear right now. At this very moment, the words her mother would tell over and over as she was growing up were being repeated over and over again, as if they were a favorite love song. She wished her mother’s voice would tell her what to do about the man that was standing in front of her with a gun. How could the man, who claimed he loved her, be threatening to kill her? How the hell did she get herself into this? Scratch that. She knew how she got herself into this. The real question was how was she going to get out of it? How was she going to keep this man from killing her and her unborn child? 

Chapter One 

“Lisa, you have a call on line one.” 
“Thanks Carol. This is Lisa Jenson…Yes, Mr. Thompson, how are you... Good. What can I do for you…? Okay… No, I haven’t received it yet. When did you messenger them over…? I should get them sometime this afternoon, then… I will call as soon as I have everything ready. Then, we can set up a meeting for next week… Alright, Mr. Thompson, I’ll talk to you soon… Good-bye. 
A minute after hanging up, Carol buzzed in again, “Lisa, there’s a Mr. James Harris here to see you.” 
Lisa’s heart screeched to a halt. “A-Are you sure that’s what he said?” 
“Yes, that’s what I said,” a male voice said. 
“Well, Carol, please tell Mr. Harris I’m busy and to go away.” 
“Oh. Okay.” 
A second later, Carol came into Lisa’s office, “Lisa, he said he’s not leaving without seeing you.” 
“Then call security.” 
“Security? Do you really want me-?” 
“Yes,” Lisa said. “No, wait. No need to cause a scene. Did he say what he wanted?” 
“No, but he is holding a pink rose,” Carol said, smiling. 
Lisa sighed and leaned back in her leather chair. 
“What do you want me to do?” 
“I might as well get this over with. Send him in.” 
“Okay.” 
Lisa swung her chair around facing the view of the Mississippi River to take a couple of breaths to kick start her heartbeat. Then she heard, “Hello, beautiful.” 
Lisa turned her chair around to face him, “Hello, James.” 
She could see the shock on his face for a moment, and then he said, “Lisa, you-you look-.” 
“Different?” 
“Even more beautiful than I remember.” 
“What do you want James?” 
“You haven’t seen me for six years and the only thing you can say is, “what do you want?” 
“Yep.” 
“No “I can’t believe you’re here.” Or “long time no see.” 
“I can’t believe you’re here and the time hasn’t been long enough.” 
“Okay. Look, I know I shouldn’t have just showed up. But, I had to see you.” 
“Why? No, I don’t care why. I just want to know how you found out where I worked.” 
“It’s a small town. People talk.” 
“Memphis isn’t that small and my people don’t talk to your people.” 
“True, but I asked around.” 
“Kim told you.” 
“Yeah,” he chuckled. “I get the feeling that you guys aren’t friends anymore.” 
“She was never a friend; it just took me longer to find that out. Now, why are you here?” 
James didn’t answer, he was too busy starring. 
Sighing, Lisa said, “A picture will last longer.” 
“Sorry, I just can’t over how much you’ve changed.” 
“I haven’t changed that much. What do you want, James?” 
“To see you.” 
“You’ve seen me. Now, you can leave.” 
“Can you give me just a few minutes of your time?” 
“No.” 
“Just hear me out. That’s all I’m asking for.” 
“You’re asking for too much.” 
“One minute, that’s it.” 
Lisa stared at him, then against her better judgment said, “You have only one minute.” 
“Right to the point, I’ve missed you.” 
“Really?” Lisa asked, deadpan. 
“I was hoping- I was hoping to get a chance to maybe take you out. I know that’s a lot to ask, especially coming from me. But, I just want to have a chance to start over with you.” 
“No, thank you.” Lisa got up and walked over to her glass pitcher and poured herself a glass of water. She ignored the whispered expletive coming from James, while her back was turned. 
“Look James, I don’t know what possessed you to come here to see me. I’m sure you knew that I did not want to see you. Please leave.” 
“Lisa it’s just a bite between friends.” 
“Oh, so we’re friends now?” 
“Hoping.” 
Turning to face him, Lisa didn’t expect him to be standing so close to her. She had to tilt her head back to look at him. 
“I can’t –“ 
“I have to tell you that you look good. It’s taking all the restraint I have to not kiss you right now,” James said, looking into her eyes. 
For a minute Lisa was lost in those light brown eyes and his words. But, only for a minute. 
“James, you have to go.” 
“You always were a hard person to get to.” He handed Lisa the rose he was holding, and then playing with a curl of her hair, he whispered close to her lips, “I never give up, beautiful.” 
He backed up, smiled, and then he was gone. Lisa didn’t realize she had stopped breathing until her chest began to hurt. Taking deep breaths, Lisa walked over to the floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the always busy Front St. She looked out at the water, and wondered how in the hell was she going to stay clear of James. Because she knew that was not the last time she would see him. She actually remembered when James first walked into her life some seven years ago. 

§§§§ 
“Hey, how you doing?” a very handsome man said to Lisa as she walked home from getting off the bus. 
“Fine, you?” Lisa said, never breaking her stride. 
“Can I talk to you for a minute?” 
“About what?” 
“If you slow down I can tell you.” 
Lisa slowed her pace so he could catch up. 
“Damn, you walk fast!” 
“Sorry.” 
“What’s your name?” 
“No,” Lisa said. 
“Wait, I just wanna know the name of the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen,” he said, giving Lisa one of the sexist smiles she’d ever seen. 
“Thank you,” Lisa said. 
“Do you think that worked enough to get you to stop?” 
So she did. 
“Okay, since you won’t tell me your name, how about I call you beautiful?” 
The way he was smiling at her, Lisa’s body temperature went up 100°. Really everything about this man was sexy. James was about 5’11, creamy brown skin, with brown eyes the color of hazelnut. He looked like he was made of muscle, but not big, over done muscles. He was just right, he was sexy as hell. 
“So beautiful, where are you headed?” 
“Home.” 
“Do you mind if I walk with you?” 
“If I won’t tell you my name, how you figure I’m gonna let you find out where I live?” 
“Okay, okay. How ‘bout we talk here? Do you have a man?” 
“No.” 
“Any kids?” 
“No.” 
“Really?!” 
“You sound like that’s hard to believe. Not all women have children.” 
“All the ones I know do.” 
“Are you the father?” 
“Oh, you got jokes.” 
“What, I’m serious,” Lisa laughed. 
“So, can I get your number?” 
“What’s your name?” 
“James. James Harris. Your future husband,” he smiled. 
“Is that right? Well, James Harris I’m Lisa Jenson.” 
“Nice to meet you. Can I get your number or what?” Lisa smiled, while she took a small piece of paper out and wrote her name and number down, and handed it to him. 
“So Lisa, where are you from?” 
“Born right here in Memphis. Why?” 
“You don’t sound like it. You sound like you from up north.” 
“Nope, I’m from here, sorry.” 
“Don’t be, I think you sound sexy.” 
“Thank you.” 
“Well, I’m not gonna keep you any longer than I already have, but I will definitely be callin’ you.” 
“Alright, bye.” 
“See ya, beautiful.” 
Lisa walked up the driveway of the house they were standing in front of. 
“Where is everybody?” she asked, when she walked in the house. 
“In the kitchen,” her mother called out. 
Lisa put her books down on the living room couch and headed to the kitchen. 
“Hey,” she said. 
“Hey. How did it go at the library?” 
“Busy.” 
“Did you get everything you needed?” her mother asked as she took a glass dish out of the oven. 
“For now.” 
“What do you mean, “For now”?” 
“I have to go back sometime this weekend to turn in the paper I have to write.” 
“Then why did you have to go today?” 
“To get the information I needed in order to write the paper.” 
“Oh, okay.” 
“But I have to tell you, walking or riding the bus back and forth to the library is really not working for me.” 
“If you can wait a couple of weeks I can get you a computer.” 
“Thank you so much. That would really help me out. So, how long until dinner?” 
“About another half hour.” 
“That would give me time to get started on at least some of my work.” 
Lisa turned to leave, but stopped when her mother said, “Who was that guy you were outside talking to?” 
Lisa turned around and looked at her mother, “And how do you know I was outside talking to somebody?” 
“Your brother said that you were outside. So I looked out to see what you were doing. So, who was he?” 
“I don’t know him. He was over Charles house across the street. Why? Is your trouble radar going off?” 
“I just wanted to know who he was.” 
“I told you I don’t know. That’s my first time ever seeing him.” 
“And just to let you know, my trouble radar only lifted a little bit. I have to meet him to determine how much trouble he is going to be.” 
“Well, you don’t have anything to worry. I’ve got too much on my plate right now to worry about some man. Call me when dinner is ready.” 
Lisa’s mother watched her go up upstairs and shook her head at how naive her daughter was. 
The day passed as routine as always. They ate dinner, Anthony got on Lisa’s last nerve, and she and her mother talked a little while. Around 8:00 the phone rings, and Anthony walks into her room holding the cordless phone. “Some man wants talk to you. Who is he?” 
“Boy, if you want to see your 8th birthday, you better get out of my business,” Lisa said, as she pushed him out of her room and closed the door. “Hello.” 
“Hey, beautiful.” 
“Hey.” 
“He sounds a little young to be your father.” 
“He doesn’t think so.” 
“What you up to?” 
“I’m in the middle of writing a paper for class.” 
“For class, what do you take up?” 
“I’m taking up finance.” 
“That’s dealing with money, right?” 
“Yep.” 
“How about taking a break and let me take you out to dinner.” 
“Sorry, I can’t. I really have a lot of work to do.” 
“Aww, come one, I’ll make it worth your while.” 
“I can’t.” 
“Awight, then. How ‘bout I call you later?” 
“Alright.” 
“Then I’ll call you later. Bye, beautiful.” 
“Bye,” Lisa said, and hung up. 
Lisa already knew James was not about to call her back, he did not want to get to know her. Lisa finished out the night studying and was done by midnight. Getting into bed, she knew she wouldn’t hear from him again.