Terry and Gene 18

Terry looked up to see Gene standing there. His eyes softened a little when he saw her tears, but not much.

Terry released Jason's hands and wiped the tears off her face. "Gene, this is Jason Pierce. Jason, this is Gene Grey."

Jason nodded and smiled. "Like I wouldn't know him. Terry has played all your CD's to death. Some she had to buy three copies of. Sometimes when we were in bed, I'd wonder if she was thinking of you or me."

"Jason!" Terry cried. Gene's face reddened angrily.

"Well, it's true." Jason laughed.

"Gene bought one of your paintings. The urban landscape."

Jason nodded, smiling, not seeming to notice the rage boiling up in Gene. "A painting only a fellow alcoholic could love."

Terry could sense that Gene was barely breathing.

"I saw the painting you did of Terry." Gene growled.

Jason's blue eyes widened and he smiled at Gene again. "It's a good likeness, don't you think? Her skin is like porcelain. Sometimes I wonder why I let her slip away..." Jason drifted off and turned his blue eyes on Terry. "Actually, I came to say goodbye. I'm leaving town."

"Do you need money?" Terry asked, squatting down to get her wallet from under the desk.

"Fifty dollars should get me where I want to go," he said.

Before Terry could locate her wallet, she heard Gene say, "Here's a hundred. Go as far as you can. One way." She gasped and stood up.

Jason took the money with his left had and nodded. "Understood, my man." He turned to smile at Terry. "She's a good woman. I hope you treat her better than I did." Jason walked to the door and opened it. "Glad you liked the picture of Terry. I enjoyed painting it." he said as he let the door close.

Gene spun on his heel and walked out after Jason. Terry was too shocked to even cry out to him to stop. Numbly, she looked at the clock. It was five after eight, actually past closing time. She locked the money in the safe, resolving to count it in the morning. She locked the back door, turned off all the lights and walked to the front door. Gene was just opening it as she got there. He backed up and let her out. She couldn't even look at him.