The Strange Life of Jonas Marks - 8. Chapter 8

That was the first time I really saw my boss lose his temper. He stalked around the office cracking his knuckles. His hair seemed to grow brighter, and his skin took on an orange cast. I watched him prowl around the office muttering to himself and if I didn’t know better I’d think there was a tail swinging in agitation down his back left pants leg. It seemed every part of him was ready to leap into action somehow.

Mr. Openseter stormed past for the fourth time since Mr. Anders had left. He was nearly growling.

“It would be so easy …” CRACK! His fist hit the wall near the door to his office.

“Mr. Openseter, are you alright?” Great, I could hear my voice squeak like some little kid.

He paused, violet eyes searching my face and then he took a deep breath. An odd look came over his face and that is saying something.

“Jonas?” He blinked as if he was just realizing I was still in the room with him.

“Yes, Sir.”

Even from where I sat I could hear him take a deep breath. Then he walked over to sit on the edge of his desk. Amazingly, the man seemed to completely compose himself in moments, where it would have taken me a hell of a lot longer. Calmly he smiled at me and reached out his hand.

“Let me see the list of orders you have.”

Handing him the stack, I watched him raise an eyebrow as he read it over. He glanced up with an odd smile, shaking his head.

“Jonas,” he began, barely able to keep the mirth from his tone, “the customer really wants the sword to talk like that?”

I was happy to see he was in a better mood and couldn’t keep from laughing myself as I told him about the order.

“Yup, you see what he asked for it to do? Can we really get him that?”

“Well at least he’s detailed. I don’t doubt we can find what they requested but that won’t be the problem.”

Opie read the rest of the order, leaving me to consider what might be the problem if he could really find such a sword. As he sat reading over the order, he visibly relaxed. I hadn’t exactly spent a lot of time with him, but I was learning that he was just a nice guy. It kind of shocked me as I realized I wasn’t the only new employee here at Krogers, Opie was too and evidently people were gunning for him. Seems the Fantasy Department wasn’t making many friends, and I wondered if was going to be this hard for both of us from now on.

“Alright, these shouldn’t be too hard to acquire for our customers, although that sword may prove to be problematic. Hmm.”

Mr. Openseter got off the desk and commenced to walk around his office again. This time there was more of a bounce to his walk and less stalking.

“I’ll set my associates to trying to find these items. Why don’t you head out to lunch? I’ll meet you in your office at one.”

So I was sent to lunch early. I had an hour and no idea what to do, so I drove over to the deli and picked up a sandwich. I had time to spare so I gave Jenny a call.

“Watcha doing?” I asked between swigs of water when she finally answered.

“Heading to lunch. I only get fifteen, remember?”

“Fifteen is your break, or I thought it was.”

“Duh, but I take two fifteens instead of a lunch. That way I can check out the mall. What about you, when is your lunch?”

“I’m on it. I get an hour for mine remember.”

I could hear her groan through the phone. At least I could get some of my own back. Jenny’s refusal to give me any details was getting to me.

“Sooooo?” I should have known she wouldn’t take the bait and put me out of my misery.

“So what? Did you call for a reason?”

“God, just tell me already. Who did you set me up with?”

I took a bite of my sandwich to keep from blurting out something stupid while I waited. I just wanted her to tell me something, anything, about my date for tonight.

“You’ll find out later. By the way, I picked out your clothes for tonight. Had them cleaned and everything.”

“I think I can dress myself.” I barely kept the frustration out of my voice. Did she really think I was that big a doofus? I’d been dressing myself for years! Besides I wanted to know about my date not what she wanted me to wear.

“If this was just you going out fine, but it is a date, Jonas. You are going on a date with a boy, a cute boy, I might add.”

I nearly crushed the water bottle, stopping just before I ended up soaked. My hands were beginning to shake and I wish I could say it was with anger, but really I was nervous and just wanted to know what was going on.

“Look, I’ll meet you at home right after work. I gotta grab something to eat from the food court quick or I am not going to get my other fifteen later. That would so suck. Talk to you later, Jo.”

With that she just hung up on me.

My lunch felt like a rock in my stomach. So much for an enjoyable meal. I got back to Krogers and stalked around the outside of the store till it was time to meet Opie. As I headed in I almost ran right into Daniel.

“Hey bud, how was lunch?”

I wanted to lie, but was ready to drive myself nuts.

“Sitting like a rock. How was yours?”

“Good. Got to see my girl. What’s going on? You look upset.”

“Just tried to get the truth out my best friend, but she won’t budge.”

“About what?”

“Blind date I’ve been set up on for tonight.”

Daniel looked at me for a moment and then slowly shook his head.

“Better you than and I.” He chuckled and headed off down the hallway.

I got to my office moments ahead of my boss.

“How was lunch?”

That seemed to be the question of the day.

“Good. Thanks.”

Opie gave me a strange look but said nothing about it. Instead I noted he had a file in his hand.

“What’s up boss?”

Opie looked down and realized he had the file and smiled.

“Oh, they finally figured we were ready for the rest of the orders they had taken but hadn’t handed over. I guess since we showed Anders that we weren’t really part of his department, and we are willing to stand up for ourselves they gave us the rest of the orders. Can you get these typed up and ready for me?”

I smiled as I took the thick folder from him.

“No problem.”

Without another word Opie left my office. I sat down and began to input the remaining pile of orders into the computer. These were as strange as the earlier ones, but the two that stood out most were a request for a pair of glasses that would let you see and talk to the dead and a request for a ring that would make the wearer able to bend the will of anyone to them sexually if they were single. Some of these I began to hope were hoaxes because if Opie could get these for our customers I feared what we might be unleashing on everyone else.

I barely had printed out the orders when Opie came marching back in.

“Done yet?”

“Right here, Sir.”

“Good.” Taking them from my hand he began to peruse them as he headed toward the door. He paused a moment and turned back to face me. “Go home, Jonas. There is nothing really left to do for the rest of the afternoon now anyway. Besides from the way you’re bouncing in your seat, I’d say you have something planned.”

I hadn’t said a word to him about my date tonight. In fact, I was still trying figure out if there was a way I could get out of it without Jenny trying to kill me for it. No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t figure a way out of this mess; I was stuck. Opie was heading out the door but I swore I heard him say “wouldn’t have worn white though.” I had no idea what he was talking about.

I got home before Jenny so I cleaned everything I could. It helped keep my mind off the upcoming date and how nervous I was. After doing the dishes and cleaning the kitchen, I went in to straighten the couch up. I really needed to find a place of my own. This just wasn’t working for me. I hated having to depend on Jenny and her family for everything, and while I loved them all to death, living off the couch sucked big time.

I still had about a half an hour till everyone was due home so I pulled down some chop meat and left it to thaw, figuring I could make them a meatloaf for dinner. That way at least, they would have the chance to eat something I knew they would enjoy. Me, I was still trying to puzzle out where I was going to meet my date, who it might be, and just how bad the evening might be. I really didn’t handle surprises well.

Kyle and John got home first. They came barreling in from school laughing and tossing a small football back and forth as they moved through the house. They paused for a moment when they found me working in the kitchen.

“Hey Jonas. You’re home early.” Kyle shifted his book-bag and smiled.

“Hiya Jonas. Kyle and I are going to go toss our stuff in our room. Wanna play a video game when we come back?”

“Nah, bit too nervous to concentrate on a game. Go have fun, John”

Kyle ran down the hall but John waited a moment.

“Nervous?”

“Your sister set me up on a date.”

John looked at me and shook his head.

“Yeah, uh, good luck with that.”

Before I could even get a word out he followed his twin down to their bedroom.

I figured I’d better keep busy, before I grabbed Jenny the moment she walked in and dragged the truth out of her. I began cutting up carrots, lettuce, tomatoes, celery, and even a cucumber for a salad. It was something to keep me going. I was sliding the last of it into a bowl when Mrs. Meyers walked in. She set her bag and briefcase down and then spotted me in the kitchen.

“Evening Jonas. What are you doing?”

“Getting dinner together for you and the boys.”

“Why? Shouldn’t you be getting ready for your date?”

She came into the kitchen and fished a slice of cucumber out of the bowl.

“Jenny won’t let me dress myself. She said she has my outfit picked out already. So,” I looked up hopefully at Mrs. Meyers, “do you want to tell me something about my date tonight?”

Mrs. Meyers laughed and shook her head.

“Sorry, that’s between you and Jenny.”

“What’s between him and me?”

As if by magic Jenny poked her head into the kitchen. I hadn’t heard her come in.

“His date. Stop teasing the poor guy, Jen. He’s so nervous he’s cooking for me and the boys before you guys go out tonight.”

Jenny rolled her eyes and looked at me.

“You know if you keep this up you’re going to make someone a wonderful wife.”

I growled at Jenny as she laughed. This had been her running joke since I took an interest in cooking.

“Well, you have ten minutes to finish up whatever you are doing. Then we have to start getting ready.”

“Look, at least tell me where we are going.” For a moment I thought she was just going to ignore me, but she smiled at me and grabbed my hand.

“La Noche, that really nice Italian place on the other side of town.”

Everyone knew La Noche. It was the place to eat in my little town. The food was good, there was soft music, and no one who went there ever complained about bad service. The best thing about it was, while it was upscale looking, their prices catered to everyone. At least Jenny remembered the fact I didn’t have a fortune to spend on a date.

Jenny turned on her heel and headed down the hallway, leaving me alone with Mrs. Meyers.

“Need a hand?”

I knew it was her standard question, but she would rather finish off whatever work she brought home. Besides, I would climb the walls if I didn’t keep busy.

“Nah, go finish what you need to. All you have to do is pull the meatloaf out later when the oven rings off.”

Mrs. Meyers smiled and headed back over to the table and began to go through some papers. I quickly assembled the meatloaf, tossed it in a pan, and slid it in the oven. After setting the timer I cleaned up the pans.

“Jonas, come here a minute,” Jenny called down the hall.

I felt like a man on death row walking to his execution. Jenny stood in the doorway to her room, smiling like the sphinx. I walked in and found my clothes-- black dress pants, a white sports shirt, and black socks—laid out on her bed.

“I’m surprised you didn’t pick out my underwear,” I snarked at her.

“They’re under the pants.”

I looked up in surprise and she burst out laughing.

“Geez, I’m not that bad.” She paused to kiss my cheek quickly. “I just didn’t want you all in black, or in a tee shirt and jeans.”

I fixed her a look.

“Thank you, mother.” I managed to get that out sounding as sarcastic as I could.

She slapped my arm before we both started laughing.

“So, are you going to tell me about him now?”

Jenny sat on the bed and smiled.

“What’s to tell? He’s young, cute, and I think you two will be good together. Now go get a shower so I can get one and get ready too. You aren’t the only one with a date waiting for them there!”

I picked up the outfit and headed into the bathroom to take a shower and get ready. I just hoped this wouldn’t be a complete disaster.