116: A night of mixed emotions

Jackson grabs two glasses of white wine from the kitchen as she watches with a soft smile. “It was good to see you like that. To learn about you,” she calls out. Coming into the living room, Jackson offers her one of the glasses and she takes a sip. “I’m glad you think so because I was afraid that I would run you off. I’m more than a little dinged and damaged under the pretty exterior.” She tilts her head, eyeing Jackson warmly. “Some things are meant to be perfect, like that car of yours. A scratch on it would be enough to make most men cry. But people? I think they are meant to be imperfect. It gives us character, keeps us from being robots.” “Keeps us interesting,” Jackson interjects, smiling at her positive take on his deepest secret.

“Something like that.” She takes another sip of her wine and then sets it down on the coffee table. “Look, Jackson . . .” Though she starts the sentence, she doesn’t seem sure of what she wants to say because she stops abruptly. “Uh-oh. Is this the p