The Crisis That Never Happened

JORDAN SIGHED IN FRUSTRATION as the gas pump lagged again, refusing to fill up the tank of her car. She debated on whether or not to give up now and make do with the 17.57 dollars worth she already invested. She glances at the black, simple watch around her left wrist.

11:52 am.

She had the time to waste, but not the patience. She returned the pump to its rightful place before sealing her gas tank and closing the covering. She looked around once more at the mundane gas station located at the corner of nowhere. There were three other vehicles at the pumping outlets and six parked in front of the BP store. One woman leaned against her car, a cigarette in her mouth as the pump filled up her tank for her.

Lucky, Jordan thought, frowning at the ease that the woman's black mini coupe brought her. Jordan tensed as the woman very casually flicked the cigarette on the ground, not caring to fully extinguish it or even properly dispose of it in the trashcan three feet from her. At this point, Jordan knew not to speak out against the woman as she had done to strangers before in her past twenty-six years of life. It never ended well and she knew this instance would not deviate from the past.

Jordan glared at the woman as she got in her car and left quickly and recklessly. There was always a sense of recklessness in others that just irked her existence. Did no one see how reckless they were actually being nowadays? This is a gas station. Gas and flames don't mix. Not gracefully anyway. With a huff, Jordan walked over and stepped on the bud, using her right foot to grind it into the ground. With a frown, she walked back to her white Volvo, shaking her head as she climbed inside. She sat at her wheel for a few seconds.

Won't help to linger on it now. The immediate problem has been fixed, she told herself. She tried not to get stuck on the bigger problem like she had thousands of times before. Resting her head on her two fingertips she stared off into the open parking lot, a memory from her past edging closer to her perception. Before the memory could come at her full throttle, Jordan sat up straight and started the car. Her tank was almost full and would've been with only two more dollars. She didn't care. She put the car into drive and began heading west on the jagged road.

She rolled her windows down slightly, enough to hear the winds cries as the early spring breeze swept throughout the car. She added a little music to the mix, her car pairing with her phone that she usually left in the cupholder closest to her. Her favorite playlist began, the one she never really cared to show to others simply because the variety only suits her, especially the way it jumps to and fro different genres. She liked it like that. A few minutes later and she was on the interstate heading towards Augusta, Georgia. She wasn't needed until tomorrow, but she didn't want to be late. She had no room for tardiness on her part and if getting there a day early was what she had to do, then that's what she'd do.

It's not like I had other plans anyway.

She wondered which diplomats she would meet this time and what she would have to lie about. She knew she wasn't lying intentionally but different languages were always open to interpretation. The answer wasn't always crystal clear but she tried her best. Even then, languages still got jumbled in her head. Jordan loved her job, but that doesn't mean it wasn't a taxing task as well. She tried not to think about it.

She sees her phone light up before the Bluetooth stops her music from her car and starts ringing in her earpiece. She reaches up and clicks the answer call button.

"Jordan Reeves speaking," she says automatically.

"Hey, Jo. It's Jess," the familiar voice sang. Jordan gives a small smile in response. Jessica continues speaking, more than aware of Jordan's quiet and unresponsive habits.

"So I'm just checking back in on your apartment and I noticed that you were running low on food for Miles. I was wondering if you needed me to pick some up from the store or something," she says energetically.

Jordan slowed down as traffic began piling up in front of her.

"Um. I'm sure if you look in the cabinet at the bottom of the pantry, there should be an emergency bag there. It should last him the rest of today, but yes. Would you mind going to the store and getting more food? You remember the brand right," Jordan asked, wondering why traffic was at a standstill. There hadn't been reports of a crash or any traffic incidents. She made sure that this route was the fastest, so what changed? Jessica responded quickly, listing off brands Jordan approved of in case the one she wanted wasn't in stock.

"Right," Jessica asked, looking for validation to an answer she definitely knew.

"That's right, Jess. Thank you again for house sitting and watching Miles. It means a lot. I'll be sure to pay you extra this time for all the trouble."

"You don't have to do that! Miles is such a sweetheart, the best dog ever so it's not any trouble. Besides, your home is always spotless when I get here so I really don't have anything to do most days. What you pay me now is more than fine," she explains. Jordan smiled as she assessed the traffic ahead. They were moving forward slowly. Just ahead she saw an exit. No one was using it, which was hard to believe, but she didn't mind being the first. She turned on her right turning signal and waited. She tried not to be impatient as the traffic seemed to move slower and the girl in her ear spoke faster. She wished the two sides would switch for a while. She eventually got to the exit speeding up as her GPS reroutes itself. Stopping at the red light, Jordan looks over at her GPS to see the new course that awaited her. She was happy she left early.

Time for a detour, she thought, turning left on the quiet road.