Chapter 5

Jason led Aja into the control room. “Aja -- are you all right?”

“I’m fine, Jason. I just ... I just felt the need to be with someone this evening.”

“Someone? Anyone?”

“Not just anyone. You, Jason. I need to be with you.”

“You just made my day, Aja -- honestly. What brought this about?”

“I was walking from the bus stop when Lorelei approached me. She saw your car in my parking spot on her morning run and wanted to know if I knew whose it was. She wrote down the plate number and was going to report it but she wanted to check with me first.”

“Wow, your neighbors watch out for each other.”

“Lorelei watches out for me. She’s a good friend. I told her the car belonged to a friend and that piqued her interest. Without going into details I explained how last night I found myself stranded in a bad part of town in the wee hours, that my cash and credit cards were taken, and that my friend rescued me and crashed in my guest room in order to take me to work in the morning. Lorelei said, that must be some kind of friend. I said, yes, he is. HE?, she replied and gave me a wink and a nod.”

“Lorelei certainly does watch out for your interests,” he remarked, “maybe just a bit too much.”

“I went into my unit and all of a sudden it dawned on me. I realized that, other than my mom and dad, you are the first person who has ever accepted me unconditionally, and the first who has demonstrated unconditional love for me. Last night I didn’t know who else to call except you; and you came through for me.”

“I just wanted to help and to keep you safe,” he replied. “I felt honored you could reach out to me.”

“What you did was an act of unconditional love, Jason. I now recognize it as such. I also realized another important thing -- that I feel good in your presence. All these realizations came crashing down on me and I needed to tell you. I needed to tell you in person and I needed to tell you right away. I changed out of my scrubs and headed back to the bus stop. I didn’t even think that you’d be tied up with the nightly news. I’m really sorry I disturbed you -- I wasn’t thinking.”

“Well, nightly news is over. You’re here and you told me. Does this mean you recognize what I’ve felt all along -- that there is something between us beyond just friends?”

“Way beyond just friends, Jason. Way beyond.”

“You made me very happy tonight, Aja.”

She pressed her fist to her lips. “I remember when I crashed at your place...”

“Because of the tactical situation at your condo.”

“Right. I said then I was low maintenance. Maybe I am, physically -- but emotionally I’m a train wreck. Jason -- I have a lot I’m working through.”

“I understand. Take as much time as you need,” he replied. “I’ll be there for you.”

“Oh, I know you will be. I know it.” She reached into her bag and handed him an envelope. “Here’s some cash for the bus card.”

“I told you there’s no hurry.”

“One thing my parents taught me was to pay my debts,” she replied. Jason opened the envelope, removed the bills and slipped them into his wallet. “I hope me being here won’t get you into trouble.”

Jason opened his arms to her and they embraced. He held her against him, pressed his lips to her head and inhaled her scent. “It won’t. I doubt we’ll see anyone come through here until Roger shows up. You’ve made me so happy, Aja -- so happy...” He nuzzled the top of her head.

The control room door opened and Jason promptly released Aja from his embrace. Jessica stepped in. “Jason ... Oh, I’m sorry -- I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”

“Not at all,” he replied. “Aja -- this is Jessica Walters, the station’s newest talent. She’s our new weather person. Jessica -- this is Aja Morgan, a friend of mine.”

“Pleased to meet you,” Jessica said and turned to Jason. “Jason -- did we make an air check of the news tonight? Melvin wants to know.”

“No -- we usually don’t since all the material is pre-recorded.” He nodded. “You did your segment live and he probably wants to hear it. Sorry -- no one told me we needed an air check tonight. Are you going to be doing the weather live going forward?”

“Yes, for a while. Melvin thinks doing it live will help build my confidence.”

“If he wants air checks, ask him to send me an email to that effect and to copy the chief engineer on it. We’ll make sure it gets done.”

“Thanks, Jason.” He watched her exit the room.

“She’s cute,” Aja remarked.

“Yeah, I think she’ll do okay. Aja ... about Vincent...”

“I do not want to hear that name.”

“He’s been fired. Look.” Jason stepped to a computer and brought up the WDZU news site.

“Felony assault and weapons charges?”

“That’s WDZU’s take on it. There’s been a rivalry between them and this station for years, and it got especially heated when we poached Melvin, our chief meteorologist, from them a couple years ago. Any chance they can take to embarrass us, they will take.”

“I did not see a weapon. I know that for a fact. Trust me, if I had seen a gun or a knife, I would’ve been outta there in a flash!”

“You may find yourself pulled into a trial as a witness. At any rate, we’re looking for a replacement. I mentioned to Rich that maybe Derrick would be interested. The station paid Vincent a hundred bucks for each show he assembled. I thought instead of jazz, Derrick could do a gospel hour.”

“Derrick knows jazz -- he knows his music.”

“Do you think he’d be interested? All he’d need to do is to assemble a one-hour show once a week. He can set his own hours. I know he’s comfortable with a mixer board. He seems to me a good fit, and it could mean some extra jingle in his pocket. He could even use the church’s equipment.”

“He might be, Jason. I’ll ask him on Sunday.”

Jason handed her a business card. “This is Rich’s card. Pass it on to him if he’s interested and he can follow up with Rich.”

“Okay ... Now, I’ll just sit in the corner with my book and let you do your job.”

“What are you reading?”

She held up the cover. “I got it from the library.”

“Do you go to the library often?”

“Yes -- it’s a habit I got into as a girl.”

“It’s a good habit to have.”

“Jason -- I know this is a funny question to ask in a radio station ... could we have some music on?”

“Actually, by rights, I should have the air monitor on.” He stepped to the control panel and switched the monitor source from audition to line, then to AM and to FM. He adjusted the level for comfortable listening. “This is the air monitor -- we’re listening to what comes over the air from our transmitter. This way if we have a problem, we know about it. We also have telemetry, which I do watch.” He chuckled. “We had a transmitter failure once when some summer help was manning the station. He had the monitor on Line, which is what goes out to the transmitter instead of what comes in from it; and he wasn’t watching the telemetry. We were off the air for a couple hours before anyone got wise, and he was in a lot of trouble. I just hate this music. Easy listening they call it -- I call it elevator music.”

“I like it,” she replied. “For the past week sometimes I’ll tune in during the evening and have it on as background. Knowing you’re on duty at the station makes me feel a bit more connected. I should’ve realized that was a sign, too. Jason -- do you like your work?”

“I do. I love radio, I love the medium. I wish we were back in the heyday when we were doing live content with live music. That would be a blast. And, radio drama -- I would love to participate in a radio play -- to turn snatches of sounds and dialogue into something real ... Do you know the Queen song, ‘Radio Ga-Ga’?”

“Yes, I’ve heard it.”

“The line -- Radio, someone still loves you ... That’s me. I fell in love with radio in college.”

“You’re a college grad?” she asked.

“No -- I dropped out my junior year. I was an electrical engineering major, but I spent too much time hanging around the campus radio station and not enough time with my studies. I got my GROL...”

“What’s that?”

“It’s a General Radiotelephone Operator’s License -- from the FCC. It certifies I have basic knowledge of broadcast radio and television regulations, technology and practices. It’s not legally required for operating a broadcast station, but this station requires one for all their engineers. It’s how I landed a job here.”

“How long have you been with the station?” she asked.

“Ten years and I still love my job. Now with the internet and streaming services, radio is slowly dying. It’s a shame. I just hope it doesn’t totally die out before I retire.”

“I envy you. You have a real passion for your work.”

“How about you? Do you enjoy your work?”

“I like helping people. You came in for an exam with about as perfect vision as walks through our door. I see patients with horrible problems. I feel good when I can help them ... but I feel awful when I can’t. Fortunately, those cases are in the minority.”

“It’s good and important work you’re doing, Aja -- especially how you don’t turn anyone away and make payment arrangements they can afford. I don’t know other doctors who do that.”

“There are some others ... not enough.”

Jason pulled his car into the residents’ lot of Aja’s condominium complex. He walked with her to her door. “Care to come in for a nightcap?” she asked. “I have some Grey Goose in the freezer.”

“Sure. I’ve never had super-chilled vodka before.”

“It’s a different experience.” She poured some into a couple of stemmed wine glasses and they clinked rims.