Jacob's Story Ch. 02-06

Chapter Two

On weekends, he was a busker playing downtown by the farmer's market. There was a particular corner sheltered from the wind that, for some odd reason, had excellent acoustics--a natural amphitheater created by the brick buildings and concrete overhangs. Jacob had discovered it by accident nearly a year ago, when ducking out of the rain with his guitar case. He'd strummed a few chords and been startled by how the sound carried, clear and resonant, bouncing off the surrounding structures in just the right way.

Several months ago, a couple of men--street musicians with more ambition than talent--had tried to muscle his spot away. They'd approached late one Saturday afternoon as he was packing up, the taller one advancing with a swagger while his partner fingered something metal in his pocket.

"Nice little setup you got here, Scarface," the tall one had said. "Thing is, this corner belongs to us now. City's big enough for you to find somewhere else."

Jacob had looked up slowly, his blue eyes cold. He'd seen their type before--bullies who mistook his disfigurement for weakness. The resultant violence had been quick and brutal, putting an end to that challenge right quick. The tall one had gone down first, a precise strike to the throat leaving him gasping on the pavement. His partner had pulled a knife, but Jacob had been expecting it, catching the man's wrist and applying pressure until something snapped. The knife had clattered to the ground along with the man, his face contorted in pain.

"Tell your friends," Jacob had said quietly, picking up his guitar case. "This corner's taken."

No one had bothered him since.

So on weekends he played, never anyone else's stuff, only his own creations. Blues mostly--songs that emerged from some place deep within him, dark and honest. His voice, which in contrast to his scars, had a soft, rich smokiness to it, reminiscent of Nat King Cole. This unexpected gift brought life to lyrics that talked of pain and wonder, beauty and longing--emotions he found easier to express through music than conversation.

This Saturday was unusually warm for early spring. The farmer's market was bustling, stalls overflowing with early produce, artisanal breads, and handcrafted goods. The scent of fresh coffee and baked pastries hung in the air, mingling with the earthy smell of root vegetables and the sweet perfume of the first strawberries of the season.

Jacob arrived early, before the market reached its peak. He wore what he always wore when performing--dark jeans, a charcoal button-down with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows, revealing forearms corded with lean muscle. He set his worn guitar case open at his feet, positioned himself on the wooden stool he brought each week, and began to tune his instrument--a vintage Gibson acoustic he'd painstakingly restored over the course of two years.

His fingers moved deftly across the strings, coaxing them to perfect pitch. The ritual centered him, preparing him for the vulnerability of performance. He began with an instrumental piece, something slow and contemplative that matched the morning's gentle start. As the crowds thickened, he shifted to more rhythmic compositions, his right foot tapping against the concrete.

Then he sang:

"Broken mirrors tell no lies,

They just multiply the damage...

And every piece reflects a different truth,

A different angle on this life..."

His voice rolled out across the marketplace, warm and textured like aged whiskey. People would pause their busy travels and stare, surprised at the beauty coming from the beast. Children stopped their running to listen, momentarily transfixed. Adults who had been hurrying through their shopping slowed, then stopped altogether.

It was always the same--initial shock, then wonder. Jacob had grown accustomed to it, this moment when people looked past his scars and actually saw him, or at least, saw what he chose to reveal through his music. For those few hours each weekend, the stares held something other than disgust or pity. They held appreciation, sometimes even admiration.

A small crowd gathered as he moved through his repertoire. Coins and bills accumulated in his guitar case--not enough to live on, but enough to matter. Some regulars nodded in recognition of favorite songs. An elderly woman who came every week sat on a nearby bench, eyes closed, swaying slightly to the rhythm. A young couple danced slowly at the edge of the gathering, lost in each other and the music.

Between songs, Jacob sipped water from a metal bottle, his eyes scanning the crowd. He nodded thanks to those who dropped money in his case but rarely engaged beyond that. The music was his conversation with the world--anything more felt unnecessary.

As noon approached, the market reached its peak. The sun directly overhead eliminated the shadows that usually provided Jacob some camouflage. In this harsh light, his scars were at their most visible, the ridges and valleys accentuated by the unforgiving glare. Yet he continued to play, his voice perhaps growing a touch more defiant.

"These scars are just a story,

Not the whole book, just a chapter...

And the pages keep on turning,

Long after the wounds have healed..."

A young woman paused at the edge of the crowd. Unlike the others, she didn't stare at his face and then quickly look away. She held his gaze when he glanced up, her expression thoughtful rather than pitying. There was something in her stance--an artist's assessment rather than a gawker's curiosity.

Jacob finished his song, nodded his thanks to the applause, and announced a short break. As the crowd dispersed, the young woman approached, stopping a respectful distance from his stool.

"Your lyrics," she said without preamble. "They're extraordinary."

Jacob looked up, surprised not by the compliment but by the directness. Most people who complimented him did so awkwardly, as if afraid their words might somehow draw attention to his disfigurement.

"Thanks," he said simply, reaching for his water bottle.

"I'm Elena," she continued. "I run an open mic night at The Blue Note on Thursdays. We get a decent crowd, people who actually listen." She paused, then added, "You should come play sometime."

Jacob capped his water bottle slowly, considering. He'd never performed in a venue before, only here on his corner. The thought was both appealing and terrifying.

"I'll think about it," he said finally.

Elena nodded, seeming to understand his hesitation. She pulled a small card from her pocket and placed it on top of the bills in his guitar case.

"If you decide to come," she said, "just show up before eight and tell them you spoke with me." She smiled briefly, then turned and walked away, disappearing into the market crowd.

Jacob picked up the card, turning it over in his fingers. The Blue Note. A real venue with a real audience. People who came specifically to listen to music rather than those who happened upon it while shopping for organic kale.

He tucked the card into his shirt pocket, unsure whether he would ever use it, but unwilling to discard it. Then he picked up his guitar again, adjusted his position on the stool, and played--a new melody that had been forming in his mind, something with a different energy than his usual compositions.

As the afternoon wore on, he found himself returning to that melody again and again, adding to it, refining it. By the time he packed up to leave, the song had taken shape--a piece about unexpected invitations and doors left ajar, about the terror and possibility of stepping beyond established boundaries.

Jacob closed his guitar case, counted the day's earnings--better than usual--and began the walk back to his apartment. The card in his pocket seemed to carry an unusual weight for such a small object. He wasn't sure what he would do with it yet, but for the first time in a long while, he felt something unfamiliar stirring beneath his carefully constructed routine.

Curiosity. Possibility. Perhaps even hope.

Chapter Three

In the end, Jacob took a chance. His scarring had made him ever conscious of his fears. He was merciless with himself. If he let himself give into fear--he would never leave his apartment. So he pushed back against that instinct daily. That was why he busked. That was why he rode the bus despite the stares. He couldn't afford to let his face ruin his life.

The Blue Note. He turned the card over between his fingers, the edges already softening from repeated handling over the three days since Elena had given it to him. Thursday night. Open mic. Eight o'clock.

Jacob sat at his small kitchen table, a cup of cooling coffee beside him, his notebook open but mostly empty. He'd started and abandoned several attempts at new lyrics, his mind too restless to settle on a cohesive theme. It wasn't stage fright exactly--he performed every weekend--but this was different. The farmer's market was anonymous. People passed by, some listened, some didn't, and then they moved on, carrying their organic vegetables and artisanal breads. The Blue Note would be intentional. People went there specifically to listen to music. To judge it.

Outside, rain tapped against his window, a gentle spring shower that blurred the city lights into watercolor smears. Jacob pushed back from the table and moved to his easel in the corner. The canvas there held his latest work--a study of faces from the market. He'd been working on it for nearly two weeks, the oils still wet in places.

That night, he quickly sketched fresh faces he remembered from the market. Among them was Elena's--high cheekbones, a serious brow, eyes that had looked at him directly instead of sliding away. Something about the process helped him process people, understand them beyond his initial impressions.

He spent the most time on the elderly woman's face--his most faithful market audience member. Her features were a map of decades, each line earned through laughter or worry or contemplation. Jacob imagined what her first love was like back in the day, maybe 1952, when the world was recovering from one war and bracing for cold possibilities. He imagined her young and vital, dancing to jazz in a crowded club, perhaps not unlike The Blue Note. The first breath of spring after a harsh winter.

Jacob turned to a fresh page in his notebook and quickly made note of the lyrics that came to mind:

First love in '52

When the world was black and blue

You danced anyway

Through the bruises of the day

He hummed a melody, testing how the words might flow, adjusting a phrase here, a note there. Jacob had hundreds of songs in his notebooks. Most of them never performed, never heard by anyone but himself. Some were too personal, others not quite finished to his exacting standards. But this one--this might work for The Blue Note.

After finalizing a set list--three original songs, none too revealing but all genuine--Jacob carefully placed his guitar in its case. Tomorrow night. He would go. The decision, once made, brought both anxiety and a strange sense of relief. Movement was always better than stagnation.

His small apartment was quiet except for the persistent rain and occasional distant sirens. Jacob moved through his nighttime routine methodically--teeth brushed, face washed (gently around the scars, which sometimes grew sensitive to changing weather), a brief stretch to release the tension his body collected throughout the day.

Just before he went to bed, he stood at his window overlooking the rain-slicked street below. The prayer came to him as it always did, not religious in the traditional sense, but a ritual of gratitude, nonetheless. Just as Father McCauley had taught him in the group home after the attack, when nightmares kept him from sleep and anger threatened to consume him.

"Thank you, God, for this wonderful day," he whispered, watching a solitary figure hurry through the rain below, an umbrella tilted against the wind. "Thank you for the music. Thank you for the chance to share it."

And then, deviating from the memorized words: "Please help me find the guts to try this."

Jacob slept better that night than he had in weeks, his dreams for once not of snarling dogs or mocking laughter but of melodies still forming, of possibilities not yet explored.

Morning came with surprising swiftness. Thursday. Work first--eight hours of precise welding, the meditative focus of joining metal to metal, creating something that would hold against pressure. Then home to shower, to choose clothes with slightly more care than usual, to eat a light dinner that wouldn't sit heavy in a nervous stomach.

By seven thirty, Jacob stood outside The Blue Note, guitar case in hand. The venue was smaller than he'd imagined, wedged between a bookstore and a vintage clothing shop on a street known for its independent businesses. A small neon sign buzzed above the door, casting a blue glow that pooled on the damp sidewalk. Through the windows, he could see a modest stage at the far end, tables filled with people nursing drinks, the warm amber lighting creating an intimate atmosphere.

For a moment, Jacob considered turning around, heading back to the safety of his apartment. His scars seemed suddenly more prominent, his songs less worthy. But then he remembered Elena's direct gaze, her words: "Your lyrics are extraordinary." Not his face, not his voice--his lyrics. The words he crafted, the stories he told.

Jacob took a deep breath and pushed open the door, stepping into the warmth of The Blue Note--maybe into a new future.

Chapter Four

He got a soda and lime from the bar and found a corner to wait. His gaze tracked across the room, cataloging details--the vintage jazz posters on exposed brick walls, the mismatched chairs that somehow created a coherent aesthetic, the small sound system that looked professional despite its compact size.

The bar filled up fast. The open mic night was apparently a popular event, though not quite the usual bar crowd. These people were attentive, earnest in their appreciation of music rather than simply seeking background noise for their drinking. Notebooks and sketchpads dotted the tables alongside glasses of wine and craft beers.

Jacob spotted Elena near the small stage, clipboard in hand, speaking with a young man who clutched a harmonica. When she glanced up and noticed Jacob, she offered a small nod of acknowledgment before returning to her conversation. That was enough--no effusive greeting needed, just confirmation that his presence was registered, that his place in the lineup was secure.

The acts were varied. Some jazz instrumentals performed by a trio of college-aged musicians; a middle-aged man with a weathered face singing folk songs that spoke of railroads and highways; two young women harmonizing over delicate ukelele chords. A Black girl named Jet had a beautiful voice that flowed like smoke around her minimalist piano accompaniments. Jacob found himself transfixed, mentally sorting through his repertoire, thinking he had several songs that would fit her voice and persona. Perhaps someday he might offer one to her, though the thought of such a direct artistic connection made his palms sweat.

Between acts, the crowd mingled, offering encouragement and critique in equal measure. Jacob remained in his corner, nursing his soda water, guitar case propped against his leg. A few curious glances came his way--his scars always drew attention--but here, among artists, the looks held less pity and more assessment, as if his disfigurement might be just another form of expression.

"Next up," Elena announced into the microphone, "a newcomer to The Blue Note but not to music. Please welcome Jacob Whitney."

A smattering of polite applause followed as Jacob rose, picked up his guitar case, and made his way to the stage. The short walk felt eternal, each step weighted with possibility and doubt. But as he mounted the small platform and pulled out the wooden stool provided, something shifted. The lights aimed at the stage created a gentle barrier, transforming the audience into silhouettes, their features blurred just as his own must be from their perspective.

Jacob settled his guitar on his knee, adjusted the microphone, and found himself suddenly peaceful. This was familiar territory after all--just him and his music, the language in which he was most fluent.

"This song," he began, his voice low but clear, "came to me while watching an elderly woman who visits the farmer's market every weekend. She always sits on the same bench, listens to my whole set, leaves a five-dollar bill in my case, and never says a word."

His fingers found the strings, plucking a gentle, wistful introduction.

"I started wondering about her life, about the stories behind her eyes. I imagined her young, maybe nineteen or twenty, in the spring of 1952. I call this 'Raggedy Annie's Lost Love.'"

The melody that emerged was deceptively simple, a folk progression that carried hints of early jazz influences. Jacob's voice, smoky and warm, filled the small venue as he began to tell the story he'd created for his silent patron.

The song painted a picture of young Annie, nicknamed "Raggedy" for her patched dresses and untamable auburn hair, working at a diner in post-war America. It spoke of her meeting a young man recently returned from Korea, still carrying the war in his eyes but finding peace in her laughter. Their courtship unfolded through spring picnics and dancing to records in her boarding house common room when the house mother wasn't looking.

The chorus spoke of promises made beneath flowering trees, of plans for a small house with a garden, of children with her hair and his steady hands.

But the song took a turn as summer approached. The young man's nightmares grew worse, his moods unpredictable. One morning, Annie found only a note--he couldn't bear to bring his darkness into her light. He'd re-enlisted, shipped out again, this time to a place where he felt his demons belonged.

Jacob's voice grew softer as he sang of Annie waiting for letters that came less and less frequently until finally an official notification arrived instead.

The final verse jumped decades ahead, re-imagining Annie as the elderly woman at the market, still carrying that springtime love seventy years later, finding echoes of it in melodies played by a scarred young man whose music spoke of both pain and possibility.

As the last notes faded, The Blue Note fell completely silent. Jacob kept his head bowed over his guitar for a moment, suddenly uncertain, wondering if he'd misjudged the venue, the audience, himself.

Then the applause began--not the polite acknowledgment that had greeted him, but something more fervent. He looked up to see the silhouettes leaning forward, hands coming together with genuine appreciation. In the corner, a server had paused with a tray of drinks, listening. Near the bar, two people wiped at their eyes.

And in the back, barely visible in the dim light, stood an elderly woman with a familiar posture, her hand raised in what might have been recognition, or perhaps blessing.

Jacob felt his throat tighten. He nodded his thanks to the audience, cleared his throat, and spoke into the microphone again.

"I have two more, if you'll have them."

The crowd's enthusiastic response left no doubt. As Jacob began his second song, he felt something unfamiliar unfolding within him--not quite belonging, not yet, but perhaps the possibility of it. A connection to these strangers through the stories he wove, a bridge built of melody and verse that spanned the divide his scars had created.

For these few minutes on stage, Jacob Whitney was not defined by the tragedy etched upon his face, but by the beauty he had created in its aftermath.

Chapter Five

Jacob slipped out of The Blue Note without lingering for the final acts. The rush of performing had left him both exhilarated and drained--too many eyes on him at once, too many emotions crashing through his carefully maintained walls. Elena had caught his eye as he packed up his guitar, given him a thumbs-up and mouthed "Next week?" He'd nodded noncommittally before weaving through the crowd toward the exit.

Outside, the night air was cool against his flushed skin. A sense of satisfaction settled over him as he adjusted his grip on his guitar case. He had mastered fear once more and connected with an audience--real people who had come to listen, not just passersby who happened to notice him. Some had even approached him after his set, awkward but genuine in their praise.

Jacob walked slowly, the city quieter now as Thursday night eased toward Friday morning. He thought of his performance, trying to see how he could have made it better. The second song had started too fast; he should have taken more time with the intro. His voice had cracked slightly during the bridge of the third. And he'd rushed through his stage banter, uncomfortable with speaking rather than singing.

He made some mental notes about a proper rehearsal routine. If--and it was still a significant if--he returned to The Blue Note, he would need to polish his performance, treat it with the same precision he applied to his welding. Perhaps he could record himself practicing, listen back with a critical ear.

Twelve blocks stretched between The Blue Note and his apartment. Jacob walked home instead of taking the bus; he had energy to burn off before sleep would come. His footsteps echoed on the sidewalk, a steady rhythm that helped organize his thoughts.

Had that really been the elderly woman from the market in the back of the venue? It seemed unlikely--coincidental in a way life rarely was. More probably just someone of similar age and bearing, the dim lighting and his own imagination filling in the details. Still, the image lingered, along with the curious sense that his fictional "Raggedy Annie" had somehow transcended imagination.

By the time Jacob reached his apartment, his mind had finally quieted. He placed his guitar carefully in its stand, hung his jacket, and went through his nighttime routine. As he lay in bed, he whispered his prayer of thanks with a new line: "Thank you for the gift of being heard."

The next day, he was back at his routine. The alarm at dawn, coffee black and strong, an hour with his guitar working on new material, then the methodical exercise regime that kept his body as disciplined as his mind. The shop was busy with a rush order, which suited Jacob perfectly. The focus required for precision welding left no room for dwelling on the previous night.

His coworkers noticed something different, though. Martinez, who operated the burn table, commented that Jacob seemed "less gloomy than usual" during their lunch break. Jacob had simply shrugged, unused to personal observations, but found himself humming softly as he returned to his station.

When Saturday arrived, Jacob felt the familiar anticipation as he packed his guitar and headed for the farmer's market. The morning was pristine, the kind of spring day that hinted at the summer to come without the oppressive heat. The market was crowded, vibrant with colorful produce and weekend shoppers.

He set up in his usual corner, the acoustics wrapping around him like a familiar blanket. The first few songs came easily, his fingers finding the strings without conscious thought, his voice carrying across the market. The crowd formed and dispersed in its usual rhythm, some staying for several songs, others pausing briefly before continuing their shopping.

It was during his second set, as he was midway through a new composition, that he noticed the girl, Jet, watching him from the edge of the gathered listeners. Her presence was surprising--The Blue Note and the farmer's market seemed like separate worlds, and he hadn't expected them to intersect beyond his own movement between them.

She stood with quiet confidence, her head slightly tilted as she listened, wearing a vintage dress that seemed both carefully chosen and effortlessly stylish. Her natural hair frizzed a halo around her face, catching the sunlight in a way that made Jacob wish he had his sketchbook.

When he finished the song, he took a sip of water and, in a decision that surprised even himself, set his guitar aside. He took a breath, stopped playing, and addressed the small crowd.

"Taking a short break," he announced. "Back in fifteen."

As the listeners dispersed, Jacob stepped toward Jet, each step requiring more courage than he'd needed to walk into The Blue Note. Talking to people--especially people he admired--was infinitely harder than performing for them.

"You were at the Blue Note," he said simply. He immediately regretted the obviousness of the statement.

"And now you're here," she replied, her voice carrying the same smoky quality it had when she sang. "Full circle."

It turned out she was there to see him. His songs had impressed her at the open mic night.

"Your songs have something real," she said as they sat, leaving a respectful distance between them. "Not trying to sound like what's on the radio or copying someone else's style. That's rare."

Jacob felt heat rising in his face that had nothing to do with the spring sunshine. "Thanks," he managed. "Your voice--your performance was amazing too."

Jet smiled, the expression transforming her serious face. "I've been going to The Blue Note for almost a year. Elena's good people--gives honest feedback, creates a space where you can try new things."

They talked about music, about influences and aspirations, about the challenge of creating something authentic in a world that rewarded imitation. Jet spoke about growing up in a house full of jazz records, about studying classical piano before finding her own sound. Jacob shared less, as was his nature, but found himself more comfortable than he expected.

"I had this idea," Jet said eventually, looking slightly hesitant for the first time. "That song you did--the one about spring of '52. I couldn't stop thinking about it. The melody, the story. I wondered if..."

"If?" Jacob prompted when she paused.

"If you ever collaborate. I heard some potential harmonies, maybe a counter-melody that could weave through the bridge. Different perspective, same story."

Jacob blinked, caught off guard. Collaboration meant working closely with someone else, sharing his creative process, opening himself to input and potential rejection. It meant someone seeing the messy early drafts, not just the polished performance.

"I've never--" he began, then stopped himself from automatically refusing. "I could think about it."

Jet nodded, seeming to understand the magnitude of what she was asking. "No pressure. Just an idea." She reached into a small bag slung across her body and pulled out a folded piece of paper. "My number. If you decide you want to try."

Jacob accepted the paper, carefully tucking it into his pocket. "I should get back to my spot," he said, nodding toward his guitar and the small crowd beginning to reform.

"I'll stay for the rest of your set, if that's okay," Jet replied. "Never know when inspiration might strike."

As Jacob returned to his corner and picked up his guitar, he felt an unfamiliar lightness. For most of his life, his music had been a solitary refuge, a place where his scars didn't matter because no one was looking at him. Now, for the second time in as many days, it had become something else--a bridge extending outward, an invitation to connection rather than a shield against it.

He positioned his fingers on the fretboard and began to play again, this time with an acute awareness of Jet listening, of all the people who might hear something in his music that resonated with their own hidden stories.

For the first time, Jacob found himself wondering not just what his music meant to him, but what it might mean to others.

Chapter Six

As Jacob finished his final song of the afternoon at the market, he found himself glancing over at Jet more frequently. Throughout his set, she had remained attentive, sometimes closing her eyes to focus on the music, occasionally nodding in appreciation at a particular lyric or chord progression. Her presence was both unnerving and oddly motivating--he played with more intention, more precision, knowing there were now ears that truly understood what he was attempting to create.

As he began packing up his guitar, his mind kept returning to the notebooks stacked in his apartment--songs he'd written but never performed, melodies that had always seemed to call for a different voice than his own. He had some songs that might fit her perfectly, compositions that had emerged from his imagination but never quite settled comfortably in his own repertoire.

Before he could talk himself out of it, Jacob approached Jet again, his fingers nervously adjusting the latches on his guitar case.

"I, uh--" he began, clearing his throat. "I just remembered. I have some songs that might fit your voice. Three of them, actually."

Jet raised an eyebrow, looking intrigued. "Really?"

"They've been sitting in my notebooks," Jacob continued, his words coming more quickly now. "Never felt right when I sang them. But your voice--the way you phrase things--they might work for you."

"I'd love to hear them," she said, smiling.

"And also," he added, before his courage could desert him, "the collaboration idea would be worth doing. Only I don't know how. I've never..." He trailed off, unsure how to explain that music had always been his solitary refuge, a conversation with himself rather than with others.

Jet seemed to understand without him finishing the thought. "We could start small. Meet somewhere, share some ideas, see what happens. No pressure."

"There's a coffee shop on Elm Street." Jacob surprised himself with the suggestion. "Tomorrow afternoon? I could bring the songs, maybe a tape player, so you could listen."

"Four o'clock?" Jet suggested.

Jacob nodded, already mentally cataloging which songs to bring, how best to present them, what he would need to prepare.

"It's a date then," Jet said, then quickly added, "A musical date. For collaboration."

"Right," Jacob agreed, relief and anxiety mingling in his chest. "For the music."

Sunday afternoon found Jacob arriving at Riverbank Coffee twenty minutes early, securing a corner table away from the main traffic of the small shop. The place was a local institution, housed in a converted Victorian home with wooden floors that creaked pleasantly and large windows that filled the space with natural light. Jazz played softly through hidden speakers--not loud enough to interfere with conversation but present enough to fill any awkward silences.

He'd spent the morning in a state of focused preparation: selecting three songs from his collection that he thought would suit Jet's voice, recording simple demos on his old cassette player, neatly copying the lyrics and chord progressions onto fresh paper. He'd chosen carefully--one bluesy number about resilience, one more contemplative piece about seeing beauty in unexpected places, and a third with jazz influences that spoke of finding one's voice in a noisy world.

As he arranged his materials on the table--the portable tape player, a pair of headphones, the lyric sheets, his notebook for additional notes--Jacob tried to ignore the nervous flutter in his stomach. This wasn't a date; it was a professional meeting between two musicians. Yet he'd still found himself spending more time than usual selecting his clothes--settling on a dark blue button-down that Jackson's wife had once commented made his eyes "pop" during a company Christmas party, paired with his least-worn jeans.

At precisely four o'clock, the bell above the door chimed, and Jet entered. She moved with the same quiet confidence he'd noticed at the market, her gaze sweeping the room before settling on him. Today she wore a vintage-inspired jumpsuit in deep burgundy, her hair pulled back with a patterned scarf, silver earrings catching the light as she made her way through the scattered tables.

"Hi," she said simply as she reached him, slipping into the chair across from his. "Nice spot."

"They don't mind if people stay a while," Jacob explained, suddenly aware of how prepared he looked with all his materials arranged before him. "And the coffee's good."

"Clearly, you've done this before," Jet observed, nodding toward his organized setup.

Jacob shook his head. "Never. I just--" he hesitated, then decided on honesty. "I don't like being unprepared."

"I can respect that," she said with a small smile. "Mind if I grab a coffee before we start?"

While Jet ordered her drink--an iced chai latte with an extra shot of espresso--Jacob took several deep breaths, reminding himself why he was here. The music. Focus on the music. When she returned, settling comfortably into her chair, he found his professional voice.

"I brought three songs," he explained, sliding the lyric sheets across the table. "They're all finished pieces, but I've never performed them. They always felt like they needed..." he searched for the right words, "... a different perspective."

Jet examined the lyrics, her expression thoughtful. "These are good," she said after a moment. "Really good. The imagery is..."

"You haven't heard them yet," Jacob pointed out.

"True," she acknowledged with a small laugh. "But lyrics this strong usually come with melodies to match." She tapped the headphones. "May I?"

Jacob nodded, handing her the headphones and pressing play on the first tape. As Jet listened, her eyes closed, one hand lightly tapping rhythm on the table, the other occasionally marking a note on the lyric sheet with a pen she'd pulled from her bag. Her face was expressive, revealing each emotional shift in the music, each moment that resonated.

Jacob watched her reactions more intently than he'd ever watched anyone listening to his music before. When she smiled at a particular line in the second song, he felt a surge of satisfaction that far exceeded any applause he'd received. When her brow furrowed slightly during a bridge in the third, he immediately recognized what had always felt slightly off to him as well.

When the last song ended, Jet removed the headphones carefully, setting them on the table between them. For a moment, she said nothing, and Jacob felt his anxiety returning. Then she looked up at him with an expression of genuine appreciation.

"These aren't just good, Jacob. They're exceptional. Especially the second one--'Hidden Light'? That chorus is going to be in my head for days."

Relief washed over him. "You want them?"

"If you're serious about offering them, absolutely. But I'd rather do this as a proper collaboration." She slid the annotated lyric sheets back to him, her neat handwriting marking potential adjustments, alternative phrasings, questions about the emotional intent behind certain lines. "I've made some notes--places where I might change the phrasing slightly for my voice, or where I hear harmonies that could be added."

Jacob studied her notes, impressed by her musical insight. "These are good thoughts," he admitted. "I've never considered some of these approaches."

"That's the beauty of collaboration," Jet said, leaning forward slightly. "You bring things I wouldn't think of, I bring things you wouldn't. The result is something neither of us could create alone."

There was something in her earnestness that put Jacob at ease. This wasn't about his scars or his solitude or the walls he'd built around himself. It was about the music--pure and simple.

"So," he ventured, "how do we do this? Practically speaking."

Jet considered for a moment. "I have access to a practice room at the community college where I teach piano part-time. We could meet there, work through the arrangements, record rough versions as we go." She paused, then added, "Or if that's too public, we could work at your place or mine."

The thought of inviting someone into his apartment--his sanctuary--made Jacob tense slightly. Equally uncomfortable was the thought of entering someone else's home, being surrounded by their life, their choices, their normalcy.

"The practice room sounds good," he said finally. "Neutral ground."

"Neutral ground it is," Jet agreed with a knowing look that suggested she understood exactly what he wasn't saying. "Wednesday evening? Around seven?"

Jacob nodded, opening his notebook to write down the details as Jet provided the address and room number. As he wrote, she took another sip of her drink, studying him over the rim of her glass.

"Can I ask you something?" she said when he looked up. "And feel free to tell me it's none of my business."

Jacob tensed, automatically expecting a question about his scars, preparing the practiced answers he kept ready for such moments.

"Why have you kept these songs hidden away?" she asked instead. "They're too good to sit in a notebook."

The question caught him off guard. He considered several responses before settling on the truth.

"Because they scared me," he admitted quietly. "They felt too... revealing."

Jet nodded slowly, as if his answer confirmed something she'd suspected. "The best art usually is," she said simply. "That's what makes it worth sharing."

They sat in silence for a moment, the jazz from the speakers flowing around them, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows through the windows. Jacob realized with surprise that he felt comfortable in this silence, in this moment of understanding with someone who saw his music for what it was--not a distraction from his scars, but an expression of what lived beneath them.

"I should let you enjoy the rest of your Sunday," Jet said eventually, gathering her bag. "But thank you for trusting me with these." She tapped the lyric sheets. "I promise to treat them with the respect they deserve."

As she stood to leave, Jacob spoke again. "I meant to ask--is Jet your real name?"

She smiled, the expression transforming her serious face. "Juliet, actually. Juliet Turner. But I've been Jet since I was ten and decided Juliet was too fussy for someone who wanted to play in jazz clubs."

"It suits you," Jacob said.

"See you Wednesday, Jacob Whitney," she replied, her use of his full name feeling like a small acknowledgment--of his talent, his identity beyond his scars, his existence as a whole person.

After she left, Jacob remained at the table, looking at her notes on his lyrics, feeling the unfamiliar sensation of his music taking on extra dimensions through someone else's interpretation. He had expected to feel exposed, perhaps even violated by such input. Instead, he felt something closer to anticipation--a curiosity about what these songs might become when filtered through Jet's understanding.