The little brown envelope kept bothering Becky. It'd been a week and the thought that there was more to it than it containing the brown USB stick kept niggling at her subconscious. For a start, why wasn't the USB stick inside the envelope if that's how Kane's study partner had given it to him, as Kane had told her? Why would he have needed to take the memory stick from the envelope while at the night club? Kane had said it must have slipped out but she was sure she hadn't felt an envelope in that pocket when she'd searched him that night.

Becky tapped a rhythm with her pen on the library table while trying to focus on the diagram in front of her.

"Hey."

Looking over the divider in front of her Becky saw a handsome scowling face staring at her.

"How long are you going to continue with the drumming? It's just I'm trying to read here," the dark curly haired guy asked.

"Sorry," Becky whispered biting down on her bottom lip and letting the pen roll onto the book she was not having much luck studying from.

"Are you having problems?" His features softened, as he nudged his head in question.

"Ah... yes and no."

"Maybe I could help."

Becky watched him stand and gather his books. He was tall, broad shouldered with beautiful dark skin and intense brown eyes. "Oh... I..." Before she could say anything he'd come around to her side of the table, put his belongings down and pulled out a chair.

"You don't know me and I don't know you," he said with a smile. "But I've been watching you while you've been tapping away and I can tell when someone needs to talk something out."

"I... I..."

"Hear me out." He held out his hands to stop her from speaking. "Firstly, I'm just visiting. I've come across from Monash in Melbourne and needed to look something up. Administration has kindly let me use the library so you'll never see me again." He paused, smiled again and added, "Secondly, I'm a great listener and you've got something eating at you so who better than a stranger to tell all to."

"It wouldn't be right to burden you with my problems." Becky blushed. He was a delicious version of a young Will Smith, which intimidated the hell out of her.

"Try me." He held out his hand. "Jake. And honestly what you're about to tell me I've heard it before."

"Oh." Becky raised her eyebrows and grinned. "Have you now?"

"Yep." He gave her a beaming smile. "I'm a chaplain and I've had all sorts of things told to me."

"No way!" Becky gushed. "There is no way you're a chaplain."

"And why not?" Jake gave her a quizzical look.

"You're... you're..." Dare she say it? "Too good looking."

Jake burst into laughter, slammed his hand over his mouth, and then quickly looked around to make sure no one was disturbed by his outburst. He leaned in and whispered, "How many chaplains have you met and are they all ogres?"

"Well... "Becky shrugged. "None actually but... sorry I didn't mean to be rude it's just well... I would have thought you were an athlete or model or movie star by the look of you."

Jake cocked his head at her and said, "It just goes to show how true that old adage is, never judge a book by its cover."

"Wow, yeah." Becky tittered. "So true."

"Now." Jake gave her a questioning look. "Are we going to have that talk?"

"Yes. I think I'd like that." She held out her hand. "Becky, by the way."

Jake gave her hand a shake, smiled and said, "How about we go and sit in the gardens. That way we won't disturb anyone and I much prefer nature over mortar and bricks."

*****

Becky found her life story poured out. For some reason she told Jake everything from the first time she realised her mother was a drug addict to the brown envelope falling from Kane's pocket. He'd let her cry when she needed, sat silent until she was ready to continue and comforted her when the occasion required.

She sat up straight, wiped her eyes and looked at him. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for all of that to come out but I wanted you to know why I'm so concerned that my boyfriend might be lying to me and why the issue of him maybe taking drugs is so important to me."

"Please don't apologise, Becky." Jake took her hand and patted the back of it. "I think you needed to let all that come out and, even without your history, drugs are a real concern. Too many people ruin their lives by taking drugs. I'm not sure of the attraction or the reasons or if there's ever going to be an answer. You have to do you, and I wish more people had your strength of character. Too many take the path that my parents did it or my friends do it so I'll do it too."

He let go of her hand and gazed to the sky before looking back at her. "I guess you're going to have to ask him. You need to know for sure before you can move on."

"He'll probably lie." Becky sighed, clasped her hands together and leaned back against the park bench. "I asked him that night and he lied."

"There is the possibility that he didn't lie."

Becky nodded and looked Jake in the eye. "I just have a gut feeling that he did." She took another breath. "Living with drug addicts, I know how good they are at telling untruths."

"So how will you resolve it?"

"There's nothing for it but to turn up at his unit unannounced," Becky said with determination. "I don't believe he's been taking them since I first met him but since the study and exam period started he's changed and he refuses to let me go to his unit so that's where I'm going to start to search for the truth."

Jake nodded and gave her a smile. "Sounds like a plan to me."

"Thank you so much." Becky gripped his hands, and then threw her arms around his neck. "You're an angel," she murmured in his ear, and then pulled her head back to look into his eyes. "Who, just happens to look like a hot actor or model."

"Why thank you, Becky," Jake said with a chuckle.

"Are chaplains allowed to have girlfriends and wives?"

"Yes." Jake stood, gave her a wink and added, "There are even some of us who prefer boyfriends and husbands."

"Shit." Becky covered her mouth with her hand and stood also. "And here I was hoping you were hitting on me."

Jake roared with laughter, leaned in, kissed her on the cheek and murmured, "In another parallel, Becky." He straightened up and gave her a nod of approval. "You've got this."

With that she watched him walk away, smiled to herself and repeated, "I've got this."

Damn he's cute ♥

Move aside Kane and Rob, hahaha Jokes.

I'm so glad Jake was there for Becky to talk to. ♥♥

Photo copyright - Brightest Young Things.