Brian and Christine
Book Three
Saint Jane's
Part 50
Christy spent the weekend with Wendy. When Brian returned to his home he went to sleep quietly for the first in many days. The knot that tied him and Christy together had been chopped at but it wasn’t broken. There had been some growing up on both sides. There were wounds that were still healing. There would be scars. Brian knew that. But he already had scars on his foot where his toes had been and he was still walking. The emotional scars on Christy’s life were not going to prevent her from being the “amazing” child that everyone could see she was.
In the morning Brian called Wendy to discuss some of the wedding details that still had to be worked out. Then he went and found Mrs. Romero to tell her that the wedding would be held there and that there would be a reception afterward. He said “Now, please tell me what you need and who you need to help you and I’ll make sure you have them. I’m going to make up some invitations today so I can let you know about how many people to expect. I don’t know much about these things, so you think about the food and whatever else you think we may need.”
“Oh, yes sir” she said.
“Wendy and I are working out the details now. I’ll have more information for you as we do.”
“Yes, sir.”
“By the way, I think Christy is coming back to stay here soon.”
“How is she?”
“She’s healing.”
“God bless her.”
“Indeed.”
“I’ll tell Juan what’s happening. He’ll be glad.”
“Thank you, Maria.”
Brian left the kitchen. He went to his room, changed and dove with joy into his swimming pool.
Monday evening Wendy and Christy came over. Christy brought a bunch of her things in a canvas bag with a picture of buffalo on it.
“Where did you get that?” Brian asked.
“From Wendy. She got it for me.”
“Well” said Wendy, “she was telling me all about the buffalo she saw and about the pictures she drew of them, when I saw this I thought she should have it.”
“Christy, do you have some new drawings to show me?”
“No. I don’t like my pictures now. They’re ugly.”
(To be continued.)
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Friday, March 13, 2009
B&C III - 49
Brian and Christine
Book Three
Saint Jane's
Part 49
“Of course, sweetheart. Let’s go over here and sit down.”
They moved away from the front door and sat on a sofa.
“I’m sorry I was mean to you before” said Christy.
“That’s okay, Christy, I forgive you. And I’m sorry I put you through that awful experience. I didn’t know I was doing the wrong thing.”
“I know.” There was a silence. Wendy saw them talking together and busied herself in the kitchen.
“Those men were so nasty” she said. “I didn’t know people could be cruel, like that.”
“Well, some people are, and it’s best to stay away from them.”
“You’re not like that. Are you?”
“No. Of course not.”
“Oh.”
“Listen. You like Wendy, don’t you?”
“Yup. She’s cool.”
“Do you think she’s like any of those nuns in that place?”
“No. She couldn’t be that bad.”
“And Wendy likes me. So do you think she would if I could be like any of those men?”
“No. I guess not.”
“I’m not.”
There was another silence. Christy was thinking hard.
“Are you and Wendy really getting married?”
“Yes. We are.”
“When?”
“Next weekend.”
“Am I going to be there?”
“You better be. We both want you there.”
“Then what?”
“Then there will be a reception, with a bunch of people.”
“Where?”
“At my house.”
“Oh. And then what?”
“What do you mean?”
“Is she going to go live with you?”
“Probably. Although I don’t think she will give up this apartment.”
“Oh.”
“You’re wondering what’s going to happen to you, aren’t you?”
“Yup.” After some more silence she said “ I miss Flicker.”
“I spoke with your Aunt Lydia the other day. Flicker is doing fine. She’s grown a little bit, but she’s very healthy, and she and the other cat…”
“Smoky.”
“…Smoky, are getting along just fine.”
“Oh, that’s good.”
“Do you want to go back to Connecticut?”
“I don’t know. I guess not. There’s no place for me to be there. Besides I like it here.”
“You know you can’t stay here in Wendy’s place because her job takes her away a lot and there would be no one to look after you.”
“I guess not.”
“I’ll tell you what. After the wedding why don’t you and Wendy come over and live in my house. You will have your own room. We will find a good place for you to go to school, and I’m there most of the time, working. I’ll teach you how to swim, and I happen to know, because they told me, that the Romeros will be glad to have you there.”
Silence.
“What do you say?”
“Okay” she said and jumped off the sofa to go help Wendy in the kitchen.
(To be continued.)
Book Three
Saint Jane's
Part 49
“Of course, sweetheart. Let’s go over here and sit down.”
They moved away from the front door and sat on a sofa.
“I’m sorry I was mean to you before” said Christy.
“That’s okay, Christy, I forgive you. And I’m sorry I put you through that awful experience. I didn’t know I was doing the wrong thing.”
“I know.” There was a silence. Wendy saw them talking together and busied herself in the kitchen.
“Those men were so nasty” she said. “I didn’t know people could be cruel, like that.”
“Well, some people are, and it’s best to stay away from them.”
“You’re not like that. Are you?”
“No. Of course not.”
“Oh.”
“Listen. You like Wendy, don’t you?”
“Yup. She’s cool.”
“Do you think she’s like any of those nuns in that place?”
“No. She couldn’t be that bad.”
“And Wendy likes me. So do you think she would if I could be like any of those men?”
“No. I guess not.”
“I’m not.”
There was another silence. Christy was thinking hard.
“Are you and Wendy really getting married?”
“Yes. We are.”
“When?”
“Next weekend.”
“Am I going to be there?”
“You better be. We both want you there.”
“Then what?”
“Then there will be a reception, with a bunch of people.”
“Where?”
“At my house.”
“Oh. And then what?”
“What do you mean?”
“Is she going to go live with you?”
“Probably. Although I don’t think she will give up this apartment.”
“Oh.”
“You’re wondering what’s going to happen to you, aren’t you?”
“Yup.” After some more silence she said “ I miss Flicker.”
“I spoke with your Aunt Lydia the other day. Flicker is doing fine. She’s grown a little bit, but she’s very healthy, and she and the other cat…”
“Smoky.”
“…Smoky, are getting along just fine.”
“Oh, that’s good.”
“Do you want to go back to Connecticut?”
“I don’t know. I guess not. There’s no place for me to be there. Besides I like it here.”
“You know you can’t stay here in Wendy’s place because her job takes her away a lot and there would be no one to look after you.”
“I guess not.”
“I’ll tell you what. After the wedding why don’t you and Wendy come over and live in my house. You will have your own room. We will find a good place for you to go to school, and I’m there most of the time, working. I’ll teach you how to swim, and I happen to know, because they told me, that the Romeros will be glad to have you there.”
Silence.
“What do you say?”
“Okay” she said and jumped off the sofa to go help Wendy in the kitchen.
(To be continued.)
Thursday, March 12, 2009
B&C III - 48
Brian and Christine
Book Three
Saint Jane's
Part 48
The four of them gathered around the table. Wendy took the chair closest to her kitchen and said “I’m here. You can sit where you please.”
Allen and Felicity sat next to each other. Brian sat leaving a space for Christy between himself and Wendy.
The dinner was simple but delicious: lemon chicken, mashed potatoes, broccoli, a California salad, fresh rolls and a fine local Chardonnay. There were pleased remarks all around.
“Thank you. I’m not much of a cook. I was a fast food addict in school and then my husband was usually on the road with some ball team.”
“Oh, you were married before?” asked Allen.
“We both were” added Brian. “Mine ended in divorce, but it was many, many years ago.”
“And my husband was killed in an airplane crash. Also many years ago.”
“Oh” exclaimed Felicity. “How sad.”
There was silence for a few moments. Then Christy came into the room and said “Hi.”
“Here she is. Christy come meet my friends” said Wendy.
Introductions were made. Christy walked around and shook hands with both of them. Then Wendy said “Christy, sit and have some dinner. They tell me it’s good.”
“Okay.”
She looked up at Brian, and then sat next to him in the remaining chair.
Allen Parks tried to discuss the break up of Saint Jane’s and Christy’s part in it until it was obvious she didn’t want to talk about it. So he dropped the subject.
The topic changed to the up coming marriage of Brian and Wendy. Simple details were discussed and plans were made. Brian noticed that Christy was paying close attention to that conversation, but she still wasn’t smiling. Not yet.
After dinner they all went back into the living room for coffee and some fresh fruit. Christy went with them.
When it was time to leave, they all stood up to thank Wendy for the meal. Judge Parks said that he saw no reason why Brian and Wendy couldn’t be very happy together and he was pleased and proud to marry them.
As Wendy was seeing them out the door, Christy came over to Brian and said “Can I talk to you for a minute?”
(To be continued.)
Book Three
Saint Jane's
Part 48
The four of them gathered around the table. Wendy took the chair closest to her kitchen and said “I’m here. You can sit where you please.”
Allen and Felicity sat next to each other. Brian sat leaving a space for Christy between himself and Wendy.
The dinner was simple but delicious: lemon chicken, mashed potatoes, broccoli, a California salad, fresh rolls and a fine local Chardonnay. There were pleased remarks all around.
“Thank you. I’m not much of a cook. I was a fast food addict in school and then my husband was usually on the road with some ball team.”
“Oh, you were married before?” asked Allen.
“We both were” added Brian. “Mine ended in divorce, but it was many, many years ago.”
“And my husband was killed in an airplane crash. Also many years ago.”
“Oh” exclaimed Felicity. “How sad.”
There was silence for a few moments. Then Christy came into the room and said “Hi.”
“Here she is. Christy come meet my friends” said Wendy.
Introductions were made. Christy walked around and shook hands with both of them. Then Wendy said “Christy, sit and have some dinner. They tell me it’s good.”
“Okay.”
She looked up at Brian, and then sat next to him in the remaining chair.
Allen Parks tried to discuss the break up of Saint Jane’s and Christy’s part in it until it was obvious she didn’t want to talk about it. So he dropped the subject.
The topic changed to the up coming marriage of Brian and Wendy. Simple details were discussed and plans were made. Brian noticed that Christy was paying close attention to that conversation, but she still wasn’t smiling. Not yet.
After dinner they all went back into the living room for coffee and some fresh fruit. Christy went with them.
When it was time to leave, they all stood up to thank Wendy for the meal. Judge Parks said that he saw no reason why Brian and Wendy couldn’t be very happy together and he was pleased and proud to marry them.
As Wendy was seeing them out the door, Christy came over to Brian and said “Can I talk to you for a minute?”
(To be continued.)
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
B&C III - 47
Brian and Christine
Book Three
Saint Jane's
Part 47
But Christy ran up the stirs into her room and closed the door.
Wendy was standing there watching and Brian said “Maybe you should go to her.”
“No, Brian, I don’t think so. She needs to be alone.”
Brian was very perplexed. What’s she doing?”
“She’s probably crying.”
“Why?”
“Because she loves you.”
“Well if she loves me why is she crying? That doesn’t make any sense.”
“If you were a girl it would.”
Brian was still confused but he deferred to Wendy’s wisdom.
“Okay” he said.
“Now come and sit down, have your drink and relax.”
Brian sat but was not relaxed. Why do I always manage to say or do the wrong thing, he wondered. What did I do wrong this time? I feel hopeless and useless.
“I know what you’re thinking” said Wendy, “but don’t worry about it. She just has to sort things out in her head. And she will. You’ll see.”
“I hope so.”
They sat silently for a few moments and then the buzzer rang. Wendy crossed over to the door and pressed the speaker switch “Yes?”
“Mr. and Mrs. Parks at your service” came a voice over the speaker. Wendy smiled and pressed another button. She stood by the door for a moment and then opened it to let in Allen and Felicity Parks.
Mr. Parks was in his fifties, with gray hair, a stern expression but with a twinkle in his eye. Felicity, his wife, was a slender woman with thinning ashen blond hair and a big smile.
Introductions were made all around, seats were taken, drinks were made and distributed all around and conversation ensued.
“So you two want to get hitched, do you” said Allen.
“Yes we do” said Brian.
“I think it’s just wonderful” said Felicity, “that the two of you found each other after all the years you’ve lived.”
“Thank you. I guess it is” said Brian.
“How did it happen?” she asked.
“Wendy came to represent me in a legal matter and we hit it off right away.”
“Wendy?”
“That’s about it” said Wendy. “Neither one of us were looking. That’s why we found each other.”
“Isn’t that grand?” said Felicity.
Then Allen said “I thought you told me that the girl from the orphanage who blew the whistle on them was here with you?”
“She’s upstairs now, dealing with something. She will probably come down when she gets hungry. You will like her.”
The conversation went on with small talk about this and that until Wendy said “Well, dinner is ready, if you’d like to come in and sit at the table. So they did.
Wendy’s dining room had a medium sized wooden table, circular when the side flaps were folded up. There were place settings for five. Wendy went to the bottom of the stairs and called up “Christy? Dinner’s ready.”
There was no answer.
(To be continued.)
Book Three
Saint Jane's
Part 47
But Christy ran up the stirs into her room and closed the door.
Wendy was standing there watching and Brian said “Maybe you should go to her.”
“No, Brian, I don’t think so. She needs to be alone.”
Brian was very perplexed. What’s she doing?”
“She’s probably crying.”
“Why?”
“Because she loves you.”
“Well if she loves me why is she crying? That doesn’t make any sense.”
“If you were a girl it would.”
Brian was still confused but he deferred to Wendy’s wisdom.
“Okay” he said.
“Now come and sit down, have your drink and relax.”
Brian sat but was not relaxed. Why do I always manage to say or do the wrong thing, he wondered. What did I do wrong this time? I feel hopeless and useless.
“I know what you’re thinking” said Wendy, “but don’t worry about it. She just has to sort things out in her head. And she will. You’ll see.”
“I hope so.”
They sat silently for a few moments and then the buzzer rang. Wendy crossed over to the door and pressed the speaker switch “Yes?”
“Mr. and Mrs. Parks at your service” came a voice over the speaker. Wendy smiled and pressed another button. She stood by the door for a moment and then opened it to let in Allen and Felicity Parks.
Mr. Parks was in his fifties, with gray hair, a stern expression but with a twinkle in his eye. Felicity, his wife, was a slender woman with thinning ashen blond hair and a big smile.
Introductions were made all around, seats were taken, drinks were made and distributed all around and conversation ensued.
“So you two want to get hitched, do you” said Allen.
“Yes we do” said Brian.
“I think it’s just wonderful” said Felicity, “that the two of you found each other after all the years you’ve lived.”
“Thank you. I guess it is” said Brian.
“How did it happen?” she asked.
“Wendy came to represent me in a legal matter and we hit it off right away.”
“Wendy?”
“That’s about it” said Wendy. “Neither one of us were looking. That’s why we found each other.”
“Isn’t that grand?” said Felicity.
Then Allen said “I thought you told me that the girl from the orphanage who blew the whistle on them was here with you?”
“She’s upstairs now, dealing with something. She will probably come down when she gets hungry. You will like her.”
The conversation went on with small talk about this and that until Wendy said “Well, dinner is ready, if you’d like to come in and sit at the table. So they did.
Wendy’s dining room had a medium sized wooden table, circular when the side flaps were folded up. There were place settings for five. Wendy went to the bottom of the stairs and called up “Christy? Dinner’s ready.”
There was no answer.
(To be continued.)
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
B&C III - 46
Brian and Christine
Book Three
Saint Jane's
Part 46
He was interrupted by a phone call from Wendy. She said that she had spoken to Judge Parks about marrying them and he was pleased to do it, but wanted to meet Brian first, so she extended a dinner invitation to Parks and his wife for the following evening. “Did you check this out with Christy….And what did she say?....Sounds hopeful….Probably.….Okay, what time?....I’ll be there, sweetheart….Love you too.”
Wendy had suggested he come early to give Christy a chance to adjust to his being there. Brian thought that was a good idea. But he wondered if it was going to be a strain on all of them. Maybe an informal situation would be better.
Why am I being so cautious? he thought. Any situation, just about, is a good one for them to be together. The time has come! After all, we have both suffered through this latest disaster; surely she wants to share in the recovery with me as well as Wendy. I’ll go to the dinner expecting good things and giving as much love as I can.
Wendy’s apartment was a duplex, well and comfortably furnished. She had good taste, which was no surprise to Brian. She greeted him with a warm hug and kiss when he arrived at the time she gave him.
“Where’s Christy?”
“Upstairs in her room. She’ll be down. Have a seat, have a drink.”
Brian sat with expectation, watching the staircase.
Wendy returned with a couple of drinks and set them down. Then she went to the foot of the stairs and called “Christy?”
“Yeah” came a voice from upstairs.
“Come on down. Brian is here.”
“Okay.”
After a few moments Christy stood on a top step and then slowly came down the stairs. When she reached the bottom she stopped and looked at Brian. She wasn’t smiling.
Brian stood up. “Hi Christy.”
“Hi” she said.
“Brian went over to her and said “Christy, I’m sorry about the things that happened to you and I’m glad that your okay.”
He reached out to hug her but she pulled back.
“No” she barked. “Don’t touch me. Leave me alone!”
She started to run up the stairs.
Brian stepped toward her, put his hand on the bottom of the banister and said “Christy. I will never leave you.”
She stopped briefly. They both vividly remembered the first time that promise was made.
[They made their way through the tangles of the forest, around the frozen lake, in and out of clearings and over fallen trees. When they got to the far side of the lake there was a brook.
“This must be the same brook we were following once,” said Christy.
“Probably. I don’t know.”
The brook was filled with ice covered stones. The water was coming from the lake and it was moving very slowly.
“We’ll have to be very careful going across here,” said Brian. “It will be very slippery.”
He started to cross the brook, stepping carefully, testing each stone before he put his weight on it. Christy followed him. Brian made it to the other side of the brook and turned to help Christy who was almost there, when suddenly there was a rapid double flash of light and a loud crack of thunder. It frightened her and she slipped. She cried out and fell forward onto the snow. “Ow! Oh! My foot. I hurt my foot. It’s bad.” She was crying.
“Is there any way you can turn it so that it doesn’t hurt?”
She turned over on her back and tried twisting her foot around, crying with the pain, but she said “If I turn it in it’s not so bad. But it still hurts. Oh, Brian, I’m sorry.”
“That’s okay. You just lie there, take it easy and keep the foot turned in.”
“Okay,” she was crying a lot.
On that side of the brook there was a short, steep climb,, thick with trees, up to a clearing. “I’d better go up there and see where we are,” he told her.
She reached up to him with both hands, “Brian, please don’t leave me here.” Tears were coming out of her eyes and flowing down the sides of her face.
Brian put his hands in the snow on either side of her, leaned over and looked at her tear stained face.
“Christy. I will never leave you.”
They looked at each other for a long moment and each of them knew there was a bond now, a bond that would never break.]
(To be continued.)
Book Three
Saint Jane's
Part 46
He was interrupted by a phone call from Wendy. She said that she had spoken to Judge Parks about marrying them and he was pleased to do it, but wanted to meet Brian first, so she extended a dinner invitation to Parks and his wife for the following evening. “Did you check this out with Christy….And what did she say?....Sounds hopeful….Probably.….Okay, what time?....I’ll be there, sweetheart….Love you too.”
Wendy had suggested he come early to give Christy a chance to adjust to his being there. Brian thought that was a good idea. But he wondered if it was going to be a strain on all of them. Maybe an informal situation would be better.
Why am I being so cautious? he thought. Any situation, just about, is a good one for them to be together. The time has come! After all, we have both suffered through this latest disaster; surely she wants to share in the recovery with me as well as Wendy. I’ll go to the dinner expecting good things and giving as much love as I can.
Wendy’s apartment was a duplex, well and comfortably furnished. She had good taste, which was no surprise to Brian. She greeted him with a warm hug and kiss when he arrived at the time she gave him.
“Where’s Christy?”
“Upstairs in her room. She’ll be down. Have a seat, have a drink.”
Brian sat with expectation, watching the staircase.
Wendy returned with a couple of drinks and set them down. Then she went to the foot of the stairs and called “Christy?”
“Yeah” came a voice from upstairs.
“Come on down. Brian is here.”
“Okay.”
After a few moments Christy stood on a top step and then slowly came down the stairs. When she reached the bottom she stopped and looked at Brian. She wasn’t smiling.
Brian stood up. “Hi Christy.”
“Hi” she said.
“Brian went over to her and said “Christy, I’m sorry about the things that happened to you and I’m glad that your okay.”
He reached out to hug her but she pulled back.
“No” she barked. “Don’t touch me. Leave me alone!”
She started to run up the stairs.
Brian stepped toward her, put his hand on the bottom of the banister and said “Christy. I will never leave you.”
She stopped briefly. They both vividly remembered the first time that promise was made.
[They made their way through the tangles of the forest, around the frozen lake, in and out of clearings and over fallen trees. When they got to the far side of the lake there was a brook.
“This must be the same brook we were following once,” said Christy.
“Probably. I don’t know.”
The brook was filled with ice covered stones. The water was coming from the lake and it was moving very slowly.
“We’ll have to be very careful going across here,” said Brian. “It will be very slippery.”
He started to cross the brook, stepping carefully, testing each stone before he put his weight on it. Christy followed him. Brian made it to the other side of the brook and turned to help Christy who was almost there, when suddenly there was a rapid double flash of light and a loud crack of thunder. It frightened her and she slipped. She cried out and fell forward onto the snow. “Ow! Oh! My foot. I hurt my foot. It’s bad.” She was crying.
“Is there any way you can turn it so that it doesn’t hurt?”
She turned over on her back and tried twisting her foot around, crying with the pain, but she said “If I turn it in it’s not so bad. But it still hurts. Oh, Brian, I’m sorry.”
“That’s okay. You just lie there, take it easy and keep the foot turned in.”
“Okay,” she was crying a lot.
On that side of the brook there was a short, steep climb,, thick with trees, up to a clearing. “I’d better go up there and see where we are,” he told her.
She reached up to him with both hands, “Brian, please don’t leave me here.” Tears were coming out of her eyes and flowing down the sides of her face.
Brian put his hands in the snow on either side of her, leaned over and looked at her tear stained face.
“Christy. I will never leave you.”
They looked at each other for a long moment and each of them knew there was a bond now, a bond that would never break.]
(To be continued.)
Monday, March 9, 2009
B&C III - 45
Brian and Christine
Book Three
Saint Jane's
Part 45
Brian finished his cigarette, rose, saw in the distance the little girl doing cartwheels and then returned to his home refreshed. His anger had subsided. He thought that the day would come soon when all of the experiences he and Christy had shared together would eventually purchase enough recovery from her most recent nightmarish episode to allow her to appear back into his life once again Patience and compassion were the tools he needed now more than anything. Forget your toes, he said to himself, they’re gone. Forget the troll brains. Forget that bitch Mother Magda, the faux nun, and her “enterprise.” And if Lojak doesn’t want to do your film, then to hell with him. He’s not the only actor in Hollywood.
Back home he wanted some companionship, so he went into the kitchen and found Mrs. Romero fussing with dishes and things.
“Hello Mr. Sims. What can I get you? A drink? Some coffee?”
“Is there a pot on?”
“I put one on right now.” She did.
Brian sat at the table and said “How are things with you?”
“Oh they’re fine Mr. Sims. Juan is out in the back working in the yard. Do you want to see him?”
“No, if he’s busy let him be.”
“Oh. Here he is.”
Just at that moment Juan Romero came in through the back door, took off some work gloves and said “Hello Mr. Sims. Is there a problem, sir?”
“No Juan, no problem. I just thought I’d sit in my own kitchen, have a cup of coffee and some company. Will you have a seat?”
“Thank you, sir.” Juan sat at the table leaving room for Maria.
“How are things?”
“Oh, fine, sir. I put some more fertilizer under that one palm tree that was looking not good. And I clipped the hedge.”
“Sounds good.”
Maria poured a cup of coffee for Brian and set it in front of him.
“Will you join me?”
She smiled, poured two more cups, brought them to the table and sat.
“When will be the wedding?” she asked.
“We don’t quite know yet. We have to wait for Christy to get adjusted to being away from that place she was in and readjusted to me.”
“Such a sweet girl. They came over to swim and she came right in here first thing to say hello.”
“Were you here, Juan, when she came in?”
“No, sir, why?”
“She is apparently having a little trouble dealing with men.”
“Oh, she will get over that” said Mrs. Romero.
“I hope so” said Brian.
“She will.”
“I wanted to ask you something, sir.”
“Yes.”
“After you are married will there be any changes?”
“Oh, no doubt there will be a lot of changes. But you mean will there be any changes in your positions here?”
“Yes, sir.”
“No, none at all. I’m very satisfied having the two of you here. You’ve been a great help to me. I plan to stay living here. I’m hoping that Wendy and Christy will also live here. That will give you more to do, I’m sure. So I’ll raise you wages accordingly. If you don’t mind.”
They laughed.
“You take good care of us, sir, but, no, we don’t mind.”
“It will be nice to have them here” said Mrs. Romero.
After some small talk, Brian finished his coffee, thanked them for the chat and went back to his computer.
He sat down in front of it, thought for a moment about the Romeros, about his quiet time in the park and about Jane. Then he reached over, deleted “I’m angry” and started a new page about a young girl who does cartwheels.
(To be continued.)
Book Three
Saint Jane's
Part 45
Brian finished his cigarette, rose, saw in the distance the little girl doing cartwheels and then returned to his home refreshed. His anger had subsided. He thought that the day would come soon when all of the experiences he and Christy had shared together would eventually purchase enough recovery from her most recent nightmarish episode to allow her to appear back into his life once again Patience and compassion were the tools he needed now more than anything. Forget your toes, he said to himself, they’re gone. Forget the troll brains. Forget that bitch Mother Magda, the faux nun, and her “enterprise.” And if Lojak doesn’t want to do your film, then to hell with him. He’s not the only actor in Hollywood.
Back home he wanted some companionship, so he went into the kitchen and found Mrs. Romero fussing with dishes and things.
“Hello Mr. Sims. What can I get you? A drink? Some coffee?”
“Is there a pot on?”
“I put one on right now.” She did.
Brian sat at the table and said “How are things with you?”
“Oh they’re fine Mr. Sims. Juan is out in the back working in the yard. Do you want to see him?”
“No, if he’s busy let him be.”
“Oh. Here he is.”
Just at that moment Juan Romero came in through the back door, took off some work gloves and said “Hello Mr. Sims. Is there a problem, sir?”
“No Juan, no problem. I just thought I’d sit in my own kitchen, have a cup of coffee and some company. Will you have a seat?”
“Thank you, sir.” Juan sat at the table leaving room for Maria.
“How are things?”
“Oh, fine, sir. I put some more fertilizer under that one palm tree that was looking not good. And I clipped the hedge.”
“Sounds good.”
Maria poured a cup of coffee for Brian and set it in front of him.
“Will you join me?”
She smiled, poured two more cups, brought them to the table and sat.
“When will be the wedding?” she asked.
“We don’t quite know yet. We have to wait for Christy to get adjusted to being away from that place she was in and readjusted to me.”
“Such a sweet girl. They came over to swim and she came right in here first thing to say hello.”
“Were you here, Juan, when she came in?”
“No, sir, why?”
“She is apparently having a little trouble dealing with men.”
“Oh, she will get over that” said Mrs. Romero.
“I hope so” said Brian.
“She will.”
“I wanted to ask you something, sir.”
“Yes.”
“After you are married will there be any changes?”
“Oh, no doubt there will be a lot of changes. But you mean will there be any changes in your positions here?”
“Yes, sir.”
“No, none at all. I’m very satisfied having the two of you here. You’ve been a great help to me. I plan to stay living here. I’m hoping that Wendy and Christy will also live here. That will give you more to do, I’m sure. So I’ll raise you wages accordingly. If you don’t mind.”
They laughed.
“You take good care of us, sir, but, no, we don’t mind.”
“It will be nice to have them here” said Mrs. Romero.
After some small talk, Brian finished his coffee, thanked them for the chat and went back to his computer.
He sat down in front of it, thought for a moment about the Romeros, about his quiet time in the park and about Jane. Then he reached over, deleted “I’m angry” and started a new page about a young girl who does cartwheels.
(To be continued.)
Sunday, March 8, 2009
B&C III - 44
Brian and Christine
Book Three
Saint Jane's
Part 44
He leaned back in his chair and said to himself, I’m angry that I have to be away from my home in order to avoid someone I love. I’m angry that Launce Lojak doesn’t want to do my film. I’m angry at Mother Magda and her whole bag of perverts. I’m angry that I had to lose some of my toes. I’m angry at the Buffalo Gap troll brains. I’m angry that the badness of the world is getting in the way of the goodness. I’m angry that I’m tired and want to fold everything up and just go away. I’m angry at the whole damn world!
Brian got up and went out for a walk. He walked for a long time down unfamiliar streets, not looking at houses or anything, just staring in front of him trying to think clearly instead of just fume with rage.
He came to a big park with pathways, trees and benches. He sat down on a bench and lit up a cigarette. While he was sitting there a woman came along pushing a baby carriage preceded by a young girl, much younger than Christy, about 6 or 7, Brian guessed. The girl was doing cartwheels, and doing them very well. She did one right in front of Brian.
“You’re very good at that” he said.
“Thank you.”
“What’s your name?”
“Jane.”
“Jane,” Saint Jane, Brian thought. The real Saint Jane. “Is that your Mommy?”
The woman with the carriage was approaching with a concerned look on her face. Brian waved at her. “Hi Mom” he said.
“Jane, do you do cartwheels in school?”
“Uh huh.”
“Gymnastics, acrobatics?”
“Yup.”
“Tumbling?”
“Yup.”
“You enjoy it?”
“Uh huh. It’s fun.”
“Who’s in the baby carriage?”
“That’s my brother, Tommy. He’s brand new.”
“Well, you keep learning acrobatics because it’s a good thing to know. Maybe someday you’ll be in the Olympics.”
“Okay.”
“And Jane?”
“Yes.”
“Don’t talk to strange men.”
“Okay.”
The mother was standing and listening. She was smiling.
“Thanks, Mom” said Brian.
They moved on.
(To be continued.)
Book Three
Saint Jane's
Part 44
He leaned back in his chair and said to himself, I’m angry that I have to be away from my home in order to avoid someone I love. I’m angry that Launce Lojak doesn’t want to do my film. I’m angry at Mother Magda and her whole bag of perverts. I’m angry that I had to lose some of my toes. I’m angry at the Buffalo Gap troll brains. I’m angry that the badness of the world is getting in the way of the goodness. I’m angry that I’m tired and want to fold everything up and just go away. I’m angry at the whole damn world!
Brian got up and went out for a walk. He walked for a long time down unfamiliar streets, not looking at houses or anything, just staring in front of him trying to think clearly instead of just fume with rage.
He came to a big park with pathways, trees and benches. He sat down on a bench and lit up a cigarette. While he was sitting there a woman came along pushing a baby carriage preceded by a young girl, much younger than Christy, about 6 or 7, Brian guessed. The girl was doing cartwheels, and doing them very well. She did one right in front of Brian.
“You’re very good at that” he said.
“Thank you.”
“What’s your name?”
“Jane.”
“Jane,” Saint Jane, Brian thought. The real Saint Jane. “Is that your Mommy?”
The woman with the carriage was approaching with a concerned look on her face. Brian waved at her. “Hi Mom” he said.
“Jane, do you do cartwheels in school?”
“Uh huh.”
“Gymnastics, acrobatics?”
“Yup.”
“Tumbling?”
“Yup.”
“You enjoy it?”
“Uh huh. It’s fun.”
“Who’s in the baby carriage?”
“That’s my brother, Tommy. He’s brand new.”
“Well, you keep learning acrobatics because it’s a good thing to know. Maybe someday you’ll be in the Olympics.”
“Okay.”
“And Jane?”
“Yes.”
“Don’t talk to strange men.”
“Okay.”
The mother was standing and listening. She was smiling.
“Thanks, Mom” said Brian.
They moved on.
(To be continued.)
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