by Cee, DW
"Is that good? I think I'd rather have Emily's description.”
"Miss Jane, I'd rather date a vixen than a saint any day. Your sister-in-law, your cousin Laney - they both fall into the category of deceptively high-maintenance. A man would have to be near perfect to feel worthy of being with them. With you...what you see is what you get."
"Hmmm...the other description still sounds better. In any case, are we okay? Can we still be friends?"
"Have we ever been anything but friends? You know where I stand. Don't know how long I'll be standing here, but until you give me the green light, or until I move on to another pasture, we will stay life-long, good friends." He kissed me again on my forehead. This felt like our last supper, and that kiss was the kiss of Judas. "I see the server with our linguine and the white truffle isn't far behind. Let's eat!"
Jan. 31, 2013 Surprises all around
Donovan and I were in a weird funk with our friendship, but fortunately, unless we sought each other out in the office, our paths did not cross too often. He worked in a different department and our floor was huge. Plus, a lot of the times, he was on a different floor or out of the office for meetings, as he was a young but high-powered lawyer with Ascot, Ascot, and Pemberly.
It's been fantastic having Gimpy at work. Since he had first dibs on the company car and driver, I carpooled with him and he filled our long car ride with interesting stories about his life, his family and his love for my grandmother. I thought Jake and Emily had an intense love for one another - Gimpy had been holding a torch for Gram for 60+ years. He loved the wife of his youth, but she passed on early and he never remarried.
"So you were the consummate playboy, waiting for my Gramps to die or divorce, so Gram could be yours?" I asked with a laugh.
"Divorce, beheaded and died..." he sang Henry VIII's song. "No, silly girl. I was not waiting for Jerry to die or for your Gram to get divorced. I figured if it was meant to be, it would happen again."
"How come you never married again? Didn't you want kids?"
"I suppose that's a big regret, but I was busy building my career and the law firm, and I didn't really have time to build a relationship. After Lauren died, I spent all my energy opening up the office in London. When my younger brother finally graduated from law school, he was a big help. And fortunately, he married a sweet gal who supported his workaholic tendencies. I guess I traded a family for a career. At the time, I also had no thoughts of trying to love someone again. It took me a long time to forget your grandmother. Why, I was almost 35 before Lauren and I married."
"It took you a decade to forget Grams? That's so romantic!"
"That's pitiful is what it is. But your Gram was and still is an unforgettable woman."
"What did you get Gram for Valentine's Day? You know it's only two weeks away."
"Wouldn't you like to know, young lady?"
"Come on, Gimpy. One clue."
"No clue for you. You're too smart. You'll figure it out on the spot. Did I ever tell you I always thought of you as my only granddaughter? None of the other Reid children caught my attention like you, Miss Jane."
"You mean Jake wasn't your favorite? He's everybody's favorite grandchild. Laney is a distant second. People are obsessed with her American Girl doll look with the shiny blond hair and those cornflower blue eyes. She really looks like a doll. She's also the sweetest of us all, though she's a bit stuck in her own fantasy world. It's like she never grew out of her elementary school dreams."
"It's always good to dream, Miss Jane. You're too realistic, which makes you a bit pessimistic. But then again, you chose law as a profession. What else can you be?" He chuckled. "No, I fell in love with you when you first met me as a 3 year-old and couldn't decide what to call me. You already had Gram and Gramps in your vocabulary, and you knew that I was similar in age with your grandparents so you were rather stumped. Even though your entire family called me Mr. Ascot, you proudly informed us all at dinner one night that you were going to call me ‘Gimpy.’ That's when the name stuck, and that's when I knew you'd always be my favorite."
"Finally! I'm somebody's favorite!" I added much emphasis to those words. "It's crazy that you, Gram and Gramps stayed friends."
"I always did like Jerry. He was a capital fellow."
"I love the way you talk! Your British accent is so cool." I tried my best British accent but failed miserably.
Gimpy and I came home from work early, so I could help Mom get ready for Dad's birthday dinner. No doubt she had everything under control, but it was a nice excuse to get away from Andrea. The whole family was meeting tonight and we all looked forward to catching up on life.
"Where's Max?" Laney asked, while I was chatting with Susan and Samantha.
"He's at the hospital. He couldn't slip out of his rounds today."
"Bummer. It would've been nice to have him here..." she trailed then looked over our heads. "Who invited him?" All of a sudden, Laney went hostile.
"Hello pretty ladies," Donovan said while greeting me with a kiss on the cheek - the cheek now and not the familiar forehead. Was that a good sign or a bad sign? Did this mean he saw me no differently than all the other women he greeted with a kiss, or did he now see me as a woman and not a little girl? STOP! I was thinking way too deeply into a casual kiss.
"I didn't know you were coming. Are your parents here?" Both Sam and Susan were a bit starry-eyed with Donovan, but Laney had no interest. In fact, she was just about to walk away when Donovan stopped her.
"Hello, Delaney."
"Hello Mr. Taylor. What are you doing here? This is a family event."
"Your cousin Jake and your Aunt Sandy invited me, so I came with my parents. Since I practically lived in this house during my childhood, I almost grew up a Reid. Who knows, maybe one day I'll marry a Reid and then we'll all be family."
I kinda panicked when Donovan talked about marriage. My feelings for this man were unclear, even to me, and in no way was I thinking marriage with this guy. Shoot, I hadn't really thought about marriage to Max - well...maybe I had thought about it once or twice.
"I don't think any of the Reid girls are available to marry you. Jane is almost married to Max, and you're too old for the rest of us." All this time, I thought of Laney as this sweet, even-tempered dreamer, but damn, this girl had some bite to her.
Donovan laughed at her comment. "Is that why you address me as Mr. Taylor, rather than Donovan? You think I'm too old?"
"You are too old. Anyway, I came here to tell you," she turned to me, Sam, and Susan, "that I've decided to defer film school and go live in London for a year, instead."
"Why?" Sam asked. "And why London?"
"I loved living in Japan, and I want to live away again for a while before I recommit myself to school. And as for why London? Because it's a fun city, and Gram has a home there, and I won't have to pay rent. Dad says he won't pay for anything other than schooling now. He says I'm too old to be supported by him."
"Then how will you survive out there?" It was Susan's turn to ask.
"I'll get a job. Maybe I can get a job at some publishing agency or maybe..." her eyes lit up, "I can get a job working at LK Bennet or Reiss or even Top Shop. I've always wanted to work retail."
"Don't you think that's a waste of a year, Laney? You'll be making 6 pounds per hour. That's like $9. Is Uncle Henry okay with your plans?" What a complete waste of time, I thought.
"Dad says as long as I can support myself, he's fine with it. And it's not like I'm going to be a sales girl forever. I'm just doing it for a year. Plus, think of all the traveling I'll do when I base myself in London. I can go visit every European country."
"On 6 pounds an hour, good luck! You'll make just enough money to ride the tube.”
Gimpy was right. I was a pessimist.
"Why I think going away for a year is a wonderful idea. That's a year of creating memories you can't buy. But of course, we'll all miss you if you're gone that long."
Donovan was always so smooth.
"Why would you miss me, Mr. Taylor? We hardly know each other." She then totally dismissed him and spoke to the cousins only. "That's why I came over here. I wanted to give you my big news."
Okay...
"Everybody...may I have your attention?" Gimpy called the room together with his fabulous accent. "First of all, I want to wish Bobby a happy birthday." Everyone cheered and clapped for Dad. "Second, I wanted to tell you the story of a beautiful young woman who graced my life many many years ago. This woman took Paris by storm when she got there and had every chap lining up to woo her." Gram was blushing. "When I first met her, she was sassy and witty and breathtakingly beautiful. I couldn't believe that her parents would let her out of their sights. I wanted to kidnap her immediately before too many fellows noticed her, take her to the nearest church, and marry her. However, fate had other plans, and her once-suitor came back and took this beauty away from me. Now, 66 years later, I have a chance to make her mine." He walked over to Gram who was sitting on the couch with James on her lap, and got down on one knee. "Estelle, my beauty, my love, will you do me the honor of living out the rest of your life with me? We may not have as many years as I would have liked, but I can promise you this - your last years will be the best years of your life. I've loved you since the day I met you. Please do me the honor of being my wife."
That was so freakin' romantic! Who would have thought that two elderly folks in their 80's would profess their love for one another and get married? Oh my gosh, this was true love.
Gram, of course, said yes, and when Gimpy got up to kiss her, he frightened James and all of a sudden, we saw him back off Gram’s lap and wobble - and I mean wobble - his way towards his mother.
"Oh my gosh! James is walking. He's taking his first steps." Jake called out.
We all turned to James, then to a horrified but proud Emily, then back to James. It was a harrowing experience for us all as our bodies swayed with him every time he looked like he was about to take a tumble. I felt like a simulator driver in one of those car-racing games. We all breathed a sigh of relief when he made it to his mother and everyone clapped for him. Emily was in alt.
Of course, our little Ellie, not to be outdone by her brother, screamed for attention. Once her brother was safely in Emily's arms, Ellie kept screaming "Uh!" Not understanding what she wanted, we all stared at her. When she realized that "uh" was getting her nowhere, she raised both hands and called out, "Uh!" again.
"Jake...I think she's trying to say, 'up.' Pick her up and see what happens." Emily asked.
Jake did exactly that and Ellie was grinning like a Cheshire cat.
"Put her down and see what happens," Emily said this time.
My brother obliged, and as soon as her little tushy hit the ground, Ellie screamed, "Uh!"
Jake picked her up and kissed his little girl, and we all gave her a round of applause as well. This time, she had that cat who got the cream smile. She looked just like my brother!
What an eventful day! A move to London, a wedding in June, a walking 9 month-old and a talking 9 month-old - there is never a dull moment in the Reid family.
Feb. 4, 2013 He's going where?
You probably all thought I had no girlfriends, huh? I haven't mentioned any of them because I haven't had a chance to meet up with them since Max and I got back together. In my defense, I don't have much free time. Between work, family obligations (and with all the Reids having homes on this cul-de-sac, there's a stream of family functions), and Max - there's hardly time to sleep. But tonight, my girlfriends and I were putting on our LBDs and celebrating.
Growing up, I had three best friends. The four of us did everything together. Becky and I knew each other from birth because our dads were friends since med school. Evie and Ashley, I met in kindergarten. We all went to the same K-12 school, and then the four of us went up north to undergrad. Though we went to three different colleges up there, we remained the best of friends. Even now, with Becky in Chicago, Ashley in Texas, and Evie in San Diego, we try to meet for holidays and special occasions. Tonight was a special occasion! Ashley got engaged on New Year's Day, and she and her fiancé were in town for their engagement party. They'd had one already in Texas with his family, but Ash's mom insisted she have another one here as well. Tonight, the four of us were getting a little pre-engagement party going before the formal affair in a few days.
"Girlfriend, I'm the one engaged, but you're the one who looks smokin' hot!" Ashley and the girls oohed and aahed over my dress, that wasn't my dress.
"Where'd you get that dress? And where, may I ask, did those tall, white, patent leather boots come from? I need a pair of those. Al would go berserk if I showed up to bed in a dominatrix outfit and those boots."
"Eew‼! None of us needs the visual, and definitely not a play-by-play of your nighttime romp, Becky. Let's keep the domestic affairs, domestic." Evie, I'm-going-to-stay-a-virgin-till-I-get-married, was the one we made fun of most. She had the least experience with men and none of us thinks she'll get married before 40.
"Nothing I have on tonight, except for my g-string, belongs to me. The dress and boots belong to Emily. My brother bought them for her in the Chanel shop in Paris a couple of years ago. She's pregnant again and says she feels a bit scandalous wearing thigh-high boots while carrying a baby."
"She's pregnant again?" All three ladies called out simultaneously. "What about the twins? Are they even a year old yet?"
"They'll be one in April. They are all sickeningly beautiful and in love with one another. They are the picture of happiness."
"You think Emily will let me borrow those boots?" Becky asked.
"Don't know. Ask her yourself."
"So...what's going on with you and Max? You are back together?"
"Yeah, Ash. We're back together and this time for good, I think. I don't know how you and Becky finally realize a guy is the one for you. We are always arguing about the stupidest things. There's never a peaceful week with us."
"Maybe it's you...not Max." Evie butted in. "You're a bit on the argumentative side. And that's great if you're trying a case, but not the best thing when you're talking to your boyfriend.” Now, how did a girl who's never really had a boyfriend understand my relationship so well?
"I don't know...I really like him and I think he really likes me too, but...in any case, all is going well as we speak. I think he's out with some friends, but he said he'll stop by to pick me up at the end of the night so he can meet you all. Of course, he'll be at the engagement party, too."
The night progressed with the four of us gabbing mainly about Ash and her fiancé, Jared. Ash brought pictures of her wedding dress, as well as pictures of our bridesmaid dresses. We had all promised one another when we were younger that we'd pick out knock-out bridesmaid dresses. Becky picked out stunning evening gowns when she got married, and Ash picked out cute summery ones for her wedding. None of us complained.
We were talking about old times and old crushes when I heard that nail-on-chalkboard voice calling my name. We'd done a few rounds of tequila shots throughout the night so I thought I was hearing things when it happened again.
"Jane! Hello...Jane...over here..."
"I think someone's calling you." Becky, who'd had way too much to drink, pointed in the opposite direction from where the voice was coming from.
"Hi, Jane. How fun to see you here.”
Gawd‼! It was Psycho! "Hey...Alex...I mean, Joyce. What brings you here? Are you here alone?"
"Oh, I'm meeting some friends. I must be the first one here.”
Liar! It was some time around midnight. I doubted she was meeting anyone at this hour. What a psycho stalker. How the hell did she know I was here, and why would she stalk me instead of Max?
"I just left Max." As soon as she said this, I swear, it took every ounce of self-control not to pounce on this woman and beat the crap out of her. "We had a nice dinner after our shift at the hosp
ital."
"Uh-huh," I gritted my teeth.
All my girlfriends, even the drunk ones, were wide awake now. Both Becky and Evie were literally holding me back.
"You must be so sad that he's leaving in a few months." She gave me a seriously evil smile while saying this. "I'm sad, too, that I'll be leaving my family. I'm sure Max and I will keep each other company when we miss our friends and family back home. It's only for the summer, unless we choose to stay longer."
I had no clue what this woman was talking about, but I wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of knowing that I had no clue. Though, I was sure the confusion and hurt in my eyes gave me away. Max hadn't mentioned anything about leaving. Where was he going, and why was Joyce going with him? Stupidly, I was heartbroken that he was leaving me.
"Where is Max going?" Thank God for Becky. If she hadn't asked this question, curiosity would've killed me!
"It's a doctors without borders-type of program. We'll be helping children in need of medical care. Max and I found out a few weeks ago that we were accepted, and we'll be gone the whole summer. Oh, I think I see my friends. I'll see you around. Bye." And off she went, after purposely dropping that bomb on me.