by Linnea Hall
Ashley didn’t answer this time, wanting to find out if that was what Jewell really wanted. After all, Jewell had been the one to drive them to work. If she didn’t want to go with Collin, she could just tell him that she had to drive Ashley home. This was Jewell’s call to make.
Jewell thought for a moment. She wanted to go with Collin, but what did she really know about him. She was absolutely and irrevocably in love with him, she knew that. She also knew that there was something about him that was not…human? She knew his uncle was a doctor and that he had lived, or so he said, in several different places over the years. Not a very promising profile. Her head said she should take Ashley home and tell Collin that maybe they could double with Ashley and her date on their day off. Her heart told her to let Ashley drive herself home. She looked at the keys in her hand and resolutely handed them to Ashley.
“I’ll call my dad to let him know I’ll be home before lunch.”
Ashley looked at Jewell, trying to give her an “are you sure” look. Jewell could see that Ashley had some reservations as well. Jewell smiled, and nodded at Ashley. You can pick me up tonight at five. Don’t wreck my car!”
Ashley gave Jewell a sarcastic grin, “Oh yeah! I’m going to go out and spin some tires in your smokin’ Ford Focus.”
“Focus, huh?” Collin asked. “Very practical car; inexpensive, great gas mileage, and as cute as you are.” He smiled.
“Well, I guess I’ll see you at five then. Don’t stay out too late!” Ashley turned to walk toward where they had parked the car earlier.
After Ashley was out of hearing range, Collin asked, “Are you sure you want to do this? You look a little…apprehensive. Maybe another day would be better? I don’t want you to do anything you don’t feel comfortable with.”
Jewell smiled. “I am very comfortable with this.”
“Well, I thought we could start with beignets and coffee, if that’s all right with you?” He held out his hand, offering to let her take it.
She looked at his hand a moment, and then settled hers into his warm grasp. She had almost forgotten how safe she felt just holding his hand. They walked slowly to his car, Collin staring at Jewell, Jewell staring at her feet.
“Well, this is me,” Collin said, pressing the unlock button on his key chain.
“Wow, ‘Vette. Very nice. Is this the LT?”
“2LT. You know your cars.” He opened the passenger door so she could get in, and walked around to the driver’s side.
Jewell waited for Collin to start the car before answering. “Yeah, my dad always liked sports cars; everything from muscle to performance. He has a ’72 Mustang”. They talked cars until Collin pulled into a lot near the river. It was gated, and had an attendant. Figured. Jewell couldn’t imagine parking this car on the street.
“I hope Café du Monde is okay with you. It’s a little touristy, but they have the best beignets in town as far as I’m concerned.”
“Sounds good.”
They ordered beignets and café au lait and sat at one of the tables where they could watch the carriages roll by. A man playing a saxophone sat right next to the café playing a soulful blues melody.
After breakfast, they walked, hand in hand to Artillery Park. Jewell always marveled at being able to look up at the boats as they passed by. Because New Orleans was below sea level, the river was actually above them. It was still early, so there were very few people, and a light fog drifted above the river. They could still hear the haunting melody of the saxophonist playing near Café du Monde.
Collin walked over to a grassy area under a tree, and sat down, leaning his back against the trunk. Jewell sat next to him. They hadn’t really said anything at all since the car ride here. At breakfast they had laughed about the powdered sugar, but for the most part, they both seemed to be comfortable just sitting in each other’s company.
Jewell sat down in the grass beside Collin. He adjusted his position a bit so that she could lean back against him. He sucked in a long fragrant breath of her hair as he wrapped his arms around her waist and she snuggled into his lap.
“What are you thinking?” She asked.
“I don’t know. I guess I was just thinking about what it’s like to be here, with you.”
Jewell smiled and closed her eyes. “That’s exactly what I was thinking.” It was so hard to think about anything else when she was with him, especially with his arms around her. She assumed the tingling fire she felt throughout her body would fade after being with him for a while, but it hadn’t. She felt lighter than air when she was with him.
“Jewell.” She heard her name. It sounded like it was coming from far away. “Jewell.” She felt warm lips touch her cheeks. Her eyes slowly came open; his arms will still wrapped around her waist. She moved her hands to cover his. She turned and slowly, reluctantly, sat up. “You fell asleep.”
“I’m sorry. What do you want to do now? We could walk by the St. Louis Cathedral or….”
“It’s time to take you home. You have to work tonight, remember. And I think you really need to get some sleep.”
Jewell hadn’t realized how tired she really was. Watching the sun dance hypnotically off the endless waters of Lake Pontchartrain as Collin drove her home added a weight to her eyelids that she was having trouble lifting. She listened to the song playing softly on the radio “Please allow me to introduce myself: I’m a man of wealth and taste: I’ve been around for a long, long year stolen many a man’s soul and faith.” She rolled the words around in her head, thinking of Collin, as she continued to stare out at the brown, endless water.
“Okay,” Collin said, “I need help from here.”
Jewell opened her eyes and looked out the window trying to get her bearings on where they were. They had just left the Causeway and were headed north. “Okay, um, just keep following this road to East Boston and head west. Then follow along on 21st. I’ll tell you when to turn. She watched as the landscape slipped away behind her. “Left here. I’m down on the right. The blue house.”
“Cute. Is this the house you grew up in?”
“Yeah. It’s the house my mom and dad bought when they first got married. I’ve lived here my whole life. Dad talked about moving some after mom died, but I think there was too much of her here to leave.”
Collin stared at the house wistfully. “I’ve never had a place to call home. My memories go with me wherever I go. That’s all I ever take with me.”
Jewell didn’t know how to respond. She watched him, his face introspective. Finally, he looked at her. He leaned across the seat and kissed her cheek.
“Will I see you again?” Jewell asked. This whole morning had been like a dream, something ephemeral that would disappear the moment he left.
“Tomorrow morning? Or would you rather I wait for you outside the hospital before your shift?”
“Tomorrow morning I guess. I think I can last that long.”
He got out of the car and walked around to open Jewell’s door. He held out his hand to help her out. As she turned toward him, he took her hand in both of his, and then pulled it to his face. Turning her hand, palm up he gently kissed the inside of her wrist. Instant fire flamed up her arm and through the rest of her body. “Tomorrow morning then,” he whispered looking into her eyes, his lips inches from her wrist.
She turned, reluctantly, and walked toward the house. She didn’t look back. She was afraid that if she did, he would be gone, validating her fear that it had all been nothing more than a dream.
Jewell was glad that her father wasn’t home. She was tired, and even though she had told him about Collin, she didn’t want to explain Collin. She wasn’t ready to explain her relationship to her father. This was the first time she had ever really had a boyfriend, if that’s what Collin was – somehow, she wasn’t quite sure about what her relationship with him was, and she just didn’t feel like she could talk to her father about boys. She felt a sudden stab of pain; she should be talking about this with her mother.
She crawled into bed and fell quickly asleep. Again, she had the same dream; there was a large house, several people sat in a room painted pink. They were arguing, but this time, both she and Collin were there. Again, she knew that the conversation involved her, but this time, the conversation was not about just her, but her and Collin; no, her being with Collin. “She’s not one of us.” Her alarm buzzed loudly, waking her from her dream.
She pulled herself from her dream, thinking of the only part of the conversation that she could understand, “She’s not one of us.” What was that supposed to mean? Was she just dreaming, or subconsciously questioning her feelings about Collin?
As she sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes, she smelled hamburgers. She smiled to herself. Her dad must be cooking dinner. She shook her head, the corners of her mouth pulling into a smile. It was funny; she used to always know her dad’s schedule. She always knew exactly when he would be working at the firehouse, and when he would be home. But in these last couple of…couple of what? Days? Or had it been weeks? She hadn’t really thought about anything but Collin.
Jewell joined her father in the kitchen where he was making dinner. He set a plate with a hamburger and French fries on the table in front of her. Then he set his own plate on the table across from Jewell and sat down facing her. He took a big bite of his hamburger and chewed it slowly, watching his daughter, almost as if he was measuring something in her face. He finally swallowed and picked up a French fry. He held it in his hand for a moment, “So, how was your date with Collin this morning?”
“Dad, it wasn’t really a date. We just went out for coffee.”
“So, what exactly is your relationship with this boy?” He asked, this time probing, grilling her about Collin’s intentions.
A horn sounded from the driveway outside. Jewell grabbed her tote and flung it over her shoulder. She shoved the hamburger into her mouth and grabbed a handful of French fries and a Coke from the refrigerator. “Gotta go Dad. I’ll see you later,” she said as the door slammed behind her.
Watching his daughter leave, Thomas McKean idly wondered exactly when that would be.
Jewell grabbed the door handle to her Focus and slid into the driver’s seat as Ashley moved into the passenger seat. “Ash, your timing couldn’t have been better.” Jewell shifted the car into reverse and pulled onto the street.
“Dad asking questions about Collin?”
“Yeah, how’d you know?”
“He called me yesterday after you called him and asked me for the 411 on Collin.”
“What’d you tell him?” Jewell’s voice was worried. She trusted Ashley implicitly, but she didn’t know how much she wanted her father to know about Collin yet.
“Let’s see…I told him that he’s about 6’2” with beautiful blonde hair, and eyes that have the power to hypnotize. That it was clear that his intentions toward you were indecent, and you are planning to run away with him to Vegas to get married.” She looked at Jewell smugly.
“Oh God Ash! Really? Did you really tell him that?” The anxiety in Jewell’s voice was palpable.
“Of course not! Do you really think that I would tell him that?” Ashley tried to sound indignant. “I told him that he seemed like a really nice guy. That he was polite, and very respectable.”
“Anything else?”
“Not really. I mean, what was I supposed to say? Oh, and he died, came back to life, and healed from injuries that should have killed in him in less time than it takes a skinned knee to heal?”
“No, I’m sorry. I guess I’m just a little nervous. I mean, not only that, but I really think I love him Ash. Does that sound weird? He’s the first guy I’ve ever really liked, and I feel like I would die without him. You’ve had lots of boyfriends, is this normal?”
“Gee, thanks. You make it sound like I date a different guy every week.”
“You know what I mean. It’s like, when he holds me, the whole world stops. Nothing around us matters, just him and me.”
“Wow. You really have it bad. Honestly Jewell, I don’t know. I can’t really think of a time when I felt that into a guy. I mean, there were guys that I really liked, but it’s not like I couldn’t live without them or anything. They were fun, and I enjoyed spending time with them, but I couldn’t see spending the rest of my life with them or anything. But maybe it’s just because I haven’t met the right guy. Who knows, maybe you just got lucky and hit the jackpot on your first try.”
“Maybe.”
“When are you going to see him again?”
“He’s supposed to come by the hospital tomorrow. You don’t mind taking my car home again, do you?”
“Nope. It’s a nicer ride than mine.”
“Thanks.” It was obvious that Jewell‘s thoughts were elsewhere. Ashley let Jewell be alone with her thoughts.
When they drove into the parking garage at the hospital, Jewell suddenly looked at Ashley. Her eyes were bright and her cheeks were flushed. “He’s here.”
“Who’s here?”
Jewell hit Ashley jokingly in the arm. “Collin, duh!”
“I thought he wasn’t coming until tomorrow.”
“I didn’t either, but he’s here, I know it.” Jewell jumped out of the car and started running for the door. Ashley reached into the back seat and grabbed their bags and started walking quickly towards the hospital. She wanted to be there for Jewell in case Collin wasn’t there. As she reached the door, she saw Jewell, snuggled in Collin’s arms. She smiled, and walked past her into the hospital.
“I told you not to come until tomorrow! I hate that you drove all the way out here just to see me for five minutes.” Jewell could hear her voice cracking with excitement.
“I couldn’t go to sleep tonight without hearing you tell me good night.” He smiled.
“Well, then, good night. Sweet dreams.” Her voice was almost a whisper.
“My dreams are always sweet when I dream of you.” He bent down and pressed his cheek against hers. His skin a fire against hers that she was sure he must feel as well. He turned his head and gently kissed her cheek. Then he drew back, taking her hand, and kissed her on the inside of her wrist. “Until tomorrow, Honeysuckle.” He smiled and turned towards the garage. Jewell watched him until he disappeared into the shadows.
Chapter 20
Collin didn’t feel like going home. He had been spending too much time at home. It also seemed a little crowded for his taste. He was used to being alone with his uncle; having so many people in the house seemed a little weird. The house was big enough. It was a large sugar cane plantation home built in the 1800’s. It had parlors and grand ballrooms along with fourteen bedrooms for residents and guests.
Collin had taken one of the rooms, Dot and Carl had one, Ann and John had one, Gladys had taken one, and Percy had one. That left nine available bedrooms, and yet, the house still felt crowded.
Collin spent a lot of time in his room, ostensibly to read, but it was more to avoid some of the weirdness that seemed to be going on in the house. He also felt like the rest of the family was having conversations which they did not want him to be party to. He felt uninvited in his own house. After all, he and Percy had been there first. The others were their guests as far as he was concerned.
Collin eventually chose to move out to the servants’ quarters. Besides being bigger than his room and having its own kitchen and bath, it provided a level of privacy he didn’t feel in his room. In his room, he could still hear the whispers.
Because of this discomfort, instead of going home, he drove downtown. At Pat O’Brian’s he ordered a Hurricane and sat at the piano bar in hopes that he might be able to think about his feelings for Jewell.
There was something about Jewell that was different from anyone he had ever met before. He had had other relationships, dated other girls. They were all nice, but none of them were anything more than a temporary reprieve from whatever happened to be going on in his life at the time. He had written to some for a while after l
eaving, but soon, the time between letters increased, and before long, both had moved on to other things.
But Jewell was different in so many ways. To begin with, when he was away from her his heart hurt. Not in an abstract way, but really hurt. The pain in his chest was real. When he thought of her, his heart sang. Every time he smelled honeysuckle, he couldn’t help but think of her. He was completely unable to think of his future without her. Tonight was a perfect example. He really truly intended to stay home tonight, to let Jewell have a little space, to come in the morning as she had asked. But he couldn’t. He had to see her, and judging by the way she greeted him, he felt certain the feeling was mutual.
He thought about what he should do. His uncle always admonished him about forming relationships. He knew that in a couple of years his uncle would want to move on. Would Collin stay with Jewell? Would Jewell go with them? Could he ask Jewell to give up everything, leave the only life she’s known, for him? Could he give up everything he’s ever known for her? Would his uncle let him make his own decisions? The house belonged to him, sort of. They could just live there. Collin was an adult now, it was time he started making his own choices.
The piano player left for his third break. Collin looked down at his watch. It was ten o’clock. He left his untouched drink and a ten dollar bill on the table and walked out.
He turned towards the Mississippi and started walking not sure where he was going, though he knew where he wasn’t going. Collin pulled his cell phone from his pocket and dialed his uncle.
“Collin? Need a ride kid?”
“Nah. Listen, I think I’m just going to stay in the city tonight. I’ll get a room at the Omni or something. Is that okay with you?”
“Okay kid. I guess we’ll see you sometime tomorrow then.”
“Thanks Uncle Percy. I knew you’d understand. I should be home by lunch.”
“No problem. Have fun.”
He checked in at the Omni, and walked up to his room. He flipped on the television and stripped down to his underwear. He could buy a new outfit tomorrow. He lay down on the bed and set his alarm for five thirty, he wanted to be at the hospital when Jewell got off work, and went to sleep.