by Debbie Zello
“I’m going to keep asking until I get a proper answer. Not daily or weekly but I will keep asking,” he said giving my hand a squeeze.
Our dinner was scrumptious, the wine delightful and the chocolate cake for dessert, deadly. We finished and then walked around the casino. Understanding wanted me to put his money in a slot-machine but I couldn’t see wasting hard earned money on a slim chance like that. So I refused to take his money.
We continued to walk around the shops and went into a bar for a nightcap. A woman was singing at a piano. Her voice was so sultry she almost had a rasp to it. I sat at the table and closed my eyes so I could just listen to her.
Understanding got up and took my hand to pull me up. “Dance with me, baby,” he said pulling me to his chest. I relaxed into him as he swayed me around the floor. “What are you thinking about?” he asked.
“That you might be able to end all of the world’s problems if someone could just dance with you,” I said dreamily. I could hear and feel his chest vibrating with his laughter.
“I’ll put in a call to the President and tell him I’m available. I wonder if POTUS will let me lead?” he said continuing to laugh.
We spent our last night of our stay-cation locked in each other’s arms happy and sated. We drove back, stopping to pick up my few boxes of stuff at the apartment and leaving the keys on the counter for James. He was due back today also. Classes would begin on Tuesday.
Understanding helped me to carry all of my earthly possessions into my room. He gave my cell a discerning look and said, “You prefer to live here than at my house? I’m offended.”
“It’s not the room or the company, Understanding. It’s the experience and the independence. It’s my last year. Please tell me you get it,” I explained, pouting. He wrapped me in his arms and kissed the top of my head.
“I get it; I don’t have to like it. Friday night to Sunday afternoon, you’re mine, right?”
“Unless I have a paper due or a test to cram for. You can be very distracting. I can probably work better here alone.”
“You’re going to drive me crazy and probably be the death of me,” he said gruffly. I placed my fingers on his lips.
“Don’t say anything like that, please. Take it back!” I pled.
“I’m sorry sweetheart. That was unthinking of me to say. I’m sorry, I take it back.”
“I know you’re just teasing but that isn’t funny. If anything happened to you…I’d…” The tears began to drip down my cheeks.
“Christ, now I’ve made you cry. Dammit it all to hell, I’m sorry, baby. Don’t cry, I’m an idiot.” I sniffled and dried my eyes. Sometimes I’m just a pinch away from tears and the slightest thing sends me off.
“No, it’s okay. I’m just emotional today. The beginning and end is hard for me. I’ll get a grip.”
My suitemates came in just after Understanding left. I put my things away and made my bed. We spent the rest of the night catching up on our summer flings and things. I called home just before I went to sleep. And that is the way my last year began.
It was wonderful to see Professor Miller again. I waited after class to speak to him. “Professor Miller. How was your summer?” I asked.
“Lovely. My new wife and I went for a month to the south of France. It was simply amazing. The flowers, the food, and the wine…I gained ten pounds,” he said laughing.
“You ate the flowers? Don’t they count as a vegetable?” I said joining him in a giggle.
“You got me! How was your summer?”
“I met someone and it’s going well. His name is Understanding and he has that in boat-loads.”
“No kidding? His name is Understanding?”
“Yes and it gets better. His middle name is Matters,” I said smiling widely.
“Well, I’ll be.”
“Exactly! He’s a lot like Royce in the way he cares for me. He brings me peace.”
“I’m happy for you. Royce would approve. He would want you to be happy. He would want you not to be simply alive, but to live. I wish you well,” he said patting my hand.
By the end of the first week, I had stepped back into the familiar cadence of work, school, study, and friends. When I got into Understanding’s car on Friday night, I was ready to relax in his arms. “I missed you so much, baby,” he said kissing me.
“I missed you too. I’m very glad it’s Friday. What do you want to do?”
“I want to get lost in you and then hold you all night.”
“Sounds perfect!”
In early October, Columbus Day in fact, I was working for Paul when I saw the boy ride up on his bike. He looked so much better than the first time I had seen him. His limp was far less noticeable. His hair had grown in and you could no longer see the long scar that nearly surrounded his head.
He smiled at me as soon as he opened the door. “Good morning.” I said cheerily.
“Good morning, Neomi.”
“You look good. How are you feeling?” I inquired.
“Much better,” he said fingering through his hair to the place where his scar would be. I had a brief deja-vu moment when he did that. Something so familiar about the way he drew his fingers through his hair. I shook the feeling away.
“What can I get for you?”
“Coffee~black, a plain bagel with cream cheese, thank you.”
“Coming right up!” I got his order ready and placed it in front of him. He paid me, took his breakfast to a nearby table, and sat down. He sat facing me as I worked waiting on other customers. At first I thought he was cute, a teenage boy with maybe a little crush on me.
Yet, his eyes were older than his age. He had a way of appraising me that made me feel naked. He didn’t frighten me. I was intrigued by him.
He finished his food and stood to leave. “Bye, Neomi. See you soon,” he chirped from the door.
“Bye, I don’t even know your name!” I returned.
“Jaycon. J-A-Y-C-O-N. My parents wanted it spelled differently.”
“I totally get that. See you soon Jaycon. Have a great day!”
“You, too!”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
We had a killing frost at the beginning of the month and then it turned warmer. Indian summer was in full swing and I loved it. The Saturday after Columbus Day, Understanding woke me up very early. “We’re having breakfast in the sky. So hurry up and get dressed, we don’t want to be late.”
“What are you talking about? Breakfast in the sky? What is that, a cryptic message or something?”
“Nope, it’s the absolute truth. Hurry up or I’ll take you there in your panties and nothing else,” he said leveling his eyes at me.
“You wouldn’t dare!” I narrowed my eyes at him. He pulled back the covers and moved as if he was going to pick me up. “Fine, I’ll get dressed.”
Twenty minutes later, we were driving north towards the Hamden/Cheshire line. “Where are you taking me exactly?”
“Don’t you like surprises?”
“Yes and no. The thought of being thrown in the water with all of my clothes on and someone yelling ‘Surprise!’ doesn’t do it for me. Someone saying, ‘Surprise! You won the lottery!’ that might be different,” I explained.
“I see your point,” he said as he turned onto a gravel road. I looked out the windshield to see a huge hot-air balloon in a field. It was fully up and covered with a zigzag pattern of red, orange and yellow stripes. “Surprise! You’re going up in a balloon!” he said very excitedly.
“I probably should have mentioned that I’m afraid of heights. I guess now isn’t the correct time to reveal that. What if I freak and jump?” I said horrified.
“Then you’ll take me with you because my arms will be holding you tightly. Come on~you’re going to love it. If it’s too much, just close your eyes,” he said parking and opening his door.
“The things you talk me into. You’re like a bad drug, not easily resisted,” I said, resolved. He took my hand as we walked to whe
re the balloon was tethered. A tall brown-haired man with graying temples was checking the ropes. As we neared him, he said, “Good morning, beautiful day for a ride.”
“Yes, it is. I’m Understanding, we spoke on the phone. You’re John?”
“I am. And this must be Neomi? I’m pleased to meet the two of you.”
“Hi. I’m a little nervous about this. I’m afraid of heights,” I confessed in a hurry.
“No problem, we’ll just clear the trees and power lines. I won’t take you up to the stars then,” I looked up at the trees that were at least one hundred or more feet tall.
“Thanks, I feel so much better,” I said swallowing hard.
“Liar,” Understanding whispered in my ear. I jabbed him in the ribs.
After a safety speech and a final check of his equipment, we got in the basket below the balloon. Understanding had brought our coats as well as sweatshirts and John had blankets for us to use.
I saw a cooler in the basket with us and hoped that was our breakfast. I could’ve really used a cup of coffee right then. With a wave to a man in a pickup truck, John removed the tethering ropes and we began to drift skyward.
The sound of the gas as it fed the flame that lifted us was loud. There was some warmth that came off the whole process and that was appreciated by me. That and the fact that Understanding was behind me and had me securely in his arms, was comforting. I have to admit the total experience was exhilarating.
As we ascended, I began to pat Understanding’s hands and jump up and down in his arms. He leaned down to my ear and said, “Fun?” I turned my head and kissed him.
“So much fun. Thank you.” I didn’t get why I was afraid of heights and yet I was fine here. We sailed over the trees as we ate our breakfast of an egg and cheese sandwich, a fruit salad and coffee.
I spent equal time between kissing him and looking out over the trees and houses that dotted the landscape below us. The peace and quiet disturbed only by the release of the gas that kept us airborne.
Understanding held me with his arm around my shoulders and the other around my waist. He angled my head to kiss my neck. Then he whispered in my ear, “Tell me, that someday, when the time is right, you’ll marry me. That you’ll be mine. That we’ll spend our lives together.”
I waited a second before I whispered back, “Someday, when the time is right, I’ll marry you and you’ll be mine. And we’ll spend our lives together.”
“We’re losing our thermals so I have to find a place to land,” John informed us, breaking that special moment.
“Wait, you don’t know where you’re going to land?” I gasped in absolute fear for the first time all day.
“I rarely know where we are going to land. Don’t worry, we don’t need much room. A field or empty parking lot works fine for us,” he said, totally at ease. I felt marginally better.
He picked out the spot to head for and began our decent by opening flaps on the balloon to let the air escape. Within a few minutes, we were hovering very close to the ground and then set down with a small bump. The basket was dragged forward a few feet by the balloon but soon the man in the truck was securing everything along with John.
Understanding hopped over the basket and then helped me out. I stood with him, grinning from ear-to-ear. “You look like the cat that ate the canary,” he said smiling.
“Chirp, chirp! That was amazing! Thank you so much,” I said throwing my arms around him.
Before he took me back to my dorm on Sunday he said, “I took you flying in the morning and then you sent me flying in the afternoon.” That was our relationship. Free and uncomplicated. I usually felt like I didn’t have to even work at it. We were old soul mates, two parts of the same puzzle.
I often wondered if our basic parts could recognize each other. What if we were just energy that hung around, came, and went through time? What if that instant feeling of like and dislike was simply our souls remembering each other from the past? I might use something like this as my thesis topic.
In November, I got a call from my mother. Dove was pregnant and due in the middle of June. She wondered if I would be able to come home after the birth for a long overdue visit. I wanted them to meet Understanding and that seemed as good a time as any. I knew none of them would be able to make the trip for my graduation, so I didn’t even bring the subject up.
I was so happy with the news that I was going to be an Auntie. I called Understanding to tell him. “How do you feel about coming with me to meet my family?”
“Meeting the parents is a big step. Are you sure you’re going to marry me? I don’t want to cross the country for nothing,” he said snickering.
“Not this nut again. I believe I gave you an answer.”
“That you did and someday I’m going to hold you to it. I would love to meet your family. I want to tell them that they don’t have to worry about you.”
“That won’t help. They’ll worry anyway.”
“I don’t blame them. If you were on the other side of the country from me, I would be worried sick about you.” I could hear him shuffling around.
“I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself although I do enjoy your attention.”
“Mmhmm, my attention, huh? Okay, we’ll see about what I pay attention to on Friday. Rest up, darling. I love you, bye.”
“Looking forward to it, sweetheart. I love you, stay safe, please. Bye.”
Before I knew it, winter had turned to spring. We were drawing near to the end of my last term. I finished my final paper and began to study for finals. I decided to stay at the dorm this last weekend to concentrate on schoolwork uninterrupted by sex-on-legs. He would tell me to study in his office and when I walked through the house to get a drink or use the bathroom he would be pouting on the couch. Puppy-dog-eyes and all. I smile at the memory of his face.
Nope! Better off staying here and getting it done. After my quick dinner of a sandwich and some fruit, I took my book and lay down on the bed. That was a big mistake because I was asleep in a few minutes.
“Sleepy head. We’re going out for pizza. Do you want anything?” Crystal said.
“No thanks, I had a sandwich. What time is it?”
“Nine-thirty.”
“Oh crap! I fell asleep two hours ago. Thanks for waking me up.”
“All work and no play makes Neomi an ‘A’,” she said walking out.
Graduation
Four years of work culminates in one day of celebration. It was very bitter-sweet for me. I wore my cap and gown and stood with my classmates in order. I knew that Understanding was out in the audience somewhere. Paul said he was going to try to make it. So, maybe there would be two people to cheer me on.
We walked in to Pomp and Circumstance and took our seats. I looked out at the multitudes of smiling faces thinking of how many of them were thinking, “Thank God, I don’t have to make that payment anymore.” I was very lucky to get out with no debt to speak of. My masters would be a different story.
The usual speeches were delivered. Then the rows and rows of men and women began crossing over the stage accepting their degrees and congratulations from the dignitaries. My turn loomed and I climbed the four steps.
My eyes went to a tree at the far end of the grass under which was a young man on a bike. His arm went up in an exaggerated wave to me. My focus went back to watching where I was going so I wouldn’t end up falling on my butt. I smiled and accepted my degree, shaking hands and thanking them. As I walked to the other end, I looked up again at him and gave a wave. It was Jaycon. He had come to my graduation.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Understanding took pictures for me so I would have something to show my family. I graduated Magna Cum Laude and naturally, Understand had a crude remark to add to my distinction. I rolled my eyes at him. He kissed me hard.
He took me to dinner at Carmon Anthony’s, which I had decided was one of my favorite places to eat. We celebrated with champagne and tiramisu. Then he took me to his
home which was now my home and made love to me slow and sweetly. “A girl could get used to this,” I said scratching down his back with my fingernails.
“God, that feels good. Don’t stop. And I want you to get used to this because this is where you live now. Mi casa su casa.”
“Like I could afford this place. I’m a kept woman, now,” I said sadly. He raised his head over mine and looked at me.
“That’s really how you feel about living with me. I’m keeping you? Baby, no! You’re saving me,” he said holding my face between his hands.
“How do you figure that?”
“I need you. You’re my water, my air. Don’t you know that? This last year with only seeing you on the weekends, was so damn long. We are supposed to be together. Sun and heat, wind and rain, Firelight and Understanding.”
A few days later, I was hanging out the laundry when Understanding found me. “There you are. I was looking all over for you.”
“What are you doing home? I thought you were helping someone with a problem.”
“I finished. I came home because I have a plan.” he said wiggling his eyebrows.
“What kind of plan?” I said cautiously.
“I would like to shift things into high gear for us.”
“What does that involve?”
“Come in with me and I’ll explain it to you,” he said taking my hand and walking me inside. We sat on the couch and he began. “First I want you to quit your job at the coffee shop. I want you to begin your masters now over the summer and focus on it.”
“You’ll finish sooner and you can begin your doctorate earlier. Once you’ve started your doctorate we can get married. You can finish it and we can work a baby or two into your schedule.”
“Sounds like you’ve given this some thought.”
“It’s all I think about. I sound pathetic and desperate. If you didn’t live with me I’d probably be your stalker.”
“Uh-huh, I can see that. Okay. The sooner I start, the sooner I finish, the sooner I’m Neomi Franklyn.” He stood so fast he startled me. Picking me up, he swung me around.