Bridge to Fruition

by Laurie Larsen

  Jasmine frowned. His first four years, he was passed around from family member to family member? She remembered enough from her child psychology class to know that the first four years in a child’s life were when the baby’s character, self-esteem, and knowledge of right and wrong were established. What if a baby never had the same face to gaze up into during that time?

  “Finally, when I was not quite five, they’d had enough. My mother and my father decided to split up, and they put me up for adoption.”

  “What? At the age of five?”

  “Not quite five, but almost. I had my fifth birthday in a group home with about twenty other kids.”

  She grimaced. “And they just left you there?”

  “Yep. Never saw or heard from them again.”

  She shook her head, unable to imagine it. “What about all those relatives who had taken care of you? Didn’t they want to adopt you?”

  His expression froze and he went speechless.

  “I’m sorry …,” she said, touching his arm. She hadn’t meant to hurt him or insinuate anything. She was just trying to figure it out.

  “Nope. I don’t know the full story. I mean, I was four, you know? I still had my parents’ last name, and that was it. It didn’t take long before I forgot them altogether. My life was now the group home for orphans, and then, I started being assigned into foster care. I stayed with one family for nine months. That was my longest stay. Other than that, it was a few months in one place before moving to the next one.”

  Her head was spinning. His childhood had been so different than hers. She could barely relate to what he’d been through, so she focused on her outrage at his parents for putting him through it.

  “Do you ever feel like doing a search? Finding your birth parents? Giving them a piece of your mind?”

  “No. No way. Not for one second.”

  “Why?”

  “Why would I? They obviously didn’t want me then. I don’t want them, now.”

  Jasmine nodded. She could understand. Good for him. He was on his own in the world, completely on his own. He had beaten the odds, grown up, got educated, was supporting himself. But was he lonely? She couldn’t imagine life without family.

  She moved her hand to his, and gripped it. He looked up, his locks falling away from his face as he did. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.

  There was so much about him she didn’t know. How had he survived such a dubious upbringing? Had he been a wild child? Did he have abandonment issues?

  He actually put a smile on his face and said, “Don’t be. I didn’t tell you that to make you feel sorry for me.” He laughed. “Although that may be a strategy to make you like me. The sympathy factor?”

  She rested her gaze directly on his. He didn’t need to do anything special to get her to like him. Despite only knowing him for one day, she’d landed on that realization herself. She liked him. “No.”

  “Okay,” he said with a smile. “Look, I’m not sure why I told you all that. I usually don’t offer it up. If people ask me about my family I usually just brush it off. I guess I wanted to confide in you becauseyou’ve got this openness, this friendliness. You seem trustworthy and easy to talk to.”

  She smiled. She liked hearing his perceptions of her.

  “So, when you think you’ve got family problems, and one of your parents is driving you crazy, just stop and think that most people with no parents would give anything to have even one. Kind of puts things in perspective, you know?”

  She gave a slow nod. “Wow, you’re right. Even my dad, who made bad choices and broke my mom’s heart.”

  “All people make mistakes. It’s human nature. God forgives us for them, through His son who paid the ultimate price for our sins.” He stopped quickly and gazed up at her.

  “You’re a Christian?” she asked. To look at him and hear his story, that would be the furthest guess from her mind.

  “I’m trying,” he replied cautiously.

  “What do you mean?”

  “I’m reading the Bible and I’m trying to get into prayer. It wasn’t something I had growing up, but I’d like to give it a try now that I’m an adult.”

  Jasmine nodded, seeing him in a whole new light. She’d been raised in the church. Of course, she had parents, in particular, a mother who had taken her there every week. Her mom had set the example, and Jasmine didn’t think anything of it. It was just their routine. And while she was there, she met great people, learned how to sing and talk about Jesus, and learned the right way to live. Although she’d engaged in her fair share of bad behavior, she’d never strayed too far from the Christian principles that were ingrained in her.

  But looking at Dax, she had to wonder. Erase her mom from her life — would she seek out church? Seek out the Bible and prayer? The fact that he was trying, as he put it, without any guidance or adult leadership whatsoever, made her admire him even more. “That’s wonderful, Dax.”

  His face flooded with a relieved expression.

  “I’m a Christian too.”

  “Then I’m sure I have a million questions for you. Stuff I jot down that I’m not sure of, when I’m reading the Bible. Stuff I hear in the news and wonder about the Christian view. As I said, I’m just starting out.”

  She smiled, shaking her head. “There’s never been a day that I haven’t believed in Jesus. However, I don’t have any answers for you. It’s not about knowing the answers, or taking a test. It’s about believing. And living your life in a way that Jesus is reflected. I don’t go overboard. I mean, I’m not overly demonstrative about it. But I believe.”

  “Could we talk about it sometime?”

  Sometime. The open-ended question made her think that maybe he wanted their friendship to go further than just this weekend. Or, maybe that was just wishful thinking. Maybe it had just slipped his mind that in about thirty-six hours, she was leaving New York for good.

  “Sure.”

  He rose to his feet. “But not tonight. You must be exhausted. You need to get to bed and wake refreshed for your graduation day tomorrow. Do you need anything from me before I go?”

  She came slowly to her feet. Another one of your kisses would be good. She could’ve said it. She was such a flirt, she would’ve said it to anyone else. Anyone she wasn’t interested in, just to make them laugh or feel good. But it was different with him. If she said something like that, even though it was exactly what was on her mind, she’d make herself vulnerable. She’d put herself out there, and risk him knowing exactly what she was thinking.

  And she couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt that way about anyone.

  So, she just walked him to the door, thanked him for the conversation and said goodnight.

  * * *

  The next day, her face hurt.

  She’d slept through the night, so she hadn’t kept up with the pain pills every four hours. A whole night lying on her cheek had caused her right one to swell. She rose slowly to a sitting position, then standing, made her way to the kitchen. Her cell phone rang while she was swallowing the big pill.

  “How are you feeling this morning? Happy graduation day, by the way,” her mom said.

  She groaned. “Mommy, my face hurts,” she wailed.

  “I’ll be right over,” and her mom broke the connection. Not fifteen minutes later, Leslie was ringing her doorbell.

  Jasmine spent the day with padded ice packs on her face, keeping up with the pill schedule, watching her mom pack her apartment belongings into boxes and suitcases and feeling so blessed to have her there. At four thirty, she put on her dress and shoes, and took another peek at the makeup collection in her bathroom. She’d be careful not to press, but she’d have to apply some. The fewer stares she drew due to the hideousness of her bruises, the better.

  About twenty minutes later, she emerged.

  “Wow, you can barely tell,” her mom exclaimed.

  She chuckled. She was just being nice, but even Jasmine had to admit, it was an improvement.
They made quick plans, settled on a meeting spot after the ceremony, and Jasmine headed off.

  The ceremony flew by. Not unlike how four years of college had flown by. People had told Jasmine when she was selecting a college, “These will be the best four years of your life.” And they absolutely were. She’d matured from a child to a young adult. She’d learned how to work hard, to discipline herself, to make her own decisions. It was difficult not to get teary-eyed when she hugged friends who, in a lot of cases, she would probably never see again. Except for a handful of close friends in her fashion marketing program who she would stay connected with, her classmates would disperse on the world and go make it happen for themselves. Life was changing. Quickly.

  She met up with her parents and Dax after the ceremony. Her mom pulled out a camera. Jasmine cringed internally. She put up with photos with all the combinations — her, Mom and Hank. Her and Dad. Her and Dax. Her and Mom.

  After the ceremony was a reception where she introduced everyone to her favorite professors and friends. Then on to another restaurant dinner. The whole thing felt surreal. She was breezing through her final day as a college student. Her final day on campus. Her final day in Ithaca, NY. From now on, she wouldn’t live here. Probably wouldn’t even come here except for alumni events.

  Wow, she was an alumnus. Unbelievable.

  Her thoughts turned to what came next. “So guys, where am I going tomorrow?”

  Her parents all looked up and began talking at once. Jasmine laughed. They were all inviting her to come stay with them. Which, she supposed, was better than having no invitations at all.

  “It probably doesn’t surprise you, knowing me as you all do, that my plans extended no further than my graduation ceremony tonight. Now that that’s done, and I have two ‘homes’ to choose from, I have no idea where to go now.”

  Leslie said with a smile, “The beach is awfully pretty this time of year.”

  Tim said, “She’s not going for a vacation, Leslie. She needs to start looking for a job. Pittsburgh is a better place for that than a little sleepy beach town.”

  Leslie’s shoulders tensed, and Hank’s hand unhesitatingly came up and began a quiet massage. “What’s wrong with a short vacation before she starts the work of her job search? Besides, she can write resumes and send emails from Pawleys just as well as Pittsburgh.”

  “Do you even have wifi?” he asked.

  “Of course we do.”

  Jasmine made a Timeout sign with her hands. “Whoa, folks. I’ll make sure I spend time in both locations this summer. While I’m looking for a job, I’ll spend time in Pittsburgh and Pawleys. But I guess I’m feeling like I’ll start at Dad’s place. He can help me get the job search kicked off, then I’ll go spend a week or two at the beach to relax while I’m waiting for interviews. That sound good?” She swung her head from her dad to her mom, and neither of them objected.

  “Okay.”

  Dax cleared his throat. “What time do you plan to leave?”

  Jasmine shrugged. “No specific time. Mom did most of my packing today. It’s not that long a drive to Pittsburgh. Mid-morning?”

  “How about I come over about nine and load the car for you?”

  Her heart fluttered at his suggestion and she couldn’t think of a single reason to decline it. So she smiled and agreed.

  * * *

  Graduation was over. College was done. Parents were happily farewelled. The apartment was packed. Two cups of coffee from her recent run to her favorite shop sat on her counter. All that stood between putting her student days permanently behind her, and facing her future as a (hopefully soon) working adult, was seeing Dax one more time.

  Her doorbell rang exactly on schedule, its buzz echoing through the now empty apartment. She pulled the door open and the smile that formed on her face at the sight of him was one of joy. And from her vantage point, it sure seemed like the one he returned was just as joyful.

  Before she chickened out, she stood on her tiptoes, reached for his face and rested her lips on his. She had no idea why. It seemed like a good idea.

  He tipped his head when she ended the kiss and laughed. “Good way to start the day.”

  She stepped back and motioned him in. “I got you coffee.” She led him back to the kitchen.

  “Even better.” He took a sip as he closed his eyes. Jasmine decided she liked guys who enjoyed things so much that they closed their eyes to savor it. Like coffee. And kissing.

  He set the cup down. “Looks pretty empty around here.”

  “Yeah, my parents all helped last night. It was a little awkward.” She shut up quickly and looked at him. “Not complaining!”

  He laughed. “You don’t have to censor yourself around me. I notice people with parents tend to joke about what a pain they are. But it’s good-hearted, I’m sure.”

  “Yeah. It was just weird, you know? With the divorce and all.”

  He nodded. “There were a few tense moments, but all in all, I’d say they did pretty well. When’s the next time they’ll all be together?”

  Jasmine thought about it, her eyebrows moving up into her bangs. “I can’t imagine. My wedding, maybe?”

  He laughed. “Okay. So, a while, then.”

  He looked so good. Shorts hugged his tanned legs, his feet in athletic sneakers and a tee-shirt casually thrown on. He was the epitome of casual, and yet, all those clothes seemed custom-made for him, like they couldn’t possibly look better on anyone else. He could just as well be showing up for a photo shoot than to help her load her car.

  “Let me load your car and then I’ll finish the coffee.”

  She nodded and led him to her empty bedroom. All that remained were the furniture that came with the place, her suitcases, and whatever boxes her dad couldn’t fit into his car when he left last night. He hoisted the biggest of the boxes and she admired the way his biceps bulged at the effort. She pulled the handle out of her suitcase and rolled it to the front door. He followed her to the parking lot and she unlocked her car.

  They carried her belongings outside, and soon it all sat, surrounding her car. He studied the trunk and the back seat and then methodically inserted everything like it was a big jigsaw puzzle. It was one of those tasks that was uniquely male. Her dad had always packed the car for a roadtrip, never her mom. It was an innate talent, finding just the right combination to make best use of the limited space.

  Closing the trunk, he rubbed his hands together and smiled at her. “There. You should be good to go.”

  “Thanks,” she breathed, then remembered. “Don’t forget your coffee.”

  “Ahhh.” He followed her back upstairs for the last time. She wrangled her key off her key ring and placed it on the counter, as her landlord had asked her. The place sparkled like it never had while she was living there, and smelled of the Clorox her mom had cleaned it with last night.

  She took a deep breath and let it out. She turned to him. He’d been watching her, holding his tongue. She shrugged and stuffed her hands into her pockets. Might as well go for honesty.

  “I wish I’d met you more than three days ago.” Darn those tears welling up in her eyes. What would he think of her sentimentality?

  “Me, too.” He brought a gentle hand up to her face and used a thumb to brush her cheeks, then trail down to her chin. Then he looked closer. “Your bruises look better today. You heal well.”

  She broke out in a laugh. He did, too.

  “Look,” he said, “I’ve been thinking about how to say this. I’d like to stay in touch with you. If you’re game. I know that sounds crazy. You’ve made a lot of friends here in your four years. I came in at the tail end. But I …”

  What? She wondered. You …

  “I like you.”

  Her words rushed out on a beaming smile. “I like you, too.”

  He studied her eyes, his own lips moving into a smile. “Really?”

  “Yes.” Who knows what they’d be like if they had more time together? Why couldn’t they h
ave met a year ago? Two? Three? But regardless, they did meet, and now neither of them wanted it to end. Maybe instead of being part of her student life, Dax would somehow become part of her post-college life.

  God knew what He was doing. She just had to trust that.

  He pulled out his cell phone and handed it to her. She went to his Contacts and entered her number. Then she retrieved her own cell from her purse and gave it to him. He did the same.

  “Call me,” she said. “Or text me. Friend me on Facebook. Send me a Private Message. Or a Tweet. Or a pic on Instragram.” She laughed. “The opportunities are endless.”

  “But no texting and driving.”

  “Absolutely not.”

  He leaned in and this time, the kiss started gentle and careful, and moved into passion. He buried his hands in her hair, and she was starting to debate delaying her trip when he pulled away. “Drive safe.”

  “Okay,” she breathed, feeling a little dizzy.

  He lifted his coffee cup. “Thanks for the coffee.”

  “Don’t mention it.” Her heart rate returning to normal, she let him walk her to the door. Standing in the doorway, she stopped and turned, looked back, remembering the fun experiences, and yes, some heartache too, that had occurred in this apartment. College days were ending, the end of an era.

  But boy, the future was looking exciting too. She said a quick thank You to God in her head, and walked into the next step of her life.

  Chapter Six

  “Dear Applicant, thank you for your application and resume for employment. Unfortunately, your skills do not fit our needs at this time.”

  Jasmine let out an exasperated sigh and hit Delete in her email Inbox for the fifth straight time. Strike-out, strike-out, strike-out. Nobody in the New York fashion industry wanted her. No one. Her first five submissions in her job search had resulted in a big fat “No thanks.” Why? What was wrong with her? What was she lacking, that they wouldn’t even give her a chance to prove herself? She came from a reputable school, had the right major, good grades and a very prestigious internship. Why wouldn’t they even take a look?