Love Through Time ~ Revised Edition

by Nana Prah

  The idiot woman giggled. “Sorry. The line had been cancelled. So I sent his things to his place through a courier, but he came back with the stuff when he was told no one lived there. The courier had asked the landlord where the tenant had gone. She didn’t know.”

  Jasmine looked at Sean, hoping he had some ideas. He frowned.

  “Wasn’t it a lucky break that you never married him?” Fran asked. “I mean really, he could’ve done better than to leave you at the altar, but still. I swear I never knew he and Stacy on the fifth floor had hooked up. Learning he’d knocked her up came as a shocker. We talked about it for months.”

  Jasmine ground her teeth. “What about Stacy? Is she still working here?”

  “Oh, no. That skank left right after she and David got married. We weren’t exactly friends, so I didn’t keep in contact with her. Between you and me, I always thought she was jealous of me. She wasn’t too good at hiding it, either. It’s because I’m prettier than her by light years and smarter too, but what can a girl do when she’s been blessed with brains and beauty?”

  “Thanks for talking to us, Fran. Take care.” Jasmine smiled wanly as she restrained herself from sprinting to the elevator.

  “No problem. Have a good day.”

  “I never did like that woman,” Jasmine said in the elevator.

  “David was into cocaine? That’s big.”

  “Or she could be telling us lies.”

  “What would she have to gain from lying?”

  Jasmine rubbed her temples. “She’s a huge gossip and annoying, but she doesn’t seem capable of guile.”

  “All women are capable.” Jasmine looked at him from the corner of her eye, but didn’t respond. When they stepped out onto the cold street, Sean asked, “What are you thinking?”

  “That I’m one lucky little girl who dodged the mother of all bullets.”

  Chapter 15

  “I never realized how much room there is up here in first class.” Jasmine stretched her limbs so she looked like a huge X. “It’s nice hanging out with the rich.”

  Sean chuckled. They’re flight out from Boston to Arizona, the Thursday a week before Christmas, would take off in a few minutes. “I don’t usually fly first class, but I figured you deserve to be pampered.” He looked into her pretty upturned face, knowing that if he could give her the world, he would.

  “I could get used to it, but it’s not necessary.”

  “Why not? Don’t you deserve to be spoiled?”

  Jasmine laughed. “Of course I do, but it’s not necessary. I like the basic simple things in life with an occasional extravagance thrown in.”

  “You are a wonderful down-to-earth woman.”

  “Thank you.”

  Sean couldn’t believe how great he felt every time they were together. She seemed to understand him better than anyone else. Every time he looked at her his heart smiled, and yet his unease about her persisted. He’d tried to ignore it, but that was like overlooking a crocodile gnawing on your leg. If he wanted Jasmine in his life, he knew he had to live with it and pray the feeling would eventually go away.

  To distract himself from the troubling thoughts as they soared through the air, he asked, “Has there been any more word on Venge or should we just call him David?”

  She shook her head. “After reporting our suspicions to the police, they said they couldn’t do anything about it. Now do you understand why I didn’t call the police that night at my parent’s house?”

  “I can understand you better, but I still think we should’ve called them before going commando into an unknown situation.”

  She held up a palm in his direction. “Let’s agree to disagree. I still don’t believe David orchestrated it.”

  “If he’s getting high, then he’s not the person he used to be, so it very well could be him.”

  They sat lost in their own thoughts for a short while before Jasmine went back to her childlike exploration of the first class section. The sight amused him and he found himself grinning.

  “Don’t be surprised when you see my parents’ house,” Sean warned.

  “Is the mansion so gigantic that I’ll get lost and it’ll take a search party two days to find me?”

  “Not at all. My parents have money, but they don’t live like it. They don’t believe in the extravagant physical trappings money can buy.”

  “Hmm.” She tapped a finger to her chin. “Kind of like how I’d be if I were rich. I think God should send me money so I can test out my theory.”

  Sean’s loud guffaw drew annoyed glances his way from the other passengers.

  She angled her upper body toward him. “Now that I have your undivided attention can I ask you a question?”

  “Uh oh. It’s never good when someone seeks permission to ask you a question.”

  “It’s nothing dramatic. Just something I need clarification about.”

  “What do you want to know?”

  She played with edges of the airline magazine her lap. “At the party, your friend Luke said you hadn’t dated in a while. You mentioned it once before, too. I wanted to know why.”

  “He has a big mouth.”

  “It got me curious. We’ve never talked about our dating history.”

  He held her hand. “Would you believe me if I told you I had wanted to focus on school for the past two years?”

  “No.”

  Sean kissed the back of her hand. “About four years ago, while in France, I ran into a band of Gypsies.”

  “Real Gypsies? I didn’t really think they existed.”

  “They live all over the world. One of them offered to read my future and, although it wasn’t something I would have normally gone for, I figured I’d see what she’d come up with.”

  “Do you believe in psychics?”

  “Do you want to hear why I haven’t dated in so long?”

  Jasmine nodded. “Sorry, please proceed. I won’t interrupt again.”

  “The Gypsy told me I’d meet the love of my life--actually she said the love of all my lifetimes--soon. When I asked her how I’d know who she was, the woman smirked and told me I’d feel it in my gut. You might not believe this because it sounds kind of girly, but I’ve always wanted to be married.”

  “Why?”

  “I don’t know.” Sean pointed the tips of his fingers to the center of his chest. “It’s something I’ve always felt I needed, deep down within. To be married to the woman who makes me the best person I can be and to share a love that transcends everything, including time. So when the Gypsy said I would meet the woman of my dreams soon, I went on a dating binge.”

  Jasmine straightened. “A dating binge?”

  Should he tell her everything? Yes. Better for her to know the whole story. “I must’ve dated at least twenty women in one year, looking for the one who would be my wife, but none of them turned out to be her.”

  “That’s a lot of women.” The muscle in her cheek twitched. “I hate to ask, but did you sleep with all of them?”

  “I’m no virgin, but I’m no player either. I slept with a couple of them, those who I thought had the greatest chance of being the woman of my heart. Once I realized she wasn’t the one for me, I broke up with her and moved on to the next.”

  “And you didn’t fall in love once?”

  “Not a single time. After a year, I got tired of trying. I spoke to a friend, who also happened to be a psychic, and he told me about the relativity of the term ‘soon’ in the psychic world. It could mean in a minute or in ten years. I stopped chasing the dream and decided to let life take its course.”

  “I see.”

  She continued to look at him, as if expecting him to say more, but there was nothing more to add to the story. How come she hasn’t asked me if she’s the one? For now, he’d leave her guessing.

  “What’s the story with this David guy?” he asked. “I’ve heard little snippets about you almost marrying him, but I want the full story.”

  Jasmine rested
her head against the seat. “We talked about him all weekend. Do we really need to go there?”

  “We discussed how he suddenly dropped off the face of the earth and how he’s risen to be the number one suspect. What we didn’t talk about was the romance of you and David.”

  Had she gotten over him or did she still harbored a deep-seated love for the guy, which would eventually end up pulverizing his heart? Perhaps this was why he couldn’t trust her.

  She sniffed. “Do you really want to know the intricacies of my relationship with him?”

  Sean smiled. “Not all the details such as him being a weak lover--”

  “Selfish,” she interrupted.

  “Pardon me?”

  “He was a selfish lover.”

  “You see, I didn’t need to know that.”

  “But you brought it up.”

  “I was joking.”

  “You still brought it up.”

  Sean sighed. He’d never be able to forget how stubborn Jasmine could be because she wouldn’t let him. “Okay, please leave out the sexual details.”

  Jasmine proceeded to tell Sean about the relationship, from how they met in college one night on campus when she was throwing out her garbage, to how he’d left her high and dry at the altar.

  He frowned. “Bastard.”

  “My sentiments exactly. I got over the pain and rejection with time. When I saw him again, I had no desire to beat him into the ground.”

  “If I ever meet him, I’ll do it for you.”

  Her eyes glimmered when she touched his face. “Aww. That’s so sweet. Thanks. But hopefully I’ll never see him again.”

  “Even in jail for all the things he’s put you and your family through?”

  “And you.” Jasmine grabbed his hand, making his stomach fall fifty thousand feet back to the earth. When she tried to let it go, he held on and lifted the armrest between them, laying their joined hands in his lap.

  He angled himself so he could fully see her face. “How did he feel about the closeness of your family?”

  Her expression became a blend of confusion and interest. “What makes you ask?”

  “You’re a close knit bunch who spends a lot of time together.”

  “And?”

  “I’m the same way with my family and, sometimes, it can make people who aren’t close to us ill at ease. You know, how we have our inside jokes and remember whens?”

  Jasmine smiled with her nod. “Are you uncomfortable with my family?”

  “Not at all. They remind me of The Huxtables from The Cosby Show without the dance routines.”

  “You haven’t been around long enough, but we get a dance routine going every once in a while.”

  The teasing glint in her eyes enticed him to lean over and kiss her lips, allowing his tongue to trace itself along the seam.

  His tongue took advantage of the space when she gasped in surprise. Sean forgot where he was as their tongues danced, their lips melded, and his heart expanded.

  “What can I give you to drink?”

  They sprang apart as the airline attendant’s voice broke through their haze of passion.

  Sean recovered first and ordered a Coke, noticing that the flight attendant looked detached and professional. Two people kissing as heavily as they’d been hadn’t fazed her.

  What else has she seen in her career? He smirked at the possibilities.

  Jasmine’s eyes were still glazed when she ordered her Coke. The airline attendant served their drinks and went on to the next seat.

  Jasmine took a sip of her drink. “I was just about to answer your question.”

  “Question?”

  “Yeah, about David and my family.”

  No kiss had ever affected him to the point of making him lose his memory.

  “He never wanted to go to my parents’ house and don’t get me started on heading out to Grandma’s, even on holidays. It was always a fight. I even left him at home sometimes because he refused to go. At first I thought it was cute that he wanted me all to himself. Then I noticed he didn’t mind when I went out with my friends, but if I was with Ed or Carly he’d get argumentative and try to make me stay home.”

  Sounds like a controlling jerk. “Did you ever ask him about it?”

  “Every discussion we had. He’d always say it wasn’t natural that I was so close with my family.”

  “Was he close to his?”

  “Not really, so he didn’t understand. You know?”

  Able to relate, Sean nodded. “Did you ever stay away from your family to make him happy?”

  Jasmine picked up Sean’s Coke and took a sip. “Just checking to see if she sneaked some rum in there. Why would I do that?”

  “Probably because the man you were going to spend the rest of your life with asked you to. Doesn’t the husband become priority number one?”

  Jasmine didn’t even take a second to think about it. “Not David.”

  Did she realize she’s made her fiancé the second priority in her life? Right behind her family. He’d probably come in fourth. First God, her family, chocolate, and then David. The poor schmuck never had a chance. “Would you want me to spend less time with my family?” she asked.

  “Of course not. I know how much they mean to you. But I’ve also noticed that I don’t have to ask you to because you already have.”

  Jasmine smiled. “Carly said I’ve been neglecting her.”

  She was willing to give up spending time with her family for him. Not because he’d asked her to, but because she wanted to. Jasmine was definitely the woman of his heart.

  “Enough of this heavy talk.”

  Sean tweaked her nose and resisted kissing her. “Which you started, babe.”

  “What yummy first class food are they going to serve us?” She twisted around and looked down the aisle. “Where’s the attendant with my champagne and chocolate dipped strawberries?”

  “I’ve created a monster,” Sean said with a laugh.

  ***

  Jasmine forced her mouth closed after it registered that they stood in front of Sean’s parents’ house. The simple two-story Spanish-style stucco building wasn’t the sort of place she would’ve have expected millionaires to live in, although she didn’t miss the heavy security by way of cameras and the guard who’d let them through the gate. “I tried to warn you,” Sean whispered.

  “Yeah, but you could’ve been a little clearer. This house reminds me of my parents’ home and they’re middle class.”

  Sean looked at his childhood home. “They like to spend their money on other things.”

  “Like that 2005 Toyota caravan sitting in the driveway?”

  “They’re not big on material things. They enjoy experiences and that’s what they spend on. And me, of course.”

  “Of course.”

  Mr. and Mrs. Taylor met them in the driveway. His mother--a short, slim woman in stature--had Jasmine laughing from the first moment they were introduced and made her nerves disappear like a balloon snagged by the wind. Her exotic appearance was emphasized with straight dark hair, light mocha skin, and large black eyes.

  Mr. Taylor stood about a foot taller than his wife and seemed to overshadow her, making them a strange-looking couple. Once Jasmine got past their physical incongruity, she found they were most compatible and complemented each other.

  “I can see where Sean gets his good looks,” Jasmine said to Mr. Taylor upon first meeting him.

  Other than the dark eyes and mocha skin color of his mother, Sean was a carbon copy of his father. They hadn’t discussed his father’s race, even though she knew his mother was from Puerto Rico. She hadn’t expected his father to be a blond haired, blue-eyed Caucasian.

  “Are you trying to steal my husband, young lady?” Mrs. Taylor asked.

  “Well, uh, no, Mrs. Taylor. I’m quite happy with Sean.”

  “Good to hear that because I’m stuck on my husband and I’d have to beat you down.” She reached out and rubbed Mr. Taylor’s back
while staring at Jasmine. It took a minute for Jasmine to notice the impish twinkle in her eyes and know Mrs. Taylor had been playing with her. This knowledge didn’t stop Jasmine from breaking out into a cold sweat. She could handle thugs, but a fight with the mother of the man she loved would’ve been too much to handle.

  Mrs. Taylor laughed. “By the look on your face, I can tell it was a really bad joke. I’m sure you could clean the floor with me anyway. Sean tells us you’re quite the martial artist.”

  Jasmine was speechless. Instead of discussing their past relationships on the plane, she should’ve been grilling him about what he’d told his parents about her. “I can hold my own,” she mumbled.

  “She’s being humble. She’s a fantastic fighter,” Sean boasted.

  Sean was beaming with pride. Before today, she never knew he appreciated her fighting skills. The revelation made her heart soar.

  ***

  During the evening meal, Mrs. Taylor would occasionally slip into Spanish when speaking to either Sean or her husband. Jasmine had studied the language in high school and was able to pick up a few words.

  On one occasion she joined in the conversation using her limited Spanish.

  Mrs. Taylor clapped her hands. “Habla espanol?”

  “Si, pero un pequeño.” Jasmine said, telling her that she understood only a little bit.

  Mrs. Taylor smiled and nodded in approval. “Es muy bien.”

  Jasmine was so proud of herself for impressing Mrs. Taylor that she wanted to do a flamenco dance. Nothing good would come from making them think she was crazy. “Gracias.”

  When Jasmine looked across the table at Sean, her breath hitched. He had the most tender expression on his face, the kind he tended to get before kissing her.

  “I love you,” he mouthed.

  “Te amo,” she said back, making him laugh out loud.

  “What’s so funny?” his father asked.

  “Nothing, Dad.”

  Mrs. Taylor winked at Jasmine and continued eating.