Love Me Again

by Melissa Crosby

  “Definitely!” Jenna nodded in agreement. “What about you?” she asked.

  “What about me?” Dave looked down into her eyes.

  Jenna felt her stomach tighten—it must be something in his eyes. “You said you were pre-med. That’s gotta be tough.”

  Dave nodded. “Biology. Then I go off to Portland for med school.”

  “Oh, wow! When’s that?”

  “This is my last year here. I’ve been accepted into OHSU.”

  “What’s that?” Jenna asked.

  “It’s the Oregon Health & Science University.”

  “Oh...” Jenna heard her own voice trail off. Her heart plummeted. If Dave was leaving at the end of the year, where would that leave them? Good grief, Jenna! You’ve just met the guy!

  “What?” Dave asked.

  “Well... we’ve only just met and you’re already breaking up with me,” Jenna said under her breath. Gasp! Jenna brought a hand to her mouth. Had she really just said that out loud? “Sorry... I have a nasty habit of saying whatever’s on my mind. Charlotte says I have no filter.”

  Dave laughed. “I like that... no filter.”

  “You won’t be liking it when I start telling you everything that’s on my mind.” Jenna’s heart beat in a chaotic melody like tap shoes against the dance floor. She knew she was being forward with Dave—but the words kept coming out of her mouth. There was something about Dave that made her giddy inside, and she liked it.

  “PROMISE ME YOU’LL NEVER filter what you want to say,” Dave said with a smile.

  “Really?” Jenna laughed. “My friends all complain when I just blurt things out.”

  “I like knowing where I stand.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well, my mom—she uh...” Dave shrugged. “Let’s just say that I’m not a fan of guessing.”

  “Hmm... what about surprises?”

  “Good surprises—sure.”

  “Well, no one likes bad surprises.”

  “I like it better when things are clear.” Dave pulled Jenna aside to let a biker pass. “I’ll tell you about my mom another time. For now, let’s enjoy tonight.” Dave stopped and looked down at Jenna. Her bright blue eyes stared back at him.

  Dave couldn’t believe his luck—that someone like Jenna was out with someone like him. She was definitely waaaay out of his league. And yet, in the five minutes that he’s known her, it seemed that his heart had already decided that she was the one.

  He’d never felt like this before. The one. It sounded surreal even in his own mind. “Jenna...”

  “Mm-hmm?” she looked up at him.

  “If I kiss you now”—Dave asked cautiously—“would you hit me?”

  Jenna smiled up at him. “If I say I won’t hit you... would you kiss me?” she asked as she bit her bottom lip.

  Dave carefully put his hand under her chin and lifted her face towards him. He bent down and slowly brought his lips close to hers. “Last chance to take it back,” he whispered.

  “Are you telling me, or telling yourself?” Jenna tip toed and reached her hand over the back of Dave’s neck. She pulled him closer and sealed the short distance between them with a soft kiss.

  All Dave could think about at that very moment was his desire to pick her up and kiss her some more. “I see you don’t play around. That’s pretty clear to me.”

  Jenna cocked her head slightly. “I don’t see the point in playing around,” she said with a smile.

  “You’re an enigma,” Dave said.

  “You’re lucky,” Jenna countered.

  “How so?”

  “'Cuz you’ve got me...” Jenna grinned and walked ahead.

  “Can’t argue with that, can I?” Dave smiled and shook his head. He fell into step with her and grabbed her hand. “So you’re mine now, are you?”

  “You had me at hello,” Jenna said. “Well,”—Jenna laughed—I guess you could say you had me at “hi’”

  Now

  DAVE AND JENNA WALKED hand in hand as they strolled through the tree-lined paths across the campus.

  “Oh my gosh!” Jenna blurted excitedly. “There’s my old residence hall!”

  “Lots of memories there.” Dave watched her face fill with life. He enjoyed the soft touch of her hand on his arm when she spotted the old Vicarage hall. It was like going back in time.

  Jenna let out a sigh and smiled. “This is pretty amazing,” she said as she looked up at him.

  Dave motioned to a cluster of trees up ahead. “Do you remember that spot?”

  “Which one?”

  He led her towards the trees. “Over there,” he said.

  Jenna clutched at Dave’s arm and leaned into him.

  He instinctively brought his arm around her shoulder; and closed his eyes when he felt Jenna’s arm wrap around his waist. He loved her so much, and he wanted her to be happy.

  “Our first kiss,” she finally said.

  Dave looked down into her face. “The day I knew that I was going to marry you.” He leaned in—slowly at first—and when she didn’t pull away, Dave kissed her gently. The taste of her cinnamon Chapstick ignited his senses. He put his hand at the back of her neck and drew her in. This—he missed this.

  Chapter 14

  “Let’s go into the Vicarage Hall,” Dave said, as he led Jenna towards her old college building. “I’ve got a surprise for you.”

  “Have you, now?” Jenna eyed him suspiciously, but with excitement. It’s been the best day she’s had in a long time. “Okay, then... it’ll be fun to see my old stomping grounds. Any chance you’re going to tell me what it is?”

  “Well,” Dave teased. “I’ve got two ti—”

  “Dave, Jenna!” A voice called from a distance.

  They turned around. “Is that—”

  “Jackson, my man!” Dave called out.

  “Oh my gosh, it is!”

  Dave shook Jackson’s hand and pulled him in to a bro-hug. “How’s it going, man? It’s been too long!”

  “Look at the two of you—it’s like time has stopped for you both,” Jackson said as he leaned in giving Jenna a peck on the cheek.

  “My goodness—Jackson!” Jenna stepped back and looked at him. “It’s been ages. How are you? What are you doing here?”

  Jackson pushed his black horn-rimmed glasses up. “I’m a dean,” he said. “College of Physics.”

  “No way!” Jenna exclaimed. “That’s wonderful, Jackson.”

  “You guys are just in time,” Jackson said as he clapped Dave on the back.

  “For what?” Jenna eyed the two of them.

  Jackson grinned. “You’ll see.”

  “Oh no, no, no, no”—Jenna wagged a finger at Jackson—“not you, too! What have you boys been scheming on?”

  Dave looked at Jackson and raised his eyebrows.

  “Nothing,” Jackson said with his hands up in surrender. “I mentioned to Dave that the Vicarage Choir was performing today.”

  Jenna’s eyes widened. “Really?” She looked up at Dave. “You knew?”

  Dave pulled out the tickets from his jacket pocket. “I got two tickets for us,” he said with a smile.

  Jenna instinctively threw herself at Dave and hugged him. “Oh my gosh! This is so great!”

  Jackson smiled and gave a nod to Dave. “Come on—let’s get you guys to your seats.”

  “Wait—we have special seats?” Jenna squealed.

  “I called in a favor to the music dean and told her I had some friends coming.”

  “Who’s the new dean?” Jenna jumped up. She couldn’t contain her excitement. The Vicarage Choir had been her posse—is that what they called it? They were like family during her days in college as they rehearsed and performed the most amazing sequences.

  THE PERFORMANCE WAS incredible, and it wasn’t over yet. Jenna had shed a few tears during the first half of the show, as old and happy memories filled her with emotion. Being up on stage—whether she was singing, acting, or dancing—had been
her life.

  Jenna’s mother never approved of her pursuing a degree in the arts, especially theater. But it made Jenna happy—so happy, in fact, that she felt she had no other choice but to take the risk and go against her mother’s wishes. Don’t come running back to me when the romanticized idea of being a starving artist loses its allure, her mother had said.

  Jenna couldn’t believe how much work and planning had gone into this day. She looked at Dave, who had watched the performance as intently as she had. “That was just brilliant,” she whispered. “Still the best choir—ever!”

  Jenna looked up at the sound of footsteps. A woman walked to the center of the stage with a microphone in her hand. “Oh my gosh, she was my old professor,” she whispered to Dave. “I loved her so much!”

  “She’s the new dean,” Dave whispered back at her.

  “Really?” Before she’d become the dean, Sophia Bishop had been Jenna’s music professor. She loved attending her classes, and it brought Jenna immense joy to see her standing there.

  “Thank you, everyone, for being here today. For those of you who don’t know, my name is Sophia Bishop and I am the Dean for the College of Music and Arts,” she said. “I hope you have enjoyed the first half of the performance of the Vicarage Choir. I can tell you now that the choir has been working very hard to bring you this wonderful performance of art in its purest form combined with extraordinary talent. I think you will agree with me when I say that the Vicarage Choir is truly a very special group.”

  Jenna nodded in agreement and joined in as the audience gave a round of applause in response.

  “Today is a special day, indeed,” Dean Bishop continued. “Not only is this the first performance of the season—we also have a very special person in the audience with us this afternoon.”

  Jenna listened expectantly and with excitement. Dave took her hand, and she squeezed him to let him know she was having a great time.

  “An alumna of our wonderful Vicarage Choir, this person has represented our college in many performances—both in-house and throughout the country. She then went on to marry her college sweetheart; and together they have created a beautiful family.”

  Jenna quickly turned to Dave; her eyes as wide as saucers.

  “Please join me in welcoming our very own Vicarage Choir soprano, Jenna Stewart, née Myers!”

  Jenna gasped as Dean Bishop led an applause for her, motioning towards the front row where they sat.

  Dean Bishop continued. “Jenna, it would honor us, if you could join us on stage.”

  A member of the choir came up to Jenna and held out a hand for her.

  “Go on, honey.” Dave leaned over and kissed Jenna on the forehead. “Enjoy it. I love you.”

  Jenna took the girl’s hand and allowed herself to be led on to the stage, where Dean Bishop enveloped her in an embrace.

  “It’s wonderful to see you again, Jenna. It has brought us much excitement to know that you were coming,” the dean said. “Thank you for joining us today.”

  Jenna’s hands were shaking. She hadn’t been up on a stage since that time she had messed up as Éponine in Les Misérables. Just as Jenna acknowledged how it was in fact wonderful to be there, the whole choir assembled behind her. A young man came up to her and handed her a microphone.

  “Ladies and gentlemen,” Dean Bishop began. “Please join me in welcoming the Vicarage Choir, starring Jenna Stewart.”

  The audience broke into another round of applause. Jenna looked nervously for Dave. He was there—just as he’d always been. Right there... watching her, supporting her, and encouraging her.

  Jenna turned to the choir standing proudly in their robes as the orchestra began. The violins played in unison as harmony filled the theater. She immediately recognized it. It was The Prayer. She’d sung it many times before and was the female lead.

  Jenna let out a small breath. She watched the conductor as he directed the orchestra and waited for her cue. And with a swift motion of the conductor’s hand, Jenna raised the mic to her lips. “I pray you’ll be our eyes and watch us where we go. And help us to be wise, in times when we don’t know...”

  And right there, Jenna heard her own voice—one with the strings, as it echoed in the same theater that once held all her dreams.

  “Let this be our prayer, as we go our way. Lead us to a place, guide us with your grace, to a place where we’ll be safe.”

  It was in that moment that Jenna realized that she had thrown away all her dreams. Singing was the one thing she loved without question. The one thing she had known for certain was her destiny. With that single mishap, all those years ago—when she’d forgotten the lyrics to her solo—she had turned her back on her dream and focused on Dave’s. And as Dave achieved his goals, Jenna stood behind him, pushing him. With no dreams of her own to chase, Jenna had convinced herself that it was her job to push Dave to chase his. And it was during that process that Jenna had formed a false belief that she had sacrificed her dreams for his.

  As the music built up and Jenna’s voice filled the theater, with the choir behind her; she looked at Dave, who watched her with what she felt was pride and admiration. Tears filled her eyes as she sang the last remaining notes to the song. “Guide us with your grace. Give us faith so we’ll be safe...”

  Dave mouthed the words, “I love you.”

  Chapter 15

  After the concert, Dave stood back and watched as Jenna was greeted by choir members and congratulated by the audience. Her beauty shone as she hugged and shook people’s hands. She was happy. She was doing what she was born to be doing, and it sparkled from the core of her being. To say that he was proud was an understatement.

  “Oh my gosh,” Jenna said as she scurried towards him. “That was so amazing, Dave. I can’t believe they called me up there to sing!”

  “Why wouldn’t they?” Dave smiled at her and kissed her on the cheek. “Their best alumna was here.”

  “I was shaking inside. Could you see? Was it noticeable?” Jenna’s excitement was palpable.

  “You sang like a pro, darling.” Dave pulled her to his chest and stroked her back. “You were just—you were an angel. Just like the day that I first heard you sing that exact same song.”

  Jenna looked up into his eyes. “Did you do this? Did you do all of this... for me?”

  “I wanted you to have a good time,” Dave said. “And to help you remember how wonderful and talented you are.”

  “Well, I had a great time.” Jenna tip-toed and kissed him softly. “Thank you.”

  The drive back to Willow Oaks was perfect. The sun was going down and shades of orange painted the surrounding sky. “Did you enjoy today?” Dave asked.

  “I loved it!” Jenna turned to face him. “I’m on the mother of all highs,” she grinned. “I can’t believe I was able to do that—like, stand up and sing in front of all those people!”

  “I had no doubt at all.”

  Jenna sat up straight and turned to him. “Dave, why did you do this? I mean... why did you organize all of this?”

  He took her hand and rested it on his lap, as he kept his eyes on the road. “I did it for you.”

  “But why?”

  He glanced at her. “I could see that you weren’t happy,” he said.

  “But I was—I am—happy.”

  “You think you are, but you’re running on empty, Jen.” Dave squeezed her hand, careful with the words he chose. “You run around looking after me and the kids... you don’t look after yourself.”

  “But that’s my job.”

  “No, it’s not.”

  “And what do you mean I don’t look after myself? Are you saying I’ve let myself go?”

  “Not in the way you’re thinking—no. You’re absolutely gorgeous,” Dave said. “I mean, you’ve let yourself go. You—inside.” Dave lifted her hand and put it against her own heart.

  Jenna didn’t say anything, but he could feel her eyes on him.

  DAVE’S WORDS HAD HIT her.
Had she let go of herself? It was true that she had stopped singing, but that’s because she had to look after the children. She hadn’t been to the theater because there simply was no time. And yes, looking after the family was her job... wasn’t it?

  Dave shook his head. “I have one more thing I’d like us to do today.”

  Like a child, Jenna beamed. “What is it?”

  “We’re almost there.” Dave ran a finger along her cheek.

  “Aren’t you tired though?” Jenna asked. “Isn’t this supposed to be like a vacation for you to relax?”

  “I am relaxed. And it’s not a vacation just for me. It’s for both of us—to spend time together.”

  He did look relaxed. It was the most relaxed she had seen him in a long time. Jenna had forgotten how much simpler things were before. Before what—she wasn’t sure. Before children? No. She loved Macy and Rory. Before marriage? Being Mrs. Stewart was a dream come true. “Okay, well, what about the children? We’ve got to pick them up from their sleepovers. They’ve got school tomorrow.”

  Dave glanced at her with a grin. “It’s all sorted.”

  “What do you mean it’s all sorted?”

  “It’s all sorted. They’re staying with your mom for the next two weeks.”

  “What?” Jenna sat up straight. “Why? When—why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I spoke with your mom before I put my vacation leave in. She’s happy to take the kids.”

  Jenna stared at him with—well, it could have been with shock. Annoyance, maybe? She wasn’t sure. There was a bit of excitement too, she had to admit. “I don’t know about this, Dave.” She thought about not having the kids for two weeks. What about their school lunches? And homework—was her mom going to get them to do their homework? She didn’t want their grades to slip. “Do the kids have clothes?”

  “It’s all under control,” Dave grinned.

  “Stop grinning, Dave!” Jenna smacked him on the chest. “This isn’t funny!”

  “Let’s make the next two weeks about us, okay?” Dave turned the radio on and Bon Jovi’s voice blasted through. “Yesss!” he hollered and shook his head along to the beat. “Nah, nah, naaaah...”