When James made his way back down to Massachusetts to visit a few clients, he decided to make a phone call.
Ring…Ring…Ring
Making her way from one side of her condo toward the phone on the gray counter. Bringing the landline to her ear, she answered with a simple, kind-hearted,
“Hello?”
“Hello, it’s James Cornish,”
“Hi, Jim! How are you doing?”
“I’m doing well. Look, I’m going to be in town tonight, and I was wondering if you’d like to go out to dinner?”
“I’d like that very much,”
“Great, I’ll pick you up at 7,”
“See you then,”
“See you then,”
A broad grin formed on her face, as anticipation passed through her.
‘It’ll be nice to reconnect with a college friend,’
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At 7 pm, headlights passed the condo windows, and James leaned against the car for my mother to come out. She came out, and he stood to his full height opening the passenger door for her.
When they entered the restaurant, James held the door open for her, just like he was taught to by his father. This behavior continued catching my mother off guard. Once they were brought to their table, he pulled the wooden chair out for her.
‘Well, I guess chivalry isn’t dead,’ thought my mother, smiling brightly in thanks. Looking up from the menu, James glanced at my mother from across the maple table. The soft lighting hit the slight purple low lights in her hair, and it was shorter than in college. Her brown eyes shown something he couldn’t distinguish.
‘Just as beautiful as she was in college,’ he thought. A sickening memory surfaced in his mind.
He stood in the frat house, waiting for the news, and my mother wanted to tell everyone. The words “We’re Engaged” sent a horrible feeling down his spine as he watched my mother kiss another man, putting her ring on display to all the Rho mates. His fist clenched, forcing him to look down at the ring on his finger, and the woman beside him.
[aesop_parallax img=”http://jolineblais.net/nmd343/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/18425186_1554294064583678_2473230588376988224_n-1.jpg” parallaxbg=”on” captionposition=”bottom-left” lightbox=”off” floater=”off” floaterposition=”left” floaterdirection=”none” overlay_revealfx=”off”]“How’s Tracy doing?” asked my mother, looking up from her menu.
“We’re divorced,” he answered in a gruff voice. My mother nodded with looking back down at the menu, and she knew the pain of divorce. Not wanting to start this dinner with something so negative, he tried to make conversation.
“How have you been? How was the trade show?”
“I’ve been pretty good, and the trade show was a success, lots of connections made, and newfound partnerships,” she explained after they ordered their meals.
“That’s good,”
“How’s the lumber business going?”
“It’s going well, the economy is good, and people have more money to spend on the non-essentials such as homemade furniture and boats,” he explained, his voice level. The food was placed in front of them by their waiter, and before he left, they both thanked him.
“Do you have any children?” James asked my mother as she drank from her glass of red wine. Shanking her head, she grimaced slightly.
“No, was divorced before I could, although I would like children someday. What about you?” she asked as James, as he listened intently.
“I have a daughter named Blaine,” he explained, “she’s three years old,”
“Ahh, she’s still a little one,” chuckled my mother as he smirked slightly, nodding his head. Images of a little girl came to the forefront on his mind, small, straight blonde hair, piercing blue eyes, and a toothy grin.
[aesop_parallax img=”http://jolineblais.net/nmd343/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Mass2.jpg” parallaxbg=”on” captionposition=”bottom-left” lightbox=”off” floater=”off” floaterposition=”left” floaterdirection=”none” overlay_revealfx=”off”]After dinner, James and my mother walked backed to the car and made their way back to my mother’s condo. It was dark, and the stars were out, a mirage of diamonds in the sky. Putting the car in park, they looked at each other, and my mother broke the silence.
“Do you want to come in for coffee or something?” James gripped the steering wheel a little tighter and nodded, taking the key from the ignition.
As they walked to the door, my mother stopped on the first step and looked over her shoulder.
“I hope you realize you’re not getting anything tonight,” she chuckled. In response, a boisterous laugh ripped past James’s lips, his fun-loving side coming out.
“You said that to me 15 years ago in college,”
“I haven’t changed,” she quipped.
“No, you haven’t,” he laughed.
My mother kept her word, and he didn’t push it. He went back to his hotel room, thinking of the woman who he would soon learn was the love of his life.
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