I Will Not Cry - Part 7
"A Dull Party..."
Sarah walked into a room full of relatives and family friends when she returned from her trip over to the small pond next to Katie's place and then to her favorite hideouts well past noon. Her Uncle Terrence and Aunt Florence were also present chatting up a storm with a few dozen people in the living room. Her mother came over to her and asked her to pass around some drinks to the guests. She reached the kitchen and pulled out some plastic cups and fetched a bowl to pour in the homemade fruit punch. Her parents usually laced it with a little alcohol, but some kids were here and they could have none of that stuff. So she poured the punch into the bowl, found a couple of napkins and went out to settle them on the table set up near the entrance. The Cassidy's loved to entertain and her mother loved to experiment with healthy snacks, while also exhibiting her ease at cooking delicacies like sticky spice ribs, chow mein, sticky dumplings and lemon chicken. Sarah really couldn't stand the charade of walking up to some relative that she barely knew and engaging in small talk, so she kept herself busy with small chores.
Aunt Florence spotted her niece from a mile away and rushed over.
"Child you should be talking to all these lovely kids your age. Instead you're clearing up these trivial messes. Come with me honey, I want you to meet someone," she exclaimed in a high pitched voice. Sarah always felt like she was listening to a badly rehearsed opera solo when she listened to her aunt talk. She knew she was being unkind, but she wanted this holiday to be a peaceful one, and that was made impossible every time by her aunt. Aunt Florence dragged her all the way to a young man about her age, a few years older than her perhaps. He was ruggedly handsome and had the nicest smile. She thought she wouldn't mind being forced into his company.
"Jacob this is my darling niece Sarah. I'm sure I've told you about her," she gushed happily.
"Of course," he said to her.
Then to Sarah he said, "I'm pleased to finally meet the young woman Florence is always talking so highly about." He extended his hand for me to shake it, yet I only stared at him open-mouthed. He didn't take any offense at her obvious lack of response but instead proceeded to speak animatedly with her aunt who stood beside her.
Her aunt soon left her alone in his presence, running to greet a new flock of incoming guests.
"So you're here on vacation I presume?" he enquired.
"Yes, yes we are...um..." she started to reply.
"Please, call me Jake."
"Jake. Yes well, it was really nice meeting you but I should really be helping out my mom."
He began to laugh uneasily. "Am I really such a bore that you have to run to the kitchen for cover?"
"No, no. I meant to imply no such thing. I'm sure you're splendid company. I just feel guilty that I would be ignoring my other guests, that's all," I exclaimed alarmed at him having taken offense at my remark.
Just as he opened his mouth to say something, out of the corner of her eye she caught sight of Katie and Jesse entering the room. Jesse had actually dressed decently in a cuffed shirt and slacks. The young man could clean up quite nicely in a suit she suspected, although she was more drawn to the rugged Jesse with the drawl. She excused herself politely explaining that she needed to attend to some guests and headed in their direction.
As she walked towards them, she felt the cool appraisal of Jesse's eyes on her. He was taking in her agitated movements and her unrelated dress sense for the particular occasion. She was still dressed in the tank top and jeans she had worn to Katie's house earlier in the morning. Her hair was tied back in a loose ponytail with strands that fell across her face. Some strands were matted against the back of her neck due to the humid climate. Sarah went over to Katie and hugged her. When they moved apart she saw that Jesse was still studying her. It freaked her out when he did that. She wasn't some lab rat that he needed to constantly observe for research purposes. What gives? What exactly was his problem?
"I'm so sorry I ruined our plans the day before, I had a prior appointment that I totally forgot about. It was when my brother reminded me the day of, that I remembered, and the trip over there took so long I wasn't able to give you a heads-up on my situation. Please forgive me. I can be so inconsiderate."
"Don't beat yourself up over such a silly thing. Besides, there is no way that I'd let you slide without making up for that day."
"What would you like to do?"
"How about you and me spend an entire day together and no chaperones this time?"
"I'd love that, but ...my brother."
"Oh alright, if he has to come, we can make the exception, but I shouldn't be able to hear or see him."
"Deal, right Bro?" enquired Katie, looking expectantly at Jesse.
"Go crazy, what do I care?"
"Then it's settled, we'll start with a trip to town to buy a couple of fun things and then a picnic and then a movie."
"Sounds fabulous!" exclaimed Katie.
Before I could make my way across the room to the kitchen, I heard someone whisper something in my ears, only an inch of space between us it proximity.
"Hey Goldilocks, you still peeved at me. You city girls can sure hold grudges. Anyway I appreciate you spending time with Katie and tolerating my presence for her sake."
"You welcome, but can you please stop calling me that stupid name."
"Not a chance. See you tomorrow Goldilocks." Jesse stood smiling with amusement.
Just as I was going to slip away from him, Jacob appeared before her once again, blocking her path.
"Hey Sarah! I was wondering if you'd be interested in having a cup of coffee some time with me next week. I'd really love a chance to get to know you better."
She looked to Jesse to see his reaction. His expression was guarded and blank. She wanted to push his buttons a bit more to see if she could spark some emotion.
"I'd love to Jake. Call me when you're free."
With that she turned and walked out of the room. Jesse's expression had still not changed when she glanced over her shoulder for one last look. Perhaps she had misread Jesse's behavior towards me. At any rate she could cancel the stupid coffee date at her own discretion, as long as Aunt Florence was kept in the shadows about the date at least.
Aunt Florence spotted her niece from a mile away and rushed over.
"Child you should be talking to all these lovely kids your age. Instead you're clearing up these trivial messes. Come with me honey, I want you to meet someone," she exclaimed in a high pitched voice. Sarah always felt like she was listening to a badly rehearsed opera solo when she listened to her aunt talk. She knew she was being unkind, but she wanted this holiday to be a peaceful one, and that was made impossible every time by her aunt. Aunt Florence dragged her all the way to a young man about her age, a few years older than her perhaps. He was ruggedly handsome and had the nicest smile. She thought she wouldn't mind being forced into his company.
"Jacob this is my darling niece Sarah. I'm sure I've told you about her," she gushed happily.
"Of course," he said to her.
Then to Sarah he said, "I'm pleased to finally meet the young woman Florence is always talking so highly about." He extended his hand for me to shake it, yet I only stared at him open-mouthed. He didn't take any offense at her obvious lack of response but instead proceeded to speak animatedly with her aunt who stood beside her.
Her aunt soon left her alone in his presence, running to greet a new flock of incoming guests.
"So you're here on vacation I presume?" he enquired.
"Yes, yes we are...um..." she started to reply.
"Please, call me Jake."
"Jake. Yes well, it was really nice meeting you but I should really be helping out my mom."
He began to laugh uneasily. "Am I really such a bore that you have to run to the kitchen for cover?"
"No, no. I meant to imply no such thing. I'm sure you're splendid company. I just feel guilty that I would be ignoring my other guests, that's all," I exclaimed alarmed at him having taken offense at my remark.
Just as he opened his mouth to say something, out of the corner of her eye she caught sight of Katie and Jesse entering the room. Jesse had actually dressed decently in a cuffed shirt and slacks. The young man could clean up quite nicely in a suit she suspected, although she was more drawn to the rugged Jesse with the drawl. She excused herself politely explaining that she needed to attend to some guests and headed in their direction.
As she walked towards them, she felt the cool appraisal of Jesse's eyes on her. He was taking in her agitated movements and her unrelated dress sense for the particular occasion. She was still dressed in the tank top and jeans she had worn to Katie's house earlier in the morning. Her hair was tied back in a loose ponytail with strands that fell across her face. Some strands were matted against the back of her neck due to the humid climate. Sarah went over to Katie and hugged her. When they moved apart she saw that Jesse was still studying her. It freaked her out when he did that. She wasn't some lab rat that he needed to constantly observe for research purposes. What gives? What exactly was his problem?
"I'm so sorry I ruined our plans the day before, I had a prior appointment that I totally forgot about. It was when my brother reminded me the day of, that I remembered, and the trip over there took so long I wasn't able to give you a heads-up on my situation. Please forgive me. I can be so inconsiderate."
"Don't beat yourself up over such a silly thing. Besides, there is no way that I'd let you slide without making up for that day."
"What would you like to do?"
"How about you and me spend an entire day together and no chaperones this time?"
"I'd love that, but ...my brother."
"Oh alright, if he has to come, we can make the exception, but I shouldn't be able to hear or see him."
"Deal, right Bro?" enquired Katie, looking expectantly at Jesse.
"Go crazy, what do I care?"
"Then it's settled, we'll start with a trip to town to buy a couple of fun things and then a picnic and then a movie."
"Sounds fabulous!" exclaimed Katie.
Before I could make my way across the room to the kitchen, I heard someone whisper something in my ears, only an inch of space between us it proximity.
"Hey Goldilocks, you still peeved at me. You city girls can sure hold grudges. Anyway I appreciate you spending time with Katie and tolerating my presence for her sake."
"You welcome, but can you please stop calling me that stupid name."
"Not a chance. See you tomorrow Goldilocks." Jesse stood smiling with amusement.
Just as I was going to slip away from him, Jacob appeared before her once again, blocking her path.
"Hey Sarah! I was wondering if you'd be interested in having a cup of coffee some time with me next week. I'd really love a chance to get to know you better."
She looked to Jesse to see his reaction. His expression was guarded and blank. She wanted to push his buttons a bit more to see if she could spark some emotion.
"I'd love to Jake. Call me when you're free."
With that she turned and walked out of the room. Jesse's expression had still not changed when she glanced over her shoulder for one last look. Perhaps she had misread Jesse's behavior towards me. At any rate she could cancel the stupid coffee date at her own discretion, as long as Aunt Florence was kept in the shadows about the date at least.
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