Ch. 9: Lines (page 2)
by Emmet
“True… but – very true.” We did have fun together, and would still even with Barry. And perhaps even with this Jazmynne. I should go. I heard Grace moving in the other room. I would go out with someone my age, a grownup. That’s probably why I had been focusing too much on Grace – no distraction of a grownup relationship. I told myself.
“Who knows? Maybe we’ll end up having a double wedding?” Chris laughed.
“Well,” I forced a laugh too, “I wouldn’t go that far…”
Grace came out of the living room with her backpack. “Good night,” she said quietly, and I suddenly felt bad for rudely carrying on a phone conversation. It’s not what I would have done to a friend.
But Grace couldn’t be such a friend. She walked to the door, and I lowered the receiver. “Good night,” I answered, then added, “Listen, I’ll try and locate that memo.”
“Oh… okay,” Grace said, and was gone.
Chris was still talking. “So, tomorrow okay for you? I’ll swing by, and then Barry and Jazmynne can meet us, maybe at your place? Then we can all go out for dinner?”
I watched Grace walk through the double set of doors, then her image was blocked by the reflection of the kitchen against the night glass. I said, “Tomorrow… I think we’ll definitely have to do that.”
“Okay then. Just casual, though. Nothing fancy. Take it easy.” She knew I sometimes went overboard preparing hors d’oeuvres to go with the wine. Had no desire to do that this time, though.
“Absolutely. That’s what I’m saying.”
“All this wedding stuff actually is making me a little nervous,” she confessed. “Jazmynne came here so we could shop for wedding dresses together. Me and wedding dresses! I never thought I’d be even thinking about them.”
“I know,” I said, waiting for her to realize the irony of that statement.
“Right,” she said. “Of course. You okay with all this?”
“I really am, Chris,” I said, and I really was. I was happy for her, because she did seem happy. I hoped she was. To find someone you think you can spend the rest of your life with… how lucky is that? “So, why don’t you all come by for some wine beforehand, and then we can go to Blind Faith.”
“You remembered Barry’s a vegetarian.”
“I remember everything you tell me, Chris. See you tomorrow.” I hung up the phone, hearing the sound of Grace’s car engine in the distance, driving away from my house.