That’s Just Jesse
By Aly
A young man watched in horror as his life was suddenly ripped away
from him. In a split second, everything he lived for, breathed for and
cherished was crushed beneath the twisted metal of her ’69 Mustang.
He remembered how her eyes lit up when he unveiled her beloved car
after he had had it fixed up with a shiny, candy apple red paint job and new
leather interiors. It was her birthday present a few years back and her
statement that day made him feel like he could fly.
On a rainy day in June, he was meeting his love at their favorite
restaurant for their 3 year anniversary. He was going to propose to her over
dinner. He was standing outside in the pouring rain with an umbrella over his
head, standing beside his car. They were meeting there after she got off of
work. The sparkling, heart-shaped diamond ring was tucked safely in the depths
of his suit pocket.
He watched as her car slowed at the red light at the intersection
in front of the restaurant. It quickly turned green and she began crossing when
a speeding truck hit her passenger side, flipping both cars several times
before there was total silence. He leaned onto his car for support, unable to
breath, speak or stand. He was in total shock; his jaw was almost literally
resting on the pavement below him. Tears began mixing with the rain falling
onto his cold skin after he dropped his umbrella.
A woman screamed for someone to call an ambulance as she ran over
to the two deformed vehicles. Snapping back to reality, Nick ran to her side,
helping her to find any survivors, praying Anna was still alive.
“I’m a nurse!” she yelled, pushing him from Anna’s car. “Call an
ambulance now!”
He obeyed, solemnly. What else was he to do? He knew the risk of
moving her. He pulled out his cell phone and quickly dialed ‘911’. Before he
could hang up with the receptionist, sirens and lights were visible. He took a
deep, shaky breath as the paramedics took over for the woman.
************************************************
He kneeled down and replaced a bouquet of wilting flowers with one
made of silk to last a lifetime. He played with the necklace around his neck,
fiddling with the diamond ring latched onto it. Silent tears slid down his
cheeks as he drew in a shaky breath. “I love you, Ann,” he whispered, wiping
his cheeks of their moisture.
He touched his fingertips to the cold, marble slab, resting where
his love’s head lay. It had been a year since the accident, down to the day,
and it was a terribly beautiful day for all of the trauma it held last year.
Nick walked back to his car – a 1969, candy apple red Mustang with
beige leather interiors and a soft convertible top. He had Anna’s car remade
after the accident to cherish the spirit left of her.
He drummed his fingers on the black steering wheel in beat of a
song he hadn’t heard in years. He began humming the melody subconsciously then,
stopped abruptly. That was the first song he and Anna had danced to at his
cousin’s wedding almost five years back.
Nick could remember every detail of that night. It was burned in
his memory.
Anna was his cousin, Rachel’s maid of honor. She wore a delicate
blue dress, silver, strapped shoes, and a small crown that sat atop her head,
making her the most beautiful princess there. He hated being stuck in a suit
and tie, sitting outside in the hot Florida sun, watching his younger cousin
marry some guy he had never met. Sure Rachel was family, but he rarely talked
to her and rarely visited. It was as if she was one of his old junior high
buddies that he talked to maybe once every two years.
At the reception, he sat at a table, pushing food from one side of
his plate to the other. He didn’t know anyone there.
“Hi,” a voice greeted, startling him.
He sat up straighter and looked directly into her green eyes. They
sparkled with so much light that they transfixed him in that spot. He couldn’t speak
or turn away.
“You wanna dance?” she asked, holding her hand out to him. He
nodded slightly, placing his hand in hers and standing up.
They moved to the dance floor and cautiously danced slowly to an
old Elvis Presley ballad. It seemed awkward between the two strangers, but
neither wanted to mess up anything in this perfect moment.
Anna quietly sang along to the words of the song. Her voice was
soft and velvety. When her breath touched his sensitive skin on the side of his
neck, he shivered and subconsciously pulled her closer. Neither spoke to each
other during the whole song, afraid of ruining such a romantic moment.
Once it ended, Anna raised her eyes to meet Nick’s. “I’m Anna
Gray,” she smiled, introducing herself to the stranger.
“Ni-nick Carter,” he stuttered, intimidated by her beauty.
“Well Ni-nick, wanna go somewhere to talk?” she asked mimicking
his nervousness. He just nodded in response as she led him off the dance floor
and out of the beautiful, antique dance hall.
They talked for hours about likes, dislikes, their families, pets,
anything they could come up with at the time. They both wished this little
world of theirs would never end, but it had to. Anna had a business meeting two
days later, 294 driving miles from the wedding and Nick had a concert the next
night halfway across the country. They said their goodbye’s hours after leaving
the wedding party and went their own separate ways.
He remembered how they found out they were staying in the same
hotel and on the same floor to top that off. Anna ended up staying in Nick’s
room that night, talking all night long. It was an immediate attraction between
the two.
************************************************
He took a seat next to Brian in the conference room of The Firm’s
Executive Offices in downtown Orlando. Brian glanced at him and offered a
reassuring smiled. He wasn’t looking forward to their next tour at all. Without
Anna to call every step of the way, touring seemed boring and pointless, but he
knew he had to do it for the fans.
A heavy hand planted itself on Nick’s shoulder and he looked up at
Kevin’s concerned face.
“I’m fine guys. I’ll be fine,” he assured them, dismissing their
worried looks. Truth was, he was ok. More ok than he thought he’d be a few
months ago. For some reason, he couldn’t get upset for her sudden leaving. Sure
he’d cry himself to sleep some nights, but it’s not like he’d thought it would
be at the funeral. It was almost as if she was there with him every minute.
Subconsciously, he traced little pictures on the table, drowning
out whomever it was that was speaking at the moment. He’d heard these “going on
tour” speeches before. They were all the same. It wasn’t important at the
moment.
Nick looked up as a piece of paper was slid in his direction,
along with a pencil. He smiled slightly at Brian and thanked him silently.
Drawing was something he and Anna both loved doing. He’d draw a caricature of
her and she’d draw a profile of him. They both loved the freedoms of drawing.
He began tracing and retracing lines, unable to see the picture he
was creating. Once done, he looked down at it and laughed.
“Nick? A comment on what’s so funny?” the manager of the day
asked.
He looked up at him with a confused look then looked back down and
laughed. “Nothing.”
He had drawn a picture of a bouquet of flowers, resting in a
spherical vase. Anna always drew flowers on things. When they were at
restaurants, she’d outline them on the napkins or table cloths.
She was everywhere. Her spirit was still with him, he acknowledged
at that point. His constant humming of their songs, drawing pictures of flowers
and beach pictures, the faint scent of strawberries and champagne everywhere he
went, even the occasional glance at her face in the mirror was enough to
convince him she was still with him, waiting for him to join her again.
“Soon enough, baby. Soon enough,” he whispered, causing a few odd
stares from members of the room. He just laughed in response and leaned back in
his seat, making a mental note to speak with Brian soon.
The End
