by Cee, DW
Jake’s room was a palace compared to Jane’s. It was so large and filled with so much furniture, the giant king-sized bed looked dwarfed. I never realized anyone could have so much furniture in one room. There was a desk along the west wall as well as rows and rows of shelves filled with books. These were the kinds of shelves one would see in movies, where old men went to retire in their libraries. He had one of these libraries on one wall of his room.
If the west wall was for intellect, the south wall was purely for entertainment. On this wall hung the largest TV I had ever seen. There were probably invisible speakers mounted everywhere. In front of the TV sat sleek couches, chaises and lounge chairs—the kind for video game purposes only. The east wall had two doors. One led to a giant bathroom that looked bigger than my master bedroom. The other door led to a walk-in closet that was definitely twice the size of my master bedroom.
“How do you not get lost in your own room?” I half joked. “Your room is practically the size of my entire house.”
“Oh, I don’t know about that. It’s not that big, is it?” He looked around trying to gauge the dimensions.
“Why would you want to move out and get a place of your own when your room is this palatial? If your room looks like this, what does your house look like in the Valley?” I wondered in amazement.
“My house is small. It’s probably smaller than yours. I think I’m going to rent it out and move back into my parents’ home to be closer to you and the hospital. Nothing is keeping me in the Valley anymore.”
“And, there was somebody keeping you there before?” I tried to ask nonchalantly.
“I’m digging this jealous tone, but it wasn’t anybody, just a hospital. Remember how I told you that my residency was at a hospital in the Valley? I hated the commute back home in the wee hours of the morning so I bought a house out there.”
“I see.”
“So, are we OK?” He sounded so un-Jake-like, so unsure of us.
“Shouldn’t I be asking you that? You were the one upset. Here lies a permanent scar etched on my heart because of your meanness!” I pointed to my heart and added an umph for effect. “Jane was right. You can be really nasty when life doesn’t go your way.” I giggled as he tugged me to him.
“This is going to be another Allison situation, huh? You’re going to use my folly against me for the next month.”
“A month? Are you kidding me? This is worth at least a year!”
“Is that right?” With speed and determination, he picked me up and threw me on his bed.
His lips came down roughly on mine and it was clear that he was not letting go of me for a while. Knowing he wasn’t going to get very far didn’t sway his determination to undermine my beliefs. I had to admit, I was the one caving toward his beliefs. His right hand immediately began unbuttoning my dress and his left arrested my protesting hand.
I tried to come up for air but his solid body lay on top of mine and didn’t give me any room for escape. He finally moved his lips away from me and I let out a whimper. “Jake…your parents…your entire family is in this house.”
In between moving his mouth from my lips down to my exposed chest, he uttered, “I don’t care.” He knew I wasn’t putting up much of a fight. Skillfully, Jake managed to pull off the top half of my dress and his hands reached to take it completely off when there was a knock that saved me from Jake as well as from myself.
“Jake…oh, Jake…” Nick’s voice called out.
“Go away!” Jake growled.
“Mom told me to come and get you and Emily. Everybody’s waiting. Dinner’s about to begin. Come out soon or I’m going to have the chief come up and get you.” Nick broke into a guffaw.
“Nick, I’m going to remember this next time you have a girl up in your room,” Jake threatened amid a loud bellow from beyond the door.
Jake grudgingly let go of me, and I jumped up out of bed reassembling my dress. I couldn’t help but laugh at his surly face. “Jake…” His once complacent look turned into a scowl as we were about to leave his room. “Jake. Can I give you your Christmas present before we go down?”
His face lit up instantly. I walked over to my purse and brought out a journal that wasn’t wrapped, but tied together nicely with ribbon and a big bow.
“You have to promise me one thing,” I said before giving him the present.
“OK. I promise.” So cute, he sounded like a little boy agreeing to anything so he could open his Christmas gift.
“This is a journal I started writing soon after we met. I wrote in it after every date or conversation or even a fight. My initial intention was to journal my feelings and thoughts. This wasn’t written for anyone to read but myself. When I thought about what I wanted to give you for Christmas, I knew you would most appreciate my heart. Whatever I felt during our two months together…it’s all in here.”
My boyfriend looked stunned. He probably never imagined I would give him so much of myself emotionally. Rather than taking the present he came over and held me in his arms instead. I knew this man loved me unendingly. I too loved him just as much.
“I’m sorry I’m so frustrating. You’re a patient man to deal with someone so indecisive. This journal will hopefully answer all your questions and take away any doubt you might still have about us.”
His arms stayed locked on my body.
“OK, so back to the promise.” I pulled myself away from him. “You can’t read this till after I leave.”
“Why not? If you wrote it you know everything that’s in there.”
“It’s embarrassing. You can enjoy it when I’m not around. I also don’t want to see your ego blowing up page by page. Your head may burst.”
“Can I take a peak before dinner?”
“No. I’m taking this back if you don’t keep your promise.”
“All right. I promise. I can’t wait to read it.” He had an eager smile.
“I’ll leave it over here on your bookcase.”
We started walking out and I stopped him one more time, wanting to declare what was in my heart. “I love you, Jake, and I’m really happy to be here with you.” He swept me off my feet again and tried to take me back to his bed, but I forced him downstairs.
There were twenty-three of us at the regal dining table. I met every aunt, uncle, and cousin who lived within a two-hour radius of Jake’s house. Sandy put us at the middle of the table so that I could converse with as many family members as possible. I learned that Bobby was the oldest of five brothers and none of the children were married yet. They ranged from eighteen to thirty, with Jake being the oldest. Jake sat to my right, along with Uncle Roy, Aunt Pattie, and their three grown children. Then there was Uncle Billy and Aunt Sandra with their two college-age children. Sandy, Bobby, Jane, and Nick sat together. Uncle Dave and Aunt Debbie brought only two of their four college kids. Then the chief, Aunt Barbara, and their children, Doug and Lane, sat to my left. The chief kept me entertained with stories of all the nurses, interns, and female doctors who had tried to woo Jake since he got to the hospital.
“So, Emily, are you coming to the pre-party and football game with all of us on New Year’s Day?” Chief Reid asked.
“Um, I don’t think so. I wasn’t invited.”
He scolded Jake. “Why haven’t you invited this stunning lady to our New Year’s party and game day festivities?”
“Well, I haven’t asked her because I myself wasn’t invited. You have me working that day, remember? Will you give me that day off so I can go see the game?”
“Are you scheduled to work? I could possibly give you the day off and put someone else to work. Do you want to go to the game?”
“Actually, I’d be happy to work on New Year’s Day if you are willing to give me MLK weekend off.”
“Jake!” Jane complained from across of the table.
“That sounds good to me,” the chief answered.
“Fantastic!” Jake glanced over at
Jane and gloated.
To my delight, Jake’s grandmother called during dinner. He had never spoken of any grandparents so I didn’t realize she was still living. Bobby answered the phone and greeted her, but quickly turned the phone over to Jake.
“Son, Gram wants to talk to her favorite grandchild.”
“That would be me,” Jake announced to the family with a smug look.
“Hi, Gram!” Before he could say much more, he answered, “Uh-huh” and handed the phone over to me. “She wants to talk to you.”
“Me?”
“Yup. You.”
A bit scared, I started my conversation. “Hello, Gram, this is Emily. It’s very nice to meet you.”
“Emily, I’ve been waiting since David’s birthday to talk to you. Why haven’t you called me?” I took her question as a scolding.
Timidly I answered, “I’m very sorry, Gram, but Jake never told me I was supposed to call you. But I’m thrilled to meet you. I lived with my grandmother since I was thirteen. Talking to you makes me miss her so much.”
“Is she still alive?”
“No,” I answered tearfully, “she passed away a few years ago. Gram, why aren’t you here with the family? I wish I could have met you too.”
“I live in London. It’s too far for me to travel. Why don’t you come see me, Emily? Jakey tells me you’re more beautiful than I am, and that he loves you even more than he loves me.” She didn’t sound too happy about this.
I gave Jake a how could you look. His shoulders shrugged into a what did I do? look.
“Oh, Gram, Jake can be silly at times. How can he possibly think he loves anyone more than his grandmother? Plus, I’m not that pretty. It’s only in Jake’s eyes.”
“You are too. You’re gorgeous!” Jake interjected before my thought was over. I pinched his arm and gave him a be quiet look.
“I’ve never seen such a beautiful family as the Reid family. I’m sure that’s all a credit to you. Gram, can you send me a picture of yourself?”
Content with my soothing words, she answered, “I’ll have my assistant take a picture of me and e-mail it to Jake. So when can you come see me?”
“Well, my vacation is almost over, but I can come at the end of March during spring break. Would that be OK? Should I bring Jake or come by myself?” I kidded.
“Gram, I want to come too,” he whined into the mouthpiece.
“You can bring him if he’s good to you. Is my Jakey treating you well?”
“He was treating me very well till this morning, Gram.”
Gram sounded aghast. Jake looked horrified.
“What happened, Emily? What did he do to you?”
“He was mean to me and he made me cry.” I added melancholy for special effects. I noticed the entire family had stopped eating, talking, and whatever else they were doing, and stared at Jake.
“Oh my gosh, Emily! I can’t believe you just told everyone I made you cry this morning.” Appalled, he didn’t know what to say. All the aunts accepted my accusation and began scolding Jake.
“But you did,” I answered in my saddest voice.
Back to my conversation with Gram, I said, “Anyhow, I’m going to come see you soon, and as to whether I will bring Jake, I’ll think about it.”
“Emily, are you going to marry my grandson?” Wow—like grandma, like grandson. She didn’t beat around the bush.
“I hope so, Gram. I’m not sure yet. You’ll be the second to know when I decide. Gram, I’ll get your phone number from Jake and call you again. I think I have to get off. Jake’s a bit upset with me. Thank you for talking to me.”
With that, I got off the phone and sat as a spectator watching Jake get himself out of trouble.
“Emily, will you please explain, it was me who should’ve been crying this morning and not you?”
I shrugged my shoulder, winked, and mouthed, “I love you,” then went back to enjoying my meal.
When dinner was over, we all played a mean game of White Elephant. The Reid family was ruthless stealing from each other the few prized items that Sandy added to the pile. The most coveted prize was two floor seats to a Laker game. Doug ended up as the grand prize winner. Most of us got ugly tchotchkes that would quickly be thrown away at home. Jake actually won a great bottle of wine, which he handed over to Chief Reid as a bribe to try to get New Year’s Eve off. He gladly took the wine, but not the bribe.
I stayed as long as I could, then hugged Sandy, Bobby, and Nick good-bye as they went up to their rooms for the night. I turned to Jane and promised her quality time in New York even with her brother in tow.
Our dinner conversation with Gram seemed all but forgotten, or so I thought, when I turned to say good-bye to Jake. I took a step forward as he took a step backward dodging my attempted embrace. Confounded, I waited with my arms wide open.
“I can’t believe you threw me under the bus today.” Oh so that’s what this was all about. “You’re so lucky I didn’t tell my whole family how you chopped up my proposal and my heart into pieces.”
Cuddling up to him, I used my most alluring voice to appease him. “What can I do to make things better? I’ll make it up to you. I’m sorry I got you into trouble, but you were a complete gentleman for not giving me away.” I added a few kisses to buffer.
“Stay the night with me.” This was more a demand than a request.
During my moment’s hesitation, Jake swept me off my feet, carried me up the stairs, and took me to his bed. The words “I can’t” and “I have to go” waited for their cue, but stayed frozen on my tongue. In silence, we headed toward a path with no recourse. Until I met Jake, I believed I would stay spotless till I said, “I do.” Until now, I had never wanted to change my novice status but at this moment, I wanted nothing more than to be with him. My mind was made up—tonight, we would express our love for one another.
The excitement in Jake’s eyes mirrored my own. His caresses began on my face. His mouth was soft. Savoring each kiss, his lips brushed over every part of my face. Hungrily, my mouth reached for his, hoping to kiss him, but he gently grazed my lips and moved on. Gentle. This word best described Jake’s every move tonight. In earnest resolve—a synonym if there ever was one—he moved ever so slowly and gently for me.
Repeating his earlier steps of unbuttoning my dress, his lips stopped traveling and my body lay still. His eyes stayed glued on mine. I briefly thought about my mom. What would she have said, if I told her what I wanted to do tonight? I wasn’t sure if she would have encouraged me or discouraged me. My mind also drifted to my conscience. As much as my body desired to love and be loved, there was a part of me—unsettled—like I was betraying myself in some way. When my mind came back to the moment at hand, I realized Jake had begun redressing me. He gazed lovingly into my eyes.
“Jake?” I whispered his name. “What’s the matter?”
“Emily, I’m content to just be with you tonight. We don’t have to do anything else.”
“Why? What’s wrong?”
“Sweetheart, as difficult as this is for me, I want to keep you as you are until we get married—and trust me, we will get married.”
“Jake…I’m OK. I want to do this for you…with you. I’d like to be with you tonight.” No matter how much I wanted to sound confused, his intentions were clear.
“Emily, I’m going to honor your wishes. That’s how much I love you,” he answered with regret written all over his face.
Almost every part of me wanted to be with Jake. He must have somehow read that tiny part of me that regretted saying yes. I loved Jake for knowing me so well. I loved him for wanting to help me keep my promise to myself and to my mom, no matter how difficult it was for him. But most of all, I loved him for loving me so much. Tonight I knew, if ever I were to walk down the aisle, he would be the one at the altar waiting for me. I knew that’s how much I loved him.
My eyes opened to a frantic thought. Road trip. Oh my gosh, I was
n’t ready to leave, and all my friends would be waiting for me at the house.
“Jake, Jake! I have to go. I haven’t packed for my road trip and we’re leaving in half an hour.”
“What? You’re going somewhere?” This was a change. He sounded groggy and I was wide awake at six in the morning.
“I’m going to Vegas to watch the football game with my college friends, remember? I have to leave right now.”
“Don’t go. Stay with me.” He held me prisoner in his arms—a happy prisoner. “How am I to go several days without seeing your beautiful face?”
“Jake, let’s be real. You won’t see me for three days whether or not I’m in town. I don’t think Chief Reid is going to let you leave the hospital for a week at least.”
“Stay a little longer. I’ll fly you out to Vegas later today.”
“No. I have to go. Sarah will be waiting. I’m getting up and leaving, OK?”
“Should I come with you?”
“No. Stay in bed.”
“I mean to Vegas.”
“Jake. Don’t be silly. I’ll call you later. I love you.” I ran out the door and rushed home.
Chapter 8 Road Trip
Within minutes I was home, showered, and packed in time for my friends to arrive. Though I didn’t want to be away from Jake, I looked forward to seeing my friends again.
Ding Dong! Ding Dong! 6:30a.m. Right on time. I was looking forward to spending some time with Sarah and getting her caught up on all the craziness of the last five days. She would be able to help me focus and sort out my feelings. I opened the door and to my surprise, it was Jake.
“Good morning, my love.” Jake planted a kiss on my lips. “I wanted to stop by and see your face before you left.”
“Didn’t you just see my face? Didn’t we see each other the whole night?”
“Love, I’ve never slept as well as I did last night. We’re going to have to have more slumber parties.” He grinned at me. “Here, I brought you your favorite breakfast.” He handed me an almond croissant and a latte. My stomach growling, I was grateful for the food. “How did you sleep last night? You claim you don’t sleep too well outside of your own bed.” He obviously doubted my original claim.
