The Weird Travels of Aimee Schmidt: Seeking Others

by J. A. Schreckenbach

  Aimee took a few seconds to process Sacha's advice. She asked, “You think he'll forgive me?”

  “Hmmm,” Sacha started, “well, if he loves you, and I know he does, he will. It may take a while. Just be patient no matter how long it takes, and fight for him, if you have to.” Sacha gingerly swept a strand of stray hair out of Aimee's eye and put it behind her ear. She smiled at Aimee.

  Aimee tried to smile back. Every inch of her body felt emotionally drained. “Thank you, Sacha,” she managed with her bottom lip quivering.

  Sacha patted Aimee's back, and softly replied, “Trust me. He's not ever gonna leave you.”

  Aimee wanted to believe what Sacha said. Trust me. He's not ever gonna leave you floated in and out of her mind all night, along with the horrible, pained look on Dylan's face when he discovered Aimee was covering up Joseph's presence in Eugene. Could he be that jealous of Joseph, she wondered. Why? Other than not telling him Joseph was in town, she hadn't given him any reason to doubt her faithfulness. She was sorry, really sorry, she didn't tell Dylan, but she thought that was what love was about. He had to trust she loved him, and only him, no matter what. After all, she had accepted his Promise ring, a symbol that they both gave their love only to each other. She tossed and turned almost the entire night, besides being worn to a frazzle. She knew he wouldn't call, or even text, but she checked her phone a dozen times during the sleepless night. No communication made for more tension, and tension made for a long night of desperation. She played in her mind a half dozen scenes of the future conversation between her and Dylan when he finally called her. Her brain felt like it would explode by the time the sunlight poked through the partially opened blinds. She wanted to get up and run, just run, and run, and run, and not stop. But she was too exhausted. Finally she gave up trying to sleep and got up. She wandered out into the kitchen, flipped on the coffee pot, and waited for it to brew. Abruptly, her phone vibrated on the counter. Aimee grabbed it and noticed DT on the screen.

  She took a deep breath, exhaled, then softly answered, “Hi.”

  “Hi,” Dylan replied. He sounded tired, too.

  Neither said anything else for a long time. Aimee couldn't be patient. She had to fix this. “Look Dylan...” she started.

  Dylan interrupted, “I think we need to talk. Can I come over?”

  Aimee's heart dropped to the floor. She tried to answer light-hearted, but she couldn't. “Sure. I'll be waiting,” she struggled to spit out. Dylan didn't say another word. The call ended, and Aimee flew to the bathroom to at least wash her face and brush her teeth. She went to bed in the same clothes she had on the day before, but right now she didn't feel like taking a shower and changing. Within minutes, she was sitting at the front window, holding her cup of hot coffee, and watching for Dylan. In a few minutes, too quick to have come from the dorm, Dylan pulled into a parking space and peeled himself out of the FJ. He looked as tired as he had sounded. Aimee sprang up and opened the door before he reached it.

  She offered an apologetic smile, then said, “Good morning.”

  Dylan didn't attempt to smile back when he entered into the apartment. No kiss on the cheek, no touch on the shoulder. Nothing. But he at least said, “Morning.” Aimee sensed what was coming.

  “Can I get you a cup of coffee?” she asked.

  “Yeah, that would be good,” he said. She flew to the kitchen to pour him a cup, added some creamer, and was back in a few seconds.

  Dylan squinted his eyes as he looked at her. “Are those the same clothes I got you yesterday morning?” he asked.

  Damn, Aimee thought, he's too observant. Aimee quickly cleared her throat before answering, “Yeah, I had my mind on other things yesterday besides changing.” She gestured to the couch, “Do you wanna talk here, or outside on the porch. It's a bit chilly, but we can be by ourselves.”

  Dylan rubbed the back of his neck, looked outside, then stated, “I think I'm good in here.”

  Aimee sat down at one end, leaning against the throw pillow and drew her legs up. Dylan took a long sip of his coffee, then put his cup down on the coffee table and sat down in the middle, but definitely not close to Aimee. Her heart beat like it would explode out of her chest. She could feel sweat beading up on her face. She wiped at her forehead quickly so he wouldn't notice. She was doing her best to stay in control, and be patient. She would let him talk first. Finally, after a very long and awkward silence, Dylan looked at her and stated, “I've been up since I got back to the dorm yesterday. I did a lot of driving around, just thinking. And I almost drove back to Oceanside to ask him myself. I need to know why he's here. I mean really why he's here, and I need to know why you felt compelled to keep it from me.” He stopped and just stared at his girlfriend, waiting for the truth.

  Aimee stretched out one leg over the edge, nervously twitching her foot, and took a long, deep breath trying to calm the jitters, then proceeded to answer. “One evening, about mid-quarter, you were out of town at a game, and I went to grab a bite to eat before going grocery shopping. I was eating my dinner when I spotted him. He didn't see me, and instead of going over and greeting him, like any normal person would when they suddenly see the person who saved their life, and who is supposed to be thousands of miles from Eugene, I ran out of the restaurant. He noticed my hasty exit, and before I could get into the car, he was there. God, it was sooo totally weird to see him here. I'm not sure what I was thinking, except all of those horrible memories of the accident came flooding in when I saw him. All I wanted to do was get out of there as fast as I could. Anyway, he was polite, and seemed completely surprised to see me, and invited us, you and me, out to dinner. I told him the family would love to meet him, since he did actually save my life. He said he would like that, but that was it. I drove away. He gave me his card, only I trashed it. I don't know. I know he saved me from death, and opened up his house to us, total strangers, but there's something about him that kinda weirds me out...”

  Dylan interjected, “Yeah, me too.”

  Aimee forced a limp smile, then continued, “Well anyway, that's the reason I didn't say anything to you. I didn't understand why, but anytime he was around us before we returned home, and even after we got back, and his name got mentioned in the conversation, I could sense something about him made you uneasy, like something had happened between the two of you in England.”

  Dylan shot a serious look at Aimee, but he didn't affirm her theory. He did have a reason to feel the way he did. After all, Dr. Payne had shared with him the story about Joseph's mother telling Joseph someday he would save a beautiful, young girl from the States, and the story played out almost exactly as described. Dylan didn't believe people could tell the future, but he did believe that Joseph had feelings for Aimee, more than just a stranger saving a stranger should have. Dylan knew just how deeply he felt for Aimee, and he caught Joseph looking at Aimee with a look of desire. But he wasn't going to share the story Dr. Payne told him. He just answered with blatant doubt, “Yesterday, the way he looked at you, and how nervous you got, I didn't understand, and then when he said he had been talking to you, well...” Dylan paused, looked away from Aimee, anxiously rubbed his hands together, then finished in a low voice, “...yeah, well, I just knew you weren't telling me he was here for a reason.”

  “Dylan,” Aimee quickly responded as she reached over and touched his arm. He looked down at her hand, but didn't pull away. “There's nothing, absolutely nothing between us. I mean, he makes me uncomfortable, too, and I knew he was on campus teaching, so I tried to avoid seeing him, but I did run into him once. He's so insistent about us, you and me, going out to dinner with him. He brought it up again, but I told him everyone was too busy.” She paused. Dylan was staring her straight on as he listened. “After that incident, I only went on campus for classes, and then hurried off just so I wouldn't run into him again. I swear, Dylan, that's all that has happened with us. There's nothing between Joseph and me. I just didn't want to bring him up because I had a feeling you two ha
d words, or something happened to cause you to act the way you do when his name is mentioned.”

  Aimee stopped talking. The two of them stared at each other for a very long time. Aimee couldn't wait for him to say something. “Dylan, I'm sooo sorry I didn't tell you Joseph was here, but I don't know what else I can say. There's nothing between us. Yes, I knew he was here, and yes, we've talked a couple times, but that's it.” Aimee took Dylan's hand into hers. He didn't resist, but he didn't hold hers. Aimee's eyes started to cloud, and the moisture in her nose began to turn on. She knew the tears were coming. “I love you, only you, with all my heart,” she said softly, but with as much conviction as she could muster in each word.

  Dylan had been staring at their hands. He looked up and his face softened a bit, but he still couldn't manage a smile or a twinkle in his dark, chocolate eyes. He did reply, after a very long sigh, “I'm sorry I got so upset yesterday.” He paused, stood up and walked over to the front window and looked out for a few seconds, then turned back to Aimee. “It's just I love you more than life, with every cell of my body, and I want you to love me back the same way. I'm not sure you do, or will ever be able to, but the look you had on your face when you saw him... I can't describe it, except that for a fleeting second I felt doubt, like you weren't just mine.” He stopped. He couldn't talk anymore.

  Aimee could see how emotionally spent he was. She got up off the couch and stepped over to him. She slowly wrapped her arms around him, and looked deeply, ardently, and truthfully into his eyes. “Dylan, you have my heart, and I have yours. We promised ourselves to each other, forever. I only love you.” Dylan's eyes glistened. A small tear dropped from the corner of his eye. He didn't pull away. He slowly eased his arms around Aimee, looked into her eyes, and replied, “I believe you.” Then their lips touched softly.

  **********

  A few days later, Aimee was up making herself a cup of coffee. Sacha came out of the bedroom, yawned, and greeted her. “Good morning,” she said as she grabbed an empty cup from the cabinet, then started to pour herself a cup of coffee.

  “Good morning,” Aimee responded.

  “You going for a run?”

  “Yeah, I thought I would get one in before Dylan and I go finish our Christmas shopping.”

  “So,” she started, took a sip, then followed Aimee into the living room. Both sat down on the couch. Sacha put her cup on the table, then continued, “how are things between you two?”

  Aimee took a slow sip of coffee, pausing long enough to figure out how she wanted to answer. After a few seconds, she put her cup down and replied, “Okay, I think.”

  “Well, that's good, not great, but a start,” Sacha acknowledged.

  “Yeah, it is good. I was so sure he wanted to break up with me, but it would have been over nothing, except me not telling him Joseph was here. At least he believes I didn't intentionally cover up anything more than his being here because I knew Dylan doesn't care for him.”

  Sacha asked, “Did he ever tell you why?”

  “Why he doesn't care for him?” Aimee repeated.

  “Yeah. I mean, the man saved your life, and then took care of you both until you could come home. What could have happened in that short time that would have turned Dylan off on the man?”

  Aimee answered flatly, “I dunno. I think something happened between the two, but Dylan won't tell me.” She took a deep breath, reached and picked up her cup, took another slow sip, then stated, “I don't think Dylan's completely gotten over this, but at least he knows how I feel.”

  Sacha smiled and nodded. “If you love each other, and there's mutual trust, you can survive anything together.”

  Aimee smiled back. She was truly happy Sacha would be her sister-in-law. She loved her like a sister. Of course, she and James had always been close, but she couldn't have this kind of talk with her brother. Only another woman could understand what Aimee was feeling. Only another woman could share her wisdom of the heart, with a woman's perspective. She knew how rocky Sacha and James's relationship turned after a similar incident of doubt. But they got through it, and except for a minor spat now and then, they seemed to be completely committed to each other. Aimee said, “Sacha, thank you for being here for me. I'm so glad you're gonna be my sister.”

  Sacha reached over and hugged Aimee, “Thanks, I'm glad you'll be my sister, too.”

  **********

  Things were better, much better, between Aimee and Dylan over the next few days, but she still sensed a slight detachment in Dylan. It wasn't anything she could put her finger on exactly. They seemed to be physically connecting, but emotionally, something was different. Like Sacha advised her, she needed to be patient and show him that he was the only thing that mattered in her life. Perhaps she hadn't been as good as Dylan at sharing her heart. It's just easier for Dylan, she decided. Despite having a good deal of his own emotional baggage to carry, he was able to tell her, and show her, just how he felt. Even though her commitment, her love, her desire was as strong, she definitely had a harder time, even with the man she loved, to share her heart as openly as he wanted, or seemed to need.

  The weekend home with family helped, so Aimee thought, to lessen the bruised feelings she still sensed. Dylan wasn't going to let on to either her dad and Hannah, or his mom and Paul that anything was out of sorts between the two of them. Matter-of-fact, he even mentioned something to his mom and stepdad about their moving in together after the bowl game. Jill and Paul gave him their blessings to find a place he and Aimee liked, and they would take care of the cost. Aimee felt relieved Dylan still wanted to live together. It was a sign to her that things were almost mended between them.

  Driving back to Eugene late Sunday night, Dylan suddenly informed Aimee that he wasn't going to be able to go to New York, after all.

  Aimee instantly panicked. “Why?” she questioned, the shock obvious in her voice.

  Dylan glanced over at her, and then back to the road, “Coach wants us to beef up our practices immediately after Christmas, and we haven't played a game in a few weeks.”

  She could feel the disappointment migrating to her tear glands. Her eyes welled with drops.

  “Hey, don't cry,” he said as he reached over and grabbed her hand and held it. “It's not like you'll be there by yourself. You and Chels will have a great time if you do half of what she told me she has planned.”

  “But Dylan,” Aimee started, trying to hold back the quivering in her voice, “I wanted us to spend every minute we could together before school started.”

  “I know, but I can't help this,” he replied. “I should have known we wouldn't get a real break, not with the game so soon after New Years.” He paused, glanced her way, then back to the road. He continued, “Besides, maybe when you get back I'll have an even better surprise for you.”

  Aimee brightened a bit. “A better surprise?” she repeated.

  He grinned. “Yep, but I'm not telling you, so don't bug me about it.”

  “Okay,” she answered. The only surprise she could imagine, and the one that would mean the most to her, was getting a place together. Aimee overheard Dylan, Paul, and Jill talking about it. She would have to be optimistic that the surprise he promised was their own place. In any event, she knew she wouldn't have near as much fun without Dylan on her trip to New York. “But I'm gonna miss you terribly. I'm not sure I want to go now.”

  Dylan squeezed her hand. “You're going. I paid for those tickets and I don't want to waste both of them. And Chels won't forgive you if you don't go.”

  “Yes, sir,” Aimee responded half-heartedly.

  The next day Aimee was scheduled to work the entire day. Since she was going to be gone for over a week, especially during the holiday season, she agreed to pull long hours at work all the way until they closed on Christmas Eve. She grumbled about it, especially since she wasn't going to see Dylan from the twenty-sixth until after the first of the year, but she needed the money, and besides, she had promised Jeff, her boss, that she wou
ld pull double shifts. Debra, the other worker, was off for the week, so she was scheduled to pull extra shifts while Aimee was gone. Aimee didn't have a choice. She had to work the long hours for the whole week.

  Jeff was going to relieve Aimee at two for a couple hours so she could have a long lunch. The store had been busy with last minute Christmas shoppers. She was more than happy when two rolled around. She grabbed her backpack, and raced out to go pick up one more small gift for Chels. Just as she stepped on the escalator, someone stepped onto it behind her. She looked behind and almost dropped her pack.

  “Hey there,” Joseph said cheerfully. His bright blue, chick-magnet eyes were working overtime.

  Aimee thought about running up the escalator and disappearing into the crowded mall, but there were too many people in front of her. She had to ride up with Joseph one step behind her. She was going to ignore him, but she heard herself being polite. “Hi,” she answered. “What are you doing here?” followed out of her mouth.

  “Well, I had to come back to Eugene to prep for the next quarter, but I'm going back to the dig site right after Christmas with a couple students. What are you doing here?” he asked.

  “I'm on my break, and I need to get one more gift for my friend in New York before I leave next Tuesday.”

  “Oh,” he replied. “Going to New York City? I'm sure you and Dylan will have a grand time. It's an exciting city, although I prefer small, quiet, and out of the way places, like Oceanside. I really like that area.”

  “Yeah, it's nice,” Aimee agreed.

  Joseph stepped up to join Aimee. He began, “Actually, the real reason I'm here, as in here at the mall, is to apologize.”

  Aimee's eyebrows scrunched together. “Apologize?” she repeated.

  “Yes, well, I take it Dylan didn't know I was here, and he seemed less than thrilled to see me.”

  Great assumption, Aimee thought. “Well, he was less than thrilled with me because I didn't let him know you were in Eugene.”