Reunion Romance

by J. L. Ryan

  The dinner was superb and the conversation flowed easily around the table full of college pals. Janice was married with a passel of kids, all under the age of eight which were at home in Pennsylvania with her husband. Kyle had his own architectural firm in Dallas and had just become engaged to his assistant Sarah. He assured everyone that they were invited to the nuptials next winter. Candace was a divorced nurse and single mom but was hoping her boyfriend of the last three years would finally pop the question. He responded with a flamboyant roll of his eyes. Everyone was in good health and good spirits. It truly was fantastic to be back with her group of friends. Until now Jennifer had not realized just how much she had missed them. Her world now consisted of work, work, and more work. No friends really outside of the hospital and definitely no boyfriend.

  Lorenzo, however, remained quiet as everyone else discussed their lives since college and plans for the future. Jennifer didn’t remember him being the quiet one. He was always the jovial, fun all the time, type of guy. He would offer a small smile or laugh as appropriate, but seemed to be staying outside the conversation instead of a part of it. His silence unnerved her but she didn’t wish to ask unwanted questions but made a mental note to ask Jacy about the alteration in Lorenzo later.

  With dinner over, the wedding party moved back to the outdoor bar area where they could enjoy the cool ocean breeze and their drinks. Not realizing just how tired she was, and there wasn’t nearly enough food in her stomach to combat much more alcohol, Jennifer chose a lounge chair by the pool to relax in. At least she could kick off her strappy high heel sandals she had been in all day. Her feet were going to really hurt tomorrow. Jennifer had worn nothing but sneakers and crocs since graduating medical school. She was not cut out for heels, despite the need for added height, as she barely topped out at 5’2”. Everyone else gathered around the pool deck, sipping mai tai’s and other fruity umbrella drinks. Ethan started the group on something he called zombie brain shots. She didn’t know what was in it but it looked disgusting. Jennifer declined. With that the party was in full swing. Good thing the wedding ceremony wasn’t until late afternoon tomorrow as this particular group was going to need some hangover recovery time in the morning.

  The party lasted well into the evening but most began to file away to their respective rooms shortly after midnight. Jennifer had nearly fallen asleep in her lounge chair. It wasn’t until the last of the chattering died away that she noticed she was alone except for Lorenzo who had taken up a perch along the side of the pool, splashing his feet around. Throughout the after-dinner party, he had still remained quiet. This was not the man she remembered from college. The larger-than-life sexy, fun-loving Casanova. This made her sad and want to find out what was bothering her friend. Yes, they had been out of touch for many years. However, she found that she still cared about his well-being and had missed his presence in her life all this time. She got up from her lounge chair and walked over to the pool to sit down beside him. For several moments, they just sat there without saying a word.

  Lorenzo was the first to break the awkward silence between them by remarking about being proud she had realized her dream of being a prominent pediatric doctor in a renowned hospital. It was a vague attempt at small talk. She thanked him and then they sat in silence for a while longer until Jennifer couldn’t bare it anymore. Turning to him and looking up into his eyes, she saw sorrow reflected in their dark pools. There was an overwhelming desire to just hug him tightly as if he needed a shoulder to cry on. The urge was so strong that she did timidly reach up to stroke his cheek, which was prickly from a day or two old growth of beard. Instead of withdrawing from her as she feared, he placed his hand over hers and held it for what seemed many moments with his eyes closed. “La mia bella amica,” he uttered softly.

  After sitting a few more moments in silence, Lorenzo turned to Jennifer with that old familiar smile she was accustomed to seeing. “I’m so sorry for being such a poor date. It wasn’t what I planned at all. I thought the wedding would be a good distraction for me and instead I’ve only been sad since arriving here. That’s no way to treat such a beautiful lady,” he said with sincerity. She could tell he was sad but didn’t understand why.

  Jennifer gazed up into his eyes and said softly, “I’ll forgive you but you have to tell me why you are so sad. I was expecting this larger than life happy-go-lucky dude from my youth. Seeing you this way makes me sad and worried. This ‘date’ as you call it can only get better but you have to be straight with me.”

  With that he sighed and let the tale spill out. He had married several years ago to a wonderful woman, Lisa. They were happy and even happier when they became a family with the birth of their son Raphael. A spirited five year old that was a miniature version of himself with his wife’s quirky sense of humor. Their happiness was cut short a couple years back when Lisa was killed in a horrific accident on I-66 coming home from work one day. She wasn’t even supposed to be on the roads but had offered to deliver company documents to the Senate sub-planning committee chairman since he and his business partner were overwhelmed completing a project for another client.

  Lorenzo continued his story about how he was struggling as a single dad. Business was fine but he worried about his son growing up without his mom. If he had to admit it, he was also lonely and missed his wife very much. He thought he’d brave it out for Ethan and Jacy by coming to the wedding but it was taking more of a toll on him than he had imagined. That was why he had sent her the Facebook message. He knew if anyone could see him through this weekend, it would be Jennifer. “Guess I should’ve been more upfront and explained all that beforehand. Quite frankly I never thought you’d say yes. Figured you had some hot shot doctor boyfriend to escort you here.” With that last statement he actually conjured up a small teasing half-smile.

  Jennifer continued to hold his hand and listen for hours as he told stories about his wife and his son. He took out his iPhone to show her a picture and the boy was indeed a copy of his handsome dad. Their conversation flowed to other topics such as her career and lack of a personal life, what they had been up to since college, and reminiscing about their time together in school. Before they realized it the sun was coming up over the ocean horizon and they were still seated on the pool deck with their feet dangling in the water.

  Chapter 3

  As the hotel staff was starting about their day, Lorenzo and Jennifer went to their own rooms for much needed rest. Despite no sleep since the day before, her head was spinning with everything he had told her. After getting through all the sadness, they had reconnected during the course of the night. Felt like she had her friend back and with that thought she was able to close her eyes and sleep.

  A few hours later a loud banging awoke her. She had overslept. It was Jacy with the brilliant smile of a happy bride. The two women exchanged stories as Jennifer jumped in the shower and got ready for the day. Thankfully, the wedding planner had arranged for someone to do their make-up and hair. All she had to do was make herself presentable. While waiting on her friend, Jacy took pleasure teasing Jennifer about her late night sojourn with Lorenzo. Jacy had always hoped the two would end up together, ever since their freshman days. They had thwarted every attempt by herself and Ethan to make the transition from friends to lovers. Secretly, Jacy wished that her wedding might light a fire in their direction but she kept that information to herself.

  A few hours later, after a quick brunch, getting dolled up by the resort’s spa staff, and getting the bride squeezed into her lacy, halter-top styled wedding gown, it was time. Jacy didn’t seem nervous at all. She and Ethan had been together so long the wedding was just a formality. Jennifer, on the other hand, felt shaky as she proceeded down the carpeted aisle from the pool area to a spot on the beach where the groom and his handsome best man awaited. Traversing the terrain in high heels had been a bad idea after all. She nervously glanced up as she approached them and saw Lorenzo smiling at her with a gleam in his eyes. She gave him a quick wink an
d stepped aside for the bride’s arrival, trying her best not to trip.

  The wedding was short and simple. No frills but still sweet and romantic. Within minutes Jacy and Ethan were pronounced husband and wife, kissed, and everyone cheered. Jennifer glanced over to see how Lorenzo was handling the situation. She needn’t have worried. He was all smiles and staring straight at her. Her stomach experienced an unfamiliar butterfly sensation, but she dismissed it in her mind as needing to eat something. “It couldn’t be more than that,” she thought.

  The reception was held in the ballroom with French doors that opened out to the beach area. During dinner Lorenzo gave a sincere, yet hilarious toast to the bride and groom as he regaled the wedding guests with the story of how the two had met, had instantly despised each other, but within a week were caught making out in the chem lab. Everyone laughed, except Jacy’s parents. It was her turn. Jennifer had forgotten she needed to make a toast so she tried to wing it. After stumbling around for the right words, she went with the traditional congratulatory message to the groom with best wishes for the bride. Then reversed herself saying “Knowing Jacy as well as I do, maybe the best wishes part belongs to the groom. Hope you have a big enough closet for all her shoes and that you don’t live near an animal shelter since Jacy will bring home every single dog, cat, bird, mouse, whatever.”

  Music began shortly afterwards and the dance party ensued. Jacy and Ethan had always been big dancers and had dragged Jennifer and Lorenzo to all the clubs around campus. Jennifer was never comfortable in that environment, but Lorenzo always seemed to make it okay. Just like old times, he stayed by her side the entire night and didn’t pull her out onto the dance floor until a Frank Sinatra ballad began to play. He didn’t even ask. Just took her arm and led her out to dance. She recognized the strains of “The Way You Look Tonight”. Lorenzo was the only person who understood her preference for Frank Sinatra over Nirvana. It had been a running joke that Jennifer had arrived at campus in a time capsule from the 1950s because she never liked the typical “alternative” music most co-eds did.

  They danced closely. For some reason Jennifer couldn’t find the courage to look up into his eyes. All she could focus on was the feel of his hand stroking the small of her back through the flimsy dress material as they danced and listening to the beat of his heart as she laid her head on his chest. If they were back in school they would be bantering back and forth about who was the better dancer or just joking around in general.

  Too soon the song ended to be replaced by “The Chicken Dance”. Hoping to escape, Jennifer pulled away to walk back to the sidelines but Lorenzo had other ideas. Yes, she was going to have to endure this most ridiculous wedding ritual. She was sure the “Electric Slide” would follow soon enough, but hoped they had seen fit to exclude “The Macarena”. Before realizing it, it had been several upbeat dance numbers and she was still on the dance floor. Sweaty and thirsty, she motioned to Lorenzo that she was getting a drink. He followed closely behind as they grabbed a couple champagne flutes off a nearby waiter’s tray and strolled outside for a breath of fresh air.

  Removing her shoes on the sand, they walked out to the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. The sun was setting over the horizon. Jennifer plopped down on the sand to take in the beauty of the scene as she rarely saw the sunset anymore since she was always at the hospital or in the lab. Lorenzo joined her as they silently watched the glowing orange orb seemingly descend into the water. It was the first time in years that either of them had felt peaceful. This weekend had done wonders for them both, whether they realized it or not.

  Unaware of the passage of time, the bride and groom came searching for them an hour later for the bouquet and garter throwing tradition. Jennifer always tried to make herself scarce during this particular portion of any wedding but decided to humor Jacy this once. Luckily, one of the groom’s sisters was intent on being the next to get hitched and knocked everyone out of the way. Lorenzo stood stock still as Ethan threw the garter right at him and let the item fall to the floor where the pre-teen ring bearer grabbed it up. With all the wedding traditions complete, the bride and groom quickly made their exit so they could start the real celebrations in the honeymoon suite. The rest of the wedding party meandered around the ballroom for a while longer but started to disperse for their own rooms. Jennifer looked over at Lorenzo with a coy smile and motioned for him to follow her.

  Earlier that day Jennifer had spotted a billiards room down the hall from the spa area. In college they had played pool against each other relentlessly. A few times they had partnered up to swindle money from unsuspecting underclassmen. With a wink, she began to rack up the balls and selected her cue stick. “How about a friendly wager? For old times’ sake,” she challenged.

  Laughing, Lorenzo accepted her dare. After requesting a couple drinks from the bartender, he asked, “So what are we betting this time? It’s not like I have a research paper I need your help on anymore and I don’t think they will allow me on the plane with a case of scotch. What’s it gonna be, little girl?”

  “ Alright there, jolly green giant,” she teased back with the pet name she had given him freshman year, “We’re both relatively successful people. We could actually bet real money this time.”

  With a frown, he replied, “No. No. That’s no fun. Let’s make it interesting. Whoever wins gets to make the other either tell a truth or take a dare.” This proposal had potential but Jennifer was a little wary recalling past dares from him but decided to just go with it.

  “ You’re on, big guy,” she retorted with a smirk. Even though she hadn’t played pool in years she was confidant it would come back to her. However, the strategy didn’t work quite as she had planned. After thoroughly whipping his opponent, not once but three separate times, Jennifer admitted defeat and pleaded for mercy.

  Appearing deep in thought Lorenzo issued his ultimatum. Truth or dare? Always uncomfortable with the truth category, she chose “dare”. His dark eyes sparkled at the prospect as he contemplated his request. “Okay, I dare you to skinny dip in the pool or ocean right now.”

  Thankfully the alcohol that had flowed all night helped her find courage to do so but she was still not happy about it. After trying several times to convince Lorenzo to go “Best 5 out of 7 games”, she resigned herself to her fate. Even the bartender snickered as she headed out to the door to the pool. After seeing that the pool was a bit too well lit for her liking, she chose the darker, more concealing ocean. Jennifer timidly approached the edge of the surf to test the water temperature before shedding any clothes. Being the Atlantic Ocean, it was chilly no matter what time of year.

  Looking back to see Lorenzo standing smugly a few yards back, Jennifer instructed him to turn around and close his eyes. Despite it being nighttime, the moon was full and cast too much light on the beach for her liking. Grumbling under her breath that she should have known not to accept a dare from that man in particular, she tried the zipper at the back of the dress. It wouldn’t budge. After a number of failed attempts she gave up and called for Lorenzo to help. The look on his face said that he was enjoying this a bit too much. He unhooked the clasp at the top, which she had completely forgotten about, and then slowly slid the zipper down to the small of her back. Her skin was chilled from the cool breeze coming off the ocean but where his fingers barely grazed her back as he worked the zipper almost seemed on fire. She shook her head slightly to clear her head. “Must be the alcohol affecting me,” she reasoned.

  With the zipper situation remedied, Lorenzo retreated to his spot on the sand a few yards away. Being a gentleman, he turned away as she undressed. Still in her undies, Jennifer started to enter the water when she heard, “Skinny dipping means skin only, little girl,” followed by a smug chuckle. Wincing at being caught trying to cheat, she shed the rest of her garments and plunged into the waves.

  Resurfacing quickly she looked over to see Lorenzo doubled over laughing. Wishing to get out of the frigid water and avoid any ocean inhabitants, she
tersely instructed him to get a towel or at least turn around while she put her clothes back on. He turned away still laughing. As she came onshore she couldn’t find her undies. In her haste she had discarded them too close to the edge of the water and they had floated away with the tide. Reaching for her dress, Jennifer realized that due to being thoroughly drenched, she had difficulty getting it back on. After a few minutes struggling, Lorenzo had finally ceased laughing and questioned what was taking so long. Embarrassed she admitted the truth causing more laughter to erupt. After a few seconds, she started laughing too at the ridiculousness of a thirty-something year old doctor childishly taking a silly dare to strip off her clothes and run into the ocean. Her present predicament with the dress just highlighted the hilarity of the situation.

  Finally regaining his composure, Lorenzo backed over to her so as not to see her clinging to the flimsy dress. He had left his suit jacket in the billiard room so he unbuttoned his dress shirt and handed it to her. Being so tall and Jennifer being so short, the shirt covered her almost to her knees. Playfully hitting him in the chest with the crumbled up dress, they made their way back to the hotel.

  Luckily, due to the lateness of the hour, the lobby and hallways were relatively empty. Lorenzo escorted her back to her room. They were both still giggling when they arrived at her door. As she turned to open the door, Jennifer found herself wanting to invite him in for a drink but thought better of it. Instead she thanked him for a memorable “date” and gave him a quick kiss on cheek before retreating into her suite and closing the door behind her. She stood with her back against the door for several moments contemplating why she had gotten so nervous just now. It was just Lorenzo after all.