After locating them an empty table Jason grabbed a beer and brought her a glass of sangria wine. She was surprised when she sipped and it was actually quite delicious and medium sweet with a strawberry and peach wedge added to it.
“Only one for the night, Jen,” he warned in all seriousness, “until either of us are married or we’re twenty-one.”
She nodded agreement and tried to relax.
Jason was a stickler for rules, so she was even more surprised that he’d actually allowed himself a beer. Though it was only one, she snickered to herself imagining him slapping his own hand and telling himself, “No, no!”
He interrupted her thoughts when he explained about the wine, “Lillian makes the sangria herself. It’s delicious isn’t it?”
She nodded again, it was exceptionally fantastic. She sat gazing around the room until her eyes fell on one man.
Jason followed her eyes and said, “That’s Father Jose, Jenny. He’s our pastor.”
Jennifer was greatly surprised, the man looked almost too young and he was definitely way too cute to be a priest.
She watched as a man in a black suit and white Roman collar strolled slowly about, smiling and shaking hands, hugging a few here and there. Everyone seemed happy that he’d stopped to say hello.
“He’s a Carmelite priest from India. He and several of his Carmelite brothers are pastoring here in the Saint Augustine Diocese. Wonderful men, each one of them,” Jason stated with awed respect in his voice. “They had to complete thirteen years of schooling before they were allowed to be ordained. Well educated and thoroughly assessed to make certain they actually had a calling to the priesthood before they were accepted.” He said this with obvious pride while Jennifer kept looking at the priest wandering through the room.
Jason was basically talking Greek to Jenny, she didn’t understand half of what he just said, but gathered the man was educated and chosen and definitely loved by everyone she saw him talking to here this evening. He spotted her looking at him and a smile as bright as a noon day sun spread across his face.
Oh, my goodness, Jenny thought to herself. I just had to stare at the man, just had to watch! How do you talk to a priest anyway? Hope he doesn’t expect me to kiss his ring or something, Jenny wondered with alarm. When it came to religious stuff, that’s how she viewed it – stuff – for other people if they had to, but certainly not for her.
“Wellll, Jaaason,” Father Jose crooned as he sidled over to their table, still smiling that big smile of his and looking from Jason to Jennifer. “Soooo, you brought a friend I see.” Turning to Jennifer and holding out his hand he said before Jason could respond, “I am Father Jose, and I have been informed that you are Jennifer?”
Shaking his hand, she remarked, “Yes, but how did you know?”
Jason stood as soon as Father Jose arrived at their table. They shook hands and Jason allowed her question to hang in air.
“Oh, Barbara was telling me all about how she is pretty sure she adores you. And I heard that you are a writer too,” Father Jose replied.
Even his eyes smiled, Jenny realized.
“There is also Lillian and Charles,” he stated, “who said they were happy Jason has managed to bring you today, that you are a lovely lady. They are correct,” he added flashing his pearly white perfect teeth.
“Thank you, sir,” Jennifer responded, a tad embarrassed.
“Hope to see you again soon, Jennifer. Jason is a fine young man who we are all very proud of, and I hope you enjoy your evening here with us,” he remarked with a nod at Jason before he glided away to another table.
That was the first time in her whole life that a minister had ever spoken to her. He seemed nice enough. Very courteous and his smile seemed genuine, she decided, trying to relax again.
The evening sun was hanging lower in the West as more and more people began meandering into the house, although it had been a weirdly warm day for winter.
Jason went to grab some oysters off the grill for them to eat before they would all be gone. He brought back a small bucket of them and a shucking knife, empty platter and a large dish towel.
“In the shell or out?” he inquired as he cracked opened the first one.
“In,” she responded as she took the half shell he’d prepared by slicing the membrane that kept the oyster attached to the pearlescent oyster lining. Sprinkling black pepper on the grilled oyster she enjoyed it as it slid into her waiting mouth. “Hmmmm, hmm, that’s just plain wonderful,” she mumbled with happiness.
Jason was busy shaking Louisiana Hot Sauce on his when she began to help herself to another. They both ignored the crackers that had been added to the bucket, the oysters were enough.
After a little while someone came by, empted their table of all the wreckage from the emptied oysters and wiped the table clean, adding a fresh black tablecloth.
“Jen, what happened to your poor wrist?” Jason asked in an agitated whisper as he grabbed her arm and pulled it closer for him to look.
Swiftly drawing her arm back before he could see it better she answered, “Oh, nothing much. I got into an arm wrestling match and lost.” She tried to laugh it off. “Would you mind terribly getting me something to drink? The salt from the oysters have made me thirsty,” Jenny asked to stop him from staring at her arm with that frown on his face. He left and she tried to unwind one more time.
A short while later Jason sat sipping his drink, coffee this time, and looked as calm and relaxed as if he were a king and this was his castle, or so Jennifer thought as she glanced at him.
She was tense but tried not to show it. Everywhere she looked this particular group seemed to show money and power - the way so many, though not all, but many, were dressed. Though she had to admit, it wasn’t just their dress, it was their posture, the perfect skin, the perfect hair, the perfect mannerisms, even their perfect conversations, their perfect laughs, so at ease and everyone knowing everyone else. She put her hand to her forehead, remembering a small zit she’d used her new hair style to try and conceal. How did they all manage to have Hollywood skin? Didn’t any of them ever eat a pizza?
She suddenly decided to notice how Jason was dressed. These were his friends after all, so how did he dress? She usually avoided doing that, noticing him closely, though she wasn’t sure why.
He was wearing a pair of made for Florida black casual wool dress pants, an ocean blue button up dress shirt, probably Armani, that had fine silky looking threads in it, probably was pure silk, to add a tiny bit of shimmer when the light struck it just right. He had his long sleeves rolled up several turns of the cuffs. The shirt was unbuttoned, as usual, two buttons from the top. Show off, she decided as she stared at his gold necklace and his wide chest. Humph! He did have a wide chest, she just realized with a little bit of irritation.
Looking down at his feet she took in his Italian leather shoes, matching belt and he wore a wide gold wrist watch, one of those expensive brands she’d bet. All of it set his deep olive-brown skin off in a magnificent way, she decided with a little catch in her breath. His solid black hair was always perfect with a little wave in it all over. An aristocratic, perfect nose set between perfectly spaced eyes, high cheeks and lean square jaw with just a hint of a clef in it made up his face. Jennifer knew he was Italian, Egyptian, Greek and Jewish. His mixed Mediterranean heritage was beautifully obvious. Just as her pale skin and brown hair and eyes showed she was nothing but a mutt.
A male model, medium tall, well developed with defined musculature, self assured and gorgeous, that’s what Jason looked like, she realized for the first time with stunned surprise. Why hadn’t she ever really noticed it until now? He was sizzling hot. When had her shy but talkative little friend turned into this hunky, manly, heart stopping Jason sitting here looking ever so boldly and questioningly at her?
She felt her breathing pick up and she didn’t understand why. Continuing her perusal she noted he had perfect white teeth too, sparkling, she saw almost with dismay. The
lips were not too thin and not too full, okay, they were perfect too she admitted to herself with growing irritation. His brown eyes were under a brow bridge of perfect eyebrows that cocked up on the right when he was perplexed, irritated, angry or contemplating something.
Right now that right brow was cocked and his eyes were twinkling at her as a slow smile spread across his face. “Did I dress wrong?” he asked, still holding that easy ambiance as he relaxed in the seat.
“You know for sure and certain you’re dressed perfect!” she muttered, feeling oddly super irked with him and with herself.
Suddenly she felt so out of place it was devastating. Looking down at herself, and then around at others she felt strange. She wasn’t badly dressed, but there was a subtle difference from the rest. Class. She didn’t have class. It was so obvious she wanted to cry or run away.
Jason frowned for a moment, got up, took her by the hand and began introducing her again to about everyone there, some possibly twice. It was a large crowd.
The two of them strolled down to the beach and were sitting on a blanket he’d grabbed off a small table stacked with blankets and towels at the end of the patio for the beach goers. Another blanket he’d wrapped around her shoulders to keep her warm from the wind.
Staring off into the distance, watching two shrimp boats heading back to Mayport, and three sailboats seeming to zigzag through the current from far right to far left, out about half a mile, Jennifer turned to Jason and asked, “Jas, why aren’t you in Bolles, Stanton, or some of those other prep schools? Instead you’re at Ed White. Why?”
Twirling a foot long piece of sea oat between his teeth he seemed surprised at her question. “The drive to and from for any of them would take two to three hours every day alone. You have to consider where we both live, Jenny. It’d be faster to drive to Georgia than battle the traffic to get across town every day.” He took the oat out and had begun to twirl it along her arm. “Those places are for kids who are striving to make contacts and who desire to make a big name for themselves at the most expensive universities there are.” With his face turning serious he looked out at the large waves crashing against the beach. “Besides, I already know what I plan to do with my life and it doesn’t require any of those things.”
“What?” she asked intrigued and realizing she really wanted to know. He was a dear friend, after all.
Jason laughed lightly for a minute and admitted tentatively, “Until two years ago, I had planned to join the priesthood.”
“Priesthood?!” she exclaimed, suddenly angry. “You never said a word about it!” Tossing a shell she had picked up she glared over at him. “Had you lost your ever loving mind, Jason Zonelli? What in the world? Priesthood!” She snorted then added, “My eye!”
He laughed aloud at her reaction as he lay back on the blanket and looked up at the beautiful twilight sky.
Trying to get her anger under control, she realized that she’d heard there were certain religious sects that didn’t require celibacy and they allowed marriage. The very idea of him tossing his whole life away and not ever having a wife and children just made her mad enough to spit. He was like her brother, he’d make a perfect husband and father, she was absolutely sure of it.
“So . . . your religion allows its priests to marry, huh?” she inquired, sounding hopeful.
“Nope.” He didn’t explain a thing, simply laid there grinning now and again, not uttering another word.
She sat there stunned to complete speechlessness. Anger, hurt and aggravation filled her. She felt like she was about to burst. “Oh, for pity’s sake, Jas, you can’t do that, you just can’t!” she exclaimed, her ire and hurt getting ahead of her brain.
His expression became serious as he turned his head to look at her. He waited a little before he asked, “Why not?”
“Why not?” she repeated his question with crazed eyes. “Because, uh, because . . . you, you would deprive some woman of a wonderful husband and the world would not be right without you one day having children.” She began to stammer, “I, I mean, there are so few good men these days, Jas, so very few. It just wouldn’t be right.” Shaking her head to emphasize, “No, that would not be a good thing.”
Fuming she suddenly realized what he’d said, “. . . until two years ago . . . .”
“What changed your mind two years ago?” she inquired, then held her breath as she tensed for his answer not understanding why.
He sat up again, stuck the oat back into his mouth and announced, “I was praying for someone one day, and I asked God a question. He soon made me realize I could be a secular person and still work for Him. God has goals for everyone’s life, Jenny. They were made when He formed us in our mother’s womb. We tend to get in the way of them when we decide to do things our own way, whenever it’s contrary to His perfect will,” he explained, in a Jason kind of explaining. “Anyway, God let me know I was not called to the priesthood.”
“Well,” she snorted with a frown, “of course you weren’t, Jas. Why, that would be terrible. Just terrible!” Trying to calm down she slowly relaxed and managed to smile back at him. “So, Jas, what are your plans now?”
“Law,” he answered.
“Law? Hum, yes, you’d also make a good attorney.” Digging into the sand with her fingers she began to form a mermaid leaning on a small coral reef background. “What kind of law?” she inquired.
Jason watched in amazement as her fingers deftly created a beautiful statue out of nothing but damp sand. “Estate planning and limited family law - I believe. Not divorces.” He stated that last part adamantly for clarification.
Jennifer remembered he was also a pro-lifer, which they had argued over a few years back. She felt a woman had a right to determine if she wanted to allow a pregnancy to continue or not, especially if the father wasn’t involved. Jason’s feelings about God prohibited him from wanting any possible new human life from being destroyed. That was the last big disagreement they’d had. It was when she turned away from him, allowing their many years long friendship to become almost icicle cold.
Taking a deep breath, she realized she didn’t want a disagreement to come between them today, they had been having a good time. So, she would avoid sticky subjects - except, she would not remain silent if he ever mentioned being a priest to her again. That was just not to be allowed.
“You’ll do well, Jas, no matter what you decide,” she told him as she finished her mermaid.
They returned to silence as they sat beside one another and enjoyed the sound of sea gulls, ocean waves and people’s laughter from the house behind them. It felt like the good old days, when they were young and enjoyed being together, being quiet.
It Often Turns Around To Bite You . . .
7 – HORROR AND DANGER
It was Wednesday, during the week following the beach party. Jennifer walked down the hallway at school hurrying to her next class. Suddenly she noticed two younger boys trying to give her lecherous grins, with eyebrow wags and whistles added, while pointing and laughing as they walked by her.
Once in the classroom there was a dirty look or two thrown her way by several girls who then whispered behind their hands. Several guys were definitely giving her flirty looks who’d never noticed her before. Not that she’d wanted them to, but . . . it was just too weird!
What could possibly be going on? She looked down at herself and could see nothing wrong. Puzzled, she took her seat pondering what could have her classmates acting so peculiar toward her.
Finally and happily her final high school years were coming to a close. Graduation notices would soon be mailed and all the senior rings and mementoes had already been purchased, at great sacrifice by her parents she was sure. Her parents never complained when she brought in yet another school announcement. It seemed to be one thing or another that only seniors could get all the time. They wanted her to have it all, although she thought most of it was a waste of their good money.
Jennifer felt terrible that her poor da
d and mom had to spend so much money on all her graduating memorabilia. She tried to convince them to save it for her college graduation instead, but they wouldn’t have it. The worst part was that she didn’t have any money from a job to help them out. Since a number of her classes were advanced and college credit they had refused to allow her a part time job, saying they wanted her to study and enjoy her last year in high school. All the crazy hoopla started recently, while it was still January.
Worrying over how her family was handling all her expenses she was brought abruptly back to the present when she began to notice too many other people were looking oddly at her and acting weird.
Salina breezed into the room and plunked down beside her at the work table. She had a look of fury on her face. Turning to Jennifer she announced in a breathless voice, “Girl, you are not gonna believe what that meant for a barbeque spit cowboy and his friends have done!”
Jennifer was bewildered. She had avoided Scott completely since the mall incident, refusing all his phone calls, which were many. “What do you mean?” she asked.
Taking out her cell phone Salina located her e-mail and opened up a video. There in living color was Jennifer pressed up against Scott in the mall. Her top almost popping out of her knit pull over as she tried to break lose of him. Her jeans were so low it looked almost like a bikini fit. Why hadn’t she realized how really low they’d been? Scott was clearly oblivious to her trying to free herself and the whole thing made her look like a half naked teasing tramp being sexually harassed.
“Ohh. My. Goodness!” Jenny groaned while covering her eyes with her hands. “Where did you get this?”
“One of his friends thought you looked ‘awful delish’, so he took his phone and recorded this,” Salina answered while she attempted to pat Jenny’s arm for comfort. “Seems Scott thought it would be a good thing to have it sent to every guy they had an e-mail for, so naturally it’s all over Twitter, My Space, Facebook and You-Tube to show one and all that you’re his property. Here, read what the moron wrote.” She handed the phone to Jennifer.
THE DAWNING (The Dawning Trilogy) Page 6
