Marissa Lou’s head shot up and she stared between Katie and Jessica and quickly wiped away her tears, feeling embarrassed.
“Marissa Lou, what happened?” Katie asked softly, taking another step toward her.
“Nothing,” she sobbed and put her face in her hands.
“Then why are you crying?” Jessica asked, tears forming in her own eyes. Marissa Lou looked up again and tilted her head to the side as she stared at them and spoke between sobs. “I miss my friends. I don’t know anyone here.”
“You know us,” Jessica said quietly.
Marissa Lou laughed a little at that. “No, I don’t. I’ve lived here for a week and I have only spoken to you once,” she said looking at Katie.
Katie sucked in a breath and her face turned red. Marissa Lou knew she was right. Marissa had watched Katie and Jessica spend all day, everyday together since school let out, like they normally did Marissa Lou imagined.
Katie closed the distance between them and sat down on the warm grass beside her. “I’m sorry about that. I swear I didn’t even think. We can hang out now. Right, Jessica?” she asked looking up at Jessica’s concerned face.
“Of course,” Jessica said back, shaking her head.
“See.”
Marissa Lou stared at her for a minute before responding, “It’s still going to suck when school starts back. I’m not going to know anyone. What if no one likes me?”
“That’s easy,” Katie said, smiling. “The three of us will be starting fifth grade together. I don’t know how schools are where you’re from, but here we start Middle school in fifth grade. Most of us won’t know a lot of people, or fit in either.”
“Yeah,” Jessica said, smiling wide. “We can get through it together.”
“Really?” Marissa Lou asked.
“Really.” Katie said back.
***
Jess stopped beside Katie in front of Marissa and stared at her so innocently, “Hey, Marissa Lou, how are you?”
Marissa stared between them and the visions of the ten-year-old Jessica came back to her, as well as a boisterous Katie with messy chocolate hair and light freckles across her nose. Katie’s dark brown eyes stared back at her full of confidence and life, just like they always did. Marissa clamped her hands together excitedly. “I’m great, fantastic actually. Oh, but I actually go by Marissa now. I haven’t been called that since school.”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Jess said, looking down.
“Oh no, please don’t apologize. It’s so great to see you, Jess,” Marissa said, waving off her apology and pulling Jess toward her and wrapping her arms around her in a secure embrace.
“Come on, let’s sit,” Katie said, patting Jess on the back.
They each took a seat around the table Marissa occupied and fidget uncomfortably.
“It really is nice being back,” Marissa said finally, breaking the silence.
Katie looked around the room. “Yeah, it’s all right.”
“Where have you been all this time? What do you do now?” Jess asked Marissa.
“Woo, those are big questions. After eight grueling years of medical school I decided to stay in Pennsylvania. I already had a job lined up at a local hospital that I did my clinical rotations in, plus I met my husband there.”
“You’re married?” Jess asked curiously.
“Yep, Stan and I have been married for five years.”
“Awe sweet, where is he? I’d like to meet him,” Jess asked, looking around the room for someone unfamiliar to her.
“He’s not here. We actually split up a few months ago.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry,” Jess said sadly.
Marissa waved her hand in the air at Jess. “No, don’t be. It was for the best. We both worked so much. It was like we weren’t even married anyway.”
Katie was quiet the whole time, she just stared at Marissa, as if taking in everything that she was saying. She blinked rapidly as if shaking away a thought and finally spoke up, “So why have you never come back to visit?”
Marissa sucked in a sharp breath and held it for a few seconds before releasing. She knew this question was going to come, but no amount of knowing could ever prepare her for it. She could never tell Katie that the thought of seeing her and Daniel together was too unbearable, considering how much she once loved him, even after all these years, or how she dreamed about him some nights, his hands touching her in places that made her body quake like he used to. No, she would never tell her old friend that. And she also couldn’t tell her that she ran as fast as she could from Randy at the first chance she got. The addiction to him was too much to bear, almost as much as the drugs he fed her, and the horrid mistakes she was making toward the end.
Instead she said, “Too busy I guess; always on call and all that. There never seemed to be any time for anything. I guess that’s why Stan left.” She stared off, thinking about Stan. He wasn’t the most attractive man; the complete opposite of Randy, and even Daniel, for that matter. He was the typical image of a geeky man; tall and slim with black rimmed glasses and polished clothes, but he was a sweet, stable guy. One she wouldn’t have to worry about being stolen from her or leading her down a path of self destruction. She never loved him though. She always suspected that he knew that. In the end it just wasn’t enough anymore, for either of them. She waved a hand in the air again, “Enough about me, what about you guys?”
“I was pregnant when we graduated,” Katie blurted out quickly, almost giving Marissa whip lash.
“Well, umm, congratulations,” Marissa stuttered.
“Sorry I blurted it out like that. I needed to get it out.”
Marissa silently nodded her head.
“Daniel and I got married right after high school,” Katie continued. “My parents didn’t approve because they thought it meant I wouldn’t pursue college, but I did. We own a construction company here in the County.”
Katie placed a small black velvet photo album on the table, showing Marissa and Jess the assorted photos of them from their senior year; the first being of the happy couple, Katie and Daniel, like they always were, at their senior prom. The background looked so much like the gym did now. Marissa tilted her head to the side as she stared at the young couple. Katie had grown into her own during their junior year of high school and by senior year her beauty was a force to be reckoned with. The fact that she never flaunted it or got a big head made her even more beautiful, if that was even possible. To make matters worse she was still somewhat of a tomboy with a dire love of all sports. There wasn’t much competing against that. Marissa remembered feeling jealous of Katie, because up to that point, Marissa was the beautiful one with the straightest blonde hair and flawless porcelain skin. Her body was long and lean and kept perfectly toned with the help of all the school activities she participated in; cheerleading, softball and volleyball. Marissa was the “it” girl and Daniel was hers. That was until their senior year of high school when Katie not only over shadowed her in popularity, but also joined the cheerleading squad which led to her catching the eye of Daniel, who happened to be captain of the football and basketball teams, which kept them in close proximity. Marissa was hurt deeply by their growing affection for each other, but she loved them both so much and decided to step back and let them have their shot. She figured that would make her look like the better person and Daniel would pick her for it when he came to his senses, but she was wrong. It was the hardest thing Marissa ever had to do, and she often thought back and wondered if she made the right decision all those years ago. Looking at Katie’s pictures of their life together, she knew she did the right thing, even though to this day it still stabbed at her heart. Picture by picture Marissa’s heart swelled as smiling faces of their youth appeared on the pages.
Marissa quietly flipped through the photos, remembering every instant with a wide array of emotions, but she gasped and froze when she got to the last one. It was during their high school graduation. In the picture stood Katie and Daniel, his a
rm wrapped around her shoulder, Jess, Becca, and Marissa with Randy hanging on her shoulder, all dressed in their black graduation robes and pointy caps. It was the first time she had seen Randy in twenty years, even in just a photo. When she left, she left behind everything, photos included. Marissa and Randy appeared so happy in that picture, having just overcome a major obstacle in their lives, but no one knew the torment Marissa was feeling, or the fact that she was drunk off her ass, or what happened at the party later that night.
She had scanned the room periodically through the night for Randy, she couldn’t help herself, but never saw him and wondered to herself how much he had changed, if at all. She thought about asking the girls about him, but ultimately changed her mind because it was probably better not to open that box and all the secrets she wanted left in the past. She softly closed the book and slid it back to Katie.
“This is Mattie and Daniel Jr. We call him D.J., though,” Katie said holding out her wallet, breaking Marissa’s day dream, pointing to the pictures of two small children who looked exactly like their parents, the children Marissa thought she’d have with Daniel. The toothless smile of the light brown haired boy looked identical to his dad and the sparkling bold eyes of the girl, like her mom.
“They’re beautiful,” Marissa said forcing a smile.
“Thank you. Of course D.J. is nineteen now and just finished his freshman year at UNCW and Mattie just graduated high school.”
Staring at the pictures, it immediately hit her again, reminding her why she never came back here. Seeing Katie and Daniel together was always too difficult and caused her to do a lot of stupid things.
“So what about you, Jess?” Marissa asked, grasping for a change of subject.
“I work in the Veterinarian office in Bayboro,” she said proudly.
“Well, that’s not much of a surprise. You were always so good with animals,” Marissa said.
“Our own little Snow White,” Katie said, bumping Jess’ elbow with hers.
“How about husband and kids?”
“I’m married. His name is Steven,” Jess said.
“Oh, is he from around here? Did we go to school with him?” Marissa asked, sipping her wine.
Katie shook her head “no”, her mouth full of wine while Jess answered, “No, he’s an artist from Charleston.”
“I love Charleston,” Marissa said dreamily.
“Me too, we’ve gone back a few times. Oh, and we have a daughter, Clare. She is ten years old now.”
Jess was talking, Marissa was aware of that, but she wasn’t really listening to her anymore because her eyes fell on something over her shoulder that captured her complete attention, or more like someone. Across the room, standing by the bar, speaking to a couple of people stood Daniel; the man she fell in love with when she was only sixteen years old and swore she was going to marry one day. As if feeling her stare, he turned in her direction and their eyes locked for the first time. A small smile played on his lips as recognition set in causing her heart to skip a beat. She had lived a full life after she moved away, dated plenty of men and even got married, but she never thought in a million years that he would still have that effect on her.
“Oh. My. Gawd. Is that Marissa Lou Clark, Katie Williams and Saint Jessica Peters?”
Breaking her spell, Marissa reluctantly blinked rapidly at the loud voice coming from behind her. She turned around and then jumped to her feet.
And the inseparable foursome was reunited again.
“Becca! Oh my goodness, it has been so long,” Marissa said quickly and wrapped her arms around Becca. Their group consisted of just the three of them until their ninth grade year when Becca moved to town and blew them all away. Marissa grew attached to her immediately. It’s true what they say about fiery red heads, or at least it was true in Becca’s case. Becca was tall and lean like Marissa, but she had the curliest red hair and penetrating green eyes of anyone she had ever seen, and the personality to match. Katie was kind of their Alpha, Marissa their queen bee, Jess the angel on their shoulder, but Becca brought a whole new vibe to their group, which usually got them into more situations then they would ever admit to other people outside of their group, but it was a blast nonetheless.
“Too long, girl, too long. Do you live back in the County?” Becca asked her.
“Well, actually I may just be.”
“What?” Katie quickly asked, leaning toward them, unsure if she heard right.
Marissa grabbed Becca’s hand and turned to face Katie and Jess. “I have an interview at the hospital in New Bern on Monday morning.”
“Shut up!” Becca shouted excitedly.
“That’s so exciting,” Jess said happily, clapping her hands while Katie just stared at her with a look of disbelief.
“Can you imagine the four of us back together again? The County Girls of 93. It would be epic,” Becca said.
Marissa turned from the group of girls and caught Daniel’s steamy brown eyes again. She smiled to herself. “Yes it is.”
Three
He pulled back and delicately brushed the side of her cheek with the back of his hand and kissed her tenderly on the lips one last time.
“I love you,” he said and she knew he meant it.
She stared up at him with so many emotions coursing through her. She knew with definite certainty that she would never love anyone as much as she loved him, not now or ever.
***
The bright morning sun streamed in through the cracks of the heavy drapes and pierced Marissa’s eye lids, disrupting the dream she was having of memories past. She hadn’t dreamed of Daniel in years, not that kind of dream anyway. She opened her eyes just slightly and looked around her room for him, hopeful, before realizing that it really was just a dream. Albeit, one that touched her heart in ways it always did. It was of the same beloved memory she had while at the high school reunion. She could see it so perfectly as if it were still happening; the smile on his face, the smell of his skin, the touch of his hand, the feel of her heart swelling in her chest. Little did she know back then, that it would be one of the last memories she’d get to make with him because a few weeks later he fell for her best friend.
Darn you, sun, for interrupting that perfect moment, she thought. Being back here, amongst her old friends, old memories and old life, so many things had begun to stir inside of her. Things that were always there, lurking in every crevice of her being, but she refused to let them surface, but she had become powerless to them these past few days.
She groaned and pulled one of the many fluffy pillows on the bed over her head to block the offensive light, hoping to recapture the dream right where it had left off, but just as she was starting to drift back to peaceful slumber the bedside alarm went off with a loud screeching, buzzing sound. She threw the pillow off of her head and slapped the alarm clock, quieting it. She stretched her body, her hands grasping the head board attached to the wall above her head for an even bigger stretch. Annoyed and tired, she got out of bed and walked over to the window and pulled the thick drapes apart and looked out onto the Neuse River below, noticing a few boats already moseying around the calm river this early in the morning. She had lived up north in the mountains of Pennsylvania for so long that she forgot that the temperature could easily reach 80 degrees by the time the sun was fully up in the morning. She put her forehead against the glass and turned from side to side. She leaned over and pressed real hard on the glass when she noticed splashes of water spraying the cement walk way down below. At that stretched angle she could see where the water was coming from. Even at eight o’clock in the morning the hotel swimming pool was already filling up with joyful children and their groggy parents.
She smiled, remembering when times were different, simpler. When she was younger, she, Katie, and Jess would wake up early and ride their bikes to Kennels Beach for an early morning swim before everyone else could get there. But after so many years of pollution that had seized the Neuse River since then, she wouldn’t dare
swim at Kennels Beach again, or any other river in the area.
Her comfort levels have changed through the years. Evolved. Like how she was thrilled to find out that New Bern had gotten a hotel as prestigious as the Hilton with all the comforts anyone could possibly want, so she booked her room as soon as she saw it, even though she didn’t know exactly how long she would be there. She had intended to leave early tomorrow morning, but now she wasn’t so sure.
Leaving the drapes open, she pulled her old worn t-shirt over her head and kicked off her sweat pants, leaving a trail of clothing through the room as she walked into the bathroom for a shower to perk herself up before her interview at the hospital.
By noon she was done with her interview and anxious to explore the town. She had grown up in, and around, the area, but being gone for so long, so much had changed in her absence. She went back to the hotel to change out of her black, pin-striped business suit, opting for a pair of jean shorts, t-shirt and flip-flops for the hot afternoon, then set out on foot. She walked through the historical downtown area, where her hotel was located, taking in the sites, not really having a particular destination in mind or a time frame to rush her along. She wandered around, going in all the small country stores, making a few purchases of local made items and got a coffee from the Trent River Coffee Company. As she silently walked, she couldn’t keep her mind from running through memories from a life long gone. It was inevitable in an area like that. There was so much silence in that town that it had always made it easy to get lost in your own thoughts, and small enough to hold a memory on every corner. Nothing in her life was ever easy, she knew it was mostly due to her own doing, but nothing compared to this journey. People made their own lives, she knew that, and that was exactly what she had been desperately trying to do for a long time now. The last time she was here was twenty years ago, but running for dear life in the opposite direction. She insisted on going to college far away, just to get away. It didn’t take a lot of fighting, and in the end her parents gave in, and that was where she had stayed, even after college. The Poconos Mountains in Pennsylvania was her new home and she had become fairly successful in her field of practice. She was able to recreate herself in a place where no one knew who she was or the demons that plagued her throughout her life. Mainly Randy, and the life she led during their year together. It was a very dark period in her life and one that she wasn’t very proud of. She had refused to talk about it since leaving, except to her shrink, no matter how thrilling it was at the time.
Hometown Girls: Reunion (Hometown Girls Series Book 2) Page 2
