The Eternity that Follows

by Diane Marie

  Joey walked in, asked to speak to the specialized jeweler, to show him his blueprint for the ring he designed. The jeweler and Joey talked for a few minutes over what color gold, carat, clarity, and so on. When all the details were set in place, Joey asked the soonest possible time the ring could be ready by. The jeweler told him he would be able to have the ring ready for pickup right before the shop closed at six, but it would cost a little extra. Joey asked how much extra, and then agreed.

  On the ride back down to Candlewood, Joey called his friend who owned a boat and dock on Lake Mandala, to ask to borrow the boat for the night. He then drove to his friend’s job in Candlewood to pick up the keys. After, he went back to his apartment, picking up his mail, and then went back inside to sort through it. Back inside, he decided it was time to call his landlord to inform him, he was getting married, and moving out. His landlord of course congratulated him, and then reminded him, he had less than two weeks to relocate his furniture. Joey then made a mental note to look into storage space for his furniture. He bought the furniture for his living room new when he moved into the apartment, and it had been sat rarely since. Joey figured it would be a good start to furnish a home for he and Gabriella.

  When Joey got off the phone with his landlord, he went back out to his safe. Joey was so excited to be doing the things he was doing all day, he was steps ahead of himself. Backtracking, he took out all of his bills, and other important phone numbers he needed. He then went back inside, calling up dozens of people, changing his mailing address. While Joey was on hold with his cell phone company, he flipped through his new mail he had stopped sorting through when he called his landlord. Fishing through the mail, he came across an envelope from Tie’s father, Ted. Joey was shocked, when he opened the envelope, realizing it was a check. At first, he was stunned, wondering what it could possibly be for. He then took a look at the amount of, one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, and jumped out of his seat.

  Joey soon remembered, when Ted personally handed him his check for six hundred grand for selling his blueprint, he mentioned yearly royalty checks as well. He was to get ten thousand dollars for each house Ted built using Joey’s blueprint. Joey had forgotten all about Ted mentioning the royalty checks, the moment Ted told him. He was in too much shock to have an abundance of money in his grisp. Remembering now, he wished in his heart, he would be able to keep the house he was now building, for him and Gabriella.

  Joey immediately thought to call Gabriella,to tell her of the check right away, but that would require a more serious conversation. He had never told Gabriella how much he made from selling the blueprint, how much he invested into building his blueprint now, the dollar amount of the loan he took from the bank nor did he tell her how much personal money he had stored away in the bank. Joey sat down for several moments to think, subsequently brushing his thoughts from his head as they were racing. He got up quickly from the table, gave his royalty check a kiss, and then headed for the deli.

  Joey remembered Gabriella’s favorite deli sandwich was fresh mozzarella, with lettuce tomato, and a little bit of mayo on a multi grain roll. Joey made sure to have the exact deli in Mandala she had told him about, make it for her. He also selected the same for himself, being he promised her he would try it one day. Also making sure to get extra pickles because Gabriella told him, she loved deli pickles, and they sometimes forgot to give her one with her sandwich. Joey then called Gabriella on his way back to his apartment.

  “Hey my beautiful wife.” Joey said, when Gabriella answered the phone.

  “Alm . . . , fine. Hey my handsome husband.” Gabriella said, delighted Joey had called her. She was wondering about him ever since he left the house this morning, and she was worried when he didn’t call around lunchtime.

  “What are you doing?” Joey asked.

  “Are you driving Joey?”

  “Maybe.”

  “Maybe?”

  “Yes, Gabriella, I’m driving. I had to pick some stuff up for the job.” Joey said, lying to her. It was the first time he had lied to Gabriella, and although he didn’t like it, he knew he would come clean when the timing was right.

  “Oh. Well I just got home from my day with my mom and I hate her.”

  “Hate? Gabriella that’s a strong word. How about you just dislike her for the moment?”

  “Fine. I dislike her for the moment. Why are you in such a good mood?”

  “Because I have you.” .

  “Oh. Your mood sure changed since this morning. You don’t miss me?”

  “What’s going on with your mom?”

  “We can’t agree on anything.”

  “About the wedding?”

  “Yes.”

  “What did you girls do today?”

  “We went dress shopping.”

  “And, she doesn’t like any of the dresses’ you like?”

  “No, that’s not it. I have my dream dress all in my head, and I’m telling it to you, and your drawing it up for me, and it’s being custom made.”

  “Oh really?” Joey asked, excited Gabriella, like him, liked things custom made things.

  “Yes.”

  “So what’s the problem? She won’t pay for it?”

  “No. She say’s it won’t be ready in time.”

  “In time? So do we have a set date?”

  “Sort of. Well I picked the date in late September. Both the places are open, and I think that will be more then enough time to get my dress made. She wants me to change my date to mid October if I want a custom dress.” Gabriella confided.

  Joey thought her problem was no big deal.

  “So we have a date?”

  “Joey, were you listening?”

  “Yes, yes I was. We’ll figure it out tonight. I’ll be glad to draw up your dress for you.” Joey sais, as he remembered he’d be the one taking it off.

  “Thanks baby.”

  “Of course sweetie, it would be my pleasure. I’ll draw it up tonight, and you can take it to the tailor tomorrow, and see how long it will take for him to make your dress. Then you can see if you have to change your date or not.”

  “You mean, our date dear.”

  “Oops. Sorry.” Joey said, realizing it was his wedding too. “Its okay baby. Weddings are to please the bride anyway.” “Oh, I’ll be having pleasure Gabriella.”

  “Joey not here.”

  “Not where?” Joey asked, teasing.

  Gabriella ignored his question.

  “When will you be home? And you never told me you missed me.”

  “I do miss you, very much so! And I’ll be home to pick you up at seven.”

  “Joey, what about work?”

  “What about work? I’m back on my way there now, seven okay?” “Ok. What should I wear?”

  “Something cute.”

  “Cute? Can you give me more then that?” Gabriella asked, hoping he would keep where they were going a surprise, she loved surprises.

  “I don’t know, something you can sit outside in.” Joey said, with all he was going to offer.

  Gabriella didn’t push any further.

  “All right, see you at seven, lucky.”

  “Lucky?”

  “Yup. The man at the dress shop said that any man that I was marrying was lucky.”

  “Oh really, what dress shop was this?”

  “Joey don’t bother yourself.” Gabriella said ,hanging up the phone. Joey called her right back.

  “I’m bothered.” Joey joked, laughing. “Miss you, love you.” “Oh miss you too, baby. Love you.”

  “Okay see you later.”

  “K bye.”

  While on the phone with Gabirella, Joey was on the way back to his apartment, to put the sandwiches in his refrigerator. He realized he didn’t leave out an outfit for the night, and ran back out to his truck. ‘Damn I’m really getting ahead of myself here.’ Joey thought on the walk to his truck. Joey was so happy in the commotion of moving out, and with his plans for tonight, he wasn’t doing a g
ood job planning his steps to perfect. He hoped he’d get his act together for the rest of the day, while he picked through his clothes, finding and outfit from his packed things. He then walked back into the house, placed out his outfit, and then was off to go back to work.

  When Joey got to work, he checked in on his workers. They were all working hard, as that was what he was paying them to do. Joey stuck around, doing some work himself. When the clock hit five, he realized he had to leave if he was going to make it to the jewelry store by six when it closed.

  Joey got to the jeweler around five thirty, and waited a few minutes for the jeweler to be ready. When the jeweler brought the ring out from the back, he looked the ring over with him. ‘Perfect,’ Joey said, it was just as he envisioned it. The jeweler commented Joey should go into jewelry designing, considering how lovely the ring came out. Joey kidded,

  “I can’t, I’m into designing wedding dresses now.“

  Still, the jeweler took down Joey’s number asking if he could model the design, and give Joey payment for it. Joey agreed, as long as Gabriella had the first one made, and it was his design she wore over the tattoo he designed, he figured, Gabriella would find it romantic, other women would be showing off a ring, designed especially for her.

  Joey then went back to his apartment, to take a quick shower to get ready to pick Gabriella up, with only a half an hour to get ready before he had to leave to pick her up. He dressed himself in the outfit he laid out, a pair of dark jean shorts with a brown cotton polo shirt. He left the three top buttons undone, exposing his wife beater underneath, to match his clean white shoes. He did his hair with gel the special way he knew Gabirella adored. He then realized, his cologne was packed away, and cursed himself while rummaging through his stuff in the back of his truck to locate it.

  Back at home, Gabriella was putting on the finishing touches to her makeup, waiting for Joey to arrive. Gabriella decided to wear, short white shorts with a semi-dressy, black tank top, with the dressy flip flops she wore to the party. Joey said cute and comfortable, and to sit outside in, so she didn’t put much thought into her outfit, figuring he was taking her to Cascades to eat outside on the deck.

  Joey called Gabriella as he was pulling onto her road, because he didn’t want to miss the sunset. Gabriella came outside at Joey's request, and then saw everything packed in Joey’s work truck.

  “You have a bike?” Gabriella asked.

  “Yes I have a bike.” Joey said, not seeing the big deal. “I love boys with bikes.”

  “Oh really?” Joey said, not shocked.

  “Yes. They’re so hot, you’re so hot.” Gabriella said, then giving Joey a big hug and a kiss hello. “You smell so good and you look so clean. Hey did you work today?”

  “Well no. Actually yes for an hour or two, but I had a very productive day, I promise.” Joey said, hoping Gabriella wouldn’t get motherly on him

  “Whatever.”

  “You’re mad?”

  “I’m not mad.”

  “Come on hunnie lets go. I’ll tell you all about my day later, I promise.” Joey said, leading Gabriella over to his mustang in the driveway, while his truck was parked on the road.

  “You’re just going to leave all of your stuff in the truck?” “Where’s it going?” Joey asked, there wasn’t a high theft rate in Mandala.

  “Joey, you can’t leave it all here.”

  “Gabriella please let’s just go.” Joey said, persistent, for he didn’t want to miss the sunset.

  “Fine, but can we take the bike?” Gabriella asked, playing with the bottom of Joey’s right sleeve, while looking at her feet, and then back to Joey’s eyes.

  “Fine.” Joey said, feeling he couldn’t say no.

  Joey rolled the bike off the back of his truck, and then handed Gabriella a pink helmet he had over one of the handles. “Who wore this before me?”

  “Diana.” Joey said, in an ‘if you didn’t want to know, don’t ask’ tone.

  “Ok.” Gabriella said, noting that Joey would be buying her, her own helmet very soon.

  “I didn’t buy it for her.”

  “Oh.”

  “I didn’t buy it for some other girl either.” Joey noted. “It was Sadie’s, and when I bought the bike from Gavin after he rode it once and fell, and didn’t want it anymore, she gave it to me. Diana wore it like three times, if that.”

  “I didn’t say anything.”

  “You didn’t have to.” Joey said, putting on his electric blue helmet and hopping onto the bike. Gabriella put on the pink helmet and hopped on to.

  “Have you ever been on a bike before?” Joey asked, in jealousy as Gabriella held onto his stomach with her private area pushed up against his back.

  “Nope. I never trusted a guy before to get on one.”

  “But you love boys on a bike?”

  “I love you on a bike.”

  “Oh?”

  “Yup. You’re my hot bike guy. It’s the bike, it’s the helmet, it’s you Joey.”

  “What?” Joey asked, confused.

  “Well I’ve passed you before and you have a hot body. That’s all.” Gabriella said, now realizing she had a crush on a guy on a bike for years, and was now aware it happened to be Joey.

  Joey didn’t have the time to fully understand what Gabriella was trying to tell him. He started the bike, revved the throttle, and was off with Gabriella holding him tightly behind. They didn’t ride far, the ride was just seven minutes long. Joey pulled up to his friends dock and parked the bike. Gabriella hopped off, and raced to get in front of Joey, for she wanted to see how hot he looked when he took off his helmet.

  “What are you doing silly?” Joey asked her, after his helmet was off.

  “I just wanted to see what you looked like under the helmet.” Gabriella said. Joey then realized what she had been talking about before.

  “Hey, did you use to drive a civic?”

  “Yeah”

  “Oh! So you’re my hot civic girl then.” Joey said, pulling Gabriella into his arms and kissing the girl of his dreams. “I guess so.” Gabriella giggled, remembering how many times their eyes had met passing each other on the road.

  “Why haven’t I seen you on your bike since I’ve had my WRX?” “I stopped riding when I stopped seeing my civic girl.” “Really?” Gabriella asked. “Hey where are we?” Gabriella then asked.

  She looked around realizing they were just a few feet away from a dock on Lake Mandala.

  “We’re going for a boat ride to watch the sunset.”

  “Oh Joey.” Gabriella said, then she was speechless.

  Joey grabbed the backpack he set around the front handle bars and led Gabriella to the boat. It was around seven thirty, and the sun would be setting in around an hour. Joey thought his day, and his timing was starting to become perfect.

  “Joey, have you ever driven a boat before?” Gabriella asked, once Joey grabbed her hand to step on.

  “Yes. Once. I’ve been taught.”

  “Okay just making sure.”

  “You trust me to get on the back of a bike with, but you don’t trust me to drive a boat?” Joey asked Gabriella, pointing out how she made no sense sometimes.

  “Well.” Gabriella tired, she couldn’t answer that, and Joey just laughed at her.

  Joey took Gabriella for a fifteen minute ride around the lake, while Gabriella enjoyed the view and scenery. Joey then stopped the boat, went over to his back pack, and sat down on one of the two seats in the back of the boat. Gabriella followed sitting next to him. Joey handed Gabriella her sandwich and her ice tea that was still cold.

  “Oh Joey, you didn’t.” Gabriella said, surprised Joey had remembered her favorite sandwich.

  “You don’t even know what it is yet.” Joey said, pointing out that she hadn’t opened the sandwich up yet. Joey set out extra pickles. “It is what I think it is cause you even got extra pickles. I didn’t even think you were listening to me.” Gabriella said, remembering back to how she was trying t
o tell Joey about her favorite deli and sandwich, but he wouldn’t stop tickling her feet at the time. “Of course I listened.” Joey said, thinking Gabriella must know him better than that. He then remembered how he was pretending not to listen as he was trying to annoy her by tickling her feet. “Tickly feet.” He commented. Gabriella blushed. “I even got one for myself. I promised to try it.” Joey said, looking into Gabriella’s eyes.

  “Just like you promised not to cheat?”

  “Yup.” Joey said, confidentally. They both opened their sandwiches, and Gabriella waited for Joey to take and swallow his first bite, wanting to see his face to make sure he liked it. Joey took his first bite and then said,

  “yum. It is good.”

  “Do you say yum to everything?”

  “Nope, only when I like something.” Joey said, giving Gabriella a kiss on her lips. “Yum.”

  After Joey and Gabriella finished their sandwiches, Joey got out a bottle of red wine. He poured it into two plastic wine cups he had picked up from the liquor store on his way over to pick up Gabriella. Joey and Gabriella sat and drank the wine, while giggling and laughing, Joey was trying to tickle her feet. Joey noticed that the sun was about to set.

  “I wanted to take you to see the sunset.” Joey told Gabriella, standing her up and walking her to the edge of the boat where the sun was setting.