Next Door Neighbors

by Hoelsema, Frances

  One thing was for sure, she had to try to act a little nicer. This whole afternoon she contemplated on what a horribly mean person she’s been to him. Avoiding him probably wasn’t the best answer, although she just wasn’t sure what else to do.

  But after thinking about it and letting her friend’s words and his own words sink in, she realized there were good guys out there. There were plenty of men who weren’t like her dad or her friend’s husband or Mark.

  The question was could she trust one? She didn’t think she wanted to take that risk.

  Still, Jill told herself she had to be nice to Brian, to be his friend. Nothing less.

  And certainly nothing more.

  Jill made her way to answer the door, and as an attempt to acting nicer, she greeted him with a smile and let him come in.

  Brian noticed she seemed different when she opened the door. Definitely wasn’t the same Jill that’s been around the last couple of weeks. It was the Jill he first knew.

  She seemed refreshed. Spirited.

  Like a huge weight was off her shoulders.

  Whatever it was, it was a pleasant surprise.

  “Would you like something to drink?” she politely asked.

  Brian declined.

  “Well, then go ahead and make yourself comfortable in the living room. I’ll be right there.”

  As Jill got herself a glass of water, Brian took a seat on the couch.

  Marble immediately jumped up on Brian’s legs and tried to make himself comfortable.

  “Hey, Marble,” Brian smiled, petting the cat’s head and back. “How have you been?”

  Marble laid down and purred, enjoying the extra attention.

  Jill walked in and noticed the two of them right away. “If he bothers you, feel free to kick him off.”

  “Oh, he’s fine,” Brian insisted.

  “I was talking to Marble,” Jill joked, partially laughing as a result.

  “Ha-ha,” Brian responded.

  He wasn’t sure what happened over the last few hours to bring Jill back, but he definitely liked it. She was being herself. She was relaxed. She was communicating. Everything she used to do when the two of them first met she was doing again. There was none of this avoidance going on that made Brian feel like dirt.

  Brian watched Jill’s every move as she took a seat on the opposite end of the couch and sipped from her glass of water. He wasn’t sure what logo that was on her sweatshirt – maybe a high school sport’s team he guessed – but the colors looked nice on Jill. She looked cozy and casual in her attire, all the makings for a gorgeous appearance.

  “You look nice by the way.”

  Looking down as if to remind herself of what she was wearing, she coughed, “Thank you.” But then she reminded him, “But we’re here to talk about your mom and that house, remember?” She tilted her head in the direction of Elena’s house as she mentioned it.

  “I’m just being honest. That’s all. No harm, no foul.”

  Jill could tell he was being genuine, something she appreciated about him. His comment was not a way to gain brownie points or to start something. He was just making an obvious observation and making his opinion known.

  After a brief moment of silence, both Brian and Jill spoke up at the same time.

  “You go first,” Brian offered.

  “Oh,” she started. She then looked down at her hands holding onto the glass of water. What she was about to say was a little tough.

  “I just wanted to say that…”

  Brian wondered why she didn’t finish that sentence right away, but gave her his full attention for when the words eventually came out.

  Clearing her throat and looking up into Brian’s dark eyes, they finally arrived, “That I’m sorry.”

  She’s apologizing?

  “I have not conducted myself in the best behavior these last couple of weeks. I should have never acted the way I did towards you. You did nothing wrong.”

  Brian jumped on the bandwagon to apologize himself.

  “I should have never kissed you. Maybe I took advantage of you when you were in a weak spot.”

  Jill shook her head and disagreed, “No, no, no. You never took advantage of me. I kissed you back, remember?”

  Brian did remember. He remembered how she craved for more and kept the kiss alive by giving as much as she was getting.

  “The kiss was wonderful and happened at a really good moment. It’s just that instead of avoiding you and being cold towards you, I should have just come out and talked to you about it.” Jill then ended with, “So I’m sorry. Can you forgive me? I want us to be friends.”

  Just friends?

  A tad hurt, he forced a smile and said, “Of course I forgive you. Please don’t be hard on yourself.”

  She smiled in return, after which she took another sip of water. She was really glad to have gotten all of that off her chest.

  “I guess it’s my turn now, right?” Brian asked.

  “Yeah, is everything okay?” The only reason Jill asked that question was because of how desperate Brian seemed to talk to her before leaving.

  “Yes. Everything’s fine.”

  Trying to decide what he all wanted to say and how he was going to go about saying it, he started with the basics first. “I’ve been talking to my mom quite extensively lately about her house. You know, everything she wants to do and by when, etc.”

  “Mm-hmm,” Jill acknowledged.

  “And bottom line is she wants to sell as soon as possible.”

  “Ah, okay,” Jill sighed. She knew this day was coming, albeit this was much sooner than she hoped. However, she supposed a new tenant was better than it just sitting empty.

  This couldn’t have been everything he had to say though because it wasn’t really any new information, and certainly nothing that she had to absolutely know about before he left. So she asked, “Is that all?”

  Now Brian was the one that looked like what he was about to say was tough. The words had to come out just right. “Well, no. Not exactly.”

  Brian shifted in his seat, making Marble unhappy. The cat jumped down and began licking his front paw.

  Leaning forward and scratching his facial hair, he began the topic he was most nervous about. “The thing is, Jill, is that I want to buy it.”

  Jill’s eyebrows raised, not expecting him to say that.

  “I want to move up here and be close to my mom.” Shifting his face to hers, he added, “To be close to you.”

  “Me?”

  “Yes. You!” he said sweetly.

  Jill couldn’t muster up anything else to say. She was in complete shock and could not fathom why he would want to leave behind his home or business.

  His whole life.

  It made a little more sense if it was for his mom, but her? That made absolutely no sense and she wasn’t going to encourage him.

  Slowly shaking her head, she said, “Look, Brian, I’m sorry, but what I said earlier about being friends, I meant it. I can’t stop you from doing what you want to do, but you have to know that we’ll just be friends. That’s it.”

  Jill was really surprised on how well she said what she just did. She was calm, polite and kind, yet firm in her resolve. Although she could tell if she continued much longer she may break down in tears.

  Right before her was a man who was so different from what she knew. He helped her on numerous occasions, they got along and enjoyed many laughs as well as one steamy kiss, and now here he was offering to leave his world behind to come be with her. It hurt for her to have to shut him down. She just hoped Brian would understand and choose wisely without asking anything else of her.

  “You won’t even give me – us – a chance?” he asked.

  “I did give a man a chance before, Brian. I ended up alone with barely anything left to my name. And while I know you’re not Mark, I just don’t want to go through another heartbreak if something between us goes wrong.”

  Jill’s eyes were now starting to wa
ter, but she tried her hardest to keep them from overflowing. Through the mist she saw Brian’s own hurt.

  “I’m really sorry,” she again apologized.

  Slapping both knees then coming to a stand, he sadly asked one last question. “Well, I told my mom the plans that I had. She flat out told me not to come up here just for her. The only way she wanted me to come up here was if I had another reason. There is no other reason, is there?”

  Jill couldn’t bear to look at Brian. As she sat on her side of the couch, she blankly stared off into space. She slowly shook her head, afraid that if she were to speak, she’d cry.

  A few brief moments went by in silence, Brian gazing down at Jill. He thought about her response and studied her eyes for any hope, any possibility.

  But there was nothing but misery. He had to accept defeat.

  With a deep, heavy sigh, Brian slowly nodded his head and quietly said, “Okay.”

  Not even waiting for a response, he walked past Jill and towards the door.

  After the door closed and Jill knew that Brian was gone, she let her tears fall. She hated that this was how they were leaving things before he left.

  ---------------

  Back on his mom’s property, Brian shed his own tears. Even his offer of moving up here didn’t effect Jill’s decision.

  I just don’t know what to do!

  He took a seat in one of the few remaining chairs in the living room and buried his head in his hands as he leaned forward. Buddy came up to him and placed his snout on Brian’s lap, sensing his owner’s sadness.

  Looking at his dog, he grimly said, “Hey, Buddy.”

  He gently pet his dog’s head the way he liked it.

  “I just don’t know what to do. Unless a miracle happens, it looks like tomorrow may be your last day in Ashwin.”

  As if he didn’t like that news, Buddy took off running. Brian went after him, puzzled with his dog’s behavior. “Buddy? Where’d you go?”

  He caught up to him in what once was Elena’s bedroom. Most of the mess was gone, but right beside the spot Buddy chose to sit, panting, lay something Brian didn’t even think about since Jill and he were last in the room together about two weeks ago.

  Looking it over, he gave his mom a call. If she gave her permission, he’d use this as one final attempt to win Jill’s heart.

  17

  The next afternoon Brian put the finishing touches on what he was going to give to Jill. Everything was written out and put in order. He sealed the envelopes and placed them nicely in a tiny gift bag he had picked up earlier that morning when he went out to say goodbye to his mom.

  If this doesn’t do it, I’m afraid nothing will.

  Gathering the last of his belongings and double checking to make sure he didn’t forget anything, he zipped his suitcase and brought it to his car. Then he headed back inside to turn everything off, shut any of the blinds that may have been open and turned down the thermostat. Seeing as no one would be back inside for a while, he took every measure to make sure everything was properly taken care of.

  “Come on, Buddy. Let’s go,” he called, and as usual, Buddy ran to his owner’s side. Both of them stepped outside, and Brian immediately locked up the doors.

  He opened the car door for Buddy to jump inside and then, as if his dog was a person, he explained he had to drop something off next door and would be back in just a moment. Buddy sat down nicely in the back seat as Brian shut the door, and there he waited patiently for Brian’s return.

  The small gift bag in hand, Brian walked to Jill’s side door. Jill didn’t appear to be home, but even if she was, he was just going to leave the bag on the step anyway. He didn’t see the point in bothering her.

  Slowly walking back to his car, he took one last look at his mom’s house, his childhood home. It was hard for him to imagine that someone else would soon be living there. Someone else would be able to find joy in the birds that gathered in the back yard. Someone else would be able to enjoy being close to the park that was just down the road; the park that held many fond memories for Brian.

  Someone else would be right there next to Jill.

  Brian sighed. He was going to miss being here. He was going to miss his house, his mom.

  Jill.

  Accepting this was his reality, being duty bound to his place in the south, he got into his car, backed out of the driveway and left.

  When he came back in the spring, it would be a short trip without his dog to deliver the keys to his mom’s home into the hands of the next owner.

  ---------------

  Jill pulled into her driveway after a long, difficult day at work. Her attention was needed in every direction throughout the entire day, one department pulling her arm one way while another pulling her the opposite way. Though she was used to being on her feet all day long, today was out of the ordinary. She only got a fifteen minute break during her ten-hour shift, and that was to quickly eat the packed lunch she made for herself the night before. She was exhausted and definitely ready to relax.

  As she thought, Brian had already taken off. She felt bad the way things were left, that she couldn’t commit to him. She wished the best for him and truly hoped he’d find what he was looking for in the love department.

  There has to be someone out there for him.

  When she got up to her side step, she saw the tiny bag sitting nicely in front of the door. Puzzled, she grabbed it and went inside.

  Though she was curious as to what was in it and who it was from, she didn’t allow herself to peek inside until she put everything away and changed into some warmer, more comfortable clothing. She even took her hair down from the bun she wore all day because she never felt more relaxed than being au natural in her appearance.

  Getting a quick drink first, she took the bag with her into the living room and sat on her couch. Glancing inside, she noticed three things: a set of keys, which she thought was odd, and two envelopes.

  Jill set the keys beside her on the couch and opened the envelope that read, ‘Read first’.

  It was a note from Brian.

  Jill,

  The keys that were in the bag belong to my mom’s

  house, as you may have guessed. She wanted someone to

  have a set seeing as I won’t be here for a while.

  Like I told you last night, my mom is in a hurry to

  sell her home. I’ve met with the realtor and we have

  agreed that, come April when I give him the go ahead, he

  will put the house on the market. He told me he thinks

  it’ll sell right away seeing as the location is desirable and

  the market is blooming, but I guess we’ll see.

  Anyway, seeing as there’s nothing I really have to

  do anymore, I don’t think I will be coming up until the

  house sells. And because that’s not for a few months

  probably, my mom thought it best you get this set of keys

  so that someone could look out for the home. You know, in

  case something happens while I’m away.

  Go ahead and open up the other envelope now.

  Inside is something I know that you really liked. After

  talking to my mom, she agreed that you could keep it.

  I guess that’s it. Perhaps I’ll see you come spring.

  Take care, Brian

  Jill put down the letter, wondering what could possibly be in the second envelope. This one was larger than the first, but just as flat. Jill couldn’t possibly guess what was in there. She opened it slowly so that nothing would rip. Carefully she removed the contents. What was in front was blank, like its back was to her. Then what was behind was yet another letter.

  Flipping the first object over, she gasped.

  I can’t believe he remembered!

  Jill brought her hand to her mouth and her eyes started to water.

  There before her was the picture of Elena and her husband, Ricky, looking madly in love. Jill ado
red this picture and everything it represented. Studying it yet again, her mind traveled to the night it was first found.

  That was the night Brian had opened up to her about his struggles with letting his mom, and the house, go. It was the night they had flipped through various photos of childhood memories. There were a lot of laughs, good cookies, some tears.

  That was the night she had revealed to Brian her deepest pain, something only a select few knew anything about. She didn’t even think her best friend, Amanda, knew as much as what Brian had found out that night.

  That was the night they had shared their first kiss. A very real, passionate, memorable kiss.

  Jill smiled thinking about what she experienced that one night. Was it anything remotely like what Ricky and Elena had? Jill honestly didn’t know.

  But Brian giving this to her, it spoke volumes.

  Not wanting to put the picture down, but desperately wanting to read what was in the letter included with it, she chose to do the latter. This time the note was on heavier-weighted paper instead of a plain notebook piece of paper.

  Must be of value, she immediately gathered.

  Opening it up to its entirety, she began to read.

  Dear Jill,

  From the moment you bumped into me TWICE

  at the store, I knew there was something different about

  you. I didn’t know you were the one that lived next to

  my mom, the one she praised non-stop about every time

  we talked. But I noticed your caring eyes, gorgeous smile,

  and, yes, I’ll admit, your attractive body.

  I could have gotten mad that you were in too big

  of a hurry and plowed into me more than once, one time

  spilling my drink.

  But I didn’t.

  When I noticed that you had forgotten your gravy

  packet, I could have just let it be. Instead, I put my stuff

  aside to get it out to you before you drove away.

  I loved the way I saw your body move to the song

  you were singing while you planted your garden the day