February Stars

12

Late May 1992 - Late July 1992

"That's the last one!" Jessie said happily as Jimmy set the last box down in her new room. "Thanks Jim," she said, clapping him on the back.

"Hey, what are landlords for?" He said, brushing off his hands on his jeans. Jessie had secured a summer internship at an Alexandria newspaper and Jimmy had offered to rent her a room for the next few months. Although she was not looking forward to living with a bunch of party animals, she was happy to have a cheap place to crash, close to work, close to Ginny and close to Dave, who would be back in a few weeks. She pulled her long hair back in a pony tail and set about unpacking. She had gotten through several boxes when a phone rang somewhere in the house. She heard Jimmy run to answer it. A few minutes later she heard him call up to her.

"Jessie! It's Dave!" Smiling from ear to ear, she jumped up and practically flew downstairs, grabbing the receiver out of Jimmy's hand. She stretched the long phone cord down the hall and into a coat closet, closing herself inside for privacy.

"Hi babe," she said happily.

"Hey gorgeous," Dave's happy voice rang in her ear. "Happy moving day! Are you unpacked yet?"

"Getting there!" Jessie replied. She relayed the details of her day, beginning with Jimmy picking her up at her dorm and loading her and her belongings into his Bronco.

"I can't wait to see you, you know..." Dave said, his voice low and full of desire. "I miss you so much."

"I miss you, too," Jess said, twirling the phone cord around her fingers. "Just a few more weeks, them I'm all yours."

"You don't even want to know what I am going to do to you," he whispered. "My mom is probably going to be able to hear you all the way at her house."

"Oh lord, I hope not," she said. "That would make our Sunday dinner's awkward." Over the past few months, Ginny had Jessica over most Sunday's for dinner, something Jessica looked forward to. Ginny was very well read and well spoken and they would discuss literature and writing over a great home cooked meal. Sometimes, Jimmy would join them for dinner, but not the discussion portion of the evening.

"Oh shit...Jessie I have to go," Dave whispered. Jess could hear voice in the background. "I will try to call you in a few days. I miss you." In a slightly louder voice, he said, "Alright, Jimmy, man, I will talk to later. See ya!"

"Bye Dave," Jess said, trying to keep the sadness from her voice. His "other girlfriend” must have returned from where ever she was, interrupting their phone call. She let herself out of the coat closet and hung up the phone. She tried not to let the way their call had ended dampen her spirits. She understood that Dave had a life to live that she could not be a part of it. She knew he cared about her, she knew he too wished they could be together, and she understood that they could not.

Before he'd left town back in April, Dave had promised that he would call her, write her and count the days until they could be together again. And he had kept those promises. She heard from him frequently and got postcards and letters from him sporadically. It seemed that this thing they were doing, this quasi-relationship, might actually work.