Never Fade

Jeanne

  

Jeanne

“You should not have said that Mark!”
Mark grips to the steering wheel.
“ Did you see the person? Did you see?. He got confused. What if he has a past experience that haunts him in the presents. That kills him and won’t heal. What if he is hurt so bad”
Mark smirks. “ He is just like you. He is single. And you are.”
“ Why is that?”
“ I can see that you want to sit in that coffee shop till the end of the day, and have a jolly conversation with Matthew Verdon... and see what happens next?”
“ Do you see it that way” I look away at the window of his car and observing the city lights at night.
“ I thought so. I can see that you like. No need to hide sissy, it shows.”
“ Was it obvious?”
“ Obvious enough that wants to call you first thing in the morning”
Smile was drawn to my face. I giggled out of nowhere.
“ You has my number, right?”
“Yep! Even though he didn’t ask for it. You still gave it”
I sigh
“Your being easy to get to guy who is busy writing stories”
“ Cmon Mark, don’t be so jelly. You never know I might be included in his chapters”
Mark is driving the car and we are heading to Aunt Martha’s house for dinner. Aunt Martha is Mark’s aunt. She married here in NYC and lived the rest of her life in NYC. Mark’s parents live in New Jersey, every spring break Mark and I would go to his parents house and spent the night strolling in the city. I remembered last spring break, Mark and I went to Newark where we visited Planetariums, Art Gallery, Martin Luther King, and Churches. When Mark met a French tourist who was an architect and I forgot about his name. Mark has a long list of ex lovers. The fact that Mark flirts all the time someone he meets.

I got off the car first and was surprise to see Aunt Martha standing at the porch wearing her apron. She got dirt on the cloth. She’s cooks the best.
I ran. “ Its good to see you Aunt Martha” giving her a warm hug.
“ Oh dear, don’t get too tight you might cling a dirt.”
“ I smell something delicious”
“ I bet the fusion got her. Good senses”
Mark interrupted and hugged Aunt Martha. “ Hey... Aunt”
“ How’s my nephew doing this days. Have you done something productive?”
“ Ugh Auntie, I was here last Tuesday can’t you remember?”
“ Oh! Raging hormones, ain’t  bout it?” Her accent sounded funny. We entered the house and I see changes physically. Its not my first time to be here, but I feel strange. That was odd.
Aunt Martha is not too old. She’s on her 50’s. She looks closer like Meryl Streep but with a brown hair. . Her husband died in 2012, lung cancer and she was brave enough to continue her life with the presence of her children, grandchildren, and nephews. The house was like a Victorian house, its huge and luxurious. She said that attic was just renovated and the lawn was watered yesterday.

We sat together for supper, around with two young children who are Mark’s cousins, Fiona and Alexis. Their grandparents, Susan and Philip. While I just sat there only to find out that I do not belong to the family tree, I was Mark’s best friend.
“ So your parents coming over for your graduation day?” asked gran Philip.
“ Who you asking to gran?” Mark told
We both looked at each other.
“Depends on who will be the one to answer the question first. I do believe both you are graduating soon and will be proceeding to your specific jobs”
Gran Philip sounded very formal in middle of our dining. Sort of he was giving a valedictorians speech in front of the crowd. Only to say that we are having an intimate dinner.
I said “ Yes Gran, My parents from New Jersey will be coming over next week. The booked their flight last month”
Granny Susan talked “ Thats good to hear dear. So what are your plans next?”
“ It will only depends where time will take me”
“ Well, your time must be very precious... it will take you somewhere progressive and beautiful”. I thought,  Granny was the optimistic one while Gran was he delinquent one. Besides, both can be alternate.

Mark drove me home after the dinner at Aunt Martha. From time to time, I’m checking my phone to see if Matt has sent me a message, but not. I am fidgeting about Matt.
“ Hmmmmm...Did that writer texted you already?”
“ Sadly, no”
“ That guys shows no interest on you. Because of he did, he would have texted you by now saying, Hey! Can we go out tonight? Or Hi Jeanne, a new restaurant just opened few blocks and I’ve heard they make good deserts, would you mind checking it out with me?”
I like the way Mark mumbles, this what the company I like most.
“ Hey, what if the guy is secretive. He does things in a different way.”
“ Do you think he is a virgin?”
Silence.
We both laugh.
“ I don’t think so Mark”
“ Oh yeah?”

I took a shower and change to my sleeping clothes. In bed, alone, I continued my progress in A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray and I made it to page 151.
Alone in the dark, the moon lit the empty spaces of my room, then I thought about Matthew.
I keep on thinking about him until my eyes faded to rest.