The Life And Times Of Rachel Grape

Labor Day Weekend

     "I'll miss you,"  Rachel told him.

"I will miss you more."   He kissed her.

    This went on forever.   She would miss him,  but she was excited to get back home, work in the store, and be with her few friends.    The girls at school didn't seem to like her as she was "too country", "too skinny", and sometimes she wished she could send Bonnie to school in her place but Bonnie would be at the frat houses having a good time, and her roomate seemed to be doing that as well.   She brought another guy home.   Her roommate wasn't ugly.   She looked a lot like Traci Lords when she was younger, but what she said and did was pretty mean.   It hurt her feelings a lot.   For some reason, Arianna did not have Friday classes and her mom picked her up at noon, hair perfectly coiffed, nails polished red, and smelling big city.   She, however, did not want to go home and deal with her dad.  He would be drunk, talking at her, not letting others talk....  

    That Friday she packed her things.   Westin was going to wait and meet her mom.   Her dad couldn't get off of work.   On fall break he was going to take her home, maybe even stay over.    There was a hotel nearby.   He was willing to get to know her and small town life.   They had moved around so much.  His mother remembered living in a small town in Iowa  but "blocked her twenties" out of her life.    See, his mother had little stays after she ruined a town.   She stayed at Byron for six months as his dad took care of him and his siblings.  He wanted the stability that Rachel had.  They sat on a parkbench chit chatting about what they were going to do, when that navy Cadillac pulled up.   "That is a nice car," he told her.   It was a Brougham D'Elegance in dark navy.   She thanked him.   He walked up to the car, put her bags in the trunk and he kissed her.   He introduced himself to her mother and she was impressed.   He then helped her into the car and they drove off.   That was his girl.  

   "He seems really nice, Rach," her mom told her.  

"Yeah."

"I wanted that in college.   You know, I thought I would never have a nice guy.   I was mad about going to Endora.   I wouldn't have had beautiful kids, like you."

"I am glad you did.   My roommates parents fight all of the time.   Her dad has legal troubles and she sort of said that but she is mean to me."

"Maybe she's jealous."

"I don't think so.   She made fun if my FFA jacket."

"Pay no mind."

"It's s hard though."

"I know."

    It was late summer and Iowa was so glad..   There were hints of what was to become.   It was going to be an average summer.   It wasn't a monsoon or a drought.  

    "Are you serious with Westin?"   She asked.

"Yes, but we have just kissed."

"Just don't do what I did.    I slept with a boy when I was in high school.   Summer of 85, daily except when I was on my period."

"I know mom, but I came out of an affair."

"I loved your dad.   I still,do, with the passion I did that first time we did it.   I just knew it.   I never loved the married guy who wanted me as a side chick.   I never loved Chance."

"Chance.   I think that is Arianna's dad's name."

"Not a word!"  She thought to herself, "wouldn't it be funny if Westin was Wendy's?"   However, Wendy was not that Wendy anymore.   Medications and shock therapy made her forget.  

"I know, mom."

"She wouldn't want to see how fat I have gotten.   She would be right."

"Mom. She's fat, too."

    There was some consolation  in that. 

     Pretty soon her baby fell asleep.   She wasn't getting much.   She thought to herself.   She was 19, dating the Bengali boy.  She was so happy she was pretty and skinny and could date pretty much who ever she wanted to.   Back home, Gilbert took the afternoon off and had fixed her favorite meal.  It was a celebration that she was home.  She thought to herself that she wished her parents instilled the same values in her as they did their kids.    They would have been unstoppable.  She wouldn't have had health scares either.  

    5th drove up to the house, a worn, weatherbeaten house.   The kids were at school, so it was just them.   She was so happy she wanted to cry, but she didn't.  This was home.   Not the loud dorms and the sex going on in the next bed.  Gilbert asked if she liked school as a warm breeze blew, and the unmistakeable smell of summer's end loomed.  

    "So, how is school?"  He asked her.

"I like it.  I don't lie my roommate.  She's rushing a sorority though   She made fun of my FFA Jacket."  

"Don't worry about her."

"I think her ex's daughter is my roommate.   She is so worldly."

"Oh."

   They spent the afternoon talking, and then the kids came home.   Bonnie had to cheer at the game, so they were going to go to the game.  In a weird way, she looked forward to it.  Bonnie looked just like her mom with her blue and yellow cheerleading uniform on.  She had a corsage, as this was the first home game.   She hugged her sister, who she did miss,  and her sister could not wait to hear about college.   "So, what is it like?  Have you met a boy yet?  Have you done it?" Rachel shook her head.    "Wow!  I am seventeen and sexually active." Rachel looked at her. Her little sis was already having sex. Her mom told her, "I was seventeen and doing it with a guy I wasn't even dating." For dinner, they went to The Ramp. It wasn't as good as a new family owned it and Rachel looked regrettably at the "End of The Line Drug Store" that closed last summer. They had to go to the Walgreen's by the highway. She felt like she had been gone so long.

The game was fun. Bonnie looked cute cheering on the county high school. She saw some old friends and teachers, who liked the salutatorian. Her dad was proud and so was her mother. When she got back home she fell asleep right away as a cool breeze blew through her bedroom. Downstairs, in the master bedroom,the bed springs sang with her parents love.   They never missed a day.   She thought of Arianna, and wondered if she was happy.   Sadly, her mother was late, her parents fought at dinner, and were still fighting.  Westin texted to see how she was.   Westin, lovely Westin.