Prelude to kisses

Chapter 12

The year came to an end rather quickly; with Christmas being spent at home. Almost everyone in her family was home for the holidays, her mom and sister were laughing, holding coffee cups between their hands standing under the orange tree. It has always been there, she thinks, that orange tree and the guava tree at the edge of their yard. They are the only fruit trees they'd been able to grow in the yard. She remembers her maternal grandmother yearly trying to grow a mango tree every mango season, but it never happened for them.

These moments and times are always filled with nostalgia. Memories of running around this yard as kids, the kitchen hut that has stood through the test of time and her grandparents three roomed house that housed six children and countless grandchildren. Just thinking about all these things made her throat clog, she felt embraced by appreciation for life. By how far she'd come. No matter how far she got in life, she was sure this would always be where she came back to. The place they'd always find her long after she'd left this world.

She loved being home, but she'd left her business and there were things she needed to plan out before year-end. She'd also promised Angie she'd spent New Year's together. So, on the 29th she was on a bus back home.

Angie and Jackie had dinner before Dylan and Christian came to pick them up. When they arrived and she saw Christian standing by the car, hands in his jacket pockets looking anywhere else but her, she realized the game they were playing, "I invited him, I hope you guys don't mind". Dylan said as he kissed Angie on the cheek.

"He's always welcome". Angie quickly said.

Jackie followed them back to the car; Christian held the door open for her. He greeted her warmly and she smiled at him before getting in the car, "Do you know where we're going?" she asked him when they'd become comfortable in the car.

"Town, to watch the fireworks."

She nodded and looked out the window as Dylan started the engine.

They found a good spot to watch the fireworks, it was already packed when they got there, and everyone was getting comfortable around their friends and partners.

 "Were a bit early", Christian said as he looked down at his watch, "Do you guys want something to drink?" he asked Dylan and Angie who said yes in unison.

"Let's go get something to drink", he said as he grabbed Jackie's hand.

He ordered four drinks and carried them back to where they had left Angie and Dylan. They had the blankets neatly laid on the grass. He sat himself close to her. He feels safe, he feels cool. Like dipping my feet in warm water after getting rained on or a cup of coffee on a cold night. He sounds like poetry and his smile lights up the room. He's so handsome in this light and from this angle I can see the deep pink on his cheeks and lips. She likes how he uses his hands when he speaks. He takes a sip of his drink as he listens to her talk and laughs in a hearty way that she finds herself smiling.

"I have a girlfriend", He confesses later when they are alone.

"Oh".

"Yeah, she lives in Borrowdale. It's a bit of a long-distance relationship".

Jackie takes a sip of her drink to hide her disappointment, "Why didn't you invite her tonight, it would have been amazing don't you think?"

"Yeah, she's away with her family. We don't really spend the holidays together; those are for her families", He spoke.

She could feel disappointment in his voice but was quickly interrupted by the countdown. At the count of one there was cheer all around her, fireworks filled the sky. Vibrant colors shooting up at the sky leaving a residue of smoke. She turned to Angie and saw her kissing Dylan and quickly looked back to the sky again. A new year, she'd made it. She couldn't believe it. Another year, new plans and new experiences awaited her, she was excited to tackle this and make it into another year again. They all stayed for another hour before they drove back home.

Dylan dropped them off and when they stood alone on the porch, watching the car disappear into the early morning; Jackie let the mask fall.

"He has a girlfriend", She said without looking at her friend.

"Dylan told me. Are you okay?"

"I will be". They walked into the house hand in hand. She wished she could forget his existence, hoped she'd never see him again. She hadn't realized how much she'd started to like him. As her head hit her pillow, she realized that one of the reasons she hadn't given Ashton a chance was partly because of Christian, not just Matthew.