Hello Again

II

Again, I wait in the study the next morning bright and early. Gabi and Mrs. Brahms come in a few minutes later, broad smiles on their faces. “You know, Samantha, you don't have to come in the study everyday. You can just come in and start working. You wont be a bother to anyone. I'll be gone most every day and Jurgis will be gone working.”

I smile at the sound of Jurgis' name from her lips. I feel like hugging her. “Are you ready, Mrs. Brahms?” Gabi asks, glancing at her watch.

“Oh not now, Jurgis hasn't come down yet. I want to say goodbye to him before he goes to the airport.”

“What?” I ask aloud. Oh crap! She's onto me!

“Jurgis is leaving for the USSR today.” Apparently she didn't catch on to my surprise and disappointment.

“Why, for work?”

“Afraid so. He signed on a deal just yesterday.” That must have been what he went to do after I left. That could have been the only time he went to sign it. The disappointment on his mother's face breaks my heart more than it already was. Why is he leaving her if he was so hurt to see his father leave her?

“Oh here he is. I'm glad I caught you before you left!” Mrs. Brahms says as he enters the study. He sees me but doesn't smile like he usually does. He hugs his mother back as she clings long onto him. I turn around and start unloading the things from my bag. I don't want to see him leave. I take the sketchbook and a pencil in hand and turn around, ready to walk out and begin working. But I bump into Jurgis. I dind't even hear him walk up to me. I stare at him with a blank face. I don't know what he's thinking, if he's upset at me or what.

Jurgis grabs me by the waist and pulls me into a hug. I, too, hug him back, wrapping my arms around him with my hands full. When he pulls back, I have my answer. He isn't mad at me. I forgot, after all, that his letter told me he liked me. It's hard to be angry at someone you like for very long. He smiles at me now, looking from my full hands back up to my face. “Thank you.” he says.

 “Your welcome.”

 After he's left for the airport, I finish sketching the rest of the rooms in the house. When I walked in to Jurgis' room, it looked so empty because he had taken all of his things. I wonder what's in the USSR that needs him? It must have something to do with his work. I skipped lunch to finish sketching and go home after a long day's work. When I'm back at my apartment, I set everything on my coffee table. I go to my kitchen and put on some tea. Going into my bedroom, I check my cell phone. I missed a call from Peter! I didn't even hear him call! I hit his name on the screen and wait for him to answer. This time, it's really him instead of his answering machine.

 “Sam!!” he says excitedly.

“Hi! How are you?”

“Missing you!”

A smile crosses my face. “I've missed you, too. I think it should be illegal to be gone from the one you love for such a long time.”

“The feeling is mutual. Are you busy tonight?”

“Not really, I was just going to work on my big assignment and drink some tea. I finally finished sketching everything and can now start designing!”

“That's awesome! I'm really sorry I can't be with you tonight. Job's super busy until this weekend.” Oh.

“That's fine, I really need to get started on some design ideas.”

“Well I know you'll pull through it. You're the best designer I know!”

“I'm the only designer you know.”