These Coming Years

Chapter Three: The Letter Never Read

-Lisa-

Marisol, Rudy, and I talked for hours. We laughed about all our high school memories, and got each other up to date about the present. They were doing very well for themselves.

Marisol was a manager at a clothing store, though she apparently worked a lot harder with more responsibilities than were in her job description. She didn't feel like it was the best job, but she enjoyed it, and enjoyed having all her responsibilities.

Rudy worked at a record company I'd never heard of before. He mostly worked as a tech guy, but one of the producers had taken him under his wing, and was allowing him an apprenticeship. Rudy was also very happy and excited about where he was at.

I enjoyed their stories about how they got started with their jobs, and anecdotes about their coworkers and all that. It was fun to hear about their success. But when it came my turn to share about my life, the story was very short.

"It's basically what I've told you," I shrugged. "I've been everywhere, doing everything. I drive until I stop, and once I'm in a new place, I'll either stay the night or stay the next six months. I find jobs to pass the time, and try to write." I shrugged once more. "It's pretty much the same routine over and over."

"For all six years?" Rudy asked. I guessed he thought I had done more that I'd just never told him about.

"I'm surprised your old tuck made it this long," Marisol remarked.

"Yeah, I've kind of just nickel-and-dimed it as it was needed," I said. "It's held together."

"So," Marisol began a new topic, "Did you ever make any friends, at least, during your travels?"

"Not so much," I grimaced. "I wasn't ever in one place long enough to get close to anyone." That wasn't entirely true. There were the few every so often who would express interest in me, and try to hang out, but I became comfortable alone. I also decided not to tell them about Samantha. Not yet anyways.

"That's a bit sad, Lis," Rudy's brow creased.

"Yeah," I shrugged, "I guess I just spend a lot more time in my head now."

Our topic of conversation soon shifted towards the baby, and they were telling me about all their plans. Marisol, of course, had the attitude of a proper mother, and Rudy had the attitude of an excited father. I expected Marisol to have a child one day. She was mother material. However, I didn't know how to picture Rudy holding an infant. At least not back in the day. It was easier to get a grasp of then, seeing him with his arm draped over Marisol's shoulders, with a free hand rested on her growing tummy. I wondered how their first experience would be.

It was a long night of talking between the three of us, and finally just after one in the morning, Rudy announced his drowsiness. We decided it would be a good time to get to sleep. Rudy went ahead to their bedroom and Marisol lead me to where I'd be sleeping.

"Rudy spent the day preparing the guest room," she explained, waddling up the stairs.

"Guest room?" I asked. "You're house is bigger than I expected it to be."

"I didn't expect to land a place like this either," she laughed, "But it turned out to be pretty affordable and classy." The opened the second door on the right of the hallway. "This will become the baby's room soon," she flicked the light on, "But you're welcome to it until it's time for that."

"This is great," I said. "Thanks so much for letting me stay."

"Of course," she smiled. "I guess I was really angry about you leaving without any real warning. I didn't think it would carry over all these years, but I did miss you under all of that. And I understand that you were dealing with your own problems, and it was completely rude, the things I said to you that day."