Grapes Bridges and Stars

Chapter 14

At church,  Ava Grace sat with James. She had her head on his shoulder and his arm was wrapped around her. I looked around at all the other girls. They were rolling their eyes at Ava Grace, and staring at her like they just couldn't bear being in the same room as her. I shook my head feeling annoyed with their bratty ways. I would never be able to understand why girls get so jealous of one another. 

We were having dinner at church that day. Ava Grace skipped toward me smiling. "Hey, Liberty!"  I could tell she had something to say.

"Hello, Ava Grace!" I responded with my kindest voice. "How you be?" She asked sincerely. "I be just fine, and you?" She laughed at how I said "be" just like her. 

"I see you were sitting with James." I playfully elbowed her. She flipped her hair. "He's mine now!" She grinned from ear to ear. 

I told her what happened in the car between me and Bryson. She almost dropped her plate. We walked to the table. 

"I am so happy for you!" She said while sitting next to James. I sat across from them. 

"What are we talking about?" James asked. His voice was extremely deep. Bryson's was deep but not this deep. Bryson's voice was only that deep when he was tired, and it drove me wild. I couldn't wait for him to get tired. 

"Liberty has a boyfriend!" Ava Grace shared with James. That was so embarrassing. James seemed confused though. 

"I thought you had one." Ava Grace threw her hands in the air. "See Liberty, I done told you, girl! You too pretty for no guy not to be asking you out." Her southern twang came all the way out. 

I shrugged. "And he's good looking." She wiggled her eyebrows at me. James looked at her hurt.

"What about me?" He asked concerned he was already losing his girl.

"Baby, you know I ain't looking at nobody else but you." She cupped his cheek. He smiled and kissed her. The way they were with each other made me miss Bryson. 

"So, what's his name?" He asked. "Bryson." He thought for a moment. "Johnson?" Hmm... Small world.

"Yeah, you know him?" He nodded. "How could I ever forget him?" He's the reason I'm alive today. Him and God." My eyes opened wide. 

"He is?"

"There had been a fire in my house when I was a senior in high school. Bryson was only a freshmen. Supposedly there was no way of getting me out, but Bryson obviously found one." 

Wow! I was the girlfriend of a hero. This made me even more proud to be his girl. That lit up my whole world. 

"You think you can get him to meet me? I'd like to see him again." James asked me. 

"Of course! I can give him a call later and see if he's available." 

Adeline said she had worried if he would grow to be a good man and she doesn't have to worry. Adeline had every right to be proud of Bryson. He was such a good man.

***
When I got home, I called him. "Hello, I called for a Mr. Johnson," I said in my most proper voice.

"He may or may not be here based on who's calling." I giggled.

"Ah, it's my girl!" I loved that he called me his girl. "Hi, Bryson!" I said sweetly. 

"Hey, baby!" I always melted while talking to him. Were you planning on coming over?" I hadn't actually thought about that. I was a bit nervous. I'd never been over to his apartment. 

"Actually, I have a friend who wants to see you." 

"So, you're loaning me to people. I thought we had something special." 

"No Bryson! It's a guy friend." 

"Baby, I don't roll like that and you know that."

"Bryson!" He laughed. "Alright alright. Who's this friend?"

"James." Bryson gasped and I assumed the name rang a bell. "You know James Brown?" I laughed rolling my eyes. "Boy quit playin'!" I yelled. He laughed loudly. He slowly stopped laughing and sighed of content.

"It's so funny messin' with you baby." 

"Hush boy! Be serious now. Can you meet him?" 

"Yeah, how about next Thursday?" 

"4?" He agreed to four. 

"What you doing, girl?" He asked in his deeper voice. He was getting tired. My favorite time to talk to him.

"I'm talking to this fine gentlemen." 

"You know I am." 

"Oh, whatever! How many poems?" 

"20, I got five more." Wow! He knew exactly how many he wanted to do.

"I can't wait to see it," I said feeling excited. "I really hope you like it." 

"You tired?" I asked him. "Yeah." He sighed. "What's the matter?" 

"Nothing."

"Tell me!" I urged. "It's just, I want this to be perfect. I would hate it if you didn't like the poems I wrote." 

"I'm sure I will."

"You don't know that." 

"You don't either," I informed him. 

I wanted to snuggle up to him and comfort him till he fell asleep. Then, I thought of something.

"Hey, I know it's getting late, but you think we can hang at the bridge for a second?" I asked. That pumped him up. "Yeah, I'm on my way!" 

"You're so excited." 

"I just want to be next to you." I was a puddle of melted chocolate. Why does he do this to me? "If only it could be more often," I said. "I feel one day it will be," he said in his sleepy voice. 

I felt like I was in a different place as I talked to him. A place where no one can harm me, not even touch me. A place where only Bryson himself was allowed.