XXXV. The other Jess
I rented the apartment across their building. Everyday I waited for that perfect moment to approach her. I still didn’t know what to say. I just knew I needed to talk to her. Hours became days. Days became weeks. Then, I finally got the chance.
She came home alone from work for the first time. Maybe her boyfriend was out. I was sitting on the bench just a few yards before the entrance.
She stopped by and sat beside me. I was holding newspaper to cover my face. She was fixing her heels. I let her see my face.
Jess: Damn this heels. They are painful you know…. Jess…?
Jess’: Yeah. Hi.
Jess: What are you doing here?
Jess’: Nothing.
Jess: What a coincidence. Great. Could we go out to dinner together? I’m alone today so…
Jess’: Sure.
Jess: I’ll just fix myself. Wait here.
After a couple of minutes later, she came down. She brought me to this restobar nearby. We started eating, talking about our lives after the incident.
She got a contract here in the US. She met her childhood sweetheart at the airport. Coincidentally, he was renting in the same apartment as hers. Then, she said ‘it was magic!’ They got together.
She seems very happy and contented and completely unlike me. I can’t ruin her moment anymore. I can’t make her life awful. I did that before. I just need to face the fact that I was too late and I suck at love.
Jess’: I want to give you this.
Jess: This was the ring? I thought you gave it to her.
Jess’: I used another ring. This was yours. You picked it up. For you.
Jess: Thank you.
Jess’: Welcome.
What did I do? Why didn’t I ask her to marry me? I love her. Why did I give the ring for a gift?
We said our goodbyes and left.
