Obvious

Chapter Three

            Everything was changing.  Jordon and Ronnie spent quite a bit of time planning their upcoming wedding.  It was going to be a winter wedding.  Not much of a winter in Southern California but that’s what she insisted on.  I felt that Jordon could have cared less, as long as she was happy.  I barely saw either of them.  And I think a part of me was grateful for that.  The closer their wedding date and the more they planned, the more I realized I didn’t want them to be happy.  I mean I did, but I didn’t at the same time.  I wanted to be happy too.

            “Don’t worry too much about her, she gets a little uptight when she gets stressed.  After the wedding, everything will be back to normal.”  Samantha sighed.

            Truth was, everything wasn’t going to go back to normal.  Things were changing and I was having trouble keeping up.  I turned to Samantha, giving her a forced smile before turning back to the television.  I could hear her as she sipped at her coffee cup and pulled a drag from her cigarette.  From the corner of my eye I watched as the ocean water filled breeze moved her long hair ever so gently.  She seemed not to notice.  Her fingers curling around her phone as it vibrated across the table.  Her brow furrowed.

            I drew attention to myself almost immediately.  “What’s wrong?”

            “Ronnie.  She’s upset.  She doesn’t really know that many people, besides you guys and me.  And Jordon wants all of you guys in his groom party.”

            “What about Danny?”  The question slipped out before I could stop it.

            She looked up at me momentarily, knowing what I was asking, before returning to her phone.  “I’m sure he’ll be standing on her side.  Make it look a bit less awkward if he’s standing with me.  But that still leaves two to Jordon’s what…his four?  She’s still two short?”

            “What about your guys’ mom?”

            “She passed away some years ago.”

            “Sorry to hear that.”

            “Don’t worry about it.  I’m over it.  I had to be the big sister, ya know?  But I wouldn’t bring her up with Ronnie.  I don’t know how well she’s doing with the whole thing.  I asked her if it would be alright if I found a couple girlfriends.  I think I can get a couple of them down here by the time of the wedding.  But you can definitely tell she’s not really comfortable with the idea.”

            “What is she going to do for a bachelorette party then?”  I was generally interested.

            “I’m going to throw a kick ass bachelorette party, dontcha worry about that.  I’m going to have to call on some friends for that for sure.  Maybe she’ll be a bit more comfortable with some of our cousins, that way she at least knows more people.  I don’t know.  I’ll figure it out as we get closer to that date.”

            We sat in silence again.  Truth was, she had been the one to ask me to lunch.  Some restaurant that she had heard about, but being from the north had never tried before.  However, most of our “date”, if you could call it that, had been in silence.  She was buried within her phone and I was too busy trying to maintain my calm exterior.

            She sat her phone back down, as if knowing the thoughts that were going through my head.  She crossed her hands under her chin and smiled.

            I raised an eyebrow, “Yes...”  My word drawn out.

            “You must throw some kick ass parties.  Being in a band an all.  Oh and all the parties you must have gone to!  Not to mention all the pretty groupies that follow you guys around.”

            I blushed.  “I never really pay that much attention.”

            “Bullshit!  Where’s the best place you’ve ever been?  The one that has the prettiest girls.”

            “I liked…Canada.”  I tried desperately to choose my words carefully.

            “Canada babes, ay?”  She smiled.

            “No.  It’s…I like the snow.”

            “It snows occasionally here.”

            “In parts of California, yes.”

            “Those winter coats and ear muffs turn you on?”  She laughed.

            She was infuriating!  Had a way of just…I don’t even know!  Just had a way of irritating me.  But I couldn’t just get up and leave.  Truth was, a part of me didn’t really want to get up and leave.  Her demeanor turned serious as her eyes searched my reluctant and upset face.

            “Hey relax.  I know how much you cared for my sister.  And I know that this must be really hard for you.  I’m just trying to lighten the mood a bit.”

            “Is that why you asked me out?”

            “You sound like a woman.  Reading into messages.”  She realized I wasn’t joking.  “Partly.  But I also like spending time with you.  You’re down to earth.  And I’m curious about you.  Like to get to know ya.  Be your friend.”

            Not wanting to admit my feelings I turned the conversation, “Why were you in Africa?”

            “I’m studying to be a nurse.  Thought it would be the best way to get to experience other illnesses and diseases that sort of thing.  I know it’s sort of a morbid response but I am continually hungry for knowledge.  That’s how it started out anyway.  I grew to like the people there.  Real sweet.  Don’t ask for much.  But also real scared.  For example, a flu epidemic can wipe out a whole village and with little to no medicine or technology it leaves neighboring villages confused, scared, and some may even resort to violence.”

            “Sounds scary.”

            “Sometimes.  You learn to wake up to certain, if not all, noises at night.  Never know.  But I fell in love with those kids.  They’re just powerless victims of these illnesses and diseases.  I want to save all of them.  I have knowledge of some vaccines.  It’s just getting them over there that proves to be a challenge.  But I want to help.  And I can use my doctorial skills to help.  Even if it’s just to save the life of one child.  That’s why I hope so much that that little kid will be alive when I return.”

            “It takes a special type of person to work in the medical field.”

            “Some are cold though.”

            “Not you.  You have a big heart.”

            “Runs in the family.”

            I continued, “What’s it like over there?”

            “Hot.”  She laughed.  “You get use to it though.  The hardest thing to get use to is the bathroom though.  Trust me, it’s not the conventional bathrooms we’re use to here.”

            “I can imagine.”

            “But it’s so rewarding.  I cannot even describe it.  It’s like volunteering on a much larger scale.”

            “Aren’t you ever worried about catching some of their illnesses?  I mean if it’s so hard to get the vaccines sent over…what happens if you get one of them?”

            “If you’re eluding to the Ebola virus that has broken out, I’m not working close enough to that part of Africa.  Though it would not be unlikely for it to spread to my part of the continent.  I’ve been vaccinated against quite a few things, you have to before you leave the country.  But do I worry?  Yes and no.  I love what I do.  And will keep doing it.  But are we really ready to face death when he comes knocking at our door?”

            “I wasn’t.”