Autumn

Chapter 3: Jayce Cujo

     Its been a week or so since I met Autumn at the park and since I last talked to Jacques or my mother. The double shifts kept me busy: I get to work early, around 7 in the morning and get home extremely late. I only ever have time to sleep or eat. I'm at the lumber yard at the moment, working the sander over a slap of Cyprus wood.

  Autumn has crossed my mind a few times --- more often than I'd like to admit--- but I don't dwell on it for very long. Its not like there could be anything between us even if I could see her again; I'm pretty sure she won't be staying here long.

"Hey Jess, you need me and the boys to bring a couple of beers when we come over tonight?"

   I turn to see Jayce behind me. I'd been so deep in thought, I'd hadn't even noticed him approach me. Switching the machine off, I removed my safety goggles. "Yeah. Sure man, that'd be great. Are Caleb and Tommy still coming?"

   It was customary for us - my best friend Jayce and good friends Tommy and Caleb and I, to all have what amounts to a girls-night-out but for boys, every so often. On a Friday night every month, we all gathered at my house, since my place was the largest, had dinner, watched the game and sat around a bonfire in my backyard with a few beers. It was a way for us to keep in contact since Jayce and I were the only two who saw each other on an almost daily basis. The boys were coming over tonight and the mention of our plans reminded me that I needed to pick up some things from the grocery store.

  "Last I heard from them, they were still coming," Jayce replies, pulling his safety goggles up onto his forehead. "I think Tommy is bringing Vanessa with him."

     "You're not bringing anyone with you?" I ask. It would be particularly unusual of him if he didn't. Jayce is two inches shorter than I am with thick black hair, a slight beard and gray eyes. He's well built with broad shoulders that were evidence of the fact that he'd been a quarterback in high school. I was 14 when we first met and he was the only one of my friends in high school that stuck with me after my mom died. Jayce was known for the small harem of women that he kept around and he was never seen anywhere, apart from work of course, without a girl on his arm. They were mostly chicks he picked up at the bar since Jayce is 21. We both worked at the lumber yard together.

"Help me move these, will ya," he says while pointing to a few stripped, Cyprus trees. Most of the timber we dealt with at the lumber yard came from the swamps or the forests nearby; mostly trees that had fallen on their own.

Jayce seemed to be trying to ignore my question so I didn't push him for an answer. When we had finally finished moving all the timber to a pile near the work shed where they would be sanded down, and cut into planks, he spoke.

"No Jess, I'm not bringing a girl tonight. I'm not in the mood for it."

           When was Jayce never in the mood for a girl???

I let the puzzlement I felt show on my face and asked, "Why not? You and Lana have a fight or something?"

He sighs and rakes his hand through his hair, looking rather tired. "Yeah, something like that." He pauses and shifts his weight from one foot to the other. I know Jayce well enough to know that he only does that when he's anxious; either he's dying to tell me something or he's afraid to.

  "I just don't feel like she wants me for me, you know," he shrugs. "I mean she's cute and all and the sex is great..--"

I hold up a hand to stop him. "Oh no," I say. "That's a lot more information than I need."

Jayce chuckles. " Don't act so squeamish Jess. We're all adults here. Besides, it only makes you seem more inexperienced than you already are." His amusement is still evident on his face as he walks over to me and puts and arm around my shoulder; a task which is a rather difficult thing to accomplish since I'm taller. "The guys are all worried about you, you know. I'm worried about you. When are you gonna get back in the game man? Your last date was with that blond tramp, Cathy Brinslow-- terrible choice for a date by the way-- at homecoming." He looks at me pointedly. The tone of his voice isn't serious but the look in his eyes is; it's like he's willing me with his eyes to consider his words.

"I mean ever since your mom passed you've been so..--"

"That has nothing to do with it," I snap, cutting him off mid-sentence. I was so tired of this conversation. This had nothing to do with my mother's death and even if it did, I didn't need to hear him say it.

He raises his hands, palms facing outward in a gesture of surrender. " I'm just saying man. Ever since your mom died, its like you've become a recluse. I'm surprised you even remained friends with me."

"This has nothing to do with my mother's death, okay. I'll get a girlfriend when I'm good and ready and I don't need you to help me do it.

"Okay," he acquiesces finally.

Then it hits me. "Did you just call me a recluse?" I ask, slightly dumbfounded. "I mean I've never heard you use that word before. Didn't think your vocabulary was that broad." I smirk, its always fun to yank his chain.

He gapes at me in mock horror. "You stereotypical bastard." Again, he surprises me with another big word. "Just because I was a football player, that means that I'm not smart? Is that it?"

"No," I reply, shaking my head at how defensive he sounds. " I'm just saying that no smart human being would ever date Deborah Stanley. I'm sure you remember the fling you two had last summer." I can't help the smirk that threatens to split my face in two.

"Shut up, " he retorts grumpily and punches my arm.

I can't help but laugh.

We walk back to the work shed and spend the next few hours sanding and sawing planks of Cyprus while occasionally discussing Jayce's horrible taste in women.

_______________________________________________________________________

End of chapter!!!

Now you've met the best friend.

Jayce Cujo is pronounce like J-ace, --not Jay-cee-- Coo-jo; in case you're wondering.

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Chyna