Journey (17 page)

Each group hug member eventually files out of the fold until we are back to a traditional two-person hug, shared by Journey and myself.   We ultimately break our physical contact, but something tells me that we have shared something special.  Never before have I felt not only accepted, but expressly wanted in someone else’s world.  Before now, I knew how much Journey loves cheerleading.  I knew she was talented and had no doubt how special she is to everyone she encounters, but it’s as though she’s not only invited me to see a glimpse into the secret garden of her heart, but she’s given me the key, and wants it to be ours.   

I didn’t know that seeing someone not only realize the fruits of their labor, but indulge a passion, would be rewarding to me in its own right.  I see that coaching others, aiding them to realize their potential, and helping others help themselves isn’t something Journey enjoys- it is as much a part of her being as she is mine.  I have a deeper understanding of what inspires her and keeps her going, which has strengthened my bond to her tenfold.

Although I had no question prior, I now know, completely and indubitably, that she was meant for me, and my need to show her is so strong, I literally ache.

April

Journey

“Do you know what today is?” I ask, nuzzling into Jack’s neck.

“No, what?”  He flashes a coy smile.

I thump his nose with my middle finger.  “Shut up, you do too.”  I move my arm to thump his ear, but he grabs my wrist and stops me.  I attempt to resist, but he overpowers me.  He always does, and I never mind when it happens.  We playfully tussle on the bed until I am completely pinned under his body.

“What a precarious position in which you seem to have found yourself, Doctor Ferrer,” he teases me, looking down into my eyes.  His face is close to mine, and I attempt to lift my head to kiss him, but he adds more force to my wrists, rendering me unable to lift off of the bed.  

“You don’t play very nice, Mr. Croft.”

“I play as nice as you want me to.”  His heat boors into me as I smile back expectantly.  

“Always so eager, aren’t we?”

“With you?  Yes.”  Jack continues holding my wrists above my head, moving his face closer to mine.  “In any given moment, on any given day, I want you.  You’re always in my thoughts in some way, shape, or form, and I have no plans of ever changing that.”

As if his handsomeness wasn’t enough of a turn-on, he always has some sort of panty-melting words to say that keep me coming back for more.  “I don’t know how I ever went so long without you.”

“I don’t either,” he says as he lifts his head to catch my gaze, “but I do know that I will never go long without you ever again.”

I wrap my legs around his waist and pull him into me.  It doesn’t take more than a few moments for both of us to fall over the edge of ecstasy.  

After our perfectly distracting morning romp in the sheets, Jack remains above me with his head on my chest.  He’s released my wrists, and I wrap them around him, trailing my fingers up and down on his back, feeling each muscle along the way.  

“Were you trying to distract me from the fact that you didn’t know that the last spring break we spent together was nine years ago today?”

“Not even close.  I had a sudden urge and acted on it, that’s all.  But, speaking of anniversaries, I am aware that prior to this year, we had not spent any time together for nine years.  Being the wonderful boyfriend that I am, I planned accordingly.”

“What do you mean?”                   

Jack rolls off of me and sits up beside me.  “You see, my dear, I promised to date you properly, and that’s precisely what I intend to do.  We have nine anniversaries to celebrate, and I plan to celebrate each one with you.”

“Jack, you don’t have to-”

“Don’t say I don’t have to.  I know that.  I do what I want, and you know that.  And now, I want to give you your first gift.”  

Jack hands me a shiny, gold envelope with a few stems of forget-me-nots.  I smile, tingling and excited; I’ve never been treated with such care and kindness.  The card inside reads,

Not only am I giving you gifts, but I also wrote you a little something for you.  Enjoy your paper gift.  (This card is not it.)

Forget me not, for I am no poet

Forget me not, for I’m going with it (Anyway)

Happy First Anniversary, Wildflower

Love,

Your Artichoke

I put the card down, looking into his radiant eyes, and he pulls this week’s edition of the local gazette off of the nightstand next to him.  

              I look the paper over, confused.  “I don’t get it.”

“Based on the traditional US anniversaries, the first year you give paper.”  Jack smiles at me as if he knows something I don’t.

“You’re giving me a copy of this week’s tiny town newspaper?  It’s just what I always wanted.”

“This week and every week after that.”

Clearly I’m missing something here.  The paper is free to the entire town and is delivered to every door.  “You got me a certified subscription?”

Jack’s eyes widen in anticipation.  “Read it over.”

“I already have.  I looked over it yesterday when it was delivered,” I reply, dryly.

“You must not have read the entire thing.”  Jack points to some small print on the back page.  My eyes scan over the words that read,
The Kleinert Gazette is published by Jack Croft & Co., a division of Croft Holdings, Inc.

My mouth drops open in surprise.  No, shock.  No…surprise… “You bought the local newspaper?  But, why?”

“It was up for sale, it’s surprisingly profitable, and I really wanted to replace the Editor-in-Chief.”

I crumple the paper in my lap and throw my arms around Jack’s neck.  “You truly are remarkable, you know that?”

“I may have been told once or twice.”  I plant a large peck on his lips.  “You need to get your cute little butt into the shower so we can get going with the rest of the day.”

“We’re celebrating nine anniversaries in one day?”

“No, not nine.  One or two.  It’s going to take several weeks to get to all of them, but have no fear, we shall celebrate each and every one.”

We shower, then I answer some texts from Jenny and other friends.

“Anyone have anything interesting to say?” Jack asks as he pulls his shirt over his head, covering some of my favorite parts of him.

“Not really.  Everyone says how wonderful you are and how much they love you.  Jenny says she’s jealous of so many gifts and will think up many reasons for us to give her needless things.”

“I think your snark is contagious.”

“Oh, please.  She had a quick wit and sharp tongue long before I was ever around to influence her.”

“If you say so.  Put on some comfy clothes because we’re catching lobsters today.”

“Ummm...okayyy…”

“Just trust me, dear.”

“I’m trying,
dear
.”  
My sweet, sexy Jack.

*****

Jack

The small fishing vessel I chartered for a few hours pulls up to the dock.  I hold Journey’s hand as she boards the small craft.  She was overjoyed when she figured out that she could wear her Sperry Top Siders as true boat shoes.  They look like they’ve been sitting in the box, just waiting for such an occasion.  Our boat travels atop the water and along the coast to some marked buoys.  I stand toward the front of the boat with my arms wrapped around Journey’s waist, pulling her back against my chest.  Waves of crimson follow Journey as the wind whips through her hair.  The air moving quickly around us causes her familiar, fruity scent to mix with the sea air and create an aroma of its own.

                     When we reach the area where we will pull the lobster traps from the water, the engine quiets and we can now hear one another speak.  I pull forget-me-nots and another card encased in a gold envelope.  I watch her eyes light up as she reads,

Forget me not, for your lips I wish to kiss

Forget me not, for your spirit I do miss

Happy 2nd Anniversary, Wildflower

Love,

JJ

              “I looked up each anniversary and its traditional gift.”  

              Journey can be very predictable.  If there is knowledge that she doesn’t have, she will seek it out and educate herself.  Unless it’s business, that is.  It seems she couldn’t care less about learning the minutia of the business world and its operations.  She calls it “exceedingly boring and dry.”  She also says I’m an encyclopedia of business knowledge, so she doesn’t want to waste the brain space.  It’s fine with me that she doesn’t care to learn.  On a few occasions, I am able to claim that I’m the smarter one of the two of us.  I’m not at all surprised that she looked up the information about the anniversaries.  I smirk as I await her next words.  

              “It says the second year is supposed to be cotton.  What does this have to do with that?”

              “It’s very simple, really, but you’re looking too much at the obvious.  For someone with a love of homonyms, I thought you’d have this figured out long before now.”

              “There’s no homonym for cotton,” she quips.

              “Again, you’re looking for something on the surface.  Think harder.”

              “Let’s see... We are in a boat, catching lobster.  Cotton…  Caught in?  As in, ‘caught in Maine’ or something like that?”

              “
Ding!  Ding!  Ding!
”

              “Except that’s a homophone.”

              “Homonym, homophone, who cares?”

              “The English language.”

              “Pssshhh.” 

              “Either way, you’re quite clever.”

              “Honey, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet.”

              We trap our lobsters, return home, and steam them.  There’s nothing like having seafood straight out of the ocean.  Journey helps clean the kitchen, then shows me her appreciation for the gifts.  Seeing her excitement and joy each day is the only gift I need; however I revel in her physical show of appreciation just as well.

***

Journey and I both have a busy week with our jobs and work on the house, causing her to stay at her house Monday and Tuesday night.  By Wednesday, I missed her like mad and we planned for me to stay the night at her place so she wouldn’t have to drive out to mine.  Her bed is a tad smaller than mine, but it served to keep us in each other’s arms all night, so I can’t complain.  This morning, she is up and out the door before I can manage to open one eye.

The cedar shingles on all of the estate’s structures are being replaced, making it difficult to concentrate on my work while at home.  Her cottage, though quaint, is peaceful.  I can see why she loves it here.  I make a good deal of progress updating some accounts and fielding business calls.

Lunchtime sneaks up on me and since I agreed to take her to lunch, I set out to meet her at her office.

                     “Hiya, Jack,” Teresa greets me.

                     “Hey Teresa.  Journey here?”

              “Of course she is.  She’s been expecting you.  I’ll let her know you’re here.”

              “Thanks.”

              Through the door that leads to the exam rooms, Jenny comes into the waiting room.  “Hey Jenny, shouldn’t you be in school right now?”

              “Spring break,” Jenny answers.  I completely forgot about it being spring break for the schools too.  No wonder Journey has been so busy.  “What are you doing here, Jack?”

              “Taking Journey to lunch.  Wanna come with?”

              “Nah.  I haven’t been feeling too hot.”

              “I was telling Journey that we need to have you over for dinner.  We’ve been-”

              “I know…  You’ve been celebrating missed anniversaries.  She’s been gushing about it ever since.  How about tomorrow evening?”

              “That’s perfect.  All of the shingles on the house should be replaced and repainted by then.”

              “I won’t even recognize the place.”

              “I know.”

              “See ya tomorrow.  Six thirty cool?”

              “Sounds like a plan.  See you tomorrow.”

              Jenny has become family to us.  Journey and I both know what it’s like to grow up in prominent and wealthy families, but we were fortunate that our parents were not as worried about appearances as Jenny’s family.  However, within those social circles, regardless of who you are, there’s a certain degree of caution you must carry at all times when it comes to your actions and how they can affect several people.

              Journey’s eyes light up as they meet mine when she walks into the waiting room.  Looking professionally sexy in a solid button down dress shirt and grey slacks that fit her curves perfectly, I wish we had more time at lunch for me to act on the many thoughts seeing her at work incites.  She forgot to take off her white lab coat that has her name monogrammed on the chest.  She tends to play down the fact that she’s a doctor, but I’m proud enough of her for the both of us.  I love the fact that when we marry, our return labels and formal invitations will read
Mr. Jack T. and Dr. Journey M. Croft.

              “Ready for lunch?”  She smiles up at me.

              “I was born ready.”

              Looking to Teresa, who is pulling her lunch out of the fridge behind the desk, she declares, “We will just be down the street at Nora’s Cafe.  Let me know if something comes up.”

              “Take your time,” Teresa asserts.  I give a quick glance to Teresa and she winks back at me.  “Always good to see you, Jack.”