chapter four
Jack
The drive from Ventura to my apartment in Westchester takes me a little over an hour. I realize I’m smiling. That shouldn’t be so unusual, but it’s been a while since I felt this way. How could a simple lunch with a woman make me feel like this? Maybe it’s like Mom said, you can’t out-bless God. Doing good to others always brings joy. That could be it, but when my mind goes back to Katrina, a smile creeps back onto my face.
I decide to call my brother, Caleb, as I drive the rest of the way home. He’ll get a kick out of my chance meeting with Katrina.
“Hey, bro.” I hear the guys in the station in the background.
“Hey, Jack! You home yet?”
“No, not yet. Almost, though. I had a little detour at a truck stop.”
“You okay? Did something happen to your car?”
“No, my car’s fine. I saw a damsel in distress, so I stopped to help her out.” An image of her waving her hands while she’s talking crosses my mind and I smile.
“Okay then, hero. Was she cute?”
“Yeah. Really adorable. Her engine overheated, but it wasn’t anything, just needed to cool, so we had lunch while she waited it out.”
“A lunch date. That’s what I’m talking about! So, did you get her number?”
“No! What do you expect me to do, ask a total stranger for her number at a truck stop?”
“That’s what I’d do.”
“I know it is. You have no fear, man. Except when it comes to a certain schoolteacher you’ve loved forever.”
“Life is better without fear, Jack. Trust me. And you are like a broken record about Mindy.”
“Ok. I’ll stop about Mindy, for now.” I pull off the freeway toward my neighborhood as we keep talking.
“This woman at the truck stop was something else. Different than most of the women Brett or Jason try to set me up with for sure.” I envision her brown eyes, full of life, turning up at the corners when she laughed.
Caleb makes a humming noise like I got his attention. “Different how? I like hearing about you actually being interested in a woman for a change of pace.”
“She was funny. Spontaneous. Interesting. Says whatever comes to her mind. She made me laugh.”
Caleb whoops. “I’m dying that you didn’t get her number now. Sounds like she was worth pursuing.”
If only I had half the self-abandon he had, but I realize the opportunity has passed. “Yeah, well, obviously it just was what it was. I don’t know where she lives. I only have her first name – Katrina. It was a fun diversion – and something to let me know women like her exist in the world. I’m holding out for someone like her. No more vapid dates. And, Caleb, it was really good to see you. I just wish we had more time.”
“I’m holding you to that no vapid dates comment. You deserve better. It was so good to see you too. We need to get together again as soon as we both can.”
I assure him, “I plan on it. As soon as you’re out of fire season, let’s do it.”
“Sounds good. I love you.” My chest tightens. Caleb’s the only family I have left, and I miss him already.
“Talk to you soon. Love you, Caleb.”
I pull into the underground parking in my West L.A. apartment. I roll my suitcase behind me and stop by the mailboxes. I’m heading to the elevator when I see my friend Brett coming in from a run. “Hey, Jack! How was your trip?”
“It was good seeing the coast a bit. Blew some of the cobwebs out like I hoped it would.”
“Did you get your invite to Mark’s wedding?” Brett gestures his head toward the stack of envelopes and papers I’m holding.
“I haven’t looked yet. Another one bites the dust, huh?” We laugh. At 27 years old, I feel like I’m watching my bachelor friends pair up one by one. The last marriage candidate in my life was during undergrad. But Callie and I decided we weren’t going to pursue a future after graduation. We wanted different things in life. If I’m honest with myself, I don’t think I really loved her.
Mom sure was fond of Callie, but that’s Mom for you. She loved everyone. I wonder what Mom would think of that free-spirited photographer I met outside Ventura on my drive home. Man, I wish I had Katrina’s number. She sure made an impression. Well, no use thinking about her. I don’t even know where she lives. It was good to feel like a woman could get my attention like that again. I haven’t felt that alive and aware of another person in years. Maybe ever.
* * *
Going back to work Monday feels like I’m scheduled for surgery. I’d pretty much pay anyone a large sum of money to come turn off my alarm and take my place at the firm today. I drag myself out of bed and do my routine: sit-ups, pushups, and a plank. Then I make my bed. I may be dragging, but I’m overriding the part of me that wants to jump back in the car and return to Montana. I’m a walking contradiction these days.
My boss, Joel, calls me after I get settled at my desk and tells me to be in his office in fifteen minutes. Mark pops by as I’m gathering myself to go in. “So, Joel is in rare form. You are going to have to pay penance for your time away. You know that, right?”
“I banked on it. The fact that this time off was to take care of important and touchy family business does not faze Joel at all. He would eat Mother Theresa for lunch. Just sayin’.” Mark laughs.
“Yeah, well, while you were away that corporate climber threw a few of us under the bus on the Klive Paper project.” Mark rolls his eyes.
“It’s just how he operates. Don’t let it get you down. Look at it this way. When Joel moves up, that’s more space between us and him. He can feel threatened by new executives and we can actually function without his diatribes interrupting us trying to accomplish work around here.”
“I hope you are right. It’s been tough dealing with him – I think he’s getting worse.” He lets out a breath. Mark’s face suddenly lights up. “By the way, did you get the invite to the wedding?”
I say, “Yeah. I did. I put it on my calendar and popped the RSVP in the mail on my way into the office today. Congrats, man.”
“Thanks. Sandy means everything to me. Seriously. Finding the woman you want to spend your life with changes a man’s life. Every day when I leave here, work disappears like a mist. I just think of her and life falls into perspective.”
“Well, I’m happy for you. A good woman is hard to find. … I better head in to see Joel.”
I sit in the torture chamber that is Joel’s office listening to him go over details about what I missed and what he wants me to do to make up for lost time. Every so often I say, “Mmm hmm” or “Oh” or “Yes, sounds good,” just to show I’m tracking with him. My mind keeps wandering to Katrina. I don’t know why I can’t shake the thoughts of that woman. She was stunning, but so much more. Looks alone never impress me. I think of how she rambled on and blurted things out and then looked completely taken aback at her own statements. That was pretty adorable. I wish there would have been a way to get her phone number without appearing eager or like a stalker.
Joel finally finishes his lecture and I get back to work. The day goes pretty quickly with all I have to do to catch up on projects and reconnect with clients. After work, I meet up with Brett at the gym. I don’t feel very motivated, but I’m going through the motions. Brett and I are on the treadmills. He looks over. “What’s wrong with you, man? I know it was hard to go take care of your mom’s place. But you seem far away. Are you okay?”