Boswell, LaVenia (9 page)

            “Thank you,” Jenny gushed with awe.  “Thank you so much!”

            Smiling at Jason, Barbara said, “Now, dear boy, go make some sweet memories for yourself, young man.  Enjoy the rest of the evening with this dear girl.”  She patted Jennifer on the cheek.  “I like her.  We’re fellow gardeners.”  She winked at Jenny, got up and walked away while greeting everyone she met.

            Lillian and Charles came to them the minute they saw Barbara leave their little huddle.

            “Jennifer, are you alright?” Charles asked, sounding truly concerned.  “Jason, she’s turned white.”  Then to add humor and ease the obvious tension he asked, “Now don’t tell me you’ve become a vampire to woo this beautiful lady.  We know she likes those mysterious, dark dudes, look at her shirt!”

            Jason smiled as he helped hold Jennifer steady on her feet.  “No blood sucking here.  Barbara asked to review one of Jennifer’s finished novels.”

            Lillian looked surprised, “She did?!” 

            Suddenly seeming to understand Jenny’s reaction she said, “I’d be doing jumping jacks or passing out too.”

            “I forgot to breathe,” Jenny admitted trying to make the spots disappear from in front of her eyes.

            They all said in unison, “Breathe!”

            The rest of the evening was a blur. 

            Jason thankfully stayed by her side. 

            She assumed with a self-conscious laugh that he didn’t want her to stop breathing again and embarrass him by passing out. 

            When she was still a toddler her family took her to several doctors to find the cause of her holding her breath.  All they could discern was it must be an emotional response to some unknown stressor.  Her parents were assured her breathing would return once she passed out.  That had only occurred a few times but she didn’t want it to happen now, not here and not in front of so many important people.

            Her cell went off for the second time and though she saw curiosity in Jason’s eyes, as she checked to see who the call was from, he didn’t question her each time she stopped the ring.

            “Got a later date?” he finally ended up asking as they meandered through the group trying to find another chair to sit in.

            “Nope, this is our time Jas,” she responded to his pleasure.

6 – BEACH PARTY SHOCKER

When the meal was ready to be served buffet style, Charles, their host, announced their priest was going to give the blessing over the food.

            This was a new one, Jennifer thought, however, everyone everywhere hushed and bowed their head.  Many even held hands as she heard someone from the edge of the crowd give a benediction.  She felt Jason’s hand lightly touch hers for a second before suddenly moving his fingers away.

            Prayer?  At a party?  Never had that happen before, Jennifer decided, with a slight nervous cough.  At a party?  This was really odd in her book.

            “Jen, I have several other friends I’d like for you to meet if you don’t mind?” Jason asked, speaking low to her as they mingled in the large dining room with a plate in one hand and a glass in the other. 

            “Sure thing, big guy.”

            He stopped to greet various people who were also trying to find a place to settle down to eat. 

            The room was filled with small, tall round tables with tall comfy rolling bar stools with backs.  The usual dining suite had been removed for the party and thus the multiple cozy tables, Jason explained.  Each table had a glowing frosted light ball in its center, each a different muted shade of peach, blue, green, or cream - beach colors.  It gave a decisive romantic air to the large room

            After locating them an empty table Jason grabbed a beer and brought her a glass of sangria wine.  She was surprised when she sipped and it was actually quite delicious and medium sweet with a strawberry and peach wedge added to it.

            “Only one for the night, Jen,” he warned in all seriousness, “until either of us are married or we’re twenty-one.”

            She nodded agreement and tried to relax. 

            Jason was a stickler for rules, so she was even more surprised that he’d actually allowed himself a beer.  Though it was only one, she snickered to herself imagining him slapping his own hand and telling himself, “No, no!”

            He interrupted her thoughts when he explained about the wine, “Lillian makes the sangria herself.  It’s delicious isn’t it?”

            She nodded again, it was exceptionally fantastic.  She sat gazing around the room until her eyes fell on one man.

            Jason followed her eyes and said, “That’s Father Jose, Jenny.  He’s our pastor.”

            Jennifer was greatly surprised, the man looked almost too young and he was definitely way too cute to be a priest.

            She watched as a man in a black suit and white Roman collar strolled slowly about, smiling and shaking hands, hugging a few here and there.  Everyone seemed happy that he’d stopped to say hello.

            “He’s a Carmelite priest from
India
.  He and several of his Carmelite brothers are pastoring here in the Saint Augustine Diocese.  Wonderful men, each one of them,” Jason stated with awed respect in his voice.  “They had to complete thirteen years of schooling before they were allowed to be ordained.  Well educated and thoroughly assessed to make certain they actually had a calling to the priesthood before they were accepted.”  He said this with obvious pride while Jennifer kept looking at the priest wandering through the room.

            Jason was basically talking Greek to Jenny, she didn’t understand half of what he just said, but gathered the man was educated and chosen and definitely loved by everyone she saw him talking to here this evening.  He spotted her looking at him and a smile as bright as a
noon
day sun spread across his face. 

            Oh, my goodness, Jenny thought to herself.  I just had to stare at the man, just had to watch!  How do you talk to a priest anyway?  Hope he doesn’t expect me to kiss his ring or something, Jenny wondered with alarm.  When it came to religious stuff, that’s how she viewed it – stuff – for other people if they had to, but certainly not for her.

            “Wellll, Jaaason,” Father Jose crooned as he sidled over to their table, still smiling that big smile of his and looking from Jason to Jennifer.  “Soooo, you brought a friend I see.”  Turning to Jennifer and holding out his hand he said before Jason could respond, “I am Father Jose, and I have been informed that you are Jennifer?”

            Shaking his hand, she remarked, “Yes, but how did you know?”

            Jason stood as soon as Father Jose arrived at their table.  They shook hands and Jason allowed her question to hang in air.

            “Oh, Barbara was telling me all about how she is pretty sure she adores you. And I heard that you are a writer too,” Father Jose replied. 

            Even his eyes smiled, Jenny realized.

            “There is also Lillian and Charles,” he stated, “who said they were happy Jason has managed to bring you today, that you are a lovely lady.  They are correct,” he added flashing his pearly white perfect teeth.

            “Thank you, sir,” Jennifer responded, a tad embarrassed.

            “Hope to see you again soon, Jennifer.  Jason is a fine young man who we are all very proud of, and I hope you enjoy your evening here with us,” he remarked with a nod at Jason before he glided away to another table.

            That was the first time in her whole life that a minister had ever spoken to her.  He seemed nice enough.  Very courteous and his smile seemed genuine, she decided, trying to relax again.

            The evening sun was hanging lower in the West as more and more people began meandering into the house, although it had been a weirdly warm day for winter.

            Jason went to grab some oysters off the grill for them to eat before they would all be gone.  He brought back a small bucket of them and a shucking knife, empty platter and a large dish towel.

            “In the shell or out?” he inquired as he cracked opened the first one.

            “In,” she responded as she took the half shell he’d prepared by slicing the membrane that kept the oyster attached to the pearlescent oyster lining.  Sprinkling black pepper on the grilled oyster she enjoyed it as it slid into her waiting mouth. “Hmmmm, hmm, that’s just plain wonderful,” she mumbled with happiness.

            Jason was busy shaking Louisiana Hot Sauce on his when she began to help herself to another.  They both ignored the crackers that had been added to the bucket, the oysters were enough.

            After a little while someone came by, empted their table of all the wreckage from the emptied oysters and wiped the table clean, adding a fresh black tablecloth.

            “Jen, what happened to your poor wrist?” Jason asked in an agitated whisper as he grabbed her arm and pulled it closer for him to look.

            Swiftly drawing her arm back before he could see it better she answered, “Oh, nothing much.  I got into an arm wrestling match and lost.”  She tried to laugh it off.  “Would you mind terribly getting me something to drink?  The salt from the oysters have made me thirsty,” Jenny asked to stop him from staring at her arm with that frown on his face.  He left and she tried to unwind one more time.

            A short while later Jason sat sipping his drink, coffee this time, and looked as calm and relaxed as if he were a king and this was his castle, or so Jennifer thought as she glanced at him.

            She was tense but tried not to show it.  Everywhere she looked this particular group seemed to show money and power - the way so many, though not all, but many, were dressed.  Though she had to admit, it wasn’t just their dress, it was their posture, the perfect skin, the perfect hair, the perfect mannerisms, even their perfect conversations, their perfect laughs, so at ease and everyone knowing everyone else.  She put her hand to her forehead, remembering a small zit she’d used her new hair style to try and conceal.  How did they all manage to have
Hollywood
skin?  Didn’t any of them ever eat a pizza?

            She suddenly decided to notice how Jason was dressed.  These were his friends after all, so how did he dress?  She usually avoided doing that, noticing him closely, though she wasn’t sure why.

He was wearing a pair of made for Florida black casual wool dress pants, an ocean blue button up dress shirt, probably Armani, that had fine silky looking threads in it, probably was pure silk, to add a tiny bit of shimmer when the light struck it just right.  He had his long sleeves rolled up several turns of the cuffs.  The shirt was unbuttoned, as usual, two buttons from the top.  Show off, she decided as she stared at his gold necklace and his wide chest.  Humph!  He did have a wide chest, she just realized with a little bit of irritation.

       Looking down at his feet she took in his Italian leather shoes, matching belt and he wore a wide gold wrist watch, one of those expensive brands she’d bet.  All of it set his deep olive-brown skin off in a magnificent way, she decided with a little catch in her breath.  His solid black hair was always perfect with a little wave in it all over.  An aristocratic, perfect nose set between perfectly spaced eyes, high cheeks and lean square jaw with just a hint of a clef in it made up his face.  Jennifer knew he was Italian, Egyptian, Greek and Jewish.  His mixed Mediterranean heritage was beautifully obvious.  Just as her pale skin and brown hair and eyes showed she was nothing but a mutt.