Mending (8 page)

From:  Bradley Banks

Subject:  Contact Info

Date:  08/08/
2010  9:33pm

I had a wonderful time this weekend with you.  Thank you for trying.  My cell is 555.224.5485. 

Sweet dreams,

Bradley

***

Gabby’s
face gleamed.  She quickly hit reply.

***

To:  Bradley Banks

From:  Gabby
Gerhart

Subject:  Sweet Dreams

Time:  08/08/
2012  9:47pm

thank
you again. 
i
had a wonderful time. 
sweet
dreams to you
mr.
banks.

-g

***

The next morning, Gabby and Sam had breakfast and then Gabby headed back to Columbia to start her fall semester.  She was about halfway back to school when her cell phone rang.  She was pleasantly surprised to see the name pop up on the screen.  She wished she had taken a picture of him to put with his contact because she was already missing the way his face had looked on Sunday.  He had not s
haved and he had been sporting
dark stubble, which made his blue eyes pop even more than they norm
ally did.  She swiped to answer.
“Hello.”

“Good morning Sunshine.”

Gabby
giggled
.
“To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Do I have to have a reason to call you?”

“No.  Don’t you have to work?”

“I am at work.”  There was a pause.  “
I do have a reason, though.  I just wanted to let you know that I have a therapist for you.  You’ll need to call and make the appointment, though.  Okay?”

“
Wow, that
was
super fast
.”  She looked down for a pen, but realized there was no way she could multitask to write down the info.  “I’m driving, though.  Can you email me the details?”

“Sure thing.
  You headed back to school?”

She rolled her eyes. 
“Ugh, yes.”

“Alright, well I have some meetings.  I’ll send this stuff real quick and you
be
careful.”

Her lips closed and her smile was warm as she savored his sentiment.
“I will.”

“I’ll talk to you later.”

“I’ll be looking forward to it.”

“Be safe, Gabby.”

“Have a good day, Mr. Banks”

Gabby was grinning from ear to ear as she hung up the phone.  He had already emailed and called and it had not even been twenty-four hours.  He had promised to find her a therapist and he had.  She was elated.  Part of her wanted to be able to tell Sam, but she knew that she was in class all day.  The rest of the drive back to Columbia was spent thinking back to the past two days.  As much as she had enjoyed Sunday with him, she was not able to escape the constant replay in her mind of the kiss the
y
had shared downtown on Saturday. 

She rushed to her first class as soon as she arrived back to campus.  She loved college, and she usually had no problems paying attention in class.  But the first day was always so boring
.  Couple that
with the excitement of the weekend she had just
experienced, and the combination made it impossible
for her to
pay attention.  She had
a smile on her face the entire day.  She doodled in her notebook through each class as she tried her best to listen to her instructors go through the syllabi
.  She hated how they would read
every line
as if they were in kindergarten instead of college.  As if they
couldn’t read it themselves. 

After her classes were finally finished, s
he decided to go to the library on campus
.  She was anxious to check her email and wanted to borrow
a few books to read for pleasure.  She knew the time was quickly coming when she would be so busy with writing papers and doing projects that there wouldn’t be much time for extra-curricular reading.  On her walk over, her cell phone rang.  It was him again.

She
briefly closed her eyes smiling.  Her wa
lking
became
a little more relax
ed and there was a lightness in her step
knowing she was about to hear his voice again.  “Hello.”

“Hey beautiful.
  How’s your day going so far?”

“Boring.
  But, it just got a little better. 
How about you?”

“Mine definitely just got better, too.  Do you think Sam is going to be able to come with you this weekend?”

“Shoot!  I so forgot to ask her.  I’m sorry.”

“Well, it’s not too late.  Do you want to ask her?”

“Honestly Bradley, what’s the point?
 
I don’t think she’s g
oing to come. 
It’s her first week of med-school.  There is no way she’s
gonna
have time to come on a road trip with me.”

“You’re probably right.  I’m not
gonna
complain about having to spend the weekend with it being just us.”

Gabby’s
face reddened.  She was now standing in front of the library walking around aimlessly unaware of the hustle and bustle that was surrounding her.  “I really can’t wait.  Have you planned anyt
hing for us or are we just
gonna
chill out?”

“Do you like to play putt
putt
?”

Gabby busted out laughing, “Are you serious?”

Chuckling, “Don’t I sound serious?” Bradley asked.

“Um, you really want to take me to play putt
putt
?” She shook her head giggling.

“I think it will be fun.”

“I always have fun with you, so I’m sure it will be.” The words were out of her mouth be
fore she could filter them.  S
he spoke softly as she realized what she was saying.

“Oh
, and you’ve not seen fun yet.  Gabby…
”

“Yeah?”

The line was
flat.  She waited to see if she’d dropped the call and was about to say his name when he replied.

“Nothing.”

“Oh, now that’s not fair.”

He laughed nervously.  “I am sorry.  I thought I could, but I can’t say it.”

“Say what?” Gabby whispered.  She feared what he was about to say.  Part of her wanted to know and the other part of her hoped it wouldn’t be her worst fear.

“Nothing.
  I need to go.”

“Please.” She
sweetly
begged.

“No, I am scared you’ll go running.”

“I promise I won’t.   I don’t have my running shoes on right now.” She smiled looking up to the sky while twirling one of her long curls.

“Gabby
, I don’t think I can make it ‘
til Saturday.”  He paused when he heard her inhale sharply.  “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you at all today.  I have been caught daydreaming in meetings and I’m totally off of my game.”

“Oh.” Sh
e looked around briefly doing
a little dance
.  She was
trying to contain her elation
.  She quickly
pulled herself together.  “Listen, I’m standing outside of the library pouring sweat.  Attractive, I know.  But, I need to run in and get what I need.  Can I call you back and let’s discuss this when I get home?”

He chuckled.  “Ah, no running shoes but saved by the library, huh
?
”

She couldn’t contain her laughter
.
“I’m not running.  I just need some time to process and I’m about to melt.”

“Well, I’d rather you melt because of me and not the Columbia heat.  So, I’ll let you go.  But, if you don’t call me back, I’ll come after you.”

“Oh, is that a threat, Mr. Banks?”

“No, it’s a promise.”

Rolling her eyes she sarcastically replied, “Like you’re
going to co
me here after me because I didn’t call you back!
”

“I think I proved
the distance isn’t going to stop me from seeing you this weekend.  Don’t tempt me to find some business that I
suddenly
need to take care of in Columbia.”

“
Hmph
, I promise I’ll call you back.”  She shook her head as she rolled her eyes.  “
No need to go all
stalker
on me.”

“I’m a lot of things, Miss
Gerhart
, but stalker is not one of them.”

Gabby was quiet
and then replied,
“I know, I need to go.”

“Alright, talk to you soon.”

“Bye”