Reunion (2 page)

She yelped in my ear “ Hell yeah baby”.

Her shriek pierced my ear drum so bad that I pulled the phone away. “Geez Ells relax. Let the girls know what time and I’ll meet you at 7.”

She sighed. “Ok Sav I’m sorry but I’m just so excited and now Maddy is better and she can actually have a few drinks and Oh I’m just so excited! Girl’s night out baby!”

CHAPTER 2

GIRLS NIGHT OUT...AND A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE...

I met my mom in the center of our little town. Duffy’s was a place where my mom had worked for 20 years. It was a small clothing store which sold a lot of trendy and urban looking clothes. My mom was a little hippiesque. I liked her style. She was unique and didn’t give two shits what anyone thought of her. I think that’s what people liked about her. She was real. When I arrived Mr. Duffy the store owner and his partner Mr. Cross greeted me with open arms.

“Oh my God Rick look what just came through the door. You are an angel on earth honey.”

Mr. Duffy wrapped his skinny arms around me and squeezed me tight. Mr. Cross followed suit. Mr. Duffy was an older gentleman with frosted blonde tips over his warm brown hair. He always wore rings and always smelled impeccable. His partner of over 20 years Rick Cross looked like he just stepped out of GQ for older Gay men. He was tall, dark and had wavy gray hair. Crystal blue eyes and always dressed for success. He wasn’t loud like Mr. Duffy. He was soft spoken and was charming.

Not that Mr. Duffy wasn’t charming. He was just loud and super emotional. I was like the daughter they never had. After he was finished with his over-the-top display of affection towards me, he grabbed my hands and shook his head back and forth. “ My,my, my Savannah. You have grown up to be quite a lovely young woman. You are no longer that 8 year old girl with scrapped knees and stringy hair. You are a vision honey. Just a vision and I love the Prada bag. So you honey. Its just so you.”

My Prada bag was the very first thing I bought myself after I got my job and the Chesley Academy for Gifted Children. My salary was more than I ever could of imagined for me being so young and new to the teaching field. I made enough money to rent my apartment, make my insurance payments on my little Volkswagen Jetta that my parents bought me after my college graduation and buy some real nice clothes from Ann Taylor Loft. Mr. Duffy bought me my couch and end tables and lamps. He was such a generous man. I bought a bed, a chest of drawers and a small kitchen table from Ikea. I was allowed to paint my walls in the apartment. My landlord Mr. Follower was a great guy. I was really lucky. I painted the walls a soft neutral color and I bought a few pieces of art work from a local gallery near downtown Boston. My parents and my girlfriends gave me a farewell dinner and bought me dishes, glasses, silverware and towels. Tyler came to the dinner and bought me a toaster because he knew I had a love affair with bagels. And here goes the flood of memories again. Sam was there of course. He surprised me with a box from Tiffany’s. My heart raced and I began to feel light headed. Everyone at the dinner was staring at me as he told me to open it. So I did. I wasn’t expecting it to be a ring. Not yet. We were only 22. It wasn’t time.

When I opened the blue box I felt my heart flutter. It was a small bangle bracelet with a key charm hanging from it. I looked up at Sam and his eyes were warm and his smile was embracing me.

“Sam. It’s...it’s beautiful.” I was beyond speechless.

“Read the inscription.” He said in a low tone so close to my ear. It read:

Savy,

You will always hold the key to my heart

Love, Sam

Tear flowed down my cheeks. The love I felt for him was overwhelming and powerful. It was like nothing I ever felt before. It was going to be hard. Living in separate states. Him in Philadelphia and me in Boston. The opportunity was too great to pass up. It was a mutual decision between us. Sam was going to do his best to get a transfer as soon as possible. We decided to make it work until it broke us. Which is what it eventually did.

Fuck you Sam Reynolds! God I hated him. My heart felt cold at that memory. I silently thanked the heavens I wasn’t going to see him this week. I shook my thoughts and memories out. My mother walked up to me.

“Savannah baby I’m sorry I didn’t see you this morning when you woke up. I needed to get to the store early to open up.” She embraced me and touched my cheek.

“Why don’t you look around. Mr. Duffy just got some really hip stuff from London. My treat love bug.” That was my moms pet name for me.

I looked around the store and found a few dresses that would be perfect for this Indian Summer weather we were having. I stumbled across this black wrap dress. Jersey knit with capped sleeves and plunging neck line. That neck line would accentuate the positives on my chest for sure. It looked like it would go right above the knee. “ Oh Savannah!” Mr. Duffy yelped . “That is so you baby girl. Please try that on. I think it was made especially for you.”

I stepped in to dressing room which was covered by silk organza orange, pink, and purple curtains. They have been there hanging for as long as I could remember. I slipped the dress on and Voilà! It was a perfect fit. I let my blondish brown hair out of the ponytail and looked in the mirror. To the front then swung my head around to glance at my back. It was very flattering. It hugged my 5 foot 5 frame and curvy hips. Not too dressy but stylish enough to wear for the reunion. I walked out of the dressing room and Mr. Duffy and Mom were standing there gawking at me. “ OH- MAW –GOD Savannah! That is some dress baby girl” Mr. Duffy Exclaimed and covered his mouth with his ring clad fingers. “ Oh lovebug. It was made for you” Mom said. “ Wait there Savannah and let me get you these shoes I just got in and Mr. Duffy grab her some jewelry too”. My mom came over with shiny sling back stiletto heels and Mr. Duffy brought over a cool extra wide sterling silver cuff bracelet and long dangling earring to match

“Wow Mr. Duffy these are beautiful! Mom the shoes fit too and they are actually comfy!” I was so excited and actually felt pretty in it all. I haven’t felt that way in a while.

“Well then there ya go lovebug. A perfect fit.” Mom chimed in. “ Thanks mom for getting it for me. I love you” .

I grabbed her tight and when I looked at her again I saw a tear from her eye. “ I just want you happy again Savannah.”

“I am happy mom. I’m here with you guys and I’m going to see all my friends.”

“Savannah my dear the earrings and bracelet are mine and Mr. Cross’s treat!” Mr. Duffy said with a smile spreading ear to ear.

“Oh no Mr. Duffy I couldn’t accept them. It’s too much.”

“ Not for our Savannah” He said swaying back and forth. “ Please accept this gift from us.”

“Thank you so much.” I wrapped my arms around him and pecked his cheek. I did the same with Mr. Cross. He was the strong silent type.

“Oh Savannah you are so welcome dear. Our beautiful girl.” Mr. Cross said to me in a low and steady voice.

I went back into the dressing room. I dressed again and mom was up at the register wrapping up all my goodies.

“Savannah I have to close tonight because the guys have to go to a charity dinner tonight. I’m sorry lovebug but you’re on your own for dinner.”

“No problem. I’ll figure something out.”

I hugged my mom goodbye and told her I would see her in the morning. When I got outside I decided to walk around the square where Duffy’s was. There were at least a dozen shops surrounding a large fountain that was erected in the center. The streets were still lined with cobblestones leading right up to the fountain. I sat along the wall that encased the fountain. I put on my iPod and smiled as the song flowed into my ears. It brought me back to when my dad used to take me and Georgia to this fountain on the first day of spring every year. We would have lunch at the coffee shop and he would take us in the Five & Dime store and buy us new bows for our hair. I remember running down the street and around the fountain with our track team when I was in high school. It was the running route we would take. Sam worked in the hardware store there and knew that is was where we ran. He had it timed that when we ran by he would be waiting outside the store just so he could touch my hand and wink at me as I ran by. I felt the electricity that came from his touch, even if it was only for a second, but it stayed with me the rest of my run. Sometimes I would run backwards after those moments and just look at him and wonder how I could never not love him. Would there ever be a day that his touch wouldn’t do that to me. Make me forget my own name. I shook my head and said to myself “ what a dumb kid I was”.

When I got to my car I dialed Maddy.

“Hello there. ” she answered.

“Whatcha up to?” I replied

“Nothing I just put your godson down for a nap. He wears my ass out” she sighed.

“You have plans for dinner tonight? My mom had to cancel.”

“Are you asking me if I had dinner plans or asking me if I’m cooking dinner so you can come mooch off us?” She giggled. “ Um I’m mooching. You have a problem with that?” I laughed.

“Nope. Get your sweet ass over here and bring me wine. I need a buzz!”

“I’ll be there in an hour” I hung up went to the wine and spirits store and headed to Maddy’s.

When I knocked on the door Maddy answered the door holding Joey in her arms.

“Vannah! He yelled and grabbed my neck.

“Hi baby! I missed you. I got you a truck. Look it makes noise!”

“Sav you don’t have to bring him something every time you see him” She noticed the bottle of wine in my other hand. “ But you can bring his mommy something especially if it contains grapes and sulfites.” Maddy grabbed the bottle and shimmied in the kitchen. She grabbed two wine glasses and I sat on the floor with Joey and played trucks with him. “ You look good Mads. I cant believe your hair has grown in that much since I saw you last month.”

“I know right. “She glanced at herself in the mirror. Now if I could just hide this awful scar on my neck all would be right with the world.” I stood up at looked right in her eyes. “ You are here Madison. All is right with the world.” I smiled.

“Where is Kyle?” I asked. Kyle was Maddy’s husband and has been for the past 5 years. He started as a bartender at our old hangout Roy’s and worked his way up to manager...doing a great job at it. He was tall, blonde hair, great smile and was crazy insane for her. He was so strong when she was sick and is such a great dad to Joey. He’s one of the good guys.

“He is working tonight and tomorrow night but don’t worry I got a sitter for tomorrow night so we can have some pre-reunion fun!” Her smile was infectious. She was the strongest person I knew. We chatted about me seeing Tyler and what he was up to. Then she asked me about my job interview at the private school in the city. We discussed what time we were meeting tomorrow night and what kind of dress she had gotten for the reunion. I told her about mine. So of course she went to where I didn’t want to go. “So I hear Sam is not coming. Ella told me. How do you feel about that? Relieved?”

“You got that right sister” I took a deep breath in and let it out blowing the the loose hair from around my face. Maddy took a long sip of her wine. “ I ran into Sam about 2 months ago and in the first sentence he asked how you were. I told him you were good and settled at your new place. I told him you were very involved in school. He asked me if you were seeing anyone and I told him you were playing the field.” She put her head down but raised an eye to me. “ Sav he looked so sad and I just wished you would of talked to him after that night you…” I cut her off.

“No way Madison. He had his chance. It’s gone now. Screw him.”

“Ok. I understand. Well on a lighter note I cant wait for the next few days. Did you hear from the girls?”

“I talked to Ella of course and Lil was getting in from DC this afternoon and I know Trish was in meetings all day. We are meeting at Roy’s at 7!”

She squealed and clapped her hand together. We polished off the wine and dinner. I kissed Joey when Maddy put him to bed. We finished cleaning up the dishes and I hugged her tight on my way out the door.

“I love you Maddy. You know that right?” She was my strong, brave friend.

“I love you too. Stop getting all mushy on me and be on your way woman.”

I drove the 20 minutes back to my mom’s house. She wasn’t home yet and I walked in, up to the bathroom to wash up then laid down in my old bed. I saw a text come through from Georgia.

Hey sis ! Welcome home.

I missed you.

I’m dressing the ass hats for the 11 o’clock news right now.

You are quite the professional G

I missed u 2

Roy’s tomorrow at 7. You in?

She text back a simple: Hell yes!

I smiled and laid my head down on the pillow. This room has a lot of memories in it. I lost my virginity on this bed. I remember it like it was yesterday. My parents went out of town. We all went to Chuck’s after a game that night. I remember the weather was like it was now. Warm in the daytime and cooler at night but a mugginess still hung in the air. Sam and I sat next to each other of course. He was still on a high after his game winning touchdown and I was the ever so proud girlfriend. We held hands and gazed at each other. We inched closer and closer to one another as the night went on. I could feel his breath in my ear and the longing in his eyes was making my heart race. I felt that same electricity that was ever so present when it came to us. Just as we were about to kiss Pete Daniels smacked his hand on the table in front of us.

“Damn you two get a room”

“Shove off Daniels” Sam playfully said. He bent to my ear and whispered, “ you wanna get out of here?” I shook my head yes. I walked over to my friends who were huddled around one of the tables. I pulled Maddy aside. She was supposed to sleep over that night but well you know, plans change.

“Um Mads sorry to ask you this but do you think you could stay over Lil’s house instead tonight.”

“Well yes sure but why?”

I looked beyond her shoulder to see Sam waiting for me at the exit. I looked back to her and smiled. She looked behind her to see Sam. She turned back around and grabbed my hands and squeezed them tight.

She whispered. “ Holy Shit Sav. This is it isn’t it? Are you ready?”

“I think so. No I am. No need to think about this one Mads. I.. I love him.”