You're Not Running Properly part 2
A young bride leaned casually against the altar.
The wedding was over.
The groom had not shown up.
However the bride didn't seem to care. She wasn't angry, she wasn't upset. Just mildly amused.
"Oh Belle, darling," Lady Lavender cooed, rushing over to her "Oh, you poor baby. How are you feeling, sweetie?"
Jessibelle shrugged. "I suspected he would pull something like this. I thought he was so weak, but he does surprise me sometimes."
Lady Lavender nodded sympathetically. "His father will murder him, you know, he's gone a long way too far."
Jessibelle shrugged again.
Her dress billowed elegantly in the wind, a soft swishing sound interrupting the silence.
"So where would my precious boy be?" Lady Lavender worried out loud, but inside, she wasn't really worried. No need to be.
"Probably in his room." Jessibelle answered instantly "Though he did disappear that time on Thursday...then suddenly on Saturday again."
"What are you saying?"
"Perhaps he met somebody else." Jessibelle thought aloud "He is such a soft one...anybody could pick him up."
Lady Lavender didn't seem to mind hearing Jessibelle insult her son. Afterall, it was true.
"Where do you think he went?" Lady Lavender inquired with no more emotion than had it been a misplaced dollar.
"Search his room." Jessibelle snapped "See if he has his credit card. If so, fate smiles upon us. I'll track him down"
Lady Lavender smiled and nodded appreciatively.
Jessibelle's eyes narrowed "I'll follow you to the ends of the Earth and the bottom of the sea, James dearest," she hissed.
There was no affection in her voice. Just snarling menace.
James had never been so happy. Never before had he smiled so many times in one day.
Noontime sun flooded the Celadon City Park, a place where all kinds of couples mingled in their spare time.
Jessi smiled and flopped down on a picnic table bench, unloading the food cargo she was carrying.
"Lucky I had my credit card," James sighed "Who would have guessed takeaway could get so expensive?"
Jessi laughed. "Who cares? All I care about is that I'm here," she paused to smooth down some unruly strands of his hair "With you."
Then slowly and sweetly she kissed him.
Jessibelle put a hand on Travis's shoulder. "I know I got his PIN right." She said, "So how come it's taking so long to pick it up?"
Travis's nimble fingers flew over the keys as comfortably as if he was born that way.
"Just give it some time, OK?" Travis soothed "I need to update my computer, granted, but it only takes a few minutes."
Jessibelle put her other hand on her hip and straightened up. "It had better."
There was a moment of pause.
Beep!
Travis grinned. "Got 'im. Two portions fish'n'chips, one lemonade and one cola drink whose brand name I can't mention (AUTHORS NOTE: I warned you I had a clause in my contract, didn't I?) at Mr. Mankey's Take-Out Bar, Celadon City."
"Two portions...two drinks." Jessibelle hissed "Well that settles it. He's found himself a little friend. The lemonade will be his. His traveling partner will have ordered the cola. A low income, crude drink. I'm thinking either a younger male, or an uncultured female of the same age."
Travis looked impressed.
"Hey, I'm not just a pretty face, ya know honey," Jessibelle pouted "Thanks Trav. Cheque is in the mail. Thanks for use of your services."
Jessibelle kissed the twenty-four year old blond computer whiz on the temple and then left the building.
The sign on the door read; 'CERULEAN COMPUTER NETWORK, sanctioned by Travis Beaker.'
Jessibelle cast it one last look, frowned slightly, and then she powered down the hall.
"Where are we gonna stay tonight?" Jessi asked.
"Whatever my credit limit allows," James sighed "That youth hostel was festering...but I don't think I can afford anything fantastic."
"I've never even seen anywhere fantastic," Jessi smiled ruefully.
"There's an OK place here...it's just called Celadon Hotel. My cousin and her boyfriend stayed there once." James shrugged. He looked distant. "Well, one of her boyfriends, not her current one...or the one before that...my cousin is a model see...she has a thing for photographers."
"Oh." Jessi smiled "Well she would have the pick of the lot then, wouldn't she, being a model and all..."
"I wouldn't choose her," James beamed "Not over you."
"Are you implying that I'm not good looking, then?" Jessi exclaimed, putting her hands on her hips "That it doesn't matter what I look like? That you'd chose the personality over the looks any day?"
James sighed. His voice cracked in worry. "No...Jess, don't be stupid...you're gorgeous...I didn't mean anything-"
"So now I'm stupid too?" she yelled, pointing at him "And what is with this 'gorgeous' crap? You just want my body! Hah, you're no different to the rest!"
James slumped. "Jess please...you know I love you..."
Jessi crossed her arms.
Then she seemed to smile. "Yeah, I know."
James exhaled loudly in relief...though he was angry that Jessi was playing games with him, he was just glad that she knew how he felt.
She reached out for his hand, and he took it.
Jessibelle wrinkled her nose in annoyance and took her right hand of the wheel, grabbing her mobile phone and ceasing its incessant ringing.
"Jessibelle Lavender," she introduced curtly, overtaking a milk truck on the two-lane country road.
"Lavender? That's a bit presumptive, isn't it?" a playful male voice teased.
"Travis," she greeted darkly.
"Your lover just checked himself into a nice little Celadon Hotel room. Double bed, I may add. Ever your beau is gay, or he has just picked up a new you."
"Thanks, Trav," Jessibelle said, "If anything else turns up, ring me."
As Jessibelle tossed the phone back onto the passenger seat she suddenly noticed that she wasn't driving on the road any more.
Swerving dangerously to her left, she narrowly missed an oncoming sedan before sliding wildly into her correct lane.
Jessibelle had never gotten the hang of driving. She had very strict rules about things like this. Men drove, women didn't. The thought of women driving was improper, not to mention quite dangerous...at least in her case anyway.
TO BE CONTINUED...
In the Next...unexciting, conventional and cliched episode of 'You're Not Running Properly'
And I will see you then, hopefully...
Love and Kisses,
Tenshi_Mew2