After practically leaving the house with no other words of congradulations, nonetheless a what were you thinking gesture or word, I decided to drive back to Jamie's house. When I got there, I had to wait in the living room because there was a nurse in with her at the moment. Everything seemed to be spinning right past me and I didn't know how to grasp it all at once. Reverend Sullivan walked in through the kitchen door and saw me sitting there, my head in my hands.
"Is everything alright, Landon?" He asked me in a soft quiet voice. I nodded a no and sighed. "What's the matter?" I sighed and sat back. Part of me was happy, the other angry, and the other undecided. There were too many events, and not enough tolerance.
"I've got too much on my mind to worry about and my head is throbbing." I replied. He gave me a confused, yet sympathetic look. "It's not all Jamie, although I am worried about her because I love her with all my heart, there's more." I saw back, my legs stretched out beneathe the coffee table, my head toward the ceiling.
"Well, I'll get you something to drink and some aspirin, then we can talk about it." he stated. I nodded and let out a short gasp, glancing toward Jamie's shut door. The Reverend left to the kitchen and I stared at the mantel where a statue of Jesus sat. I remembered the first time I came over to Jamie's house and saw the exact statue. Jamie has decided to help me with my lines for the spring play and I was just a bit curious. I looked around an spotted that statue.
"That's one scary looking Jesu--" I began to say as I turned around seeing Reverend Sullivan. I can still remember the strict expression on his face, the look of "If you do anything to my daughter, you're dead" expression.
"No, Jamie's father." he began saying as soon as those words came out of my mouth. "I heard you managed to win the lead of the school play, congradulations." He spoke in a falt toned voice. I felt myself begin to lose words, like if I tried to speak nothing would come out. He had me in his trap.
"Listen, thanks for letting me come over to go over lines with Jamie." I said, my hands stuffed my pockets. I could feel them becoming clammy and the sweat already dripping onto the floor. Well, not onto the floor, but you get what I mean.
"I didn't let you. It's a school night. Let me tell you something, Carter. You don't think I see you from where I stand on Sundays, but I do." He paused letting me let the words sink in. "I'll be in my office--it's just here." He said giving me that look again. As he said those last few words, Jamie was coming downstairs with her script.
I laughed to myself remembering that day. Ol' Hegbert Sullivan used to hate my guts. Maybe not hate me because hating was against religion, but he might have felt sorry for me. That was one reason why all his sermons were based on my family. It's hard to believe he let me marry his daughter.
Seconds later, he returned carrying a glass of cold water and some aspirin. "Here you go, Landon." he said. He handed them to me. "So, what's bothering you, Landon?" I drank the water and took the aspirin and then set the glass down.
"It's my dad. He's moving back in with my mom and marrying her again. It's too fast, I mean." I explained. Reverend Sullivan rose from his couch and sat beside me.
"Landon, you're worried about your dad moving in and re-marrying your mom?" he asked me. "Why?"
"Because he'll do it again. He'll pick up and go back to Washington. Only God knows what he left there, or better yet, who he left there." I said angrily. I cared about my mom. She was hurt once and she's doing fine without him. If he hurt her one more time, I would never let him come back to Beaufort, North Carolina.
"How do you know? Son, have faith in your father. God wants you to forgive him, just like I had fave in you with Jamie, and I forgave you. Do the same for him." he said. I let that piece of advice sink in before making the conclusion that he was right. I nodded and thanked him. "Anytime." he said happily.
Jamie's door suddenly opened and the nurse walked out. I got up and walked towards her. "How's she doing?" I asked.
"She's just a bit weak." she replied. "Go ahead and see her if you'd like." she welcomed. I smiled at the Reverend and walked into her room.
*~~~~~~~~~~~~*
"Hey baby." I said walking over to her and kissing her pink lips.
"Hello, Landon." she said smiling happily. There was something about me that made her happy. She acted like she wasn't even sick, like nothing else seemed to matter, but me. That made me happy cause it let me know that I could do something for her. "How're you doing?" she asked me softly as she patted a spot for me to sit. I sat down and took her hands into both of mine.
"I'm alright now." I replied. Just seeing her made me feel better. "I've got something to tell you." She sat up a bit.
"What's that?" she asked curiously. I crawled next to her and sat back against the headboard, her hand in mine. I kissed it lightly and laid her head onto my shoulder.
"My mom and dad are re-marrying." I said. I couldn't believe the words myself as they came out of my mouth. It all seemed so untrue.
"Wow, that's great Landon." she said to me. Her smile was so happy, so real. I know inside she was afraid of what wa going on with her, she told me herself, but no matter what, she wouldn't let it ruin her life and I would never let go of her. "Are you excited?" I looked down to her.
"Mixed feeling." I simply replied. "So, are you hungry, have you eaten anything?" She nodded a no. "Do you want me to get you something?"
"I just want to get out of bed." she replied looking out at the cloudy, rainy day. I got off the bed and told her I'd be right back.
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
When I went into the kitchen, Reverend Sullivan was at the table working on his sermon. He looked tired and worn out. He must've felt my presence and looked up at me. "Hello, Landon." I nodded and walked closer to him. "What can I help you with?"
"Well, I was kind of just wondering if it would be alright if I took Jamie out for a while?" I asked him hopefully. He seemed to be in deep thought for a moment. He tapped his pencil on the wood table continuously and then stopped to look at me.
"Be careful, Landon, please. She's all I have left." he begged. I smiled reassuringly and told him thank you.
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
"Jamie?" I said walking back into her room. She was reading her Bible and looked up at me. She set it aside still open and smiled at me. "Guess what?"
"What?" she asked excitedly. I walked closer to her and hlped her out of bed. "What's this about?" She asked. A smile crossed my face as I walked over to her closet and picked something out for her to wear. I chose a long blue skirt and a white top with the pink sweater I bought her. "Landon, sometimes you scare me. What're you doing?" She asked me laughing.
"You'll see. Do you need help putting these on?" I asked. Of course, I didn't mean anything by that. I respect Jamie and only wanted to help her. She thought for a moment and looked around. "Don't worry Jamie, I'm not trying to seduce you." She smiled and let me help her. There was never a time where I thought about taking Jamie's innocence from her. She's not that type of girl.
"You look nice." I commented after she was dressed. "Wait, come here and sit down." She smiled in wonder and sat on the white chair in front of her mirror. "I used to do my mom's hair and she liked it." She giggled slightly. "I mean it."
I took her brush and gently brushed through her soft hair. I thought for a moment and decided on some braids. "Landon, were you mad at you father about re-marrying your mother?" I was quiet for a moment and then continued putting the braids in her hair.
"I was just a bit angry. Okay, I stormed out of the house, but your dad talked sense into me. He told me to give my dad a chance." I explained.
"Oh...well, that's good. You should always forgive." Jamie stated. I nodded and kissed the top of her head and by this time there were five tiny braids in her hair, two on each side and one on the back. The rest of her hair hung freely.
"I'm done." I told her. She looked at her reflection and laughed.
"Thank you, Landon." she said. I kissed her cheek and smiled back.
