Title: Reunification
Author: Lisbeth
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters.
Show: Once And Again
Synopsis: While attending grad school, Grace runs into someone from her past
Rating: PG-13
Feedback: It would be very kind of you.
E-Mail: strangefruitgirl@hotmail.com
Chapter 6: Slowness
Rumi's was full due to the huge crowd of college students who occupied the business in the early afternoon. The tables outside were full and the benches were filled with students discussing everything from their classes to the latest Pete Yorn album. It was a beautiful afternoon with cloudy skies and the wind was making the leaves dance.
On the inside, Rumi's was going through their typical afternoon rush with both a mix of college students and full time workers. Some tables were filled with conversation, while one was filled with two students playing chess. A few students were working on their schoolwork over a cup of cappuccino, while in the back of the café at a simple two-chair table two people were rediscovering each other.
August Dimitri ordered an iced coffee while Grace nursed a café au lait. Even though Rumi's was busy, it seemed in those moments, that there were only two people there. Grace focused in on the man she hadn't seen in five years as if he were the only person left on the face of the earth. It appeared to her that August was doing the same thing too.
There was still the feeling of absolute shock in the both of them. Grace knew that he was in the class, but when he approached her, she felt as if she hadn't known of his existence all that time. Rumi's speakers were playing music from the college public radio station. "Break Me Gently" by The Doves was in its beginning notes. The two of them had been sitting for a few minutes, but it was as if they didn't know how to approach starting the conversation. So much happened in five years, where would one begin?
"Forgive me, but I'm still a little shocked." August said, starting the conversation.
"Me too. I never would have guessed that you were interested in graduate school."
"Well, I wasn't at first, but it was sort of a spur of the moment decision. A great aunt of mine died and she left me this big inheritance, so I decided to put the money to a good purpose. It worked wonders." August said as he smiled at Grace. "So, what have you been up to?"
"I'm here to get my masters actually. I got my bachelor's in English at Boston. So much stuff has happened that I don't even know where to begin!"
"I'm in no rush, tell me. Tell me everything."
"Actually, a few months after you left, we moved to Australia. My stepfather got a job designing hotels. Mom also found out that she was pregnant with my little brother Simon. We all relocated, except for Jessie. She decided to stay with her mother."
"How is she?"
"She's good. She lives here with Katie Singer. The two of them are seeing each other."
"Really?" August said as he smiled. "That is something I never would have expected."
"When it was time for college, I decided to come back to the states. They eventually left Australia and came back home because of my grandmothers health. I really wanted to stay in Boston to pursue my masters, but mom thought it would be best if I just moved back home and came over here instead."
"Do you regret your decision?"
"I don't know. Some moments yes, others no. The jury is still out."
"I won't lie to you, I was pretty sure that I saw you the very first day of class. I had to actually do a double take. I had so much trouble believing that it was you; I thought it was just my imagination playing a cruel joke on me."
Grace laughed slightly at the comment. "I have a confession too. The girl who sits next to me, her last name is Darrow, and when she handed me the roll sheet, I saw your name on it the first day of class. I nearly froze to death. I kept trying to convince myself that it wasn't you, but I had a feeling that it was. I know, it's crazy, but my gut told me so."
"So that explains why you became so tense. I couldn't help but notice it. It's not crazy. I wanted to talk to you so bad after the first class, but I didn't know what to say. I was scared I guess, I thought today's lecture was my time to make myself known. The story was a sign and then I heard you speak. I thought of all the times you would do that in my class. It was good to hear your voice once again."
"Where do you sit?" Grace asked smiling.
"On the eighth row in the left hand section, smack dab in the middle." He answered.
"How far are you with school?"
"I actually have my masters. I'm in my first year of PhD studies. I want to specialize in English lit."
"Do you plan on student teaching?"
"I'm still not too sure. I'm thinking of just coming back as a part time student next year. I miss teaching. I really would like to go back to it. The money I've saved up along with the inheritance is what's keeping me alive both educationally and financially."
"Are you living in Chicago?"
With that question he laughed. "I'm a walking contradiction sometimes. I never considered myself a city person five years ago, but now I don't think I would want to go back to a suburb life. The city has grown on me. Did Boston have that affect on you?"
"I was always afraid of the city, but when you're just thrown into it, some people adjust fast and some don't. I picked it up pretty quickly. The real challenge is New York City though, don't you think? I think if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere."
"Been there. Done that." August replied.
"What did you do after you left?" Grace asked. "I'm sorry if it's a touchy subject for you. I was just curious, that's all."
"I did start writing again. I got a few poems published, even a few short stories. I moved though to get away from the constant reminders of what happened. It was hard to leave, to really leave, without saying goodbye to people I cared about. I took the time off to travel around, visit my relatives, and write. It was good in the end though. How about you? Any stories published?"
"Yes, in a New England short story journal. It wasn't anything too big, but for a few days it felt like it. I did find an ending to my story you know. I've been sort of hiding it from the literary world because I always thought it would need your final approval." Grace said as she looked away in embarrassment.
"You didn't have to do that Grace."
"But, it just didn't feel right to send it out. I didn't care what the rest of the world would have thought about it, I just cared about what you would think of it." Grace said as she looked him in the eye. When he met her stare, she suddenly shifted her focus back to her coffee cup.
After that comment, August continued to look at Grace and noticed that she still was the old soul he had been fascinated with. In the five years that had passed, he noticed that so much had changed with her, but still, so much had remained the same. She was indeed beautiful, even if she never could have believed it herself. That was the Grace he knew and loved. That was the Grace that was sitting in front of him.
While the two continued to chat about what authors they were currently reading and they thought of their current classes, Grace was reminded of how at ease she was just being around him. It was if the world had faded away, no one else was in the room. It amazed her to think that he still had that gleam in his eye and that look to him that just made her fall in love with all over again. Even if he gained five years to his age, he still looked the same to her. He was one of those rare people who had the tendency to age with such gracefulness that it actually made her look forward to growing old. That didn't matter though to her at that moment. The fact that he was there with her, in the flesh, talking to her and looking at her almost as if he had taken his eyes off of her, she would somehow disappear. It would all be a dream, but it wasn't. This was reality, and for once, Grace was happy that she was awake and alive. As she continued to listen to him talk about his misadventures with a major New York publishing company, Grace looked up at the clock on the wall and noticed the time.
"Shit!" Grace yelped.
"Is everything alright?" August asked.
"I have to go. My grandmother has a doctor's appointment today and I have to pick up my sister and brother from school. I'm sorry it's so abrupt."
"No, I understand completely."
As she was getting up, he stood up too. "It was so nice to be able to talk to you again. I wish I didn't have to go."
"Well, you may have to leave, but I would like to talk to you some more. Do you have any plans Friday after class?"
"I'm afraid I do. I have to go home and watch over my grandmother." Grace said seeing the disappointment in his face. "But, maybe we could meet here around 5:30, if it's not too late for you."
A huge smile appeared on his face. "Well then, we shall continue the reunion here on Friday."
"We'll continue our reunion Friday." Grace said as she smiled. She wanted to hug him. She wanted just to smell him once, and then she would have had a perfect day. She wasn't the kind of person though who could throw themselves into another persons arms, especially one who she hadn't seen in a long time. As she was about to say goodbye and go about her day with a smile on her face, August walked towards her and hugged her. Grace took the moment for what it was worth and inhaled the essence of August Dimitri. He was indeed intoxicating; a mix of vanilla and something else which she couldn't quiet place her nose on. The embrace lasted for a few seconds and Grace reluctantly broke away from him.
"Goodbye" was all she could say as she walked away and out of Rumi's café. Before she exited the door, she turned back to look at him, and he was still standing, with his eyes targeted on her. His secret smile was still there for her and she left with one of her own on her face for him.
As Grace drove her car towards Upton Sinclair High School to pick up Zoe, there was a giddiness inside of her that she never thought she would have. It would appall her sometimes when she saw it in others, but now that she was having a dose of it, she felt like anything in those moments were possible. The tension that had been built up all of those days was quickly fading away and she felt like a million dollars. But she still didn't know if he was attached to another person. He could be dating someone. Maybe the gleam in his eyes was because he had run into someone he hadn't seen in so long and it excited him. As the self doubt began to creep up on her, Grace told herself that she couldn't let those kinds of thoughts ruin her day – her perfect day.
While Zoe and Simon were sitting in the back seat of Grace's car talking, Grace was still off in her own private la la land. She could only think of the way he looked at her. The words he said to her. All these years of waiting to see him, and the moment was one that better than what she could have ever expected. If she could have, she would of stayed and talked to him all night long. Grace was quickly snapped out of her trance from Zoe's voice.
"Grace, who do you think was a better humanitarian: Mother Teresa or Ghandi?"
"What?" Grace said.
"I have to do a report on a humanitarian for one of my classes. I figured I could do it on either Mother Teresa or Ghandi. Whom would you do it on?"
"Ghandi."
"Why Ghandi?"
"Because, his ideas on non-violent protesting were revolutionary. I would choose him, or the Dahli Lama."
"Ideas on non-violent protesting? Would you care to elaborate?"
"You'll learn
about it when you do your research. And
watching the movie doesn't count."
"They made a movie?" Zoe
asked.
As Grace drove up to Manning Manor, Simon and Zoe got out of the vehicle and ran towards the house. Grace sat in the drivers seat for a few minutes trying to collect herself. For the past few days she felt like she was on a never ending roller coaster which was going way too fast for her, but now she felt as if the coaster was slowing down. She exited the car and started to walk towards the house slowly. She now could breathe in and breath out, or as it was said in a PJ Harvey song, "take life as it comes." The slowness was something she relished in for the time being.
Walking into the kitchen with Zoe and Simon sitting at the table eating a small snack, Lily wasn't back yet from the doctor. Grace wasn't hungry. She walked up to her room in a dream like state trying to tell herself that she shouldn't be doing this. She shouldn't be setting herself up for something that may hurt her even more in the end. Did she honestly believe that a relationship, a romantic one at that, could somehow be achieved with August. Grace was still trying to answer that question. She didn't want it to lie just in his hands, but the truth was that it did indeed rest in his hands. He appeared to be the same August Dimitri she knew in high school, but she wasn't really willing to bet on it just yet. He could have a girlfriend; the subject never really had a chance to arrive as to whether or not they were seeing anyone. But Grace knew that he wasn't the kind of person to play mind games when it came to her heart.
Grace walked up to her cd player and put in her Jeff Buckley cd and pressed the buttons until she reached "So Real." She had a few reading assignments she wanted to take care of, but those things were the furthest thing from her mind then. She lied down on her bed and pulled out the book he gave her five years ago and listened to the music. A little while later, Zoe knocked on the door and entered Grace's room.
"Hey Grace. Do you mind if I come in for a sec?"
"No, it's ok. What's up?"
"I've decided to do my paper on Ghandi. I originally wanted to do it on Martin Luther King Jr., but so many other people are doing their papers on that, and I wanted something different."
"What, there were no socially significant dancers? Where's Simon?" Grace asked jokingly.
"Ha. Ha. He went next door to Peter's house. So, how has school been for you?"
"Good, very good, in fact." Grace said
"How so?"
"I like my classes, that's all."
Zoe looked at her sister with suspicion. "You're hiding something. I can tell. You've met someone!"
"I don't know what you're talking about." Grace said, trying to play if off.
"You're glowing! Who is he? Come on, you know I'm going to find out eventually!"
"There is no one, besides, even if there was someone, why would I tell you." Grace said with a smirk on her face.
Zoe looked around Grace's room and spotted the short story collection on her bed. With a quick move, Zoe jumped for the book on the bed, with Grace too slow to stop her.
"Ah ha! For years you have clung on to this book as if it were the most important thing on the planet. So, you tell me who he is, and you'll have your book back." Zoe said as she began waving it around her.
"Give me my book."
"No way. No how." Zoe said as she began running around Grace's room.
"Zoe, I'm serious, give me back the book!" Grace said as she started chasing Zoe around her room.
As Zoe jumped on Grace's bed she began to open the book and flip through the pages while Grace tried to grab the book from her hands. It was then that Zoe came to the beginning of the book and saw the inscription.
"Ooohhhhh, a little love letter maybe!" Zoe said as she jumped up and down on Grace's bed. Grace just gave up and stared up at her sister. Then Zoe read the inscription in her most doe like voice "To the girl with the loneliest - loveliest eyes. How can you understand this guys handwriting? Love August. Who would name their kid August?"
"I don't know. Who would name their kid Zoe?" Grace remarked.
As Zoe jumped off of Grace's bed, she handed the book back to Grace and tried to milk more information from her sister.
"So, who is August?"
"None of your business." Grace said innocently.
"Wrong answer. Come on Grace, we're both adults here."
"I wouldn't vouch on that one for you." Grace said.
"Come on Grace, I won't tell mom if that's what you're worried about."
Grace had no plans on revealing who she was sharing a reunion with, but she knew that Zoe wouldn't get off of her case she until spilled the beans. For a second, Grace considered making up someone, but she knew it wouldn't fly by with Zoe.
"You can't tell mom Zoe. And when I mean you can't tell mom, I mean you cannot tell mom!"
"I won't. You can trust me Grace."
"I ran into someone who I knew from Upton Sinclair five years ago. Nothing is really going on between us. It is as simple as that. But, you can't tell mom."
"Why?"
"Because, you just can't. She wouldn't understand."
Zoe still held the book in her hands and listened as she flipped through the book, finally landing on the page with the inscription. She re-read it numerous times, focusing in on the name. August. Who did she know with that name? It boggled her for a few minutes, then she realized who it was.
"Oh my gosh. It's Mr. Dimitri isn't it?"
"I'm serious Zoe, if you tell mom…"
"Don't worry. I won't tell her, but I'm going on the fact that you've told me that you two are just friends. You two weren't……………..you know……………..intimate or anything. I overheard that argument you got into with mom. The walls over here have ears you know."
"NO! No, Zoe, nothing like that - nothing even close to that." Grace lied. "It's just that when he left five years ago, him and mom weren't exactly on good terms. I don't think she would want me talking to him."
"You're an adult though. She shouldn't have a say in who you can or can't be friends with."
"It's complicated right now. That's where I'm drawing the line. This conversation never happened."
"You know, this would be the perfect opportunity for me to blackmail you with your car over this kind of information." Zoe asked jokingly.
"It's time for you to go do your homework you young girl unwise with the ways of the world." Grace said as she began to push Zoe out of the room. When she reached the hallway she closed the door in Zoe's face. Then, two seconds later, she opened the door still finding Zoe standing there. Grace grabbed the book out of Zoe's hands and shut the door. She made a mental note to herself to find a better hiding place for the book.
