Part 4- A Gift (Nine Months Later)
February 13, 2000
"You're such an idiot! Oh, my God!" Katie laughed. As Katie, Tim, Julia, Alex, his girlfriend Clear, Jennifer, and Evan sat at the Browning home playing poker, Julia had gone to the bathroom, and slipped on the floor when she came back out. She landed smack on her gluteus maximus and had everyone in stitches.
"Oh, I'm so talented!" she retorted, ambling back up. Alex dealt the cards and Julia subsequently folded.
"You folding early?"
"My hand sucks."
As their card-playing, (non-alcoholic) daiquiri-drinking-fest continued, Julia ended up winning a meager three hands, while Jennifer, the most excellent bluffer, won a whopping six. Katie won two, Tim won one, and Alex won three. Jennifer drove Katie, Tim, and Julia back to their house, dropped them off, and went out to dinner at a Mexican restaurant. Julia put in a DVD and they sat on the couch watching movies until they got bored.
The landline rang. Julia answered in a hurry- it was Clear.
"Hey," she said.
"Julia... It's Alex... he... he's dead..."
"What!" Julia spat.
"He got hit in the head by a fing brick!"
"Holy shit..." Julia said, tears trying to sneak out of her eyes. She wiped them away.
"The police are here. They wanna talk to me. I gotta go."
"Okay."
Julia hung up and sat on the couch.
"Who was that?"
"Clear."
"Oh, what's she want?" Katie asked.
"Alex is dead," Julia blankly said, keepng her mind straight. Katie and Tim's jaws both dropped at this. Alex Browning, dead? It was unbelievable.
The funeral was held a week later. Julia remembered Terry's funeral, and how Carter was so disturbed that day. He had been dead for almost three months. A sign fell on him while vacationing, ironically, in Paris. She noticed that Clear was absent from her boyfriend's funeral. Why would a girl who loved her boyfriend so much skip out on her last chance to say goodbye to him? When she spoke to the Brownings to offer her condolences, they told her Clear committed herself to a mental hospital.
"She did?"
"Two days ago. She was convinced that Death was after her."
"I see why. If you need me, I'm always here."
"Thank you, Julia. Alex always did love you."
"He did?"
"He said something, I believe in September, about you. Said you were beautiful. He was right." Julia blushed when Mrs. Browning relayed that to her. That made Alex's mother smile. Julia had never imagined being without Alex, but now it was no imaginary thing- this was real.
"He told me that if he died that you should look through his computer. I think he's left a message for you."
"Why would he leave a note for me?"
"Because he loved you. If you want, I can drive you home. You can ride back with me."
"Thank you," Julia said softly, wondering what Alex had left on his computer for her. She found out exactly what in a matter of hours. What he had left was a message in his documents that led her to the media player.
Dear Julia,
If you find this message, then I must be dead. Look in the media player. There is a playlist entitled "Your Gift" Open it. Burn it to a CD. It's my gift to you. I also charge you with telling everyone the following things:
·Tell Clear I'm sorry I couldn't stick around.
·Tell Katie she's worth a lot more than she thinks.
·Tell Tim he's doing everything right. He gave you a lot better than I could give you.
As for you, Miss Julia Rachael Jensen, here is what I have to say to you: You are a beautiful, radiant young woman, and deserve much better than what I had to offer you. I love you greatly and I'll always be with you. Now, open the playlist and do what I said.
Love, Alex.
Julia opened the playlist, burned it to a blank CD and headed back home. She played the CD and wanted to cry, but she didn't. Instead, she let the music lull her to sleep. She only wanted to sleep to dream of Alex... and she did. When she was in a deep sleep, it occurred to her what her real gift was: Death. Death had always been there beside her, following her like a shadow, laughing at her like a demented clown, staring her down like a showdown in the Wild West. Death was the gift she possessed. Anywhere she went, Death was sure to follow... at least, in her dream, it did.
The next morning, Julia didn't want to get out of bed, but she jumped out when Tim shook her awake.
"Julia, you have to get up! It's almost noon!"
"Huh?"
"You slept in! Get out of bed!"
"Leave me alone."
"You look like death. Get up." At this, Julia sprung out of her bed and hopped in the shower. To be told you look like death is one thing, but to be Julia Rachael Jensen, one of the most beautiful girls in Mt. Abraham, and be told you look like death- practically a mortal sin to let yourself devolve into that state. Julia prettied herself up in a hot minute and emerged from the bathroom in her usual state of high-maintenance preppy girl.
"Better now?"
"Much better. I just had to get you out of bed," Tim said. Julia still didn't understand why her boyfriend was practically dragging her out of bed.
"Why'd you wake me up?"
"Because, Julie, I am taking you out. You and I are going to Starbucks, then we're going to see a movie and get some food. Sound good?"
"Yeah. Is this about Alex?"
"Kind of. I just wanted to take your mind off things. You've been kinda down since he died."
"Yeah, well, one of my best friends just died, so what'd you expect?"
"I expect you to get out of bed and turn that frown upside down, Juliebean."
"You called me Juliebean!" she exclaimed. "Juliebean" was an affectionate nickname given to Julia by Richard many years ago. The only people who had ever called her that name were Jennifer, Richard, her parents, Katie, and Terry.
"I know. Are you coming or not?"
"Yeah."
So their plan was carried out and they spent the day having fun. Tim carried Julia home and she stumbled up the stairs and threw on her headphones. She went on the internet and saw that Katie was online.
Julia and Katie's conversation
Juliebean: hey k8ie.
dancediva09: wuz up julie!
Juliebean: nm. u?
dancediva09: bored. listenin 2 music.
Juliebean: O.O what?
dancediva09: BSB
Juliebean: u crazeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
dancediva09: as crazy as they come...
Juliebean: I just got home. tim & me went out 4 a while.
dancediva09: yeah, i kno. how r u doing since... u know wat.
Juliebean: im fine. u?
dancediva09: im still a little sad, but i kno hes not coming back.
Juliebean: yeah. tru tru. I gtg. my mom wants me.
dancediva09: okies.
Julia signed off and went down to see what her mother wanted.
"Julia, your brother's coming into town for a while next week. Can you help get this place cleaned up tomorrow?"
"Yeah, I guess."
So, she and Jennifer cleaned the house thoroughly and her brother Richard stayed for a few days, then hit the road again.
"I'm going to study abroad. I'll miss you, Juliebean. You take care of mom," he said, giving Julia a big hug and shutting the door. She turned to Jennifer and gave her the look of death.
"Your brother is a mess!"
"He's your brother too, Julie."
"I don't care if he's the King of France! That guy is a flippin' mess!"
"I'll agree. You cleaned first. I'll take this one."
"Thanks, Jen. I owe you one."
"You owe me a lot after all the things I've done for you!... I'm kidding! Go!"
And go she did. But soon, that go would become a complete stop, and morph into the devolution of Julia Rachael Jensen, and she would spiral down into the darkest depth of her soul. After all, Death was her gift that kept on giving.
End of Part 4
