(revised on 6/13/22)
Chapter 3: Grapefruit and Potatoes
As a type of settlement payment, Philip had left Donovan with the sum of one thousand American dollars, stating how badly he felt regarding Sean's condition. But Donovan knew if Sean were that bad off then no amount of money could ever repay the damage done to Sean's psyche, or replace the time lost between father and son. The following morning, Donovan gave Julie part of the money to shop for supplies while he awaited Sean's return.
Shortly before noon, the CB radio buzzed.
"Cactus Flower, you there?"
Maggie's calling for Julie again, Donovan guessed and picked up the mic.
"Hello, sky angel."
It was not Maggie's handle, but Donovan thought he would humor her.
"Where's Julie?" she asked.
"Gone out for supplies. Can she call you when she returns?"
"No. I have to leave for work soon. I'll try again tomorrow."
Donovan knew how disappointed Julie would be to know she missed Maggie's call again.
"Can I tell you what she wanted?" he asked, just as Maggie said:
"Did you guys find Chris' number?"
He felt guilty for not looking and knew Julie had not either.
"I'm sorry, we forgot."
"You forgot? It's important, Donovan."
"I'll tell Julie to have it ready for you when you call. She really wants to talk to you."
There was a pause before Maggie asked, "About what?"
"About her needing a place to stay."
"I thought she wanted to stay with you. Are you guys okay?"
He realized other than yesterday's conversation, Julie had not spoken to Maggie for months. So much for friendship, he mused. War has its toll on every aspect of life.
"We're not together anymore," he said.
"You broke up with her… when?"
"No. No. No," he corrected, feeling defensive. "She ended it."
"Well, I can't imagine why, you're such a sweet guy and all."
Donovan felt his cheeks get warm. He could not tell whether she was complimenting him or being genuinely sarcastic.
"I am a sweet guy," he agreed.
"Oh, no. Don't start with that ego, Donovan." She chuckled.
"Ego?" He laughed. "Hey, you're the one who said I'm a sweet guy. I was just agreeing with you."
"But does Julie agree? That's what I'm wondering. What happened between you and her? You made such a cute couple. I really expected a wedding invitation when the war ended. That's what she used to tell me; you know. You wanted to marry her when the war ended."
Now he felt awkward, not wanting to be reminded of the things he had whispered in Julie's ear during the intimate phase of their relationship.
"Things got bad between you two?" Maggie asked.
"I could ask the same about you and Chris," he said half-threateningly.
"I needed time to think. You know. Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Maybe it's the same with Julie. She's been through so much, made so many sacrifices for the war."
Haven't we all? He wondered.
"I do have to go now. Tell Julie I'll give her a call tomorrow, and maybe if she still wants to leave you, you can bring her out here this weekend."
Leave me? Do you have to say it like that?
"I'm sure she'll be waiting by the CB," he said.
"Goodbye, Donovan.
A few minutes later, Julie walked in with two paper sacks full of groceries. She carried them into the small kitchen and placed them on the counter. Donovan watched her pull out a small portion of beef, wrapped in cellophane, a few potatoes, some beef bouillon, and carrots.
Julie's eyes met his. "I haven't seen so much produce since last year. Look…" She reached into the bag and pulled out two large grapefruits, Donovan's favorite. Julie did not eat them. "They still cost an arm and a leg, but I thought you would appreciate it, after all these months."
He watched her smile as she rinsed them under the tap. "I know you didn't eat breakfast," she said. "Do you want one now? I can cut it up for you."
The way she smiled at him, as if she had brought home a long sought-out treasure, made him wonder if maybe she still cared.
"No, I'm fine. I'll wait for the soup."
Julie pulled a paring knife from the kitchen drawer and dug it into the fruit's flesh. "No, you're not fine. You haven't had a decent meal in months. Neither have I. If you don't mind, I'd like to go out again later and get us some stuff from K-Mart. The grocery store was out of some things."
"Maggie called while you were out," he said. "I told her you needed a place to stay."
Her expression turned somber. "Yeah, what'd she say?"
"She…uh… asked me why you wanted to leave me."
She squinted, looking a little annoyed.
"She thinks we're still together?"
"No reason to think otherwise, if you hadn't spoken to her since…?"
Julie shrugged, opened a cabinet, and pulled a metal strainer out. She placed it in the sink, put the potatoes in it, and ran cold water over them. "Did she say when she'd call back? Or where I could reach her?"
"She'll call back tomorrow. I told her you'd have Chris' number for her."
"I hope you find it then."
"Me? I thought you were responsible for all the paperwork." He watched as the paring knife missed the potato and pricked Julie's index finger.
"Ow!" she hissed.
Donovan stepped over and pulled Julie's hand to his line of sight to get a good look at the wound. She jerked it away.
"It's not too deep," he said. "If I kiss it, it might heal faster."
She glared at him, then rinsed her bloody fingers under the tap. "You really know how to amuse yourself, don't you, Donovan?"
He cracked a grin, remembering how he used to be able to bring her out of a foul mood, but now any attempt at anything that might pass for a "pass" was met with hostility. He still enjoyed pushing her buttons.
"Want me to call Dr. Maitland and have him come patch you up instead?"
The mention of Julie's ex-flame whom she had been briefly reunited with on a reconnaissance mission two weeks ago, only served to exacerbate her crankiness.
"Move!" She muttered, and then hurried past Donovan to her room and slammed the door behind herself.
"C'mon. I was kidding," Donovan called after her.
His attention turned to the sink. Julie had left the tap running over several unpeeled potatoes in the colander. The sound of a shuttlecraft landing whined outside…