Threads of Summer
Chapter 8: Elsa
"What do you think of Tadashi Hamada?" Jane asked nonchalantly when she joined Elsa for brunch on the east terrace overlooking the lake.
Jane was dressed in a fitting pale floral summer dress with bell sleeves that nicely accentuated the curves of her hips, and she wore an agate stone bracelet that matched the color of her eyes. It was an old gift from Zan, she realized. He had offered it as a gift of reconciliation following their third major break up.
A half dozen break ups later, that bracelet was nothing more than a pretty trinket. To Jane, it had diminished in sentimental value with each heartbreak. Zan, on the other hand, had no recollection of the gift, nor that he'd been the giver. Which had led to an argument, and yet another breakup. The fight itself had been a misunderstanding, but they were always misunderstanding each other, and she had never bothered to let him know why his response to the bracelet had upset her in the first place.
Jane's on-and-off-again relationship with Zan was finally wearing on her and she needed someone who was quite the opposite of Zan to fill the void. Tadashi seemed to check all the boxes in that regard, but she could see Elsa's reservations regarding her potential romantic prospects unfurl with the crease in her brow.
"Tadashi?" Elsa echoed, a hint of disapproval escaping her voice.
"It's just that he seems like such a nice guy," Jane elaborated, almost apologetically, "and he called asking if I was free tomorrow."
"But you don't do nice guys," Elsa pointed out without missing a beat. "You prefer guys who are emotionally unavailable and bound to disappoint you."
"That's brutal."
"Come on," Elsa uttered gently as she reached for Jane's hand across the table and gave it a firm squeeze. "We promised to always be honest with each other."
"I know," Jane admitted. "I'm just frustrated with Zan, is all. And last night with Anna was a total bust-"
Elsa averted her eyes as she pulled her coffee cup to her lips.
"-but then Tadashi called me up this morning and..." Jane trailed off, not quite certain how to end her sentence without sounding so vain.
"...and you liked how good it made you feel to be wanted," Elsa finished for her.
"Is that really so bad?"
Elsa hesitated. Jane was often awkward and self-involved with the social tact of a sailor, but she deserved better. Zan had been responsible for breaking Jane's heart more than half a dozen times, and she always forgave him. Each heartbreak struck a deeper nerve, with Jane drowning in her own self doubts and insecurities. And each time Elsa wished their relationship would not mend.
"It's not," she conceded. "It's not bad at all."
Jane seemed satisfied with that answer, but Elsa was overcome with a question of her own. She toyed with her fork, absentmindedly nudging the eggs around her plate. After a brief pause, she cleared her throat and asked, "So... does this mean you've moved on from Anna?"
Jane, whose mouth was now occupied with a mouthful of toasted bagel and cream cheese, looked up and chewed in contemplative surprise. "I…dunno," she finally responded, wiping a smidge of cream cheese from the corner of her mouth with her thumb and licking it off. "Do I necessarily have to?"
"Didn't you say she wasn't interested?"
"Yes, but I realized this morning that I wasn't exactly direct with my intentions either," she admitted. "And…"
"And what?"
"And…I'm kind of intrigued. Our cute little farmer Anna was giving off very hot cowboy vibes last night. Don't you think?"
Elsa tore off a piece of her buttered toast and chucked it at Jane.
"You are incorrigible!" Elsa mused.
Jane laughed as she ducked, narrowly avoiding the piece of toast, and retaliated by flinging a chunk of her bagel in return. Elsa, however, wasn't as quick to respond and the cream cheese-smeared bagel landed squarely on her right cheek. Laughter overtook her as well, but the mirth couldn't fully smother the lingering guilt that crept in as the memory of last night's kiss persisted in the edges of her thoughts.
Author's Note: Very short I know…and it's been very very long since I last updated. I almost didn't at all tbh. I'm almost done with the next chapter as well, it should be up within a week.