Chapter Eleven: Finding Us
"The greatest thing in life is finding someone who knows all your mistakes and differences and still finds you absolutely amazing."-Nishan Panwar
Brandon
Last night was amazing, I think to myself as I lie here in the early morning light, watching her sleep. I get up and head out to get some breakfast before heading to work, hoping she’ll still be there when in get home. I get to work scarfing down my biscuit, unable to quit smiling.
"Well son," Dr. Iverson says, "I assume things are going well for you and Jasmine?"
"Yes, they sure are," I reply with a smile.
"All I ask is for you to be careful. From what I understand, her ex is quiet the…asshole,” he warns, walking away.
I make a mental note to ask her more about him when I get home. I remember what a douche he was in high school and it seems to have only escalated. The day crawls by with me watching the clock. My phone whistles and I immediately feel a stirring in my groin. I open the message and smile.
You’re amazing!
I put my phone back into my pocket and get back to my patients.
Mrs. Carlson smiles at me when I walk in. "I'd know that look anywhere,” she says, her smile reaching her eyes.
"And just what look might that be?" I ask.
"Why my dear boy, you’re in love,” she replies.
"Mrs. Carlson, that's not possible," I say, shaking my head.
"Say what you will, young man, but this old gal has been around a long time and I know what I see in your eyes." I smile and take her pulse. "Believe me Doc; I'm onto you and that lovely young lady."
I laugh as I leave the room and wonder if that is, in fact, what I'm feeling. Glancing at my watch I realize it is almost five and my heart skips a beat. My phone goes off, and it's once again Jasmine. Realizing its time to go, I gather my things and dash to my car. Everything, every moment from the previous night, keeps playing in my mind and I wonder if there is anything to what Mrs. Carlson said. I shake my head wondering how that could even be possible. Love, in the few weeks I have reconnected with Jasmine?
I get home and she is all dressed up and waiting for me. "You look nice,” I say kissing her cheek.
"I figured I'd look my best to visit your parents,” she replies with a tremble.
"There's nothing to worry about, believe me; they will love you. They always did.”
~~~~
My mother is sitting on the swing, as we pull up to the old Victorian style house, a far cry from the small wooden framed one I grew up in. "Brandon,” she says coming down to meet us. She hugs me and smiles at Jasmine. "So nice to see you again, sweetheart” she says greeting Jasmine. She ushers us in and calls for my father. "Hank, they're here,” she says in a sing song manner. Jasmine giggles and I hold her hand, leading her into the living room. "Dinner is almost ready," Mom says as she takes a sip of her wine. "I hope you like Italian."
Mom takes off to the kitchen with Jasmine in tow leaving me with my dad. "She's as lovely as she always was,” he says when they are out of earshot.
"Yes, yes she is," I agree. "Dad...I want to ask you something, and it may sound crazy, but I need advice."
"Go ahead son; you know I'll always be truthful with you."
“Have you ever fallen so hard for someone, that even the risks associated take a backseat to the possibility of having the kind of love only possible in a perfect world? Or have you ever had the sudden need to protect a heart so fragile, that it’s so overwhelming and soul consuming that it drives you to the verge of insanity?"
"Well son,” he says after a few moments, "That is deep, and it sounds to me like you have fallen in love with that young lady all over again."
I sit here pondering what he has said to me. I knew there was something, but after what happened with Carlie, I was sure it would be a lot longer before I found anyone to love.
"Brandon, you have to do what makes you happy. Even if this doesn't turn out to be a forever kind of love, you just need to go with it until you're proven otherwise. If I hadn't done this myself, I wouldn't have your mother,” he says. I sit there in silence listening to the laughs and chaos coming from the kitchen. "You think we should go check on the ladies?” dad asks with a laugh. I nod and follow him into the kitchen.
"Ladies, ladies, what did we miss?” dad asks kissing my mom's forehead.
"Well, Jasmine here, has been telling me what a wonderful son we’ve raised,” she says with a smile. "Ya’ll get the table set and well get to munching," mom says.
After an interesting dinner, Jasmine and I help clean up and go sit out on the porch swing.
"Brandon, there's something I need to tell you.”
"I'm all ears," I say with a wink. She draws in a deep breath, and suddenly I’m not sure I want to hear this.
"I have a confession. The truth is I’ve been lying to myself. I’ve been in complete denial regarding how I feel about you. I like you so much more than I feel like I should and, I fucking hate it. It's taken away any advantage I have over myself and my feelings. Losing this control over my heart is something I never anticipated in the short time I've reconnected with you. You have awakened something within me that I haven't experienced since Caleb had come into my life; love, a deep seeded love that truly scares the hell out of me and makes me want to cut any ties between us. It completely contradicts itself when I’m with you. All I want to do in this moment is wrap myself around you and bind myself to you forever.”
I sit there stunned, not knowing what to say, so I just pull her close to me and close my eyes, listening to her breathe. "Jasmine, look at me," I say after a few minutes. She looks up at me with fear in her eyes. "You have nothing to be afraid of from me. I feel the same way. I have since we were in eighth grade.”
She smiles and kisses me deeply. When we pull away I see my mom and dad looking out the window, giving me a thumbs-up. I laugh and she looks at me funny.
"What?” she asks as I point to the window. She sees them and covers her face with her hands.
"No need to be embarrassed," I say, “after all, we did get a thumbs-up." She shakes her head and smiles, kissing me again. "Oh yeah, they also gave me the key to the storage building and you’re welcome to anything in there you can use." Her eyes light up and the grateful look on her face is enough to convince me that what I'm feeling is real.