Chase House, Angela’s Room, Three Rivers, August 29th 1997
Angela and Patty are in Angela’s room as Angela frantically throws clothes into her suitcase, Patty taking each of them out and folding them neatly on her lap, waiting to be put back into the suitcase.
“You know Angela, you should really consider talking to him, you haven’t even heard his side of the story….Angela spun around.
“I don’t need to hear his side of the story mom, he lied and I don’t think I can trust him.”
“Angela, don’t be so stubborn, talk to him.” said Patty softly.
“Mom, I—“Angela began but Patty intervened
“When does your bus come, honey?” Patty changed the subject as if sensing Angela needed a bit more time to deal.
Bus, Just entering Three Rivers.
Angela stared out the window, she was just thinking of the brief conversation she had with her mother before she had left, 10 years ago. Her mother had wanted to talk to Jordan, but she didn’t, even though she should have. Her mother knew she needed time to deal with the events that had unfolded, but was ten years too long to deal, was it ten years too late?
It is too late, what’s past is past and Jordan’s my past….it’s not like he’s going to be at the reunion….
Angela looked as they past the sign welcoming you to Three Rivers and she sighed
I once thought that high school was a battlefield for your heart, but the rest of the world, that’s the heart of the war, and you just have to keep fighting
The bus pulled
up to the station and Angela, grabbing her bag, was the last to leave. Not too
sure of what to except when she got off the bus she smiled at the sight. There,
waiting for her was some familiar smiling faces; Rayanne, Rickie, Sharon and to
her own happy surprise her sister, Danielle.
“ANGELA” yelled
Rayanne running over and eloping Angela in a hug. “How have you been? How’s the
writing going? Married, Divorce, Engaged or Single? Hmmmm? Let me know all the
details.
Angela laughed
“Fine, Fine and single.” What about you? How have you been?”
“She’s been
about the same, though a little calmer than high school.” Said Rickie, also
hugging Angela.
“Yep, for sure”
said Rayanne “I run a theatre program at the school and I’ve been clean and
sober for about 8 years now, so it’s all good and the AA meetings are great, We
get cookies.
Angela smiled
and looked to Rickie “I live in Canada, I work at an advertising firm.”
“Now, that
everyone has told Angela what they’ve done in the past years, since she seemed
to disappear off the face of the earth.” said Sharon.
“I do send
Christmas cards,” said Angela protesting.
I didn’t want to hear any mention of him
”But you never seemed to ask what’s going on…. but let me inform you to my
comings and goings.” said Sharon “I’m engaged to Keith Lawrence, he’s a lawyer
from Boston, but you won’t meet him till tomorrow, he’s involved in a case, but
promised he’s be here tomorrow and stay for the reunion.”
Angela smiled
and turned to her unusually quiet sister, Danielle “Hey, Danielle and I don’t
need to know what’s going on in your life, mom’s told me all about Johnny and….
“Well if you
would just talk to her, I know she’d like him, but I know she still thinks of
me as her little girl. I mean she’s still upset that I went out with Craig Sims
when I was 15.”
“Craig Sims”
said Rayanne thoughtfully “Isn’t he that guy who used to chew really loudly and
have that annoying laugh?”
”I said I was 15” said Danielle annoyingly “and besides he married now and
lives in California and he WAS really nice.”
Angela laughed “Good to see ya, sis.”
They began to
walk from the bus terminal “Angela,” said Sharon “There is still one person you
haven’t asked about.” Angela’s heart did a back flip; they were going to talk
about Jordan.
“Brian’s coming
to the reunion” Angela’s heart settled, but only a tiny bit. Brian, the guy who
had loved her and she knew she loved him to, but she could never figure out in
what way.
“How is Brian?”
said Angela in what she hoped was a interested voice.
“He’s a lawyer,
actually that’s how I met my finance, Brian introduced us, when I was visiting
him a few years ago. Keith works to Brian’s firm.
“That’s great.”
“So what are we
up to tonight?” asked Ricky.
“I thought we’d
take Angela down to Residue, catch up on old times.” Said Rayanne with a wink.
“Yah, Residue
is great, Jor—started Danielle, but Sharon stopped her;
“Joining us….I
don’t think so even if you are old enough….Sharon smiled nervously. “And
besides don’t you have that thing in the morning?”
”Thing?” asked Danielle “OH that THING, yes, I forgot all about it.”
Angela smiled,
but sensed that this wasn’t going to be just another ordinary night;
She almost said Jordan….didn’t she?
“So, Angela do
you want to go?” asked Rickie.
“Yah,” said
Angela “It should be interesting.”