Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Excerpt #5, pages 34/35 from chapter 5 of "Stream of Consciousness"
“You surf? I never would have guessed,” he pondered in an astonished tone.
“Geez… I haven’t surfed in awhile cuz I’ve been busy with my life… family, writing, and everything else. But why would you think that I didn’t surf?” I asked defensively.
“I don’t know. You just don’t seem the type… I didn’t mean it in a bad way,” he dog paddled.
“Sure. I know, I’m just the boring looking one over here in my red sweater. Plays it safe. Cares for her three kids while the rest of the known planet cruises the world and skydives through the clouds,” I complained.
“No Renee, you’re totally reading me wrong. I seriously have to take that back. You look like a surfer. You're in love with the ocean like a surfer. I just didn’t read it right. I’m totally sorry,” he said begging for me to let him off the hook.
“Alright, I forgive you. Eric surfs too. Maybe we’ll meet you guys below the cliffs and start the double date out right,” I challenged.
“That sounds awesome. It takes me a bit longer to get back up the cliff since I can’t use my legs, but I’ll take you out in the water,” he laughed.
“Sounds like a fair bet. You’re on,” I said cracking up as if it had been a lot more hilarious than it actually was.
“You must have really needed to laugh Renee. You doing okay?” he asked.
“Yeah, I’m okay, just stressed out. I’m a bit worried about Jen. I feel like I shouldn’t gossip but she’s seriously about to make a bad choice and I’m not sure I can pull her out of this one.”
“What is it? Is it Jared?” he pondered.
“Yeah, he wants to take her on a cruise, next week,” I sighed.
“Well, just let her go. I’m sure he’s an okay guy. And she seems like a smart girl. I bet they’ll have a blast.”
“You would say that Jadan. Thanks for the moral support here. I mean really, it’s so me to spill my guts to you and expect some sober advice about my best friend,” I whined.
“What the heck is that supposed to mean, like I’m not a good guy? Now you’re against everyone? Seriously Renee. You are getting too involved in this. You should let your friend go on the cruise and have some fun. And you should have some fun too,” he huffed.
“I know you’re right. Deep down... I know it. Sorry... I didn’t mean to sound too dramatic. Seriously, I just care about Jen so much. She’s like a baby sister. She’s even closer to me than my real sister so I don’t want to see her get hurt,” I reminded him.
“Well, sometimes you have to put yourself out there, even get hurt a few times in order to find love. That’s how it worked with me and Mols,” he said with a tender voice.
“How did that go exactly? She hurt you or you hurt her?”
“Well, both kind of. She hurt me first and then it broke my heart and I wouldn’t give her a second chance… for a long time. Then, she convinced me that she was worth another chance. And finally I realized she was right.”
“So what convinced you to give Mols another chance?” I asked laughing at the nickname.
“Well our daughter is the one that got us back together.”
“Your daughter?” I said spitting frappuchino all down my face.
“Yeah, what makes you think I’m not allowed to have any kids,” he wondered.
“Well you never talked about her before. I just assumed you were on your own,” I said in a surprised tone.
“We found out she was pregnant before the accident. She was this huge blessing in disguise. I mean, I can still…well…you know. But I’m not sure if I’d be good for getting someone pregnant anymore. Okay, awkward. Anyways. All that to say, I do have a kid and she’s the best thing in my life. So Molly and I decided to give it another shot because she was worth it,” he said taking a deep breath like he was trying to stop himself from breaking down here in public.
We paused for a second. I didn’t know quite what to say and I didn’t want to cheapen my response just because it got uncomfortable.
“My gosh Jadan. That’s amazing. It’s cool how God sneaks in those surprises when we don’t even realize that he’s about to do something great. I mean, I have a few of those special blessings in my own life. My kids weren’t a surprise but God has helped me through lots of crazy storms,” I said with a gentle smile.
I am truly happy for Jadan. I mean how cool is that, for him to have a daughter even though he is in a wheelchair? Does that mean he and Molly can still have sex? And how strange that she is an old flame. I totally expected her to be a new fling. I guess she's some super-model from what Val told me the other day when she saw her stop in recently for a quick kiss. I wonder if he and Eric will get along. I don’t want Eric to feel out of place. But he’s totally good about interesting social settings. I love how my husband has a way with people. It must be his philosophical background, like he can read into people’s minds or brains somehow. Well anyways, dinner should be memorable.
“So, will Saturday night work for you and Eric,” he asked while rubbing his eyes with his right hand.
“I’m pretty sure. Like I said I’ll double check with our sitter and I’ll just have to play it by ear with how Danielle’s doing. By the way, what’s your daughter’s name? Will she be there?”
“No, she’ll be at Molly’s place with her sister. We decided not to live together again until we were sure about our relationship lasting. We didn’t want to confuse Ocean anymore than she already is.”
“Her name is Ocean?” I asked a bit surprised.
“Yes, it’s Ocean Kathleen,” he said throwing in a few confident winks.
“Well that’s original, I’ll give you that. And it’s really pretty too. I bet she’s a really sweet little girl.”
“She’s the prettiest little girl I’ve ever seen,” he said proudly.
“Geez… I haven’t surfed in awhile cuz I’ve been busy with my life… family, writing, and everything else. But why would you think that I didn’t surf?” I asked defensively.
“I don’t know. You just don’t seem the type… I didn’t mean it in a bad way,” he dog paddled.
“Sure. I know, I’m just the boring looking one over here in my red sweater. Plays it safe. Cares for her three kids while the rest of the known planet cruises the world and skydives through the clouds,” I complained.
“No Renee, you’re totally reading me wrong. I seriously have to take that back. You look like a surfer. You're in love with the ocean like a surfer. I just didn’t read it right. I’m totally sorry,” he said begging for me to let him off the hook.
“Alright, I forgive you. Eric surfs too. Maybe we’ll meet you guys below the cliffs and start the double date out right,” I challenged.
“That sounds awesome. It takes me a bit longer to get back up the cliff since I can’t use my legs, but I’ll take you out in the water,” he laughed.
“Sounds like a fair bet. You’re on,” I said cracking up as if it had been a lot more hilarious than it actually was.
“You must have really needed to laugh Renee. You doing okay?” he asked.
“Yeah, I’m okay, just stressed out. I’m a bit worried about Jen. I feel like I shouldn’t gossip but she’s seriously about to make a bad choice and I’m not sure I can pull her out of this one.”
“What is it? Is it Jared?” he pondered.
“Yeah, he wants to take her on a cruise, next week,” I sighed.
“Well, just let her go. I’m sure he’s an okay guy. And she seems like a smart girl. I bet they’ll have a blast.”
“You would say that Jadan. Thanks for the moral support here. I mean really, it’s so me to spill my guts to you and expect some sober advice about my best friend,” I whined.
“What the heck is that supposed to mean, like I’m not a good guy? Now you’re against everyone? Seriously Renee. You are getting too involved in this. You should let your friend go on the cruise and have some fun. And you should have some fun too,” he huffed.
“I know you’re right. Deep down... I know it. Sorry... I didn’t mean to sound too dramatic. Seriously, I just care about Jen so much. She’s like a baby sister. She’s even closer to me than my real sister so I don’t want to see her get hurt,” I reminded him.
“Well, sometimes you have to put yourself out there, even get hurt a few times in order to find love. That’s how it worked with me and Mols,” he said with a tender voice.
“How did that go exactly? She hurt you or you hurt her?”
“Well, both kind of. She hurt me first and then it broke my heart and I wouldn’t give her a second chance… for a long time. Then, she convinced me that she was worth another chance. And finally I realized she was right.”
“So what convinced you to give Mols another chance?” I asked laughing at the nickname.
“Well our daughter is the one that got us back together.”
“Your daughter?” I said spitting frappuchino all down my face.
“Yeah, what makes you think I’m not allowed to have any kids,” he wondered.
“Well you never talked about her before. I just assumed you were on your own,” I said in a surprised tone.
“We found out she was pregnant before the accident. She was this huge blessing in disguise. I mean, I can still…well…you know. But I’m not sure if I’d be good for getting someone pregnant anymore. Okay, awkward. Anyways. All that to say, I do have a kid and she’s the best thing in my life. So Molly and I decided to give it another shot because she was worth it,” he said taking a deep breath like he was trying to stop himself from breaking down here in public.
We paused for a second. I didn’t know quite what to say and I didn’t want to cheapen my response just because it got uncomfortable.
“My gosh Jadan. That’s amazing. It’s cool how God sneaks in those surprises when we don’t even realize that he’s about to do something great. I mean, I have a few of those special blessings in my own life. My kids weren’t a surprise but God has helped me through lots of crazy storms,” I said with a gentle smile.
I am truly happy for Jadan. I mean how cool is that, for him to have a daughter even though he is in a wheelchair? Does that mean he and Molly can still have sex? And how strange that she is an old flame. I totally expected her to be a new fling. I guess she's some super-model from what Val told me the other day when she saw her stop in recently for a quick kiss. I wonder if he and Eric will get along. I don’t want Eric to feel out of place. But he’s totally good about interesting social settings. I love how my husband has a way with people. It must be his philosophical background, like he can read into people’s minds or brains somehow. Well anyways, dinner should be memorable.
“So, will Saturday night work for you and Eric,” he asked while rubbing his eyes with his right hand.
“I’m pretty sure. Like I said I’ll double check with our sitter and I’ll just have to play it by ear with how Danielle’s doing. By the way, what’s your daughter’s name? Will she be there?”
“No, she’ll be at Molly’s place with her sister. We decided not to live together again until we were sure about our relationship lasting. We didn’t want to confuse Ocean anymore than she already is.”
“Her name is Ocean?” I asked a bit surprised.
“Yes, it’s Ocean Kathleen,” he said throwing in a few confident winks.
“Well that’s original, I’ll give you that. And it’s really pretty too. I bet she’s a really sweet little girl.”
“She’s the prettiest little girl I’ve ever seen,” he said proudly.
Labels: Stream of Consciousness
