I watched my sister load up my car, she insisted that she drive me to Orlando, I told her I could drive my own car sense she had hers to take back as well. She informed me that Sophie offered to drive her car back to Orlando so that Roxi could be the wonderful sister she was and drive me. I cringed at the thought of my sister driving my BMW, but I figured there was no use arguing with her.
“Is this all you’re going to take Laura? I think you forgot the kitchen sink!” Roxi said trying to close the trunk.
“Yeah, I figured you didn’t have room in your flat for that,” I said gingerly. “So why didn’t Jamie stay so he could drive your car back, so Sophie didn’t have too?” I asked leaning on the side of the car. Jamie was our half brother, he belongs to wife number three, Maggie; or as Roxi and I addressed her, “Medusa.” Jamie was only sixteen and just moved to Florida to live with our father, his mother lived in London and was going to move to Japan with Jamie’s step-father, so Jamie decided that he wanted to move in with dad. Little did he know what he was getting himself into...?
“Because Jamie had to get back to school today, that’s why he left last night.” Roxi said looking down at four more suitcases she needed to find room for. “Don’t worry about Sophie, I’ve hooked her up with some Books on Tap, she’ll be fine for the next three hours,”
“Books on Tap?” I said lowering my shades, “Roxi, the only Books on Tap you have are of or in reference to the Kama Sutra,” I said giggling
“I read other books too!” she said shooting up like a lightning built
“Name one,”
“Well…” she said standing there pondering, “I have this one called “What you didn’t know about The Kama Sutra”
I burst into laughter for the first time in days, “Oh Roxi,” I said shaking my head,
“It’s good to see you laugh again,” She said giving me reassuring rub on the arm.
“So what did you give Sophie?”
“I stole some of your boring Books on Tap told her they were mine and she said ‘Wow Roxi, I didn’t know you were interested in physiognomy of biophysics””
I hunched myself over trying to contain my hysteria, “and wh…at…did… you say,” said as I came up for air.
“I told her I was enthralled by psychic revulsion!” the sides of her mouth started to twitch, “How the hell was I supposed to know what the hell physiognomy of biophysics meant?” she said laughing at herself. “But I also gave her one of the Kama Sutra books, just in case she gets bored!”
By this time I was ready to roll on the floor. I’d forgotten how much my sister could make me laugh, it didn’t matter what the situation might be at hand, she was my light at the end of the tunnel.
“Well, we better get going,” She said opening the driver’s side door, “Do you have everything?”
“I think,” I said looking back at the house. They say before you die your life flashes before your eyes. I believe your life flashes before your eyes while you’re still alive; in those poignant moments before you close the door to your past and open the door to your future. I saw Jesse standing on the porch, leaning up against the banister with his arms crossed; His hair the color of spun gold in the sunlight, and his blue eyes piercing down on me. Telling me it was okay, okay to leave, to move on…
“Laura, are you alright?” Roxi said behind me
“Yeah, I’m ready,”
________________________________________________
“So what time did Dad and Jamie leave last night?” I asked kicking off my shoes and putting my feet on the dash
“Oh, Jamie left around seven-thirty, dad didn’t go with him.” Roxi said trying to find a radio station.
“What do you mean Dad didn’t go with him?”
“I mean he didn’t leave,”
“Didn’t Jamie and Dad come together?”
“Yeah, Jamie took Dad’s car back,”
“Wait, so where’s Dad?” I said looking at Roxi puzzled
“Oh, he’s with Sophie,”
“What?”
“Yeah, they’re both going together. What’s the problem?” she said looking over at me
“Roxi, do you understand you left Sophie in a car with dad, psychology and Kama Sutra?!”
“Oh shit!” Roxi laughed
“Their either going to make it to Orlando frisky or have killed one another and it will be on your conscious,” I said trying to contain my laughter, “Why didn’t she just ride with us?”
“And where would she ride, on the roof? You’ve packed every piece of clothing you have, there's barley room for the two of us,” she said gesturing her head to the backseat. “Plus, I wanted to spend one on one time with you, it’s been over a year sense we’ve just hung out,”
“True,” I said looking at the backseat, “So tell me about your life, sense you already know about mine. Tell me how do you like being a backup dancer?”
“I love it! God, the guys are so nice! Theirs five of them, Howie is the nice and calm guy, very respectful. Then there’s Brian, who’s just as nice and respectful. Kevin is the dad of the group, he reprimands! Then Nick, who’s the total prankster, always playing a prank on someone, then there is AJ,” her mouth twitched as she said his name, “He’s just awesome! He’s sweet and funny, smart but witty. And oh my god he’s cute!”
“So I’m guessing you fancy this AJ?” I said lowering my sunglasses.
“Kinda, sorta, I don’t know. We just click, ya know? It’s just fun. And I also got my first tattoo with him!”
“Really? Let me guess you got a…”
“Tramp stamp!” she laughed, “You know Laura, you judge to harshly,”
“I know, I’m so judgmental,” I said rolling my eyes
“I should invite them over sometime, you’d love them. You know what? I think I will,” she said smiling over at me.
“You do that,” I said leaning my seat back, “But for now, I’m going to take a nap.”
_____________________________________________________
‘Where are we?” I said stretching my arms over my head
“We’re in Orlando dear sister,” she said looking over at me and smiled.
“Jeeze, I slept the whole way?” I said yawning
“Yeah, probably the only rest you’ve gotten in the past week,”
“Probably,” I said looking out the window, “Where are we exactly?”
“Oh, I have to make a quick stop here at the studio, Nina the dance choreographer left a message on my cell to meet her here at the studio as soon as I got into town. It’ll probably only take a minute, you can wait in the car if you like,” Roxi said opening the car door
“Yes I would like;” I said putting my shades back on
“Alright then, I’ll only be a minute,” she said taking the keys out of the ignition and running off, cause heaven forbid I steal my own car. I wonder if she’s afraid I’ll take it and drive off a cliff or something? I’ll have to reassure her about that. I leaned back in my seat preparing to take yet another nap when something caught my attention. It was a tall blonde, he was moving his hands around in an odd way, but then I realized he was trying to light his cigarette, his back side looked like Jesse’s, not much of an ass, but still fun to look at. Then all the sudden he turned and looked at me. My mouth dropped as I looked at him, his blonde hair, his blue eyes the way he walked around; the way he held his cigarette, it all looked familiar, a girl walked past him and he cocked his head and smiled. It was that smile I’d seen everyday for the past four years, no one had a smile like that, I knew it. It was full of mischief that twinkles in the eye; Blonde then ran his fingers through his hair, god dammit just like Jesse, down to his black leather jacket. He turned away from me now, no, please don’t! I have to look at you, if I were a crazy person I’d say it was Jesse, it had to be? Who else could it be? But your not crazy Laura, not anymore anyway… you’re just tired, and miss Jesse; he probably looks nothing like him. But my head obviously wasn’t talking to my heart, because unconsciously I jumped out of the car, and I ran up to him,
“Jesse, Jesse,” I yelled, he didn’t turn around, what’s wrong? He didn’t know me? How could he not remember me?
“Jesse,” I said grabbing his arm.
Blonde turned around and looked at me with a puzzled look.
“Who?” He said looking down at me; his face, just like Jesse’s.
“You can’t be him,” unconsciously I said out-loud
“Who can’t I be?” he said continuing to look down at me, he was about 6’1 at the least, the same height the same built. I must be losing my mind,
“I’m sorry, I thought you were someone else,” I said stepping back
“Oh…” he said looking me over, “Are you alright you look like your going too…”
My knees gave out, the last thing I remember seeing was his hands trying to catch me…
Never Gone by MeG
