Chapter 3 The Guest
three
The Guest
Matthew looks from me to Michael, like we spoiled his big surprise. “When did you guys meet?”
“Michael showed up at my spin class last year.” I forgot how unusual the color of his hair was, red, not bright red, but more of a dark copper brown, kind of like the inside of a cedar tree when it's wet from the rain.
“Yeah,” Michael steps inside and sets his bag down. “I tagged along with my friend from basic training, Sargeant Carson."
"Bryan?" I ask.
"Yeah." Michael turns to Matt. "Hardest workout I've done in years. Your sister about ran me into the ground.”
“I must have. You never came back.”
Michael pushes the door closed and steps toward me. “I was at Fort Lewis on a temporary assignment. I left right after that, or I would have been back.”
“What brings you here now?”
"Actually, Matt showed your picture to the guys at Fort Bliss, and then held a lottery to see who got to go home with him.” His eyes dance, and a sprinkling of freckles stands out across his nose.
Matt leans against the door. “It was the picture from your prom. I told him not to be too disappointed, that you clean up okay, but normally you aren’t much to look at.”
“Thanks a lot, Matt.” I slug him in the shoulder.
“Actually, I was hoping to stay a couple of days before I go to Pullman to see my family,” Michael says.
“Pullman, huh? I’m going to WSU now,” I say.
“That’s what Matt said. My dad's a dean there."
Matt looks around as if he just noticed the house is empty. Where is everybody?”
“Mom is out delivering cookies, Tyler is snowboarding and Dad is still at work.”
“That’s why it smells so good in here,” Michael says. “Gingersnaps?”
“Yep. You guys want some?”
“Definitely,” Matt says. They leave their bags and follow me into the kitchen. I pour them a glass of milk and set out the plate of cookies.
Matt pauses between bites. “It's great to be home.”
“I know.” I sit down on the chair beside them. “I never imagined that I would miss this place so much.” I chew for a minute. "I'm surprised you didn't go straight to Kendra's."
"Oh, I'll get there soon enough. I had to drop Mike off, and I wanted to show you something before I go." A smile plays around the corners of his mouth, and I know he has some kind of secret. Usually, that means something I can't tell Mom and Dad.
"Something to show me?" I ask. Matt nods. I look at Michael. He raises his eyebrows, but he appears to be in on whatever Matt's secret is. It takes a second before I understand."You bought a ring!"
Instead of answering, Matthew goes to his bag, digs through it for a second, and comes back with a little black box. He flips it open. Inside is a white-gold ring with a princess-cut diamond. The wedding band has two smaller side diamonds. It's elegant and delicate and absolutely perfect.
“Oh, Matt,” I breathe, taking the box from him. “It's gorgeous.”
Michael grins. "Mike helped me pick it out. He knows way more about diamonds than I do."
"Are you getting engaged too?" I ask Michael.
Michael shakes his head. "Oh no, I just…I've bought jewelry for my mom and sisters before."
I look at Matt. Diamonds for a sister? Who is this guy?
Matt looks unsure. “Do you think she’ll like it?”
“She’ll love it.” I hand the ring back to him. “It's just pretty enough to cover your most obvious faults.”
“Thanks a lot.” Matthew studies the ring in his hand. He gets serious. “You really think she’ll say yes?”
“I think it’s a given. I’ve lived with Kendra for the last three months, and I’m totally sick of hearing how wonderful you are.”
“Even if I have to leave her for a year?” Matthew doesn't meet my eyes.
“Why would she have to...” I cover my mouth. “You’re being deployed.”
Matt nods.
“When?”
“End of June. I haven’t told anyone but Dad yet. Let me figure out a way to tell Mom, okay?”
“Don’t worry, that one is totally you. There is no way I’d want to break that news to Mom,” I remember Michael. “Are you going too?”
Matthew answers for him. “No, Stevens here is waiting on an educational deferment.”
"Educational deferment?" I ask.
"Med school," Michael shrugs like it's no big deal.
"That's pretty impressive," I say.
"Isn't it though," Matt rolls his eyes, but he looks impressed too. "Michael wouldn't even be hanging out with a grunt like me if I hadn't saved his life."
"You saved his life?" I say skeptically.
"Yeah, actually," Michael says. "During jump training."
"Jump training? Isn't that where you go up in a perfectly good airplane and then jump out?” I try to look serious.
"That's the one. Your brother figured out my chute was screwed up.
To be fair, I probably would have figured it out eventually, but maybe not.
Either way, it cemented our friendship," Michael says, helping himself to another cookie.
"Have you ever tried skydiving? It's the best feeling in the world. "
"Jess is afraid of heights," Matthew breaks in.
I give him a dark look. "Not as much as I used to be. Actually, skydiving is something I’ve always wanted to try.”
I refill Michael’s glass of milk. He touches my hand as I hand it to him. “I’d love to take you sometime.”
Matthew looks from me to Michael with a satisfied smirk. I pull my hand away and take another cookie. “So, Kendra doesn't know you're going to Iraq?”
Matt shakes his head. “I guess I'm hoping the ring would soften the blow. Do you think she'll wait for me to get back?”
“Absolutely. Kendra is definitely a one-guy girl.” A weird guilt seeps into my chest. I wonder how Jacob would feel about the conversation I was having with Michael.
Matt looks at his watch. “Now that I've dropped off the package and gotten the sister's approval on the ring, I'm off to surprise the love of my life.” He stands. “Can I borrow your car, Jess?”
I don't move. “Sure, but you might have to push it to Kendra’s house.”
“It’s not working?”
“Not since September.”
“What are you driving at school?” Matt asks.
“Jacob's car." I can’t look at either of them when I say that.
Matt lets out a low whistle. “He’s letting you drive his car while he's gone. Doesn’t he know your driving record?”
“I have a perfect driving record,” I say.
Michael looks at me curiously. “Jacob? You mean Jacob Ricks?”
Matt breaks in before I can answer. “Yeah, Jake is an old family friend. He used to live in our rental across the way. We were all kids together. He’s like another brother, right Jess?”
I don't know how to answer. I'm still not comfortable using the word boyfriend when I describe Jacob. Does kissing in the barn, saying “I love you,” and a bunch of emails make him my boyfriend?
“I’ll take Jake’s car then.”
“You can take the rental if you want,” Michael says.
“That’s okay. I wouldn't want you to be stranded here with my sister.” Matt gets my Jess keyring from its place on the hook. I don't stop him. Jacob told me not to let any other guy drive his car, but I'm pretty sure my brother is an exception to that rule.
Michael leans back against the counter and crosses his arms. “I can think of worse places to be stranded."
Matt shakes his head. “You only say that because you don’t know her yet.”