Chapter 22
twenty-two
Welcome To The Jungle
Charlie
For our meal, we were squeezed into Jim’s little two-person table, with me on my knees since he only had two chairs. Jimmy tried to make David kneel so I could sit instead, but I quickly shut that down and said it was fine. I didn’t want David to have another negative reaction towards me.
Dinner was good, but the company was awkward for me.
David and Jimmy get along like bandits. They were so different from one another, but it’s complimentary.
David is so loud, all the time, and uses his hands to talk and gesture, while Jimmy is more on the reserved side, letting David have the spotlight.
It’s actually a little funny watching them have a one-sided conversation involving two people.
Jimmy does contribute verbally sometimes but mostly it’s silent answers with his facial expressions.
Jimmy tried to involve me, but between him being on the quieter side when others were around, even his best friend, and trying to get a word in between David’s nonstop verbal spew, it was hard.
It was fine, though. It was nice to see their friendship away from the mine, authentically.
It actually helped me understand Jimmy more by showing the kind of person he really was.
And the amount of gossip David is able to talk about was impressive.
He knew so much about everyone in town, dropping names and things about them so fast I couldn’t remember them all, even if he slowed his talking down and I tried.
Apparently, the gal David may be currently pining over – because I didn’t know the status of that development – was going to get promoted at the company store since the woman that was currently in charge became pregnant.
Based on how he gave this information, I still think he is conflicted about her since we saw her in the city with Richard’s wife.
I really need to try to learn everyone’s names.
The one thing Jimmy did do was praise my cooking, all throughout the meal, even interrupting David sometimes to do it.
I felt my face was in a constant state of blush.
It wasn’t necessary. It was just meatloaf, with mashed potatoes, and seasoned canned carrots that were buttered.
But either he really did love my cooking, or he just wanted to make sure I was appreciated.
Which it worked. My heart sped a little faster every time he said something about it, which I’m sure is why my face is darker with all the blood having to go somewhere.
Finally, after David overstayed his welcome, in my opinion, he left. But not before he awkwardly thanked me for feeding him. I don’t think he knew what to do with me.
I was at the sink, filled with dirty dishes and cooking utensils, watching the water fill with bubbles, when I heard the endearment I have inherited, the one I had longed to hear him say all night. The one that made me feel golden and melt into liquid goo.
“Honey.”
That was all he said and all he needed to say.
I turned around, and went straight for him, still sitting in his chair with a pillow behind him.
He grabbed me, bringing me down to my knees, wrapping his arms around my torso, holding me.
His breathing was irregular, as was his heartbeat against my ear.
I forced myself to look up at him to ask if he was okay, but when I did, I received an all lips kiss instead, pressed tight, sealing all oxygen in my lungs from escaping.
When he finally broke, he put his hand on the back of my neck, rubbing it with his thumb, giving me a tingling sensation. “God, I have never wanted him to leave more. I’ve missed you.”
That made me crack open a smile and gave a little laugh, “I’ve been right here, Jimmy.”
“Yes, you have,” moving his hand from behind my neck, placing one on my cheek and the other on my chest with a flat palm, right over my heart. “But you just being here isn’t enough.”
That statement made me fly, bringing me in for another kiss, this time with a little tongue, teasing my own muscle in my mouth.
He made me feel wanted for the first time in my life since my momma died.
Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t feel abandoned by my dad, but he also didn’t express himself often and when he did, the love he showed was in the form of overprotection and came across as containment and controlling.
But Jimmy, even though he had similar attributes as my dad, likes to tell me and show me affection, which made me feel like Peter Pan sprinkled with pixie dust. It made me fly.
Jimmy pulled away, leaving his head on mine, breathing each other in when he said, “I’m sorry. I think this is moving faster than either of us expected. If you need to pull back or I need to slow down, I will control myse–”
I managed to place a finger over his mouth silencing him, “No, Jimmy. Don’t you dare.
” That’s when I heard water forcefully pouring onto the floor.
“Oh shit!” I bolted up and ran to the sink that was overflowing, with a humorous amount of bubbles you would see in a cartoon strip in the morning newspaper.
Standing in a big puddle, with water still being added to it, even though I cut the flow off, I dragged my wet hands down my cheeks, stretching them down in the process. Such a mess, all because I got distracted. But the noise I was hearing seemed to make it less stressful.
Jimmy was uncontrollably laughing in a way I had never seen.
Like it was the funniest thing in the world.
“Oh my God, this is hilarious,” as he places a hand on his left side.
“It shoots bolts when I laugh but I don’t care.
This is great!” He was beaming full of color like when Dorothy walked out into Oz for the first time, and everything was so bright. Jimmy was bright.
I stood there in awe of him. He was gorgeous in this state, full of life. I wish I could see it all the time and he didn’t have to recluse again back in his shell like a turtle. A shell that we all use as protection from the outside world, but also tends to hide us from each other too.
I walked out of the puddle towards him, taking off my soaked socks in the process. “Come on, Jimmy. Let me get you back upstairs. Then I’ll…,” swinging my arm wildly behind me, giggling along with his laughter, “clean all this up.”
“Sure, Honey,” Jim said, continuing to laugh but more softly.
He stood up, his hand over his left side like he needed to support it to achieve the motion.
I grabbed his pillow and we headed to the bedroom, detouring to the bathroom along the way.
“The tea you made is going through me,” walking in but leaving the door open.
I went to the bedroom, to straighten the sheets and pillows to prepare for him.
Once situated, with book in hand, Jimmy pulled me down from a cumbersome angle, planting a kiss. “Thank you for dinner. It was amazing, and a nice surprise. Where did you learn how to cook?”
I stood up straight, a little thrown by the question since the answer is packed with feelings that were hard to untangle. I swallowed deeply and took a breath before answering with a whisper, “My momma.” I looked away from him, attempting to push my emotions down.
Jimmy must have gotten the message, because he took my hand and squeezed it, “Charlie, Honey, I would love to hear about the woman you called Momma, but only when you are ready.” I slightly looked up, seeing sensitive platitude on his face.
“With little that I know, she sounds like she was a very special woman.” He squeezed my hand, kissed it before completely letting go.
“Now go clean quickly and come back to me. I don’t want to miss you anymore than I must,” shooing me away with a regal air, making me crack a smile that I think he knew I needed.
I cleaned as fast as I could, finding towels to sop up the floor, since I couldn’t locate a mop. After I prepared myself for bed, I came back to Jimmy, book still in his hand, but his eyes were closed. He must have been more worn out by David’s visit than he even thought.
I stood there, watching him sleep for a moment, observing how the lines in his face almost completely disappear when he is like this.
His dreams calm the worry his wrinkles constantly show, even when he smiles.
I hope one day, those wrinkles won’t be so deep when he is awake. That would be a sight to see.
I turned off the light, carefully took the book out of his hand and left a mark where he was, setting it aside.
I carefully crawled in with him so as not to wake him, but as I was getting situated, an arm wrapped around me pulling me into his cradle, trapping me.
I felt an exhale blow on the back of my neck and felt the sleeping body behind me completely relax.
If this is going to be my new normal, I better not ruin it. If I am going to be trapped, I want to be trapped by my Jimmy.
I woke up in the same position I fell asleep in, which is completely unheard of for me.
Normally I have pillows on the floor and blankets in complete disarray, twisted up in whatever body contortion I am in myself.
I also usually wake up throughout the night, with my mind never really shutting off for me to actually rest.
But Jimmy was still holding onto me, like I was his personal teddy bear for comfort. Maybe that’s what I needed to sleep calmly. To be someone else’s teddy bear and know that I can feel the serenity while sleeping, being held safe from the outside world.
I felt so at peace, I didn’t want to move, but I needed to stretch. And pee.
I tried to slide out of Jimmy’s hold, but he pulled me tighter against him, making me notice his erection pressed up on my ass. But the squeezing of his arm on my stomach quickly distracted me from that big problem, because it made my bladder scream.
“Nooo,” he mumbled.