Jocelyn's River

Jocelyn's River: Chapter 13

I couldn't help but stand and stare at her. What was she doing here? That question was no matter. What mattered was that she was here and alive. Jocelyn had grown up and filled out in all the right places. She was still skinny, but she was just a little curvier. Her ebony hair had grown longer and now it reached below her clavicles. A single braid at the front of her hair was pulled around the side of her head to the back and it was held in place by a silver clip. After taking another hit from the cigarette, I looked around and asked myself if I were dreaming. No. I was not imagining this. Jocelyn was standing there and she looked as lovely and angelic as ever.

Evidently, she was deep in thought because she did not even notice my presence. With a smile on my mouth, I dropped the cigarette, stepped on it, and I walked over to her and leaned against the rail.

"Beautiful, ain't it?" I asked as I gazed longingly at her. If my eyes were telling the truth, I thought I saw a tear traveling down her cheek.

She sighed dreamily and with a hint of sadness, she whispered, "It is."

Then it occurred to her. My voice sounded familiar. In slow motion, she turned her head and her light brown eyes met mine. It only took her a second to look in my eyes to recognize me. Not much of my appearance had changed since 1963 except I had to shave my head for the military. I hadn't shaved my facial hair and there was just a bit of stubble. I'd also gained a bit more muscle.

"Oh, God!" she breathed as she stood upright, wiped her face, and turned all the way around to face me.

Our eyes were locked. We stood there and stared at each other as if it had been a hundred years since we last met. I was a stupid kid back then. This amazing, angelic woman had once been mine, but I let her go. My reason could be justified. A member of the gang saw us together, and spoke sexually about Jocelyn, all the while calling her disrespectful names. Red clouded my vision as he talked about what he wanted to do to her. What set me off were words that I had heard a million times. He said, "So what, Riv? You ain't nothing and you ain't ever gone be nothing." I lunged towards him and we fought like savages. After this, I looked at myself and my life in disgust. I had to protect her from it.

I awakened from the flashback, and felt awe at the sight of Jocelyn standing in front of me.

"Hey...Jocelyn," I greeted her. It felt like I was in a trance.

"Hi," she responded. "How have you been?"

I sighed. "I've been...I've been blessed."

Jocelyn smiled, and nodded her head. "It's certainly good to see you again."

"You too," I whispered and gazed at her in awe.

"Excuse me," she said. "I should probably go."

Jocelyn looked down at the wooden floor of the bridge and walked around me. Quickly, I started after her and gently grasped her arm. She stopped, but kept her back to me.

"Wait," I pleaded. "It's been a while. I-I miss you."

"Do you?" she inquired.

"Yeah," I answered. "Aren't ya happy to see me?"

Jocelyn turned around to face me. She looked up into my eyes and I noted how she hesitated to do so.

"I heard you were in Vietnam," she whispered. Jocelyn's eyes fell to the ground. "I started thinking...what if he's dead, and then I will really never see him again."

I placed my index finger beneath her chin and lifted her head up. "But I'm here," I whispered to her. "All flesh, blood, and a beatin' heart that still belongs to you."