Sugarpill

6- Cadence

Cadence

              Class was over for the day. I walked with Sydnee Thommerson, my former girlfriend and now fellow mate. She looked to me. “You look unusually happier today, to have come from a funeral. What happened over your leave?”

               “Jassandra and I finally connected,” I said. “I feel like a big burden has been lifted off my shoulders. We are working towards being together,”

                “That is wonderful,” exclaimed Sydnee. “I hope you enjoy it. It is very rare, that we get who we’ve always wanted,”

                I looked to Sydnee’s brown eyes. “How are things with you and Dillon?”

                 “They’re good…as can be,” sighed Sydnee. “Dillon is trying to become a mechanic over at the shipyard. So I’m a little happier that he’s found his sense of direction. I’m hoping that he gets the position,”

                  “Yuh…he always did have a fiery temper when he felt things were against him,” I breathed. “What about his drinking? Has he stopped?”

                  “Yes. I told him I was going to leave him if he didn’t stop drinking and get help,” she said. Sydnee then lowered her head. “Mitchell…am I stupid, for trying to stay with him?”

                 “Do you love Dillon, enough to make that sacrifice?” I asked. “Are you willing to deal with the fact that he may fail in recovering from his alcoholism, or he may not get this position, and become upset and depressed again? If you care that much for him to stick with him, and he leans on you for strength, then no you aren’t stupid…but if you find yourself going through changes, to accommodate him, then you need to get out while the getting is good,”

                  Sydnee sighed. I knew she didn’t like the answer that I gave, but she appreciated my honesty. She gave me a half-assed smile. “I really like that boy, but sometimes I do question why I am with him,”

                   I laughed, and my put my arm around her shoulder as we walked to the mess hall. “C’mon, before they eat up all the pot roast, and we have to eat meatloaf,”

                   That evening I sat in my quarters, at my desk, doing my science work. My roommate, Capers, was still at the library, working on his research paper. My cell phone rang…I looked at the screen. It was Jassandra.

                   “Hey there,” I said. “How are you?”

                   “Better than yesterday,” she said, sounding livelier. “We have another hearing in about a couple of weeks. Your mom was amazing…the only messed up part, is that they are trying to determine if I am capable enough of being Kendryk’s legal guardian. I mean, what the hell- I’ve been keeping his ass in line more or less since we were little. Even Grandma Haddie said so. I just don’t get it…are they trying, to ruin our lives by bring that…bitch, back into it?”

                   I laughed a little. “Glad to see that you back to your old explosive self again. I was kinda wondering where did ‘fiesty’ Jassandra go?”

                   “Ha-ha. Kiss my feisty ass,” she retorted.

                   “Mmmm. Don’t tempt me,” I said, as Jassandra laughed. She let out a titillating sigh, that even aroused me. “I want you to know I meant what I was saying last night, about wanting to stay with me over the night. I still wish you were here,”