[June 10, 1950]
Summertime had finally arrived. Evelyn Bellamy was back in town on the first of June to take pleasure in her break and to attend her childhood friend's wedding. Months had passed since Bobby proposed to Ethel; she said yes, as he wrote in a letter to Evelyn:
Dearest Evelyn,
My plan worked; I brought Ethel to the fancy French restaurant you've always been too afraid to go, and as it turned out, their Coq au Vin wasn't too bad. I popped the question right after we ate the hors-d'œuvre, and it was as good as it gets.
My parents agreed for the wedding to happen in Summertime; since everyone would be available by then. Having a wedding in the summertime sounds marvelous—except for the sweating under the tux.
I've packed this envelope with a little gift for you—I am forever in debt for your kindness, but I hope this will do for now.
Enjoy your gift and the rest of your day.
Your Zealot,
Robert.
Evelyn held onto the necklace that was excellently draped on her neck; the elegant infinity symbol hanging on the chain was twiddled. She gently brushed her thumb against the diamond-encrusted surface; she was ironically fond of the harsh texture, and how they glimmered under the sun.
As the woman drove into the familiar town, she inhaled and exhaled the warm summer breeze and bathed herself in the sunlight. She sighed in relief as she thought about Bobby; she had less than a week before the wedding happens. Though she had had dinners with him along with his family, she wanted to spend the last week just between them — like the old days. But at that moment, she focused on running an errand for her mother; they were inviting the Kennedys over for dinner, once again.
"Mama, I got the groceries." Evelyn shut the door to her home. A few steps forward, and she could hear several familiar voices in the backyard. Feeling curious, she immediately placed the groceries on the countertop and investigated the situation.
"Since my mother had no one else to take care of her— and being the only child, I had to do it. I told the principal but he didn't buy it; he said it was an excuse and expelled me!" A blonde man was deep in his storytelling moment; his voice was boisterous and expressive as he motioned with his hands. "That's not right at all!" Evelyn's father slammed the palm of his hand against the table in frustration. "I know, but I was relieved at the same time; I have more time to spend with my mother now." The man responded with a faint smile on his tanned face. Evelyn stepped into the space; approaching him from behind. "Evelyn, you're finally home," Julia exclaimed eagerly. The man turned around to be exactly who Evelyn thought. "Mike... is that why you weren't at college?" The woman implored without a greeting. "Evelyn... yeah, my mother is ill and nobody could take care of her." Mike rose from his seat, wiping his greasy hands on his shirt; he had been eating buttery croissant Julia had made.
"I've missed you!" Evelyn yelled out before slamming her body against the man; hugging him so tightly that she almost shoved him backward. "I'm sorry I didn't think of writing you a letter; I got so occupied with her." Mike caressed the woman's back; calming her down with his touch. "I don't care. You're here now, that's all that matters." Evelyn buried her face in Mike's broad shoulder. "Aw, look at you two." Julia sighed in a way that almost made her sounded jealous. "We were like that, too!" Maurice mumbled as he analyzed the couple's movements. "Sorry... I didn't mean to get so emotional." Evelyn was weeping and it was obvious in the way she dragged her face on Mike's t-shirt. "It's alright..." The man swept the hair that cascaded on her face.
"Mike, do stay for dinner! Ted would be delighted to see you here." Julia persuaded the young man in good spirits. Mike hesitated and thought hard about it before he shifted his gaze toward Evelyn again. "Sure, Mrs. Bellamy. Thank you." He grinned gratefully at the older couple. "I better prepare the food. As you know, there are a lot of mouths to feed tonight." Julia lifted her eyebrows while nodding her head. "And I'll help her." Maurice threw his thought in. Though they weren't slick at making excuses to give the young lovebirds some space to themselves, Evelyn appreciated it.
"So, how've you been since the past... few months?" Mike had his hand rubbing against his nape. The salty air from the sea surrounded them as they walked across the beach. "Lonely, that's for sure," Evelyn said, half-joking. She was exceedingly worried about Mike's well-being throughout the whole semester in their college. "I'm really sorry about that, Evelyn," Mike once again apologized, he stopped in his tracks. "I'm not going anywhere anymore; I got into Curry college— closer to our town." The man clarified jovially. Evelyn weakly smiled -- she shared the joy Mike was experiencing but it'd be less fun for her in college. "I'm sure I can get through the next two years just fine." Evelyn outreached for her lover's hands to transfer the cold temperature. "Well, you'd have to come to visit each holiday. 'Cause I'll miss you." Mike rested his gaze on their hands, he had to swallow the urge to kiss Evelyn; thinking it wasn't the right time.
"Start writing me letters, you nincompoop." The woman's eyes widened as soon as she uttered the word -- afraid of how the man would react, she chuckled out of the blue. "Nincompoop? Never heard anyone use that before." Mike reacted quite the contrary; his pearls were on display when he gleamed. "Oh... it's a thing I do with... my friends." Evelyn began walking again. Her breathing became heavier when her nervous system transmitted too many signals in her body. "Well, it's cute?" Mike blurted out. Evelyn glimpsed at the man before shaking her head, an inquisitive smile emerged on her face. "It means stupid, you know that?" She felt like a know-it-all at that moment, maybe she should've never used that word with Mike. "Wow. I don't. Maybe I am a nincompoop, after all." The man answered back, crinkling his eyebrows in confusion.
After watching the sun setting on the sea horizon, the odd couple headed back home only to be greeted by the Kennedys. It placed multiple questions in Evelyn's head: were they gone for too long or had the Kennedys came early? — it was the former; they were solely fading with time as they pondered on different things in their minds.
When the family of six arrived at the Bellamy home, it was a gleeful moment; Jack caused a ruckus — the good kind — when he finally arrived from Washington DC. He instantly became attracted to Evelyn; he made his way to her at the entranceway. "Evelyn!" The man stretched his arms wide, receiving Evelyn's slender body against him. "Congressman, you're finally here." The woman shut her eyes; enjoying the cologne and the warmth from the man. She opened her eyes to see Bobby, he was dapper as usual in his casual shirt and blue jeans. "I wish I wasn't away for the most part— you just keep growing into a fine woman each time I come back." Jack deciphered the body language of Evelyn; her discomfort was conveyed through it.
"And you're getting old! How could you let Bobby gets married first?" Pasting an oh-so-sincere smile on her visage, Evelyn tried to be cheerful to the man in front of her, but having Mike standing beside her, and Bobby stealing her glances, was making it hard for her. All of a sudden, Jack took a step forward; erasing the space between them — he leaned over to whisper, "I mean, he's not the one carrying the family's reputation on his shoulders, is he?" Evelyn began snickering, she used her hand to stifle her laughter. "Oh, Jack... I pity you." She jokingly remarked while placing a hand on the man's shoulder. Jack's charm was still working on Evelyn; his words could lift her spirits in a mere second.
"Well, everyone!" The lady of the house, Julia, clasped her hands together. "Shall we?" She gave a sign to the frequent guests to enter the dining room. As everyone was taking their customary seats at the table, Jack found himself confused as to where to sit. "Wait, Jack, sit here." Evelyn patted the seat on her right — Mike, on her left, was perplexed and questioned her action non-verbally. "Thank you, Mademoiselle." Jack heartily sat himself down on the chair, appreciating Evelyn for being convivial even through the stubborn awkwardness between them.
Julia proceeded to serve her guests with smoking, hot food. The aroma of boiled wine filled the air, hinting that the food originated in France. "My God, is this Coq au Vin?" Jack's voice was scantily high-pitched as he spoke in pure fascination for the art on his plate. "Hey, just like what we ate at that restaurant." Bobby perked up from his dish to Ethel, and they nodded to each other enthusiastically. "Oh, is it the French restaurant next to the floral shop?" Maurice's interest unexpectedly peaked; he had always wanted to try the food there, although the owners were definitely just an American couple trying to create gourmet French food. "It's La Flammé. I tried asking Evelyn to come with me to try the food but she refused." Bobby spilled beans that had never been spilled before, Ethel quickly shifted her sight toward Evelyn; her eyes pleaded for more details.
"Well... it wasn't the right time," the French woman simply responded with her eyes on the aromatic food that was distracting her. Bobby hung around in silence; he continued to drink some water while Ethel started a chat with him in a quiet voice. "That's okay, Lyn, you can always go there with me." Jack nudged Evelyn's hand with his, teasing her shamelessly. "Sure you won't be too busy?" The irony surrounding Evelyn's voice made it clear to Mike it was just harmless flirting between them. "Not when a pretty lady like you's keeping me." Jack's face inched forward as he gazed warmly into Evelyn's eyes — his pupils were dilated and she could see them so clearly. Only then did Bobby threw a glance at them from across the table, the conversation with his fiancée halted abruptly. "Wow, slow down, cowboy," the only blonde man in the room said, he quickly wrapped his arm around Evelyn as if to mark his territory on her. Jack put his hands up in defense, "I'm only joking." He cleared his empty throat; creating noises to keep the tension at bay.
The dinner went on with stillness amongst the youngsters; there was nothing to be said — nothing of significance, anyway. The elders, however, resumed their chattering; the two women discussed the recipe Julia had used to make the perfect French dish, and the men were being political and money-oriented as usual. But surely, there was uneasiness in the room — Evelyn had wished for Ted or Jack to come to the rescue like they always do, but they were worn out; there was no effort coming from them.
"Evelyn." Out of the blue, Jean leaned forward to start a conversation with the French woman. "Yes?" Evelyn put down the silverware she was gripping onto. "I envy you. You're only twenty, but you already found the one." Jean, brazen-faced, confessed her covetousness for the youthful couple, and as a response, Evelyn forced out a laugh. "Oh, you're still young, Jean." Her gaze unwittingly shifted from the woman to the couple beside her; Bobby and Ethel; their chuckling was attracting attention towards them as they didn't attempt to control the volume of their voices — it was as if they were the only people in the room.
Without a warning, Mike draped his arm over Evelyn's shoulders; pulling her closer to him — the woman could feel a pair of blue orbs gawking at her. "Buddy, mind passing the salad bowl?" Bobby spoke his mind after staring, or glaring, at Mike for some time. "Yeah, sure thing." The salad bowl was passed, Mike had to unwrap his arm from Evelyn to do so -- for a second, the woman was convinced she saw Bobby sneaking a subtle smirk on his face. "Thanks, buddy," He dismissively said with both his eyebrows up. Evelyn's instinct was telling her it was jealousy that waved over Bobby — she squinted her eyes when he glanced at her and gave her a nonchalant smile.
Halfway through the meal, Jack's eyes suddenly lit up as if he just had an incredible epiphany. "Evelyn, you're getting your degree in a couple of years— how's it feel so far?" He eyed the woman beside him with tenderness — he had a genuine interest in her progress in college. "Crazy. But totally worth it." Evelyn grinned, her eyes were roaming elsewhere to avoid looking directly at him. "You can do it. You might have to guide Ted soon, though." The older man poked fun at his younger brother — Ted had been accepted into Harvard for the spring semester. "Hey! Stop that. I'm sure Evelyn is busy enough with her Bachelor's." The young man, however, was full of hope to see more of the woman. Evelyn groaned softly, "Ted, you're like a brother to me; I'd help you get around the campus if you'd like." She offered invitingly; there was no way in hell he'd say no to her.
But right before Ted could respond, another one of his brothers chimed in an unashamed manner. "Mike can do that, right?" Bobby scooped the tiny bit of wine gravy on the edge of his ceramic plate with a spoon. Few eyes were glaring at him for his statement and some were just as confused as he was. "Uhm..." Julia tentatively lifted a finger to gather attention on her, but she couldn't bring herself to say it. "Bobby..." Evelyn shook her head; signaling him to forget about it. Bobby reacted by doing the same thing with his head, "What?" He signaled with his spoon. Mike looked around the room before taking control of the situation. "I'm not in Harvard anymore." He announced without embarrassment on his part. Anyone with a sane mind should know to end the conversation there with an apology, but Bobby, with his sheer stubbornness, continued to interrogate Mike like a policeman. "Oh? Can't handle the stress?" Condescendingly, Bobby questioned — he slowly brought a wine glass to his lips.
"I got expelled." Mike's dull voice somewhat provoked Bobby to battle him furthermore; he was convinced that the man was just another punk he could crush in a fight. "Tough luck." Bobby raised his shoulders to shrug. The two men had gotten themselves in a boxing ring at the dinner table where no one dares to interject. "Yeah..." Mike narrowed his eyes as Evelyn did; his slanted German eyes became sharper. "My mother's sick." The room fell to silence. Evelyn reached for Mike's hand under the table; she caressed them with both her hands. "Oh. I'm sorry about that." Bobby's coldness thawed; guilt rushed over him. Mike stayed quiet as he was strategizing his next step, but the deafening silence was piercing his ears. "That's alright, Bobby." Yet it wasn't enough, Bobby seemed to be more guilt-ridden. "God, I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have assumed." Seemingly to had lost his appetite, Bobby placed his knife and fork down with the handles in the four o'clock position; indicating he was finished. "No, no. I understand. I'm not disciplined like you Kennedys are." Mike bit back subtly, but the venom was still rushing. Knowing better, Bobby dropped the topic.
"Julia, the Coq au Vin was definitely better than that restaurant." The patriarch to the visiting family stated. His wife nodded her head; agreeing with everything he was saying, as usual. "Thank you, Joe." Julia flashed a grin as she scanned every plate to make sure they were clean. "Well, we should head home." Scratching the wooden tiles, Joe pushed his chair back lazily — Maurice's neck vein bulged for a second; he cringed before smiling again. "Thank you, Julia... Maurice, Evelyn, for the great food and company." Rose calmly stood up from her seat and pushed the chair inside as a polite guest would. "No problem, Mrs. Kennedy." Evelyn made her way to the entranceway of the dining room to walk them out. Maurice positioned his folded napkin beside his plate quickly before catching up with Joe to invite him for a smoke outside the house.
Seeing that Bobby and Ethel were the last people to exit the house, Evelyn tapped the man on his shoulder. "Uh, hey. Bobby." She inhaled deeply before uttering another word when Bobby shifted his attention to her. "Can I talk to you?" The man noticed Evelyn's long fingers fidgeting with one another as she asked him nervously. "Hey, sure." Bobby slid his hands into his jeans pockets. He waited patiently for Evelyn to speak and when she didn't, he lifted an eyebrow. "Well... I was hoping in private?" The woman expressed her wish cautiously as Ethel was still in presence — there was a tense look on her face when Evelyn darted her eyes at her. "Go ahead, honey." Ethel's facial expression turned into a smile — she might've trusted Bobby a bit too much; if she had known what the little chat would lead to, she wouldn't have let him go.
"Come on," Evelyn said, luring him into the backyard with her prepossessing grin. Bobby sighed with a defeated smile on his face; no one could say no to the gentle French damsel. The pathway into the Bellamy garden was getting darker once the hedges around them grew taller than their heights. "I just wanted to talk you a little... since we didn't get the chance to since I arrived." Evelyn's plain white dress fits the manner she was displaying that night; shy, virtuous, and seemingly innocent. Bobby clasped his hands behind his back to create more space between their bodies; not to be distant, but to be by Evelyn's side closer without laying a hand on her. "Well, we're having dinner every day. That's good enough for me." The man dampened his lips by sliding the tip of his tongue over them. "I know. It's just that these past couple of weeks, I've been thinking of a way to spend time with you before we both live our own lives." Evelyn felt like she was seventeen again; nobody understood her except herself. "What do you mean?" Bobby's question was left unanswered when Evelyn left him behind, pacing quicker to their destination.
Looking around him, Bobby seemed to have recalled the night they first snuck into the garden. It was many years ago, but it remained fresh in his memory; every single detail from Evelyn's hair, clothes, shoes, and her mother's pearl earrings, was engraved inside his head. "Do you remember when we were kids, we used to escape here every night to look at the moon?" Evelyn raked a hand through her hair -- eyes gazing up at the sky; searching for the concealed moon. "Yeah! Before we graduated to my roof." Bobby hastily rolled up his sleeves as he began to feel the summer heat being trapped inside the material of his shirt. Sweat was streaming down the man's temples when Evelyn tugged her hair to one side, revealing her delicate neck with the infinity necklace he had given to her. "But here's the best view of the moon; the roof is for the stars." She inferred like an astrophysicist. Bobby laid his hands on his hips as he watched Evelyn talked about the moon and the stellar stars; she captivated his heart in a way he's never felt before; he felt sinned for feeling that way. "Make sense." Speechless at how greatly his friend had matured, Bobby could only utter a word or two.
"Join me." Evelyn patted down the grass next to her after she had lied down on the garden. Bobby shook his head at the laughable suggestion. "Seriously?" He jerked his head back as a way to exaggerate his response. "Come on; you don't have to be mature around me." Evelyn tucked her forearm underneath her head as a pillow. After some persuasion, Bobby understood Evelyn was attempting to make themselves comfortable before she got into a serious matter. "Satisfied?" He inquired while completely copying her posture, Evelyn's lower lip protruded in a sulky pout. "No, not yet. The moon's hidden." She didn't realize it until Bobby's warm breath hit her neck, but he had turned to stare at her face unabashedly.
They locked eyes when Evelyn laid her emerald eyes on Bobby in the same fashion. "You're supposed to look up." She fully turned her body in his way — she couldn't deny the thoughts that were repeating in her mind; Bobby was gradually turning into a different, finer man ever since he got engaged. "Well, there's no moon. So I'm looking at the second most beautiful thing in the world." Evelyn knew her face must've been red as a beetroot when her childhood friend whispered the words so confidently. "Aren't you the flatterer..." She knew it was maximally inappropriate — she knew how much trouble they'd be in if someone found them laying together like that, but she was lost in the thrill of it all.
Bobby repositioned his arm under his nape again to gaze at the sky; there was no moon, but the sky was sparkling with brilliant stars. "Anyway, what's on your mind?" He asked with his eyes trying to make out the constellation — if there was any. "I was thinking if you want to spend some time with me tomorrow," Evelyn said as her fingers pinched the edge of her dress; occupying herself with something. "What should we do?" Bobby raised a question. Evelyn eagerly sat up and grabbed onto the man's fuzzy forearm. "Do you remember our first date?" She received no answer from Bobby except for the odd face he was creating as he tried to remain appropriate.
"I'm sorry, what I mean is... do you remember the bar Roy and Dolly took us to a couple of years ago?" Evelyn rephrased it decently, Bobby's thinking face vanished. "That's downtown, right?" He was more engaged in the conversation then. "Right, I was thinking if you'd like to come with me there tomorrow." Evelyn merely nodded as she proposed her idea to Bobby. "Wow, are we gonna get wasted?" The man quipped with a smile on his complexion that made Evelyn stumbled over her words. "I... I don't know. I just missed the place." She kept her eyes low until a bright idea sprung into her head, "Hey, Ethel can come!" Bobby bit the flesh of his bottom lip upon hearing that. "And you're gonna invite Mike?" He was keen on not making a fool out of himself again; he wouldn't go if Mike was, too. "No. He can't be out of his house at night, so..." Evelyn made it clear that she won't let him interrupt their plan. "Well, I won't bring Ethel, then." The woman felt a sharp pang of anxiety; Bobby sounded too certain with his decision.
"Are... are you sure? She won't be suspicious of that?" Evelyn frightfully asked. Bobby scoffed loudly, "Evelyn, she adores you. And trust you." He bent his elbow and placed his cheek against the palm of his hand. "I don't know if I trust myself with you." Evelyn blurted out without any forethought. "I mean, you know, I don't trust myself drunk. I'd be spilling out too much." She immediately twisted her words to be much more acceptable. "I won't drink too much, then. I'll be designated driver," Bobby said with a smile pasted on his face; he seemed to be unbothered with the tension between them. "No, no, wait. You're the groom, so I'll be it." Evelyn negotiated, pointing her finger to Bobby and back to her. "Sounds good. I do need the break from all this planning, anyway." The man groaned in relief before going back to stargazing — his fiancée's father had requested a big wedding, and seeing there was no refusal from his father, they had to work restlessly for it to be perfect.
"You know, Eve..." Bobby had a blank expression on his face. "I was afraid you were lying when you said you wanted to help Ethel and me." He admitted his shameful presumption to the woman. "What? Why would you think that?" Evelyn glanced over to Bobby, with her heart sinking into her stomach. "Because I thought you still loved me..." It was monotonous, Bobby's voice. It was as if he was on autopilot, unaware of what he was spewing. "Well— as much as I did to you, anyway." The man slightly averted his head aside as they engaged in the stilted exchange. "We both had to move on," Evelyn spoke wisely — deep inside, she was aching, especially in the heart.
Bobby exhaled sharply out of his nose, he abruptly rose from his reclined position to sit up. "Will you give me a hug? It's been too long." He was gazing longingly into Evelyn's eyes as he reminisced the bittersweet moment when they were together. "Of course, I will." Evelyn gladly obliged. The two souls found themselves in an oddly familiar moment; it was like a déjà-vu of the moment they kissed on the roof; bright stars were gleaming in the sky, and how the wind paused itself to allow summer heat to seep into their skin. The only notable thing that was missing was the moonlight that illuminated the darkness they were in.
Embracing each other quietly, they absorbed each other's overwhelming heat. "I feel so much better." The vibration of Bobby's voice was felt by Evelyn when he laid his chin on her shoulder. "It's like... serotonin is just shooting outta my brain." Bobby released the hug. He seemed to be yearning for more but ceased himself from going too far. "I have to agree on that." Evelyn smiled timidly, blushing a little. "It's close to the most euphoric feeling I ever felt," Bobby paused to gather his thoughts. "When I kissed you on the roof." He added, with or without forethought. Evelyn's lips slightly parted in shock, she had completely lost hope for the forsaken love, but Bobby failed to disappoint. "It was otherworldly; I wonder if I'll ever feel that again; the enthralling warmth inside my chest, feeling like my heart's gonna burst at any time." The man let his true self took over — he was letting out the thoughts he's had for the entire time Evelyn was in his sight.
The woman stammered to stop him from saying things he was going to regret, "Bobby—" "I remember the ringing in my head as I kept wishing for your lips to last forever on mine." It began to look more like a lost cause, Bobby was constantly talking and disregarding Evelyn. "Your lips... Gosh, the way your lips, your tongue, and your breath just mixed with mine, creating this hybrid of love..." He trailed off, leaving Evelyn wide-eyed and astonished, possibly terrified. "And hatred." Bobby shied away, fixing his eyes someplace else. Then it was quiet; the crushing silence killed their abilities to even talk.
"Hatred?" Evelyn spoke up, her eyes tearful. "To God; it was long overdue." Bobby glanced at her with a defeated smile. He weakly exhaled, "God was testing us, Eve." Shaking her head incessantly, Evelyn leaned forward to caress the man with her tender hand; hoping it'd calm his nerves. "No, don't." Bobby yanked his hand away from Evelyn's reach, putting the woman in a difficult position. "I can't go. I won't go downtown with you." Bobby dared to say the words with a straight face. "But, why?" Evelyn's eyes followed Bobby's movements as he pushed his hands on the grass, propping himself up. "I hate myself for saying this... but Mike being my replacement is unfair, Eve— it adds insult to injury." Bobby casually extended his arm to lend a hand to Evelyn, but the only thing she noticed was the glow of the moon ricocheting off Bobby's engagement ring.
"You don't need to be jealous; you're not being replaced by anyone." Standing up on her own, Evelyn dismissed the lent hand — her face softened when she saw Bobby's cheeks had turned completely red. "God, Eve, the wine's really getting to me. I should go." Bobby hastily patted his rear; getting rid of any grass on his pants. Evelyn watched him in amusement; it had been some time since she made him all flustered like a schoolboy. "Get some sleep, Bobby." She walked to the nearby gazebo Maurice had built in the garden — it was painted in white and surrounded by lilies Julia had planted to compliment the color.
"I'm sorry about this, Eve." Bobby sauntered on the stone pathway to the gazebo. "But the only way I can do this right is if I distance myself from you," He declared before throwing his head back to look at the sky. "Look who's finally here." The man grinned at the full moon that illuminated the besieging darkness. Evelyn smiled, feeling indifferent towards the darkness, and Bobby, who was whistling like a bird as he was retiring to his home.
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P.S: I am once again asking for your patience!!! I'm really struggling with my writing schedule so I'm very sorry for the late update.