Michael and I walked down the corridors of the college that he and Walter attended. They were showing me around in case I decided to go here after my senior year of high school—which I will be entering this fall. Walter had excused himself to go to the bathroom, leaving Michael and I alone to roam the school.
The tour was nearing its end when Michael and I rounded the corner to a very gardened area, with trees, bushes, and flowers galore. Sakura trees made up the majority of the flora with sections of bushes lining the perimeter and the pathways, flowers of the very outside, nearest to the buildings.
I stopped suddenly, seeing Walter standing in the center of the small paradise with the bacon-woman, Rebecca. The look in her eyes was so different than when I saw her at the store so many months ago. It was so loving, so longing to be with the Andersen that stood before her. I recognized it from the way Lilly looked at James, from the way my mother had looked at my father, and the way I knew I looked at Vincent now. Walter looked as though he was holding back some things, more reserved.
Michael took another step, not realizing that I had stopped, his foot snapping a twig underneath his big foot. He might as well have been cutting down a tree in this quiet square for as loud as he was.
I grabbed Michael’s hand and jumped over a bush, landing on all fours, my hand pressing down on Michael’s. Quickly and quietly, we sat back on our rears with our backs to the bushes.
“Wha—?” Michael began but I cut him off with a finger to his mouth.
“Not a word,” I whispered.
“Why not?” he mouthed.
“Walter and Rebecca are talking.”
Michael rolled his eyes. “That’s dead and gone,” he whispered.
I smacked his arm.
He narrowed his eyes and rubbed the spot on his arm like it hurt. I am pretty sure he only knew I hit him because he saw it.
I parted the bushes quietly to see Walter and Rebecca still talking. Oh what I would give to spend ten minutes with Rebecca alone to pick her mind and maybe learn why she hasn’t gone after Walter again.
They looked so good together. They seemed so good together….
That’s it.
I was now assigning myself a new mission. Operation: Southern Belle. I would get Rebecca and Walter back together.
Rebecca reached over to Walter to pull him in for a hug goodbye. She turned to leave and as soon as she was out of sight, I jumped back over the bushes and ran back in the direction were had entered—opposite the bacon-woman.
Don’t follow me,” I told Michael as I left.
I wasn’t sure what direction I was heading; I was just hoping to run in to her somewhere. I made random lefts and rights, staying straight on course at some points.
What was I going to do if I ran into her? Flat out ask what I wanted to know? She would think I was crazy if I did that. She probably already thought I was crazy for living in a house with all those guys.
After about two minutes, I saw her in the corer of my eye. I stopped dead in my tracks and she stopped too, noticing me.
I saw the look of recognition flash in her eyes. “… Jasmine, right?” she asked, walking closer.
“Yes. And you are Rebecca,” I stated.
“I am. Funny, I just saw Walter a few moments ago. You two are always together, it seems.”
“Oh, he and Michael were showing me around campus in case this is where I wanted to go to college. I spend most of my time these days with Vincent, really. Zach too.”
We both stood there for a moment, awkward, not sure what else to say in this informal meeting.
“Do you want to go to lunch with me right now?” Rebecca asked suddenly. “I would like to get to know you a bit better.”
Just my luck!
“Sure! I have to go find the guys and let them know, though,” I told her.
She raised a perfectly formed eyebrow. “You don’t have a phone?”
I shook my head. “Nope.”
She fumbled around in her pockets. “Use mine to call Walter. It’ll take forever to find him.”
When I got the phone, it was already ringing. What, did she have him on speed dial or something?
“Hello?” Walter answered, confused.
“Hey, Walt, it’s Jasmi—”
“Jasmine, where are you? Why are you on Rebecca’s phone?”
“I am with Rebecca. She wants to take me out to lunch. I was calling to let you know you can go home. I will be home later,” I said.
It was quiet for a moment as I waited for Walter to say something.
“I’m not sure that I am okay with this,” Walter said, catching on to my plan. “Don’t go meddling in business that has nothing to do with you, Jasmine.”
“I am with Vincent now and you're like a brother to me, Walt. This is my… business!” I turned to look at Rebecca, a sweet Southern Belle smile on her lips. I smiled back. My tone towards Walter changed to innocence. He had been talking this whole time but I didn’t hear a word. “Okay, I’m glad you understand! I’ll see you tonight. ‘Bye!”
I hung up on Walter’s protests and handed the phone back to Rebecca.
“I’m all yours!” I said, my smile widening.
* * *
Rebecca and I sat outside a small café underneath a large umbrella that protruded from our table, protecting us from the blinding sun.
Bacon-woman looked like a model sitting across from me in her dark blue jeans and black heels and her sky-blue blouse—her legs crossed over each other and her arms rested comfortably on either of the arms of her chair. She was very confident in herself and her appearance.
“So you are with Vincent… his girlfriend?” Rebecca asked as we waited for our food.
I made a face. “It’s complicated,” I answered. “There is no title for what we are. We’re just there… in dead space.”
“Limbo,” she said. “Y’all are in limbo. More than friends but less than lovers. Most great relationships have that point before it gets serious.”
“Did you and Walter have that?” I questioned.
Rebecca looked at me for a moment, staring through me to the past. Her eyes focused back on me. “You know, I can’t really remember.” She shrugged her shoulders. “I can only guess that by being with a nice, young, girl like you that Vincent is changed?”
I shrugged. “I never knew him then. The only glimpse I ever saw of that side of him was a few weeks ago when he helped me put Lucas in his place. I can imagine how frightening it must have been being on the receiving end of that diabolical mind—both of their minds. I only got the evil from Lucas. Vincent was always… partial to me….”
“I never understood those two,” said the bacon-woman, the hint of bitterness hitting my ears.
I felt the strong need to defend them—Vincent most of all. “They are like most men,” I said, trying not to let the defensive nature enter my tone. “They are so resistant to change, they don’t know any other way of dealing with it other than fighting back. I remember meeting them once as a child. It took them a very long time to open up and play the game I came up with. Even as a child they had problems opening up. It has always been them.
“I believe they are much different now. Much more accepting of their brothers’ significant others—aside from Lucas with me, he hates me. They have matured in a lot of ways, though; they have regressed in the sense that they only care about Vincent and Lucas with the slight inclusion of myself.”
She nodded in thought.
“Enough about the twins,” I said, waving my hand. This really was not the reason I was here. I needed to get down to the things I came for. “What about you? Are you seeing anyone?”
Rebecca laughed. “No. I’m still single. I went on a date last weekend but he wasn’t all that great. He was kinda an ass, really.” She shook her head at herself. "I haven’t had anythin’ serious since Walter. Pathetic, right?”
“I don’t think you are pathetic. Walter is a really good guy. How does someone move on from that? I don’t know how Walter is in a… romantic setting… but he is always there for me when I need him—granted, I don’t spend all that much time with him, but he is always there to listen and always there to help when I ask.”
“Yeah, he was always there….”
That’s when the waiter showed up with our meals. Cajun Chicken Penne Pasta for Rebecca and Steak Fajitas for me.
“Why did you and Walter break up?" I asked, poking at my fajita with my fork.
She didn’t answer right away. Instead, she moved her pasta and her chicken around the plate with her eyes focused on the task at hand. After a while, I began to worry that she was not going to answer.
“Mostly because those darn twins never left me alone. Not a moment’s peace—and when they cut my breaks… that was it. I had had it,” Rebecca said, looking up at me. Her eyes shifted away again to look at the couple passing by. “There were other thin’s too, though. Little thin’s. He never really tried to stop what the twins were doin’ to me—I didn’t mind so much, maybe he was just trying to get me to stand up for myself self in their eyes, have them back down on my own like you did with Lucas. But when it all came to a head, I didn’t know how he felt about me anymore. I questioned everythin’. Walt was never that… affectionate, really. I just questioned it all and he didn’t have an answer for anythin’. So I left.”
I nodded, chewing on a bite of food. I swallowed before speaking, “He’s much different now. He seems to flirt nonstop. Maybe you guys should give it another chance.”
“Maybe,” she mumbled. “If I saw anythin' that wanted another chance. He doesn’t want me, Jasmine. He’s probably moved on. I don’t see the flirty side, I just get the same ol’ Walter.”
If only she knew what I knew. If she only saw what I saw when they were talking or the moment she walked away in the grocery store. Then she would know that he still loves her.
* * *
I waved from the porch of the Andersen Estate as the bacon-woman drove away. The front door opened behind me and I found myself being pulled inside. I was pushed against the, now closed, door with arms blocking my exit on both sides. Walter had me trapped.
I stared up at him, waiting for him to say something. He was not happy that I had spent so much alone time with Rebecca.
“What did you guys talk about?” he demanded.
“We talked about a lot of things,” I said, trying to pull one of his arms down so I could walk away.
Walter let his arm down so I walked passed. His eyes followed me. “Like what?” he questioned.
I rounded the banister to the stairway leading to the Second Floor, ascending slowly. “Like how she doesn’t know that you still love her.”
Walter’s face twitched and I ran up the stairs like there was no tomorrow, hoping Walter didn’t catch up.
I ran straight to Michael’s room, shutting the door behind me as I entered. Michael sat on the edge of his bed, a football in one hand with Zach on the floor facing him. I guess they were talking. Good. Two out of five brothers were already here.
“Uh… hi, Jasmine,” Michael greeted, his brow raised. He looked down at Zach and the youngest just shrugged.
“I have a plan,” I told them.
Zach turned on his rear to face me completely. “What?” he asked.
“Is this about Walter and Rebecca?” Michael wondered, his tone annoyed.
“Yes!” I said, a small bite packed in to that one word. “Who else is home? Go get Vincent, Caleb, and Jacob! Walter is after me.”
The brothers left the room in search of the three I requested. It wasn’t long before they returned with only Jacob at their side. Apparently Lucas and Vincent were out on their own and Caleb was M.I.A.
The plan may work better with fewer numbers.
“Gather around,” I told them. And they did. We wrapped our arms around each other’s shoulders in a huddle. “I went to lunch with Rebecca today and found out that she is still in love with Walter. And anyone who knows Walter knows that he is still in love with Rebecca.” They nodded in agreement. “My plan is simple, get Walter and Rebecca back together so they can have a real shot at happiness. I have recruited you three to help. Agreed?”
“No,” Michael said. “Why do we have to help them? If they still love each other then they should have no trouble figuring it out on their own. I don’t want any part in this.”
“Don’t be so selfish, Mike,” Zach said.
“They don’t know that the other is still in love,” I said.
“So just tell them!” Michael said.
“That isn’t how things work,” Jacob told him. “Denial is an old friend to everyone.”
“Besides, Walter has something to prove,” I said. “He has to prove to Rebecca how he feels.”
“Don’t be so cold hearted, Mike,” Zach said.
Michael sighed and looked at us. “Fine, I’ll help.”
“Yes!” I cheered. “Okay so here is the plan, Operation: Southern Belle….”