The Other Side - Chapter 24

"The Other Side - Chapter 23" 

Becky ran her fingers through her hair as she looked around the living room for her clip. She gave a frustrated sigh as she shook out the blanket on the couch, finding it empty.

Where in the world did I put that thing? She asked herself, standing up and surveying the room. But the lost item was no where in sight. She couldn't believe the predicament that she had gotten herself into. She threw a glance to the clock on the wall. He would be here any minute.

It had been a few days since Delany and Jim had come back that Lynn had called her to let her know that she set up a date with Gary. Becky knew that her friend was just trying to do her a favor but she really would have wished that she had consulted her first.

"I'm sorry Becks! If you already have plans I can cancel..." Lynn had said, completely sincere. Becky denied. She didn't want Gary to think that she was rejecting him and, after all, she had promised Lynn that she would give him a chance.

But now she was wishing she had changed the date. It all felt so...sudden. Not to mention the fact that she had accidentally slept in and was now paying for it dearly. She was rushing around the house searching for random items of clothing and attempting to choke down some food - all while keeping it quiet for the still snoozing Jim and Delany.

There was a casual knock on the door and Becky gave up the search for the hair clip to answer the door. She did her best to collect herself and present a smile to Gary as she opened the door.

"Hi! Ready to go?" She pushed her runaway locks behind her shoulders and did her best to welcome him. He gave her a look and a slow grin.

"Are you?" Becky's smile faltered at the remark, not quite sure what to make of it. She thought she saw a slight humor in his dark eyes but she wasn't sure. His gaze flickered to her feet.

"Oh!" Becky cried, feeling the blood rush to her face as she followed his gaze. Her eyes met pink toenails and no shoes. She rolled her eyes and slapped her forehead. "I'm such a ditz." Looking around she slipped on a part of Delany's flip-flops, adorned with a funky sort of retro orange.

Gary chuckled. "I see you're just dying to make a statement today!" He said kindly and Becky gave him a look. Ok, so she wasn't exactly matching but burnt orange didn't clash too badly with her printed red tank...did it? She waved it off however, she was wearing jean capris after all, and jeans go with everything.

Becky gave Gary a sort of shy smile, suddenly realizing how jittery she was. She almost felt like she was trapped, rushed. But Gary had a totally easy-going look on his face and in his entire body stance, so what was her problem?

Just calm down girl! Becky relayed to herself and took a calming breath, taking a notice of Gary. He was wearing khaki cargo shorts and a white t-shirt, looking totally comfortable and yet very cute.

"So...where are we going?" She asked as she fell in step with Gary as they walked out of the apartment building. His light curls bounced with each step and he sort of shrugged.

"I'm not actually sure. I had a place in mind but if you have some place you wanna check out that would be fine with me." Gary gave her a little smile. "I was sort of thinking an easy, fun-in-the-sun kind of day."

Becky nodded in agreement. It was a beautiful day and was just wrapping up the summer months. She would like to enjoy every bit of it. "I'm happy with whatever you had in mind."

"Great," Gary said as he stepped out of the doors and gave her a grin. "Miniature golfing it is!"

Becky stopped dead in her tracks as he exited the building. "Golfing?" She yelled after him. "But I don't know how!" She gaped like a fish as he kept walking. Within seconds she was jogging to fall back into pace next to him, not wanting to be left behind.

What am I getting myself into?!

--

"Two," Gary said to the teenager behind the counter. She was obviously not thrilled with her summer job as she cracked her gum and gave Gary his change.

"Balls are over there." She motioned with her fake nails and Gary picked out two balls, handing Becky hers.

"I thought orange would be fitting for you today." He said with a grin and gave a meaningful look to her shoes.

"You just aren't going to let this go are you?" She asked, shaking her head. They had experienced pretty easy conversation during the car ride over to the place. However, when they pulled into the cheesy parking lot and she caught a glimpse of the florescent fake astro-turf she couldn't quite make the joking as easy as before. She just felt nervous.

As they approached the first hole she made sure that he knew just how rusty she was.

"Gary, I want you to know right now how bad I am at this sport." She said, and he grinned but she kept her face straight. She was being completely serious. "I have played maybe twice my entire life time and failed miserably both times. I will hate you forever if you laugh at my attempts!"

Of course, this statement only made Gary laugh. "Becky, don't worry about it!" He gave her a warm, toothy smile. "By the end of today you will be a master, because you will be learning from the best!" He made an extravagant bow and Becky rolled her eyes.

"Be prepared to be amazed!" He said with a wink and set his blue ball on the felt. Setting up with mock seriousness he gave a slight swish to his hips, pulled back on his putter, and then lightly tapped the ball. It rolled lightly down the incline, around a short bend and straight into the hole.

Becky felt her eyes go wide. "Ok, that's it! There is no way you are going to get me to even try!" She pulled away from the green, shaking her head desperately. "You didn't tell me you were a pro!"

Gary couldn't do anything but laugh. "Come on Becky, give it a try!" She looked at him uncertainly but couldn't help catching his contagious smile. There was something very trusting about him and...well, it was a beautiful day.

Gary and Becky moved through the holes, laughing hysterically after each one. Gary purposely did silly things to just make Becky's skills seem all that better. She hadn't been kidding when she said that she was horrible but Gary rarely teased her about it...only around four times a hole.

Becky felt herself really start to loosen up around Gary. He was one of those guys that just kind of let everything roll off. Plus, he had a great sense of humor.

It was the 18th and last hole. Becky pulled away from the felt and shook her head, grinning.

"Gary, I just can't do it! Can I just skip the hole and take my 6 strokes?" She pleaded with him, attempting to take the scoring sheet from his hand but with no avail.

"Just do what I've been telling you! It's all in the hips!" He exclaimed and she only laughed harder. Gary put down everything he was holding and put his hand on Becky's shoulder.

"Here, I'll give you a really slow demo." He took her club and went up to the felt, placing the putter near the ball. He looked up to make sure that she was watching and then focused on the hole. It was the classic windmill one and he quickly found a beat to move with.

"Just time it. Like this." Slowly, he started to move his hips side to side with the movement of the windmill, left when one part went over the hole, right when the next part took its place. Soon he had a good rocking rhythm and Becky was laughing so hard she was almost crying.

"Wait, keep watching!" He said, getting more into it. In one quick motion he brought his club back with his hip and then forward in the same motion, sending the ball rolling toward the opening. It went straight through.

"No way!" Becky exclaimed, her laughter stopping instantly. She stared in shock as she sunk it with a hole in one, on the hardest hole of the course. "I quit!"

Gary shook his head and grabbed her hand. "Oh no you don't!" He pulled her forward and set her ball on the felt.

"Stand here." She did as he ordered, but when he told her to start moving her hips she refused.

"There is no way you are going to get me to do that! You looked ridiculous!" She crossed her arms over her chest and flipped her hair out of her face. He raised one eyebrow in a flirtatious manner that made her grin.

"Think again." He said smoothly as he stepped up behind her, lightly placing his hands on her hips. Becky felt the heat of his hands and sudden a surge in her pulse. Becky suddenly could smell thick cigar smoke and hear a mix of African and hip-hop music. Since when do I care about looking silly? She wondered, suddenly feeling sheepish. If she had no problem shaking her stuff in front of a movie star, surely she could handle Gary. Quickly, she shook it out of her head and focused on what Gary was doing. He moved closer to her and slowly she felt his hands moving back and forth.

"Watch the blades and move with the rhythm." He said softly, his mouth close to her ear as he guided her hips back and forth. Becky did her best to concentrate as hard as it was to do. Her mind was much more focused on where his hands were, she almost thought that she could feel the grooves of his fingerprints on her skin.

With his help she got the movement down and on his command she pulled back and gave the ball a tap. Holding her breath she watched as the ball rolled down the hill...and into the hole.

"Yes!" She screamed and turned around. She threw her arms around Gary and gave him a great big hug. His arms tightened around her waist and she laughed in his ear. "I can't believe it!"

Gary laughed as he released her from the hug. "I told you that you would be a master by the end." He gave her a smug smile and Becky stuck out her tongue. Gary laughed and they walked back to the building to return their clubs.

Becky looked over at Gary as they walked. That was so much fun! She thought and felt her face form into another smile; the action was getting to be very familiar around him.

Becky gave herself a mental note to thank Lynn for setting her up with Gary even though she hadn't really wanted to originally. She hadn't had that much fun in a long time it seemed.

I haven't laughed that hard since... Becky faltered slightly but then shoved everything out her mind. She wasn't going to think about those so-called good times with Jacob. It was done. It was over. And she still had time to laugh with Gary.

--

Becky got home late in the afternoon. The sun was beginning to dip low in the sky as Gary and Becky entered the front door to the apartment building. At the last second, Gary suggested they race up the stairs instead of taking the elevator the five flights.

“Up for the challenge?” he questioned, grinning.

Becky raised her eyebrows slightly. They stood a moment at the bottom of the stairwell. “I’m game if you are.”

"Okay, One... two..." Gary launched himself forward, taking two steps at a time. Becky gasped and started running, coming up close behind.

“Hey!” she screamed between laughter and breathing. “Who said three? Cheater!” Still running and a full flight ahead, Gary stopped. Leaned over the railing he did a little dance to mock her and then turned to keep running.

“Oh, now you’re gonna pay.” And before he knew it she was right behind him, more than halfway up to their level.

“Ok, that’s it.” She leapt forward, arms out. Gary screeched and they both came tumbling down. It took them both a moment to realize that Gary no longer had his pants on.

He looked down and his smiley faced boxers looked back. He opened and closed his mouth, but nothing came out. Becky bit her lip, turned her head and handed him the pants that somehow were now in her hands. An apologetic “Mm...” escaped her lips.

“Hey, I told you that you’d pay,” she said, obviously embarrassed, but a full smile on her face.

“You…I can’t believe you…” Gary sat there shaking his head, a look of disbelief not leaving his face and an uncertain smile, not sure if he liked crazy girls jumping on him and pulling his pants down. He tried to put them back on. Becky attempted to sit up on the steps, her back and arms aching from the fall. But before anything good be said or done, the door of the fourth floor opened, the two of them froze.

A woman’s high pitched voice cooed to a little French poodle with a pink bow tied around his neck, “Come on, Princess, my wittle baby girl. We’re going to go for a nice walk down the—” A lady in a frumpy flower-printed white dress and curly white hair beneath a distasteful yellow bonnet stood in the doorway, holding Princess’s leash. Both the dog and the woman froze. For a long time the two couples stood staring at each other. Becky had stopped just as she had begun to pull herself up from the step. Gary, standing with his pants half on, made no more attempts to pull them up. Becky’s mouth opened and closed. Gary’s stylish boxers smiled at dog and lady.

Finally, the lady turned away “Well, I never…children these days—” The door slammed and they didn’t get to hear the rest.

Becky turned her head to look up at Gary. They burst out laughing.

--

Still giggling, they made their way up to the apartment. Becky leaned against the door.

“Well…” Gary started, “I had an um, interesting time, to say the least.” Becky laughed.

“Um, yes, I’m sorry about your uh…” she looked down towards his pants and then averted her eyes. He blushed.

“Er…yeah, no problem.”

Becky leaned against the door to the apartment and caught her breath, she thought she heard something on the other side and turned to see, but Gary spoke again. “hm? I’m sorry I didn’t hear what you sai—” she started. He had somehow gotten closer and he looked at her deeply in the eyes. She shifted uncomfortably.

Oh, no. This is what she had been dreading. She wasn’t ready for an end-of-date kiss. The afternoon had been wonderful, but this would be all too much.

“I was just saying,” Gary started, “I had a really great time today…” Becky’s hand found the door handle, she forced a smile. Memories of a wide, white porch and giant, African moths flying around a hazy porch light flickered in her mind. Jacob had said that, his eyes wide with innocence, so green -

“Uh, yeah, me too. It was great.” She averted her eyes nervously, forcing herself out of her memory. Gary was still looking at her.

“I’d love to see more of you.”

“Uh…” she turned the handle and found it was locked. She wasn't quite sure if she liked the innuendo in that sentence. He no longer reminded her of Jacob. He took hold of her free hand a bit roughly, making her jump in surprise, and then all at once his touch was gentle. His eyes moved away from her, and she relaxed. He kissed her hand.

“Until we meet again?” And he waggled his eyebrows and started down the hall to the elevator this time. Becky watched him go, still leaning against the door. She forgot she was holding the knob until it turned in her hand, the door swung open and Becky fell on her back. Jim was standing over her.

He smiled a little, “Did you forget your key, Becks?” Somewhere between finding breath and lying there Becky heard laughter coming from down the hall. She sat up dizzily, just in time to see the doors to the elevator closing. And through the ever-decreasing crack of the elevator doors, she could see Gary shaking his head at her.

--

Becky couldn’t sleep. After she had finally gotten up and Jim was long gone, Delany had asked about her date. Becky could tell Delany felt guilty for being skiddish of Gary, but her guilt instantly vanished when Becky told about the adventure on the stairwell.

“You what?!” she had demanded.

Becky cringed. “I kinda pulled his pants down.” Jim who had been standing nearby trying to enjoy a tuna sandwich sensed trouble. He shoved the rest of it into his mouth and turned to walk away. He didn’t want to know.

The phone rang in the middle of Becky’s thoughts of the past evening and afternoon. She jumped in surprise, hitting her toe against the side of her bed. The clock was flashing its red neon numbers, 11:30. Through watering eyes as Becky picked up the receiver. “Owie…” was all she could think to say, rubbing her toe.

“Becky?” the voice asked uncertainly.

“Uh-huh, who--?”

“It’s Gary.” She forgot about her toe – along with the glass of water that had been sitting on her bedside table. That is until she knocked it over. She dropped the phone in an attempt to salvage her carpeting.

All Gary could hear was a crash, a whimper and then Becky’s nervous voice, forgetting about the mess she had made, saying “hey Gary,” she tried to smile.

“Everything…ok?” He asked uncertainly. “I hope I didn’t wake you…” His voice was deep and apologetic. It was the type of voice you fall into, the kind of reassuring sound that you want to hear late at night.

“No, no. You didn’t wake me.” She smiled a little, still unsure why he called. They talked about their day and the discomfort at the start of the conversation slowly turned to ease. Until…

“Do you have plans tomorrow night?” Becky’s heart skipped a beat. Her back tensed. Her toe throbbed. She bit her lip. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to see him again so soon.

“I-I don’t know. Um, Del might wanna…or um, that is, I need to…” her voice trailed off. She tried to swallow, but her throat was dry. There was nothing she could tell him. No excuses to make. “What about you?” She braced herself for the question she knew was coming.

“Oh yea. I’m working all day tomorrow. Until around 8 o’clock. And it’s my friend’s birthday so afterwards I gotta go to that. No big plans, but I’ll be pretty busy.” Becky breathed a sigh of relief.

“Oh,” she laughed a little. “Well I hope you have a great time!” She relaxed again. He talked to her about his plans for the rest of the week and asked about hers. She found herself telling him she wasn’t going to be too busy until school started. After a while she was falling asleep, but didn’t want to be the first to end the conversation.

“So you’re doing something with Del tomorrow?” he asked.

“Uh-hu,” she yawned sleepily.

“And do you have plans for the day after?”

“Um, not that I know of. I’ll have to see. I don’t really know…” She started closing her eyes.

“So nothing?”

She felt a little self conscious for not having a busier life. She shrugged, realized he couldn’t see her and said, “Heh, yea, pretty much nothing…”

She could almost feel him smile. “Good.”

Becky couldn’t remember how the conversation ended that night. But she remembered her last thought before she fell asleep; the sun setting over the Moa river and something floating in the water, throwing back reflections from the sun to wink at her as she drifted to sleep.

"The Other Side - Chapter 25" 

Madame, Zz