The Long Way Home (8 page)

Grey pulled up in the driveway around 6:45 and went up to the door. He knew that he was early but he was too excited to care. He walked up to the door he was about to knock when thought that maybe it would be a good idea to wait until it was time. He thought that he should give her the time that she needs to get ready. He didn't want to be rude. Only as he was thinking this Jill was on the other side of the door looking at him through the peephole. She had heard his car come up. She had been ready over twenty minutes ago and was just sitting around waiting for him. She was going to stay seated but when he didn't knock on the door after awhile she wondered what was happening. Now she was standing looking through the peephole. Grey was just pacing back and forth looking at his watch. Jill decided she was going to let him in and open the door and let him in. Her hand was on the door knob when she realized she hadn't checked on herself in the last five minutes. So she ran to the back room to look in her full length mirror one last time. Grey heard the rattle of the knob from Jill's hand and wondered why she hadn't opened the door. Jill came back and opened the door; she was stunned by his appearance. She thought that he looked like a young James Bond or something. Grey on the other hand was taken by the way she looked; she was wearing a red cocktail dress and had her hair up. She looked so stunning that his breath got caught in his throat. He had to remind himself to breathe, and everything was going to be alright. They studied each other for what seemed like forever; like looking at one another during a car crash where time stood still but in a fervent motion that never seemed to begin or end. Finally after some time there was a break in the silence when one of them spoke.

"You look nice." Grey said he was starting to panic.

"Thanks, you look good too." Jill said she was just amazed that she managed to get anything out at all.

"Sorry, I am a little early. I didn't know if you were ready or not, so if you're not I can wait." Grey said that but from where he was standing she looked ready.

"No, I'm ready." Jill was getting nervous, only she didn't know why. Grey led her out to the car and opened her door first she got in. Then he ran around the car twice before he got in. Jill was confused.

"Why did you just run around the car?" She said.

"I was doing a victory lap; I honestly thought for a second that you weren't going to come. But I knew that if I could get you in the car I would be alright. I know its weird but I thought that you wouldn't come with me, especially when I saw what you are wearing. I thought 'there is no way this girl is coming with me' so when I got you in the car I realized how lucky I must be." As Grey said this he knew he sounded dumb but it was honest.

"I don't know really what to say." Jill was flattered by his honesty and looked down at her lap. She started to fiddle with her fingers.

"You know you still haven't told me where we are going." Jill said as she looked over at him.

"I know I wanted it to be a surprise. I hope you don't mind?" Grey said with a smile.

"No, I don't mind." Jill said as she was looking out the window, her stomach was warm with anticipation. As she stared out the window she looked over the last couple of weeks. It almost seemed like a bunch of random events that led her up to this night, this guy, this feeling. She didn't understand how this could be. Her previous relationships were never like this normally she would be at school and some guy would come to her and ask her out. She would either say "yes" or "no" it was pretty simple. This however seemed anything but simple, she wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. But deep down she knew it was.

They got to the end of Sunset Boulevard and reached a restaurant at the beach. They got out and went in side, there were men there who knew Grey and led them back to their own spot. It was the most westerly spot of the place and it was a beautiful spot, or a least that's what Jill thought. Nearly half of the room was glass that faced out to the roaring ocean only feet away. The room was lit by little tea lamps all over the room, and there was one rather small table dressed for two. They were seated and Grey helped her order, Jill wasn't used to these kinds of places. The menus didn't have specials and there were no prices on anything. She was so marveled over everything she didn't say much.

"I know it's a bit much but I figured that you deserve it. I wanted to make up for the other night. I also wanted to take this opportunity to talk; I know I can seem hushed at times. So I figured I would give you the chance to ask me anything you'd like." Grey didn't know why he said that. He didn't want her to ask anything he didn't want to answer. But now that he thought about there wasn't anything he wouldn't tell her.

"Oh I don't know what to ask, what I mean is there are so many things to ask I don't know where to start." Jill was being honest there were as far as she could figure a least one million questions she would like answered. But there was one question that she had; only she was afraid to ask it. She wasn't so afraid to ask it but more afraid of the answer.

"Well there is one thing, but I don't want to say. I don't think that you could answer it, and if you could then I don't know if I am ready for it." Jill didn't know where this was going. She looked down at her lap again.

"All right then start with some easy ones, you know questions that are easy." Grey wanted to know, he didn't know really what he wanted to know. But he thought that if he could get her to ask him the right questions he would figure out what he was after.

"I don't want to start with the easy ones. There is one question I have only before I ask it you have to promise two things; one that you answer it honestly and two that you then ask me the questions." Jill said.

"Fine, but how will you know that I am being honest?" Grey said teasingly.

"Because before I ask you you're going to pinkie promise to tell the truth." Jill held out her right pinkie over the table. Grey reached across and they interlocked pinkies. With them still interlocked Grey said.

"I promise to be honest at all times with you." He said then let go.

"With that out of the way here's my question. Why me, why did you fall in love with me?" Jill braced herself for his answer. She felt like she made a wrong move.

"I can see why you were hesitant in asking that question." Grey said trying to buy time, right then the waiters started bringing out the food. The waiters were taking a long time and Jill was getting annoyed. After the waiters left Jill looked up at Grey expectantly. He saw her and decided to return to the question at hand.

"Well to be totally honest, it's because you're with me." Grey wasn't sure she would accept that. But he knew that he loved her because she simply existed in his time. He could have been horribly unlucky and she could be sixty now.

"What the hell does that mean?" Jill was a little upset and she didn't know why. She wanted a better answer wasn't getting it.

"What I mean is that when you around I feel that I can just be myself. That you are is enough to make me happy. I have been wondering myself and that is the honest truth. Besides when you're gone I don't feel, the only feeling I have is the anticipation of seeing you again. You make me feel safe, you make me feel like I belong here, and you make me feel like I am home. You also have to take into account that I haven't really gotten to know you so that is all the material I have to work with." Grey was looking down but now looked up to meet her eyes. She was so moved by his answer that there was a long pause then they ate for awhile before anyone said anything.

"I know if I love you..." Jill was afraid that he would leave or get mad or something. She didn't know what but she was scared.

"I don't expect you to be as foolish as me. Like I said earlier I am just happy you're with me at all. Is it getting better do you feel the same as you did when you first met me? Do feel that you could spend more time with me? That's all I am asking for now." Grey had never been a religious man but now he prayed to countless gods that she would stay. That she wouldn't run away he had too many girls do that to him.

"I know that we should spend more time together. I know that I would love to get to know you. I know that you have definitely swept me away. Can we do that? Can we really get to know each other?" Jill said hoping that he wasn't taking this the wrong way.

"I think that would be good. I will only ask to do one thing. That is that you tell me when your feelings change." Grey was just happy that she hadn't run out. He thanked all of the gods he had names for.

They were done eating now and Grey had other plans. He wanted to show her the city that he loved.

"I will tell you, but for now I think you know how I feel." Jill said.

"Sure, now lets get out of this place it's too dark." Grey said getting up. He paid for everything and they went back out to the car. Once in side Grey had one last question.

"When do I have to give you up and take you home?" He looked over at her. She was looking at her lap again.

"Before midnight otherwise my parents will get mad." Jill said.

Grey drove them back to the city and drove her all around the place showing her some of his favorite place. He showed her lake Hollywood. He took her up to the top of the Hollywood hills and showed her the view of the city.

They talked about Mike and how funny he was. They talked about music and Jill found out that he had the same taste in music as she did only he was more serious about music. They talked about everything and nothing at the same time. If it was possible to say that the held on to each other with a single embrace they did. And if it were true that time could really stand still it did yet it flew to fast for either of their liking.

Jill didn't want to admit it but she was falling for him, she knew that she would fall in love with him. She just couldn't allow herself to fall in love so easily. When she thought of it she knew that he was the best guy she had ever met. She knew that Grey was better than any of the other guys that she dated. But he was almost too unbelievable to accept she had never had someone honestly just love her and not want to get in her pants. She knew he was different form the others and that this was one of the most significant moments in her life.

On the way back to Jill's house they decided to get together over the weekend. Grey thought that it would be cool to go to Magic Mountain with Mike and Charlotte. Jill liked that idea and told Grey that she would call her friend and he should call his. He agreed and said that he was going to set it all up for tomorrow.

They got to Jill's house and Grey walked her up to the door. He went up to her and shook her hand then started to walk away. Jill was disappointed she had wanted him to kiss her again. She had been thinking of it ever since he had kissed her last. She decided to take matters into her own hands. Grey was nearly to his car when he heard her running towards him. She kissed him, and then ran back inside. She shut the door she was breathing hard and her heart was racing. She couldn't believe that she just did that she felt like a complete dork. Grey was startled and laughed out loud as she was running away. He got in the car and went home thinking of her again. And as before wondering how lucky he was. This was somehow the best thing that had ever happened to him.

Grey once home called Mike and told him about what happened tonight and about the plans to go to Magic Mountain, Mike liked it. Grey got ready and then went to bed happier than he had ever been.

Jill ran to her room and called Charlotte to tell her everything. She told her about the restaurant and everything he said. Charlotte was so happy for Jill she had never heard Jill act this way before. They talked to the wee hours of the morning. Until Charlotte was falling asleep over the phone, Jill on the other hand could hardly sleep at all. All sorts of things were running through her mind. She could hardly contain herself, and yet she didn't know why. Then it crept up on her, she was falling in love and she knew it. She decided that she would try this whole thing out she knew she would fall for Grey.

The next day Grey and Mike pulled up to Jill's house in Mike's SUV the girls were not ready yet so the guys waited inside. Mike showed Grey the sea snail Mike was telling him about. Grey and Mike decided to watch TV while the girls were getting ready only nothing was really on.

"Dude what do you think of Charlotte?" Mike said he really wanted Grey's approval; only because he respected Grey and what he had.

"I think that she's perfect for you dude. What did you crazy kids do last night? I didn't give you a chance to tell me last night." Grey said getting up to find something to drink; he got up and headed to the kitchen to see what he could find.

"Dude we went out to dinner at IHOP. Dude did you know that's her favorite restaurant too. Any way then we went out to see all the Star Wars movies. We saw the trilogy three times in a row that's 18 hours of consecutive movies. And did you know those are some of my favorite movies too. They were showing a triple feature; did you know they re-released all three movies digitally re-mastered?" Mike said following Grey to the kitchen.

"No dude I didn't know they re-released the Star Wars movies. That's cool it sounds like you guys had fun." Grey said with his head in the refrigerator. He was dying of thirst and all he could find was purified water and diet grapefruit juice. He thought to himself "Who the hell drinks diet grapefruit juice? And since when was normal grapefruit not diet?" These questions vexed him.