The Writer (6 page)

The plan was
set.

At the restaurant, Joy
seemed upset again.

“I didn’t buy you anything
this year,” I started, and “though you’ll have to wait until we get
home to get your Gift.”

I must have looked like
the cat that got the cream.

“I’m glad you didn’t,” she
said. “I’m moving back to my parents’ place.”

I frowned.

“What? When?” I
said

“Tonight.”

“For how long?”

“I’m not sure…”

She sat there, playing
with her fingers, avoiding looking at me. Tears swelled up in her
eyes, her chin started to tremble. Tears slowly rolled down her
cheek.

“We’re just so different,
and I’m so tired…”

She looked down toward her
lap. She grabbed her purse, fumbling through it.

“I’ll get this…” I said,
not sure what else to add. I let her get up, and leave the table. I
sat and watched her leave.

I ordered a glass of red,
and drank slowly.

Chapter 19

After a few hours, I felt
I had regained enough control over myself, and of my voice to call
home. I hoped Joy had changed her mind, and was now coming back to
her senses, but hound-boy answered after the very first ring. I had
forgotten about him, them.

“I’m sorry,” Josh
whispered into the phone.

“Feel free to offer cake
and refreshments to everyone,” I said.

“It’s just me here,” he
replied.

“When did she tell you?” I
asked incredulous.

“A few days ago,” he said.
“I’m real sorry, man…”

“Why did you show up at
the house? I mean, if you knew.”

“Thought you might need
someone to talk to,” he said. “I’ll be gone when you get here if
you want.”

“Stay put, I’ll be there
in a few.”

We hung up. Life’s
happenings were unexpected sometimes.

I stared at the tiny
velvet box I held in my hand. I had not paid for it. It had been
part of the family for generations. I put it back into my pocket,
where it had been waiting for the right moment.

Chapter 20

I wish I could say that
Joy and I made up, and everything went back to normal overnight,
but it did not.

She did moved back in
after only a few days, annoyed at her parents’ persistence that she
takes me back, and so I moved into the studio.

I felt it was only a
matter of time, before Joy’s better nature, her kindness and
resolution to always do the best with what she has given – me –
would work in my favour.

Christmas came and went,
as did the New Year. Then, spring arrived, and she finally
announced that Josh and she had bought their tickets to
Africa.

“Are you and Josh dating?”
I asked directly.

As much as I wanted to
dislike the mutt, I had to admit that he was annoyingly…nice. From
his 6 feet 4, with his long curly blond hair, he seriously got on
my nerves. Did he need to be always so… caring? This whole
Humanitarian, saving the world thing, was getting slightly
old.

She chuckled.

“Of course not, Josh is my
friend!” she exclaimed.

Josh, on the other hand,
was not laughing at all. He almost seemed…hurt. I watched how Joy
hugged him, and leapt into his arms.

“You should know by now,
Ben, how little taste I have in men.” She grinned.

“And thankfully so,” I
replied, relieved.

“I appear to enjoy
complicating my life.”

“You do like a good
challenge,” Josh said, smiling. “I wouldn’t be much of one… We’re
exactly the same… or almost.”

“You’re a kindred spirit,”
she smiled, tenderly.

I watched them both
interact. Her affection towards him was starting to annoy me. I
coughed, loudly.

“When are you leaving?” I
asked, clearing my throat.

“In a couple of days,” she
smiled. “I would have offered you to join us, but you have you
university classes…”

“Yes, I suppose I do.” I
said. As much as Africa was not my dream destination, I disliked
the idea of being left behind, especially if she was going to spend
a month with Josh.

“Is anyone else going with
you?” I asked, hopeful.

“Nah, man, but I’ll look
after her. Don’t worry about it.” Josh replied.

Arch. That is exactly what
I was worrying about.

“Can you do it from a
separate bedroom?” I asked, half joking.

They both laughed
heartedly.

“We’re staying at the
orphanage,” she said. “Where we’re bringing the blankets? They have
a common room for the staff.”

“Ah. You’re staying
there?” I asked in disbelief.

“Well, yes… That’s the
whole point. To help out…”

“I thought you were just
going to drop off the blankets.”

“What do you think the
Month’s for? We’re going to work, and help teach English, maybe.
We’re not sure yet. We’ll do what’s most needed, you know?” she
said.

Her eyes were sparkling at
the idea of all the new adventures that would soon unravel at her
feet.

“Send me postcards,” I
managed to word, as the rest of me pleaded for her to
stay.

I suddenly felt a pang of
anxiety, panic. My hands were sweating, and it was harder to
breathe.

“Do you have to leave for
a month?” I asked.

Josh took it as his cue to
leave.

“Why are you doing this?
Why must you always make everything complicated?” she
asked.

“Wait until summer, and
I’ll come with you. Josh can stay here, and we’ll go, just the two
of us…” I said.

“Is that what’s bothering
you, Josh and I going together? It’s not that you’ll miss me or
that you’re worried about me in an estrange country, but that I’m
going alone with Joshua?” She exhaled deeply, and rolled her
eyes.

I don’t want to lose you,
I thought to myself.

“Ben,” she said, “not all
things revolve around one’s self, one’s desires. Sometimes, you
have to let go of what you want, and think about the greater good.
When you do good things for others, good things will happen to you.
Just trust in Destiny’s scale…” she said.

“Don’t tell me you believe
in Creationism. God did not rest on the 7th day.”

“Whether he did or not,
doesn’t change anything. Just do you best. Always. Give the most
you can give to everyone you meet, and leave the rest to…Life.
It’ll take care of itself.” She smiled.

If I had known then, what
I know now, I would have nodded in agreement. Joy had never been so
right. Life did in fact take care of itself. Destiny had bigger
plans for us than we could ever imagine. Trust, was something I
would have to learn the hard way.

Chapter 21

She was gone a long time.
I did not hear from Joy for an entire month. She was not
exaggerating when she had said that the orphanage was part of an
isolated town, with very few people, and very few
commodities.

I tried to visualize her
safe. For the first time in my life, I prayed. I did not say any
special words, but I did speak to God, or whoever was in charge of
this whole melodrama called Life.

I tried to explain my
position, as though in front of a judge and jury.

“I know I’m not much of a
Man, when compared to someone like Joy. I don’t take much
initiative. I refuse to take chances. I like my world stable,
organized, under control, but if you bring Joy home safely, I
promise to do something spontaneous and well, nice,” I
said.

I felt stupid talking to
myself.

Alfred, Josh’s dog and my
new roommate for the month, was staring intently at me.

“
Alfred,” I
began, “You know I mean well, right?”

Alfred barked.

“Good.” I said.

We stared at each
other.

“I’m not very good at this
whole People thing – not like Joy or Josh anyway.”

Alfred barked twice,
recognizing Josh’s name.

“You miss Josh,
dog?”

His head
tilted.

“I understand. Have a
cookie.”

There was no point in both
of us being miserable.

Chapter 22

It was the middle of the
afternoon, while I was preparing Second Lunch, when I finally heard
Joy’s voice again.

“Hello? Is anybody
home?”

I almost dropped my plate,
but managed to keep a strong hold on my sandwich to Alfred’s
disappointment.

“What are you doing here?”
I asked.

I barely recognized her
standing in the doorway. Joy had always been quite thin, but she
was almost a skeleton now: her thin skin stretched tightly over her
bones.

“Did they not feed you
there?” I said, outstretching my sandwich-filled hand towards her.
“Here, eat this…”

She laughed, but grabbed
it.

“Let me get your luggage,”
I said, walking past her to look outside. “Where are they? Don’t
tell me the airline lost them…”

“No, they didn’t. I didn’t
bring anything home.” She responded.

“What do you mean? Where’s
your stuff?”

She walked bent down to
pet the dog and give him a slice of the meat from her
bun.

“I left it all at the
orphanage. They need everything you can give them.”

I stared at her in
disbelief. “You gave them your toothbrush? Your socks?
Everything?”

She smiled tenderly at me.
“I can just buy some more.”

“Where’s Josh?” I asked.
“Alfred wants to go home…”

The dog barked
twice.

“Josh stayed over longer.
They need the extra hands. He’s rebuilding part of the kids’ school
there. He’s helping to make it a little bit more solid. The whole
place is falling apart.”

She sat down on the couch
and closed her eyes.

“You’re tired… You should
shower and go to bed.” I offered.

“I’m not
tired…”

“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“Aren’t you happy to be back?”

She just looked at me,
eyes haunted.

“I’m going back,” she
said. “I’m not staying…”

“What are you talking
about, you just got here…” I said, slightly annoyed.

She rummaged through her
purse, which probably held nothing more than her passport and
wallet.

“Look,” she said, handing
me her camera.

“I’m surprised you didn’t
leave that there too…” I said.

She looked at me
differently, in a way I could not quite discern.

“I had to bring it back to
get those photos printed. When I show these around, I think more
people may be willing to help.”

“Why don’t you just send
them a check instead? Just the price of the plane ticket would
already be a good start.” I said. “Don’t you want to go back to
University? It’s not too late to do something with your
life.”

“Do something with my
Life?” she whispered.

“At some point, you’re
going to get over this Phase of your life, and realize that you
don’t have much to show for it. When it’s time to get a job, pay
the bills, you’ll have problems, if you don’t have any diplomas.
The competition is harsh out there.”

She stared at me in
disbelief. It was her turn to be wordless.

“I don’t know where to
start,” she said“, or if I have the energy to even begin.” She
started getting up. “Maybe I’ll have a shower after
all…”

I followed quietly behind
her, caressing the small of her back with my fingertips. She turned
around to face me. Sadness covered her face.

“Sometimes, I feel like
we’re not talking the same language.” She said.

“I’m just worried about
you. I try to keep everything running smoothly, but bills do need
to be paid, even when you’re not here to see them. What would you
do if I wasn’t keeping the ends tied up?”

“I don’t know.” She
smiled. “Maybe I’d fly away?”

“You feel I’m keeping you
tied up?”

“In a good way, I guess.
Josh and I would probably be homeless without other people taking
care of us, our stuff. You anchor me.”

“Did you come up with that
Rainbow Warrior group name?” I asked.

She laughed, gently
cupping my face with both her hands.

“I can leave for Africa,
without any worry, because I know I can count on you to keep
everything in order here, everything safe. I love you, because you
complete me.”

She kissed me
softly.

“I still wish I knew how
to speak anchor though…,” she said, leaving for the
bathroom.

Thinking back on her
words, I pondered what she had just said. If I was the anchor, and
she was the boat, life was the Sea. We did in fact need each
other.