homespun tea towels, a little plaque that has embroidered “Give us this day our daily bread” within it, coffee mug, white water pitcher and a box of chocolates.
“I like your selections Stacey. I think she will definitely like what you picked out. Not too overbearing, with some personal touches in there. I like it. Would you like me to arrange it and wrap it up?” I asked.
She shrugged her dainty shoulders. “ I just tried to think of things my mom might like. I don’t want it to look like I’m trying to hard.”
After a bit of casual chitchat concerning the store, our love for chocolate, etc., just as Stacey is ready to leave, the bell above my door began to jingle. I had just bent down behind my shelf to retrieve a bag for the basket when I hear his voice.
“There you are. I thought maybe you had gotten lost on your walk and came to find you. I almost didn’t notice you from the window. Are you ready to go?” The voice belonged to, yep, you guessed it. Jude.
I take a deep breath. If I hid down here long enough, do you think they would just leave? Do I really have to stand up? I lift up my head, and all I see are four sets of eyes staring down on me.
“Here it is. I knew I had a bag down there large enough for your basket.” I nervously chattered away while trying to hide my embarrassment. This was not how I wanted to see Jude for the first time in over three years.
In my mind I had it played out that I might see him from a distance at church, or maybe walking down the street. We would casually say hi, how are you, nice to see you again, and continue on our way. I of course would look great, with my hair all done up nice, fresh lipstick on, clothes to show that I have lost weight since he was last here. Why can’t life actually be like my dreams?
“Jude, um, you’re here,” Oh why couldn’t I just have said hi.
“Hey Wynne.”
Well, wasn’t this awkward.
He looks great. Tall, still has a small frame, but it appears that he’s been working out, so he’s a bit more muscular. He still has those soft blue eyes that just make a girl want to daydream. He looks great in his tan sweater with dark blue jeans. He’s obviously still impartial to the cold weather since he has his coat slung over his arm. Where most people would be bundled up since it is winter, Jude used to just walk around in a thick sweater with a scarf wrapped around him. His arm is across Stacey shoulder, as if he’s trying to show that he’s taken, like that would really matter to me. They look great together though. I give a wistful sigh, and realize with a jolt that he is still talking to me while I’m daydreaming. Again.
“Welcome home,” I said. To make it appear like I did actual hear him, I threw out my arms in a wide arch. In the process of doing this, I remembered that I had just finished arranging a display of tins with the Swiss Mocha right beside me on the top of the display counter.
Before I could even begin to stop myself my one arm swept across the display case, catching the tins in the process. While I’m slowly moaning ‘oh no’, I watch the tins, as if in slow motion, topple from the counter onto the floor. One decides to become aerobic and bounces from the top of the pile, onto the counter, and then onto me. The bounce from the counter caused the lid to come off, allowing the mocha mix to escape the tin and converge onto my new black sweater.
Great, just great. I heave a big sigh, while trying to smile and not look embarrassed at the same time. I decide to take the graceful way out, and hand Stacey her bag, praying fervently under my breath that they will leave. Soon, like as in now.
Jude starts to laugh. Stacey begins to giggle. I just stand there, slightly dazed, when the humor of this situation hit me. I join in on the laughing. From the corner I hear Joan yelling “she’s at it again,” and from that moment on I’m lost. I have to grab the edge of the counter, I’m laughing so hard. An awkward