Читать книгу The Other Side Of The Lies - Callie Ansar - Страница 10

When we arrived back to Woodbury Road, Danny pulled into the driveway and helped us get our bags out of the car. He didn’t bother walking us in, nor did he say goodbye to either of us before he got back in his car and sped away.

As soon as we opened the door to Lauri’s house, we were ambushed by her darling parents. “How was your trip, girls? Did you have fun and relax?” her mom, Joanne, asked going on and on. Joanne and Steve Ryan were like second parents to me. Joanne grew up with my mother and Steve grew up with my father. They were my parents best friends and treated me like one of their own. The Ryan’s house was the only place, beside my parents’ house, that I felt totally comfortable and at home.

“Yeah, it was great, Mom,” Lauri answered. “Karen wants Ramsey to drive her home instead of dad,” she said abruptly as she glared at me.

Joanne turned to me and said, “Oh Karen, you’ll have to let your parents know about this first. I can’t just let him take you home.” I nodded my head to let her know that I understood her point. Joanne continued to speak and said, “Ramsey, huh. He’s such a nice boy!” as she put her arms around me and hugged me. I’m sure she was happy for me that I had met someone nice, unlike her bitchy daughter who actually seemed mad about the whole situation.

I walked over to the white phone that hung on their kitchen wall and began to dial my phone number. As I pressed the illuminated buttons, Lauri made a bee line for her room. The slamming of her door indicated that she made it inside.

“Hello,” my mother said sweetly as she answered the phone.

“Hey Mom,” I answered.

“Karen, it’s so good to hear your voice. How are you? How was your weekend? Are you back at Joanne and Steves’? What time is Steve bringing you back?” she went on. I don’t even think she stopped for a breath.

“I’ll tell you all about it when I get home. One of Lauri’s friends offered to drive me back down. I’d really like him to. What do you think?” I nervously asked.

She paused for a minute, soaking in what I had just asked her. My mom was very protective of me and always tried to treat me like a child. I was her baby after all. But, we often fought about her not giving me enough freedom and I knew in her silence, she must have been screaming “NO” in her mind. When she finally spoke she said, “Let me talk to Joanne for a minute.”

I handed Joanne the phone and heard her saying, “Oh Adele, he’s such a nice boy. He’s smart, handsome, athletic.” And after a pause she went on, “Oh yes, I would definitely trust him with Lauri. He’s really a great kid, Adele.” Then after another pause she said, “Ok, here she is,” and Joanne handed me the phone with a smile on her face.

I put the phone to my ear and apprehensively said, “Hello”.

“Ok, so he can drive you home, but you have to call me right before you leave Joanne’s house ok. It should not take you more than an hour and a half, and if you’re in traffic, try to pull over and find a pay phone and call me collect to tell me that you’re in traffic or else I’ll sit here and go crazy waiting for you. Do you understand, Karen?” I knew this was a huge step for my mother and that she was probably holding back tears as she gave me her speech, so I simply said, “Thank you, Mom. I’ll call you when we are about to leave. I love you.”

I couldn’t contain my excitement and let out a squeal. Now all I had to do was get in touch with Ramsey. Shit, I didn’t even have his number, and I hated that I had to ask Lauri for it. She did tell him to call us when he got home, so I guess I’d just wait.

About 20 minutes and a cup of coffee later, Lauri emerged from her room and joined us in the kitchen. There was still a lot of tension between her and I, and it was too uncomfortable for me to sit there like that. I needed to get out of there. “Hey, where’s Jenn?” I asked, hoping that she would be home any minute and could give me Ramsey’s phone number so I could call him and get out of the hell I was in. Jenn was Lauri’s sister, who was my senior by a few months. We were really close as well, but she was either always working or on a date, so we didn’t hang out as much as Lauri and I did.

“Work until seven,” Steve said, lighting a cigarette. That was another reason that I loved coming upstate to stay with the Ryans’. Joanne and Steve would sit at the kitchen table all day and drink coffee, smoke butts and watch television. They were so laid back and relaxed, and so different from my parents in that way.

“Oh, ok,” I said, hiding my disappointment. I excused myself and said I was going to go for a walk, as I often did when I went up there. I loved walking around admiring the big, beautiful houses in their neighborhood. I asked that if Ramsey happened to call, to tell him come get me whenever he was ready. I also asked that if he did call, to beep me so I could start heading back to the house.

Lauri ignored me as Joanne said, “Of course, sweetie.” I then headed out the door.

I didn’t walk for long, but my mind was racing the whole time I was out. At first I thought about my mothers decision to agree to let Ramsey drive me home. She was probably a nervous wreck about the whole thing, and was only allowing it because she was walking on eggshells around me lately. I admit, I had been tough to deal with the past few weeks, and made a promise to myself to be better around my parents. But regardless of her reasoning, I had a smile plastered on my face as thoughts of Ramsey took over. I was elated that he was going to be driving me home. It wasn’t long before my beeper went off and I headed back to Lauri’s house.

Walking up the driveway, I spotted Ramsey’s Jeep parked next to Steve’s car. He was here already? I quickened my step, as I couldn’t wait to see him.

He was seated at the kitchen table with Joanne and Steve, and Lauri was nowhere in sight. As soon as I appeared in the doorway, he stood up, walked over to me and picked me up. He placed a kiss on my lips and said, “I heard we got good news,” and then kissed me again.

He placed me on my feet and stood in front of me, holding both of my hands, smiling. It was obvious that he had showered and changed. He looked gorgeous in a grey tee shirt, cargo shorts and his green and grey Nikes. His hair was once again perfectly messy and the smell of his cologne was intoxicating. I was actually a little embarrassed and self conscious that I hadn’t taken a shower, nor had I brushed my teeth since the night before.

“Have you eaten? Are you hungry?” he asked.

“I am hungry, but I’d really love to take a quick shower if that’s ok. I’ll be ready in 20 minutes, tops,” I answered.

“Don’t rush. It’s been a while that I’ve seen these great people,” Ramsey said, pointing to Steve and Joanne. “I’d love to catch up with them.”

“Cool, thanks,” I said as I headed to the hall to grab my duffel. I got a towel from the hall closet and slipped into the bathroom. I threw my hair up into a bun because washing it would take way too much time, and I jumped in the shower. It was the quickest shower I’ve ever taken, and I brushed my teeth immediately when I got out. I dried my body off, put a minimal amount of make up on, threw some clothes on and made my way back into the kitchen.

“Ok, I’m all set,” I said, feeling and looking refreshed.

“Let’s go to the diner before we hit the road,” Ramsey suggested.

“Well then you’ll have to come back here to call Karen’s mother,” Joanne told him. “I promised that I’d have Karen call her right before you guys leave.”

“That’s fine. It’s only 1:30. We can go to the diner and come back here before we head to Queens. Is that ok with you, Joanne?”

“Yes, honey. You guys have fun. See you later,” Joanne said with a smile.

Ramsey went over and shook Steve’s hand and gave Joanne a kiss on her cheek. “Great to see you both,” he said.

“Great seeing you, David. Don’t be a stranger, ya hear,” Steve said.

Ramsey smiled before taking my hand and leading me out the door. He opened the passenger side door of his topless jeep and motioned for me to get in. I did and he closed the door for me. He hopped into the drivers seat and turned the key, making the engine roar to life. He looked at me and smiled as he drove away.

It only took about five minutes to get to the diner and when we arrived we were seated immediately. I couldn’t have been happier because I hadn’t eaten anything all day and I was absolutely starving. I was overjoyed being there with Ramsey and didn’t even get a chance to look at the menu by the time the waitress came.

“What can I get for you kids?” she asked.

“I’ll have a BLT with fries and gravy on the side. Oh and a ginger ale too, please. Thank you,” I answered, practically salivating thinking about the food I just ordered.

“And what can I get for you, handsome?” she asked Ramsey.

Smiling, he said, “I will have exactly the same thing. Thanks,” and he folded his menu, picked up mine and handed them both to the waitress before she walked away. “I can’t believe you just ordered my favorite diner dish,” he said, reaching for my hand across the table.

“Great minds think alike, right?” I said, smiling back at him, placing my hand in his.

“I know this sounds cheesy, Kid, but I think it’s more than that. I feel such an intense connection with you and it’s something I’ve never felt before. I thought about you the whole ride home from Jersey. I couldn’t get you out of my mind. I didn’t even call Lauri’s house, I went there as soon as I dropped Billy off. I want to be around you, always,” he said.

I looked at him cockeyed and asked, “If you went straight to Lauri’s, when did you shower?”

“I showered at the motel. When I got back there this morning, there were people sleeping on the floor and I was so pissed. I hopped in the shower as quietly as I could and got dressed when I was done. When I was ready to leave, I stood in the middle of the room and shouted that everyone had to get the hell out. Billy was more than pissed, but I told him that if he wanted a ride home from me, he had to leave at that moment.” He paused for a second to laugh. “I barely gave him a chance to pee before we got on the road.” He paused for another second and said, “So, what do you think about what I said before? How do you feel about that?”

I smiled because what he said made me happy. However, the admission of his feelings brought up a different feeling for me. Yes, I did feel like I had an amazingly intense connection with this guy, but maybe Lauri’s analysis of us was spot on and I found myself regurgitating her words. “Ramsey, that is so sweet, really, but we’ve only known each other for 24 hours. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve loved every second I’ve spent with you and I’m sure I’ll miss you when I go home tonight, but you have to remember that I don’t live here. I live over an hour away from here. You’re going to school in Pennsylvania in a few months and then we will be even further away from each other. And, I just got out of a relationship that destroyed me. I’m not really ready to be so serious with someone right now.” I felt bad saying what I did, but it was true. I tried to search his face for some kind of emotion, but I couldn’t read him at all in that moment.

My uneasiness with the words just spoken was interrupted by the waitress placing our food in front of us.

“Thank you,” we said simultaneously.

As I started to dig in, Ramsey said, “Karen, you don’t have to be uncomfortable with your feelings. Don’t feel bad. I totally get it. I didn’t expect you to say anything other than what you said. I’m not saying let’s move in together right now, I’m just saying that I feel good about myself when I’m around you, and I really like that feeling. I respect your wishes and I will take things as slow as you want. I just hope you want me to be there waiting when you’re ready. If you don’t, tell me so I can go find Nicole,” he said with a grin from ear to ear.

I threw a fry at him. “You’re a jerk.”

“But am I a jerk you’ll consider getting to know a little better?”

“Absolutely.”

We finished up our food recapping the weekends’ events. I never mentioned the car ride home or what Lauri had said to me, although it was on my mind. We left the diner and headed back to Lauri’s house so I could grab my things and call my parents.

When we walked in Lauri’s door, she was now seated at the kitchen table with her parents having a bite to eat. We all made cordial small talk as I dialed my phone number to let my mom know that we would be leaving in the next few minutes. After she gave me her best be safe speech, I hung up the phone. Everyone stood up to bid us farewell, except for Lauri. She simply sat there and said, “Bye. Have a great ride home,” in a tone that dripped with sarcasm. Lauri was my best friend, my sister, and I was so hurt by her behavior. I didn’t know what I did to deserve that treatment, but I was going to let it be for the time being and call her in a few days.

Ramsey took my duffel bag out of my hand and leaned down to whisper, “She’s probably on the rag,” in my ear. It made me laugh out loud, causing Lauri to roll her eyes at us.

“Bye guys. Thanks for everything,” I shouted as we made our way out the door. We walked hand in hand down the walkway to Ramsey’s car. He thought it would be a good idea to attach the roof before we got on the Thruway, so I helped him as best I could, which wasn’t much help at all. We laughed until the job was complete and we both hopped in our seats and headed down to Queens.

The ride was going as smooth as could be. No traffic, good tunes, and great conversation made up the time we spent together in the car. Once we reached the Bronx on the Major Deegan Expressway, he started asking for directions.

“The Bronx is as far as I’ve ever been this way,” he said.

“Yankee Stadium?” I asked, as that’s why most people vistied the boogie down Bronx.

“Uh, no, I have some friends down here. Come to see them about once a month or so,” he explained.

I didn’t question it because some of my friends had friends that lived in the Bronx and we would come here once in a while to pick someone up or drop someone off. I wouldn’t hang out in certain parts though. The Bronx had some pretty tough neighborhoods.

“Well, if you come here that often, maybe we can meet up the next time you come. It’s a lot closer than going all the way upstate for me and I’d love to meet more of your friends,” I proposed, feeling that I’d overstepped my bounds by saying that I wanted to meet his friends.

“I don’t think so, Kid. I’ll drive all the way to you. That will never be a problem,” he said as he looked at me and reached over to hold my hand. Although a sweet sentiment, I couldn’t help but think that he turned down my offer because his so called friend was probably a lady friend. A pessimist at heart, I gave it my all to be optimistic, give Ramsey the benefit of the doubt, and enjoy the rest of the ride with him.

We held hands all the way through the Bronx until we went over the Triboro Bridge and crossed into Queens. The exit we needed to get off of was all the way to the right and getting there was a little tricky for the upstater. When he realized that he needed both hands on the wheel to make this maneuver, he released my hand, and my heart sank. It was at that moment that I realized distance would be a problem for me, as the simple absence of his hand affected me negatively. I sullenly helped him navigate through the narrow streets until we reached my house.

Queens isn’t like upstate in any way. I always know when I’m close to home after a trip upstate when I can no longer see the stars as I am being jostled around in the car, due to the immense number of potholes. Ramsey could not believe how close the houses were to each other and was amazed that there are ones that are actually connected. He admitted that he’d have trouble parallel parking on such a narrow street, as he was used to pulling into driveways as big as parking lots. I laughed as I told him to pull into our driveway, and he did as I directed.

He let out a long whistle upon seeing my father’s brand new beamer, sitting pretty in the driveway. “Nice ride,” Ramsey said. “Is that the used car you bought yourself?” I kiddingly smacked him in the chest and told him that he is an ass. We laughed for a second, then after shutting the car off, he said, “I have to admit that I’m a little nervous to meet your folks, and I’m never nervous about meeting parents. Parents are like my thing.” He winked at me, and I could see a hint of nerves on his face.

I leaned over and ran my hand through his brown locks. “Don’t be. They’re gonna love you,” I said, placing a gentle kiss on his lips. I could feel his lips form into a smile before he moved away from me. He then leaned into the back seat, grabbed my duffle and got out of the car.

Although my father made a nice living, my parents lived very modestly. We lived in a house that was only a few blocks away from the homes that my parents grew up in. They loved the neighborhood and would never leave it to live somewhere else. Our house was one of the only two story detached houses in North Village. It was classically made of red brick and had a beautiful big bay window, which sat right in front of the house looking out onto the street. As we made our way up the walkway, I could see my mother peering out of the window, trying to conceal herself with the curtains.

Once we walked up the stairs, we were met at the door by both of my parents. My mother gave me a huge hug, while my father eyed Ramsey up and down.

My parents, Adele and Gregory, are the sweetest people in the world, however at first look, they could be intimidating. My father stood at about six feet tall and had jet black hair, which was always slicked to the side. He had piercing green eyes, which had seen more trouble over his years than I hoped mine ever did. He always wore a suit to work, and typically stayed dressed like that for the entirety of the day. He was a sharp looking man, and he was a man to be reckoned with.

My mother wasn’t as tall as my father, but still seemed statuesque standing at 5’5”. She had brown, wavy hair that sat perfectly on her shoulders. Her skin was like porcelain, which made a perfect contrast for the red lipstick that always adorned her lips. Her smile alone could brighten up a room, but once she opened her mouth, she always stole the show. I never looked at anyone as adoringly as I did my mother.

“Oh it’s so good to see you,” my mother squealed as she squeezed me, acting as if it had been ages since we’d seen each other. In reality, it was only two days. “Come in kids, come in,” she insisted.

We walked into the living room, which was decorated traditionally with beautiful antique accents. Another thing that I loved about my mother was her decorating sense. Our home was beautiful to look at, yet so livable and cozy. She really did make our house a home. Ramsey put my bag on the floor, as he extended his hand to my father.

“Hi Mr. Faris. I’m David Ramsey. Nice to meet you,” Ramsey said, not doing a very stellar job of concealing his nerves.

My dad shook his hand and questioned, “David?” He looked over to me and asked, “Karen, is his name really David?” Then he quickly looked back at Ramsey and asked, “Is your name really David?”

“Unfortunately, yes, but please just call me Ramsey,” he said.

“That I’ll do, Ramsey. Have a seat,” my father said as he gestured to the couch.

Ramsey sat down on the green sofa and I sat myself next to him, but not too close as I knew that my father would be scrutinizing every move we made. My parents each sat on an armchair that sat opposite the sofa. There wasn’t tension in the room, rather a feeling of nervousness, on all of our parts.

I thought I’d break the ice by telling my father about Ramseys fabulous pitching arm. An avid sports fan, my intrigued father asked him a million questions about baseball, and then the conversation took a turn about his plans for the future. When Ramsey told my father that he wanted to get into finance, my father’s face lit up like a kid on Christmas.

With a good conversational flow going on between the men, I got up to get us some drinks and my mother followed me into the kitchen. She hugged me from behind as I closed a cabinet after grabbing some glasses and said, “He’s a really nice boy, Karen. I can tell.”

“Thanks Mom. Yeah, he seems pretty great,” I said. “But he just lives so far away,” I said, my demeanor changing.

“Well, if it’s meant to be, you’ll make it work,” my mother told me, sounding so wise in the moment. We made our way back to the living room and took our same seats.

A little while later, when the grandfather clock rang at six o’clock, Ramsey stood up and announced that it was time that he headed back.

“Do you need to call your mother, dear, and let her know you’re on your way?” my mother asked.

“No, that’s ok. I told her that I’d be home by eight, so I better get moving in case there’s traffic.”

We all stood up to bid him farewell, my father shaking his hand and my mother hugging him saying, “Thank you for getting my baby home safely.”

“It was my pleasure, Mrs. Faris. I hope to see you again soon,” Ramsey said, laying the charm on thick. My mother ate it right up, as she was a sucker for that stuff.

“I’ll be right back,” I said, as I walked Ramsey out to his Jeep with a knot in my stomach. I feared what would become of my happiness once he drove away. I reached up and threw my arms around him and kissed him.

“I’m gonna miss you. Please call me or beep me when you get home.” I pulled out a small piece of paper that I had written my phone number and beeper number on while I was in the kitchen earlier.

“Ok,” he said. “If it’s too late I’ll just beep you. I’ll put 101. Do you know what that will mean?”

I had to think a minute before blurting out, “That was our room number.”

“Yes, that was the best night of my life,” he said as he bent down to kiss me. “Now, tell me how to get back to the bridge.”

With a heavy heart I gave him the simple directions that would lead him on his journey back home and far away from me. He hugged me tight for about 5 minutes before letting me go. I could have stayed like that forever, just us holding each other, simple and tender. He hopped in the Jeep and shouted, “Later, Kid,” as he drove away. Tears welled up in my eyes as I watched the red tail lights disappear down the street.

When I went back in my house, I filled my parents in on details from my weekend, omitting the part where I shared a room with Ramsey. My father said that he seemed like a really nice, respectful boy with a good head on his shoulders and that made me so happy. My father didn’t always like my boyfriends which would make my relationships difficult at times, so hearing that he actually liked someone I brought home was a rare treat.

After we ate dinner and cleaned up the dishes, I retreated to my bedroom. I unpacked my duffel and began to get my things together for school the next day. I got my uniform together and laid it over the banister in the hall for the morning. I took another shower only to kill a little time while I waited for Ramsey to call me back. Wrapping a towel around my head, I went back into my room and looked at my clock. 8:30. I ran to check my beeper to see if there was anything from him. Nothing. I cracked open my door and shouted, “Anyone call while I was in the shower?”

“No sweetie,” my mother shouted up the stairs and I could feel my heart break a little tiny bit.

I guess I had to wait it out. I didn’t have his phone number and there was no shot in hell that I was going to call Lauri to get it. I’d just wait. He’d call. I was counting on it.