The Girl Next Door

“Okay people, the summer line was a hit, but we need to start working on fall.” Mr. Rhines announced to the people around the table. “And don’t give me that look, Dorothy, I know summer just started but we need to get to work, pronto!”
Dorothy just rolled her eyes and turned to Veronica. “So is it true?” she asked, anticipation laced in her voice.


“What?” Veronica asked, snapped out of her daze.
“The job transfer? Chicago? Hello?”
“Oh yeah. I guess I’m going.”
“Well don’t sound so excited.” Dorothy said sarcastically.
“I’m sorry. I’m just a little tired.” Veronica lied, looking toward the head of the room as their boss started the meeting. He had noticed her dive into work when she returned, and remembering her determined attitude before her extended leave.

“Maybe you would be interested in a position at the Chicago-based studio, Genesis. They came to me looking for fresh talent and you’re the freshest that I’ve got.” her boss had approached her one day.

Where as The Gallery was just a magazine, Genesis was an actual fashion studio and gallery. They put on semi-annual fashion shows and displayed items from their previous shows and exclusives from top international designers. The fact that Mr. Rhines would even consider her good enough to work there was an honor. ‘There’s nothing left here for me anyway’ she thought bitterly, remembering that Jason’s birthday was tomorrow.

She still kept in touch with his mother, seeing as though she was like a second mother to her, and knew that she was having a little party for him at her house. That meant he was coming home. Veronica’s heart clenched at the thought and she had been contemplating going to the party and trying to reason the truth to him. But with this new job prospect, she suddenly realized that leaving and starting anew would be best. She had accepted the offer and was due to leave by Saturday.

‘If Jason’s birthday is Friday.... God, what am I thinking about him for?’ she scolded herself and tried focusing on what her boss was now saying.

“...And as you all know, Ms. Mitchell has been coveted by the world renown fashion studio, Genesis.”
Applause and cheers were heard around the table and Veronica smiled graciously to everyone.
“We will be throwing her a farewell and good luck party tomorrow at 8 o’clock. Everyone received an email with the details earlier this week so please make an attempt to be there.”

Veronica frowned slightly. She had forgotten all about this party. She might as well go. It would keep her mind off of Jason. Little did she know, the man in question was thinking the same thing about her as he stepped off of his plane.

‘Hopefully, I won’t run into her and this party will keep me occupied.’ Jason thought seeing his mother waving frantically for him. He smiled and strolled over to her, his blue and white uniform giving him an air of importance. The sea of people parted for him when they saw him approach and he easily made his was through the crowd. She beamed at him as he came near her and he grasped her in a hug when he was finally close enough.

“I’m so happy to see you, baby!” she laughed with glee. “I missed you so much!”
“I missed you too!” he exclaimed, letting go of her and stepping back a little to take her in. “Wow, mom. You look great! You lost weight! No, you did something to your hair! Is that a new outfit?”

Mrs. Hampton merely laughed at her son’s flattery and attempted compliments.
“Well, nothings changed about you.” she commented light-heartedly. “All these years in the military and you’re still a kid.” Jason smiled, knowing that his mother was right in some ways.

He would be 23 in less than 10 hours but was just a big kid. Still, he had been through more and accomplished more than most guys his age. Same thing with Veronica. Most 22 year old women hadn’t been through or achieved half of what she had. His eyes softened a bit, thinking about the girl he still loved. He shook his head, focusing on the present and his mother’s worried eyes.

“You were thinking about her, weren’t you?” his mother asked, already knowing the answer. He sighed and gently took hold of her elbow, guilding her toward the baggage claim. He didn’t answer her question because he knew his mother was no fool. He also knew that she would try to give him the same story Veronica had, about not having an abortion.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Well, if she didn’t get an abortion, what happened.?” he remembered asking her.
“She fell down the stairs in that apartment of yours.” his mother replied. “That’s how she lost the baby.”
“But how did she fall?”
“Maybe she slipped on her way out, I don’t know. All I know is that I was there when the doctors gave us the news.”

“Who was there?” Jason inquired.
“Me, her mom, and Alex.”
“Why was Alex there?”
“He was at the apartment when and called 911 when she fell.”

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jason found that bit of information odd, but tried not to think too much of it. For all his mother knew, Veronica could have had the abortion and then fell on her way up the stairs when she returned. ‘Why am I putting so much energy into this?’ he asked himself after getting into his mother’s car. For some reason the thought of her falling down the stairs made his heart ache. And if she had miscarried that way, the thought of her going through it without his support made him shudder. The thought was almost too much to bear.

“Are you cold honey?” his mother asked, seeing his tremble.
“No, no. I’m fine.” he replied, making up his mind that the explanation he had gotten from his brother was the best one right now. He hadn’t even known his Veronica was pregnant until Alex called. That had to stand for something, right?

They made it back to his mother’s house in a relatively short amount of time and he headed up to his old room to get ready. He had talked to his friend Marcus and even though Jason’s mom was throwing a party that he was definitely going to, he wanted to take Jason somewhere “special”. ‘Probably a strip club’ Jason thought. Marcus always reasoned that the answer to everything was girls. Celebration? Get a girl. Death in the family? Get a girl. Girl trouble? Get a different girl. Jason shook his head at his friend’s simplicity and began taking things out of his bag.

Everything that he pulled out just didn’t seem like something he wanted to wear tonight. He decided to go through some of his old clothes and see what he could find, even though he knew they might be kind of a small fit now, that he was more muscular than he had been in high school. He began pulling out clothes he forgot he had, and when one of his shirts fell next to his dresser he spotted the boxes with his name on them. He knew exactly what they were before he even looked in them. He kneeled next to one and opened it.

Inside he found clothes, things he had purchased for Veronica, pictures, and things she had bought for him. Memories came flooding back to him, full force, when he found that one, damned picture. The one that used to sit on his desk. The one they had taken right before. The time when they looked happiest. ‘Guess she couldn’t take the memory either’ the thought ran across his mind. He began to reminisce about their high school days and felt the memories overtake him. He quickly close the box, shutting away the torment in his heart, and decided to settle for something out of his suitcase.