Dinner and a meeting

By: Jamie Sommers

Rating: P/G 13

Synopsis: Jamie’s pregnant and wants to find her bone marrow donor before she gives birth.

Dinner And A Meeting

Jamie Carter stared at reflection in the bathroom mirror. Looking at her profile, she trailed her fingers over her protruding navel and then up between cleavage. She faced the mirror head on and noticed her breasts immediately. Her nipples had darkened quite a bit, and her breasts had grown two cup sizes. She lifted the generous mounds, feeling the weight in the palms of her hands then gently laid them back down against her skin. Her eyes moved slowly down her stomach noticing the dark line that was going from her pubic hair to her navel. As she watched she noticed something move within her and she smiled. “Hi honey.” She rubbed her stomach and continued to talk to the baby. “How’re you today?” Turning away from the mirror she headed for the shower and set the water to a comfortable setting. “I’m doing fine,” she answered the baby as though it had asked about her health as well. “I guess I’m a little worried about tonight, but other than that… I think it’s all going to go very well.”

Landon stood outside the bathroom and held back a laugh as he listened to Jamie’s conversation with the baby.

“I wonder what I should wear. Maybe that cute outfit that daddy picked out for me last week at the mall? But I don’t have shoes to go with that. Oh well. I’ll just wear my black ones.”

He smiled when she began to laugh.

“You know a year ago the thought of not wearing something because I didn’t have shoes to go with it would’ve never entered my mind. Your father is such a bad influence on me.”

Landon’s grin broke into a full smile.

“Of course that’s one of the things that drew me to him. Did I ever tell you how your daddy and I fell in love?”

Landon crossed his arms and leaned up against the bathroom door listening to her tale.

“He and I grew up together you know? Funny thing is we were never really friends, more like acquaintances. He and I didn’t really talk but we knew who the other was. Anyway, one day when we were in high school your daddy and I volunteered to tutor kids less fortunate then us, on the weekends and I sat by him on the bus. Next thing you know…we’re talking.”

Landon thought back to that day and remembered it in a slightly different light. He didn’t volunteer for anything. He was told he was going to tutor and he definitely didn’t talk to her on that bus ride home. It was more like he was talking at her.

“We didn’t have much in common back then other than both of us being in the school play, but that was enough. He had the lead in it and asked me to help him run lines. The next thing I knew I was in love.”

Landon decided that this would be a good place to join her shower. “I on the other hand was clueless and didn’t realize that I had been bitten by the love bug until opening night of the play.”

Jamie’s smile lit up her face as Landon opened the shower’s door to join her. “Oh Landon,” she sighed.

He reached for the shampoo that she used, getting a strong whiff of coconut as he poured it into the palm of his hand. “Turn around.”

She faced the falling water and let her head drop back enabling Landon to reach her entire scalp.

Landon rubbed the creamy shampoo into her hair and built it up into a rich lather. “Now where were we?” He asked her about their story. “Oh yeah… Daddy was a dolt.”

Jamie laughed and said, “No you weren’t. You were just…not very…observant.”

“Now wait a minute... wasn’t I the one that said I love you first?”

“Yes.”

“Turn around,” he ordered her gently. “Rinse.”

“But just because you said it first doesn’t mean you realized it first.” She ducked her head under the spray of the shower and reveled in the relaxing feel of the water.

“Well honey,” Landon said to the baby. “I may not have realized it first, but I did say it first and that’s gotta count for something.”

Jamie chuckled and ran her hands over her face to get the water out of her eyes. “My turn.”

They switched places as Jamie performed the same task on Landon. Washing his hair, then his body. She picked up the bar of soap and opted to use her hands in lieu of the washcloth. She ran her hands up and down his chest, his arms, and then his back. She ran her hands over his buttocks then pushed his shoulder gently encouraging him to turn and face her. She rubbed her soapy palms over his sleek chest and stepped closer to him. “Landon,” she whispered. Her hands slid downwards until they reached the object of her desires. “I love you.”

His arms wrapped around her body, pulling her as close as her stomach would allow her to go. “I love you too.” He knew what she wanted but he also knew that in her current condition she wouldn’t be able to do much in the shower so he suggested, “Why don’t we finish up in here and then I can take you to bed.” His lips brushed against hers.

“We just woke up,” she teased his rapidly growing erection with the tips of her soapy fingers.

“I won’t tell if you don’t.”

They embraced one another completely. Landon having to lean over her so as not to crush the baby. Their lips meshed together, slipping and sliding under the spray of the mist. It was Jamie that pulled back. “Landon, lets hurry up. I can’t stand up much longer.”

~***~

They sat in the restaurant, waiting patiently. Jamie’s eyes never leaving the hostess. Silently praying that the next guest she brought into the dining room would be the one they had been waiting for.

Landon could sense her impatience and tried to take her mind off of it. He told her before leaving the house that this would probably be a waste of time, but he didn’t have the heart to tell her the truth. He knew deep inside that the donor wouldn’t show up. He had had a nagging feeling about this whole situation since Jamie had brought it up and he couldn’t put his finger on it, but something just wasn’t right.

“Landon?” Jamie turned with a somber expression on her face. “Do you think God will ever answer my prayer?”

“Oh baby,” Landon placed his hand over Jamie’s and lifted it to his lips. “Maybe God is answering your prayer. It’s just not the answer you want to hear.”

“I don’t believe that for one minute Landon. I don’t believe that God would do that to me.”

“Jamie,” Landon could feel his frustration building within. “He gave you cancer, so why wouldn’t he do this?” He regretted saying it before the last word even left his mouth.

Jamie pulled her limp fingers from Landon’s hand and turned away from him. She swallowed, in an attempt to regain her composure, and then spoke in a hushed tone. “He also gave me the cure Landon. He gave us the cure.”

“I know Jamie. I know. And I’m sorry I said that it’s just…”

“Just what? I believe in Him Landon. And I believe that He will not let us down.”

“Who says He’s letting us down by not revealing who donated the bone marrow to you?” Landon didn’t want to start an argument, but he couldn’t explain his frustration with this entire situation. “Maybe…” he could hear his voice growing louder and cleared his throat before continuing in a softer tone. “Maybe God is answering your prayer Jamie, and the answer is no.”

“I told you, I don’t believe that.” Jamie didn’t want to argue and she certainly didn’t think that the middle of the restaurant was the place to start a fight either, but she felt strongly about this topic. She had her beliefs and she wasn’t going to let anyone, not even her own husband, try to get her to believe anything else. “Why are you so adamant about me not meeting this person?”

“I’m not adamant.”

“Well you could’ve fooled me Landon.” Her voice was starting to rise.

“If I didn’t want you to meet this person then I would’ve told you when you first came up with this crazy idea that I didn’t want you to do it.”

“Landon, you did say that.”

“No I didn’t.”

“Yes you did.”

“And tell me… what, exactly, did I say?” Landon’s voice was thick with frustration.

Jamie stared at him with a befuddled look on her face, “I don’t want to do this.” She placed her napkin on the table and motioned for the waiter. “I’m not going to sit here and argue with you.”

“Yes ma’am,” the waiter asked when he reached the table’s edge. “Are you ready to order?” The word ‘finally’ was implied, but not said.

“No. We’re leaving. Can we get the check please?” Jamie asked in a timid tone.

The waiter nodded and turned to leave just as a familiar voice sounded. “Jamie? Landon?”

They both turned to see Tracey and Dean standing behind them.

“Hi.”

“Hey,” the both said in unison.

“What are you doing here?” Landon stood up and grasped Dean’s hand in a firm handshake, patting him on the back with the other.

Jamie stood up and said an awkward hello to Tracey; they really hadn’t kept in touch with one another. They had spoken a few times after Landon’s old group of friend’s found out about her leukemia, but when she got really sick, Tracey and Dean just stopped coming around. Jamie was certain that Tracey never really liked her, merely tolerated her, but now that they were out of high school there was no real reason to continue the facade.

“How are you Jamie?” Tracey asked with a blank expression on her face.

“I’m fine thanks.” She answered. “You?”

“Good.”

Landon could feel the uneasy tension between them and thought he’d try to break it. “Listen, our dinner guest is a no show; you guys want to join us?”

“Yeah,” Dean answered for himself and Tracey. “That’d be cool.”

They all sat down while Landon continued making conversation. “So what brings you two out here?”

“Well, it’s a funny thing you asked. See Tracey …” Dean began.

“I wanted to go somewhere nice for a change,” Tracey interrupted. “A girl gets tired of going to the same places all the time.” She turned and glared at Dean as though saying, we don’t need to tell everyone everything about our lives.

The two men talked back and forth with one another quite easily, but Jamie and Tracey just couldn’t seem to find a happy medium. Jamie started to talk about programs at church that she was currently working on and Tracey talked about the party her and Dean went to the night before. Jamie spoke of the baby’s growth and the excitement of becoming a mother. Tracey said she wasn’t going to be tied down to kids for a long time. By the end of the evening the two women ceased conversing directly with one another.

Dean had tried to bring Jamie and Tracey into his and Landon’s conversation just as often as Landon had tried, but to no avail.

Jamie was disappointed about her bone marrow donor not showing up and she couldn’t hide that disappointment. “Excuse me.” She stood up and walked to the restroom.

“Hey dude,” Dean asked Landon. “What’s up with the missus? She seems really down.”

Landon’s head dropped. “Long story man. Long story.”

Dean sensed Landon’s apprehension and quickly changed the topic. “So…where the hell have you been man??”

“Whatta ya mean?”

“I mean it’s like you two fell off the face of the earth.”

“US?” Landon asked with a chuckle. “Don’t you mean you two fell off the face of the earth?”

Dean’s grin told Landon that he was slightly embarrassed about neglecting their friendship. “I guess we’ve both been slacking in the friendship department.”

Jamie returned to the table and glanced at Tracey, making one last attempt at a conversation. “Tracey, what have you been doing with yourself lately? Are you working?”

“If you can call it that,” Tracey said with a sarcastic tone in her voice.

Dean noticed Tracey’s cool tone and interrupted. “Hey. Listen. Tracey and I have been meaning to call you two and tell you, but you know how it is…”

“What’s up buddy?” Landon asked.

“We’re getting married.”

“Oh that’s great Dean. Tracey,” Jamie said. “I’m sure you two will be very happy.”

“Yeah,” Tracey glared at Dean once again then said, “I’m tired. Let’s go.” She stood up and walked towards the door without waiting for Dean to follow.

Dean’s head hung briefly, and then lifted. “I’m sorry guys. She’s been a bit upset lately. She applied for this job she really wanted and didn’t get it so…”

Jamie immediately felt guilty for bringing up the topic and asked Dean to apologize to Tracey for her.

The night ended with an uneasy feeling left between the two couples.

On the drive home Landon wasn’t sure how to broach the subject of their fight in the restaurant so he mentioned how nice it was to spend time with their old high school friends. “They look good don’t they?”

“Yeah. I guess.” Jamie replied nonchalantly.

“I think it was great being able to have a night out like that. We should do it more often. Once the baby comes…” his sentence was left unspoken.

“Sure.” Jamie looked out the window at the passing trees and turned to Landon. She had been debating back and forth whether or not she should bring up the whole disagreement they had earlier and finally thought she should say something. It’s never good to leave things like this unsaid, she reasoned with herself. “I’m sorry we argued earlier.”

“Me too baby.” Landon’s smile of relief lit up his face. “I hate it when we fight.”

“Well it wasn’t exactly a fight, more like a disagreement.” Jamie reached out and grabbed Landon’s hand. “And I don’t like it either.”

“You know… I think this whole becoming a parent thing is getting to us.”

“Maybe you’re right, but I don’t think that’s it.” Jamie said. “I think you’re just having a problem with reliving my cancer.”

Landon gulped when he heard the nasty “C” word. “Maybe.” It was hard for him and he knew it, but was he really that scared? Did he really fear the cancer that much?

“It’s not going to come back you know. It won’t ever hurt us again. I know it won’t.” Jamie consoled.

“But how?” Landon pulled the car up to the curb in front of their house. “How do you know?”

“Because I do.” Jamie reassured him. “I just do.” She smiled and rested her head against the headrest of the car’s seat. She rubbed her hand over her stomach and looked at Landon’s profile. “There’s simply too much to live for.”

~***~

“I cannot believe you!” Tracey admonished Dean the minute they got into their car.

“ME??” He yelled. “I can’t believe YOU.”

“What the hell did I do?”

“Well you were pretty fucking rude to Jamie.” Dean screamed at her, “You know she was just trying to be polite and you get up and leave??”

“Polite,” Tracey blew out a frustrated breath. “Riiiiiiight. Mrs. Jamie Carter. Mrs. Polite. Mrs. Sweet-as-fucking-pie.”

“Knock it off Tracey.” Dean said with a low growl in his voice. “She’s a nice person and you don’t have to act like that towards her.”

“Why not?”

“Why do you hate her so much?” He asked.

“I don’t hate her. I just… can’t stand her.” She turned her face and scowled out the window.

“Well you sure do act like you hate her.”

“I don’t give one shit about Jamie Carter. Never have. Never will.”

Dean sighed and shook his head. “Well, you better get over it because I want Landon to be my best man.”

“What?” She turned quickly towards him. “You two haven’t talked in almost a year and suddenly he’s your best man??”

“It’s not MY fault we haven’t talked.” He pulled the car to a screeching halt in the middle of the road. “Let’s get this straight right now.” His face got closer to hers as he attempted to hold his temper in check. “I am not the one that blew off our friends.”

“They’re not our friends! She was never my friend!”

“Then why the fuck did you donate your bone marrow to her???”

~***~