Let's try this again

"Jasper, turn the camera off and get ready, grandma will be here soon" his mother; leaning into the hallway from the kitchen said to him from the kitchen. "Yes, mother" he said, while Walking to the kitchen. His hands extended and his fingers sliding along the walls. "Do I have to go?" He asked. "Yes you-" stopping to carefully apply the eyeliner on her eye. "Jasper… dear the last time I stepped out you almost burned the house down doing videos on that camera, besides, in three months when you turn ten; i'll give you another chance to prove yourself."

"Grandma's here, Jasper. I'll see you tonight," as she kisses him and opens the door. "You can trust me this time, and last time when I was there, her house smelled of moth ba-" the door closed on him.

Her phone rang, it was Clay as he pulled into the driveway. "I'm here are you ready?'' Yes she replied walking to the car; as she got in he couldn't help but compliment her on how beautiful she was. He was nervous. He was late because he was in the mirror trying to build the confidence to walk out the door. To Clay she was the most beautiful woman he had ever met and couldn't imagine ruining this date, or if he was even good enough.

At the restaurant he pulled her chair out nervously, not sure if this was the right thing to do. The chair screeched, it was his first time pulling a chair out for a lady. They sat and ordered their meals. "Lobster for me" she said and "crab legs for me'' he said. Her phone rang, "Excuse me as I go to the ladies room," saying as she stood up. Clay sat thinking he should have helped her out of her seat, and how he has started this date off pretty badly already. She came back and told him she had to leave. There has been an accident with Jasper and need to leave in a hurry. "I can take you," he said. Jasper signaled for the waiter to cancel their dinner. As they arrived at her parents house she apologized for cutting the date short and promised to make it up, because he was such a great gentleman the whole night.

As he arrived home, he stood in the mirror with defeat in his posture. "Was it my tie, i'm sure It was this belt, and I should not have worn these shoes." Kicking his shoes off and walking into the kitchen. He picks the roses from the bouquet on the kitchen counter that was meant for Monica. He wanted to gift them to her but didn't want to be to extra, for their first date. Leaning against the counter twirling a rose against his nose, he smiled thinking how beautiful she was, how he admired the red dress she had on, and the lipstick that was a pinkish-red. I'm going to marry that woman he thought.

"Jasper are you okay?" She cried. "I'm fine it's not a big deal," folding his arms. She began to apply ointment on his fingers. "It's not a big deal I said." "Well you have to be careful those videos are dangerous." Taking in a deep breath he said "I put the candle out pinching the flame and grandma startled me, I burnt myself and knocked the candle over. I would have been okay if she just had minded her business. If dad was here I would've done just fine." His father passed away a year ago and everytime he brings her up his mother gets sad. She too believes this to be true. So much had changed for them since his death. 

The next week, Monica calls Clay and asks if she could fix him dinner at her house. She didn't want to leave Jasper alone and she really wanted to see Clay again. He agreed, he had thought she hadn't returned his call because the night was bad and she just wanted to end the date. Jumping with joy he wrapped the vase with decorative paper he had in his closet, dressed in his second best suit. He walked to the mirror with a preppy-walk and flicked his hair back smiling, and practicing on how he was going to ask her to dance after dinner. "Monica, dance with me," and began twisting around the room spilling water from the vase.

He knocked on the door, and she opened it. "These are for you," he said. She smiled and he watched the corners of her lips move further apart and he smiled also. "Come in," she replied. "Have a seat, dinner is on the stove, and again sorry I had to leave at dinner last week." "No problem it's fine," looking out the corner of his eye as Jasper stood in his doorway looking at him. "It sure does smell good," he said, removing his jacket and placing it on the back of his chair. "I made seafood lobster for me and crab legs for you" she laughed. He smiled back with his eyes fixed on her smile until her smile faded from her lips. She prepared the table.

She lit the two candles that were in the center of the table. "That was one of the nicest restaurants I've ever been to" she said, placing her hand on his. "We can go back anytime you please and however many times you pleased," Placing his hands on top of hers, staring into her eyes as if time had no relativity to how long their night would last. They began to eat and he chokes. She looks at him, with her mouth open and spits the food out; "Soap?" With a confused look, she wipes her mouth and yells, "jasper!" He comes running "yes mother?" He said. "Did you replace the butter with soap?" Twiddling his fingers "no, I mean yes, I mean I was doing a video but I didn't know I put the soap back instead of the butter, I got confused. Clay lets out a big laugh, and he slowly reaches for her hand then gently walks her to the living room and says, "how about a movie date?"