Playtime

“No, don’t!”

Shocked, Jeremy looked at Pricilla.  

He said, “Why?”

He’d just told her he planned to propose marriage to Adele, his girlfriend.

Pricilla hadn’t thought before speaking. Now she didn’t have time to think.

’You’re too young… Her first name would sound funny with your last… I don’t have a present… What about college? She has plans for the summer… She’s already married. Oh… I love you… No…’

There had been joggers on the path. Ducks paddled about the lake. It felt eerily quiet now.

‘Where is everyone when I need them?’

Pricilla tried to look demure. “Don’t… uhm, didn’t you hear she has a crush on Timmy?”

“What? That jerk… I’ll kill him.”

“No, don’t!”

“Why?”

“Well, uhm… killing never solves anything. Don’t want you to go to jail.”

“Alright. I won’t kill him. But he’ll wish he was dead.”

Pricilla said nothing to that. She didn’t like Timmy. But things were getting off track.

He turned away. She took his arm, and he stopped.

‘What does his look mean?’

Though they grew up together, Pricilla realized she’d almost never touched him.

She chirped, “Hi…”

He said, “Hi…”

“Don’t go. We were talking. We never talk anymore.”

“That’s all we do.”

“What would you like to do?”

“Adele’s waiting.” He turned to leave.

Pricilla stepped close and he bumped into her. She said, “Sorry…” She didn’t step away.

Jeremy looked at her but said nothing.

She said, “I’m curious, Jer. What about Adele attracts you? I mean she’s pretty and all… but…”

“But what?”

“Is there a there, there?”

He laughed. “I wouldn’t want to kiss and…”

“No…! Of course…”

‘Think!’

Smiling, she looked up at him. ‘When did he get so tall?’

“I mean, I know you pretty well… Since…”

“Grade school… Second grade. I was a year ahead of you.”

Pricilla laughed. “Yeah… lotsa history…”

Bemused, he looked at her and nodded. “You’re thinking of when your sister did the mock wedding?”

“Yeah… We’ve been married… uhm, eleven years…”

“Right. Except it wasn’t legal.”

“We never got divorced…”

“Because it wasn’t a real wedding... No license.”

“A technicality, Jer…”

“We were playing…”

“You saying you didn’t feel anything?”

Jeremy felt strange having to disavow that incident.

“Pricilla, we were kids. I didn’t know the first thing about how men and women…”

Feigning shock, she put her hand to her mouth. “I’ve only heard about it…”

He laughed. “No, listen… I’ve always liked you. My best friend… But you can’t believe that was a real wedding…”

“My first kiss…”

His shoulders slumped. “Mine too. But…”

“In some cultures, that would be binding…”

His eyes bugged.

She hit his arm. “Hey pal. Relax. I’m playing. You know how I feel about you… We’re buds. Known you my whole life…”

“Yeah… You’re more like a sister to me than anyone.”

Covering her reaction to his statement, she spun into a ballet routine and performed a pirouette. Jeremy watched, admiring her grace.

After a few moments, she stopped, set herself, and with a playful look said, “Ready, or not…”

Adjusting his stance for the challenge, he laughed and braced himself. Pricilla pranced toward him and leaped into his arms. He caught her and spun around.

They both laughed, but Pricilla buried her head in his shoulder.

Jeremy said, “Hey! Haven’t done that in a minute. I did pretty good. Didn’t drop you…”

“Like learning to ride a bike…”

They laughed.

“You could go pro…”

Holding her hand until she gained her footing, Jeremy set her down. She smiled up at him. They’d grown up together, but he stood a full head taller now.

He said, “I have to go.”

“I know. I’ll miss our play times…”

“Don’t worry. We’ll still hang out…”

Her smile felt stiff.

He nodded. “I guess not. I’ll miss them too…”

Jeremy gave her a squeeze and left.

Pricilla distracted herself by picking up litter by the bench. Having nothing to stop them, the tears flowed freely.

Before Jeremy left, she’d felt so full. And now, so empty, she wanted to bury herself in a pile of leaves and disappear forever.

All her life people said Pricilla was cute, but never pretty. Regardless the label, she never liked her looks. She knew what counted was inside.

‘But guys always go for the ‘look.’’

She remembered asking for a pet kitten when she was little. She told her father it was cute. He said, ‘Kittens are cute, but they grow into cats.’

Pricilla was no cat, but after that, never again accepted ‘cute.’

Jeremy met Adele outside the coffee shop at the mall. He saw her from a distance. He’d recognize her anywhere. She always looked great, even weighed down with shopping bags from all the best stores.

She set down her bags and waited for him to kiss her. Which he did. That done, she pointed at his coffee.

“Where’s mine?”

“You don’t drink coffee.”

“Well, duh… but you could have gotten me something. Lugging all this stuff, I get thirsty.”

Jeremy said, “Stay here. I’ll be right back.”

“Not too hot. Lots of cream. Wait… almond milk…”

The line wasn’t too long. Jeremy brought her coffee.

Adele stood. “Can you help me carry these to my car?”

She walked toward the parking structure.

“Don’t forget your drink.”

“I’ll survive. It makes me pee.”

Jeremy gathered her bags and trailed after her.

Finding her car took a while. Adele swore under her breath when clicking her key fob produced no chirp. Jeremy suggested trying another level.

The elevator took forever.

Jeremy said, “We should go dancing some time.”

Adele rolled her eyes. “Clubs are such meat markets. I hate getting hit on by wannabe hipsters and leering letches. You like those places?”

“Never really went. Just a thought.” He held up her shopping bags. “…You know, someplace to wear all your new clothes.”

“You needn’t worry about that, Jer.”

“I’m not worried, either way.”

They had a quiet dinner, and he dropped her to her apartment. He didn’t go in. Something felt off.

Jeremy spent the next day trying to sort out why everything felt so weird between Adele and him.

‘Is it me? Or is this, Adele?’                                   

A few days later, Jeremy looked for Pricilla at the park. He found her watching the ducks paddle around and chase each other through the water.

Seeing Jeremy she brightened and waved.

He came up and sat, smiling but not speaking.

She gave him a look. “So, didja?”

“No…”

“You gonna?”

“…Maybe… someday… Maybe…”

His expression said volumes.

Pricilla leaned in. “So, we still have our playtimes?”

“Of course...”

Pricilla stood and swayed to the minuet she was humming. Jeremy laughed and bowed before taking her hand to dance with her.

They couldn’t stop smiling.