THREE

Jason eyed uneasily at Mike lying down on the back of the car. The smell of beer that was emanating from Mike spread in the car. He looked over at Kate from the corner of his eye, and then looked out the window. He saw the familiar road, leading back to her old street. He saw the old playground they used to play in and the old apple tree they used to rest under on the hot days.

“Are we going to your old house?” Jason asked.

“Yeah. They repainted it. But it still looks kinda the same.” Kate replied.

“Old Jasper’s still here.” He said pointing to the apple tree.

“Yeah. They were planning to cut him down, but they weren’t able to continue.”

“That’s good. He doesn’t look as grand as he used to be. But there’s still somethin’. Maybe it’s just because he looked bigger then.”

They passed the tree, and the quiet atmosphere returned. Mike was making low moans at the back; it looked like he was dreaming. They parked at the front and Kate sighed. They bath went out of the car. Jason looked uneasily at the cream-colored front door.

“Maybe I should stay in the car.” He said.

‘Don’t be ridiculous.” She said pulling him to the front door. “You’ll meet them eventually. And besides, we’ll need some help in lifting Mike.”

Jason sighed, defeated. “Right. But you’ll knock.”

She rolled her eyes. “You’re overreacting. It’s not like we’re entering a haunted house.”

They got to the front step. Kate rang the doorbell.

“Shaun! Get the door!” A woman inside shouted.

“I can’t, Mary! I’m watching the game!”

Jason sighed.

“Shaun!” The woman shouted again.

“Alright! Alright!”

They heard some shuffling inside and the click of the door. The door made a slight creak as it opened. An old man’s face appeared.

“Oh, my… Mary!” the man called to the kitchen. “Mary! Look at who’s at the door!”

They heard a chair dragging on the floor and the light footsteps approaching.

A woman appeared, and when she saw Jason, her eyes widened. “Good golly!”

                                      . . .

 

Kate rolled her eyes. “Why is everybody exaggerating everything?”

“Jason!” the woman said, rushing over to him and pinching his cheeks. “Is that you? God, look at how you’ve grown!”

“Hey, Mrs. James.” He said uncomfortably.

“Come in! Come in!” she said, ushering them all inside. “Sit! Sit!” she ordered them.

They sat down on the sofa.

“I’ll fix you some coffee.”

They heard some clanking in the kitchen.

“So.” Kate’s father said. “Where’ve you been?” he asked Jason.

“I live in a condominium in New York.” He replied.

“Still have that camera with you?” he chuckled.

“I still do actually. Even though it’s broken, I still have it. I don’t plan on throwing it away. I have a new one.”

“Is that the one I saw you wearing at the airport?” Kate asked.

Jason smiled. “Yeah.”

“Coffee!” Kate’s mother sang as she entered the living room. She put the mugs on the coffee table.

“Mary,” her father said. “Jason’s a photographer.”

“Oh.” She smiled. “I remember when you and Kate would go out on all those dates and you’d return home with pictures.”

“Ma!” Kate shouted. “How many times do we have to keep telling you, those weren’t dates!”

“Riiight.” Her father said.

She looked over to her father. “Dad!”

“Sure, kid.” He chuckled. “Of course they weren’t.”

“Argh.” She said, rolling her eyes.

Jason sat quietly.

“I wonder where Mike went.” Mr. James murmured to himself, looking down at his wristwatch.

Kate and Jason simultaneously looked at each other, their eyes wide.

“Mike!” they both cried out at the same time.

 

“I can’t believe we forgot about Mike.” Jason laughed.

“I know.” Kate chuckled.

They had already brought Mike in. They all stared at him as he lay on the sofa, making soft snores.

“We should get going.” Kate said.

“Okay.” Mrs. James said. “Come by soon, okay?”

“Sure, Mrs. J.” Jason said.

They all went to the door and Kate and Jason stepped out. They both got into the car, and were waved off by her parents as they drove away. There was a short silence as Kate drove Jason to the motel. It was already late, and the streets were already empty.

“Let’s stop here first.” Kate said, parking in front of the playground.

They both went out of the car and Kate briskly walked to the apple tree.

“Ol’ Jasper still seems to be in good shape.” Jason said, patting the trunk.

Kate had her back towards him. He sat down at the base of the tree.

“Jack and I used to come here too.” She whispered, turning around. “I think you two would’ve been best friends if you had gotten to know him. I told him everything about you.”

Kate started to blink the tears away. But Jason already knew she was crying.

“It’s still there.” Kate said kneeling beside him. She took out her phone and used the light to illuminate the carving at the base of the tree.

K.J. & J.C.

Jason saw it. It was already weathered through time, but it was still there. Jason ran his hand on the rough surface. Jason remembered that day.

 

It was mid-August, Jason was ten and Kate was eight. They were lying under the tree, shaded. They had spent the day playing tag with all the other neighborhood kids, and they both decided to lie under the tree. They started talking, and got to the subject that if they ever separated.

“What do you think will happen?” Kate asked, staring at the leaves above.

Jason shifted his head to look at her. “I don’t know.”

“Who do you think will be the first to leave?”

“I don’t know…”

Kate sighed. “I hope that doesn’t happen.”

“Tell you what.” Jason said, standing up and kneeling beside the tree. Kate went over to him and saw that he took out his small Swiss knife. “If we ever do separate, the one who’ll be left here, whether if it’s you or me, will always remember each other, when we look at this.”

He started to carve their initials. Kate watched him in amazement.

“Let’s just hope that Ol’ Jasper will still be standing.” He murmured.

 

                                      . . .

 

Kate’s voice brought him back to reality.

“When you left,” she whispered, stroking their initials. “I didn’t go out of the house for a long time. Then, a few weeks later, I remembered our promise and came here. And it worked. Even if you weren’t here, I felt better when I was lying under the tree.”

She paused; he gave her time.

“And while you were halfway across the country, I was here, wondering if you were thinking of me.” She sighed. “I didn’t leave because I was waiting for you to come back. Like I was pretending you had just went on a long trip, and you’d come back and tell me all your stories of adventure.”

They had gone quiet, and it was getting cold. Kate stood up and turned her back to Jason again. Should I tell her? Jason asked himself. Should I tell her everything? The way I still feel for her? What had happened before I left? He shook his head. Her husband had just died, Jason. He scolded himself. For Christ’s sake, you came here only to help her. It’s just your first day. It’s still too soon.

“Too soon…” Kate murmured. “He died all too soon.”

Jason stood up and took her hand and pulled her towards the car. “Let’s go home.”

The air was heavy with silence as Kate drove Jason to the motel. She pulled up in front of the entrance and Jason went out.

“Bye, Kate.” He said before closing the door. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

He turned his back to the car and walked towards the entrance. He heard the car drive away as he entered. He slipped the key into the lock.

Too much has happened today. He thought as he opened it. Too soon... Jason, all too soon.

 

Kate parked in front of her house. She entered the empty house.

“Kate?” a voice said.

She turned around, shocked. “Jack?”

He was there, standing by the doorway.

“Jack?” she blinked, and he was gone. That single millisecond had brought her back to reality.

Stop dreaming, Kate. He’s dead.

She ran up the stairs and to the bedroom. She slowly got into the bed, careful not to rumple up the sheets on the right side. Jack, she thought, give me a sign. Am I doing this right?