Dream Of Me

A few hours later, Jayne enters your office to say good night. Without preamble, she simply walks around your desk and leans over to give you a kiss on the lips.

“I’m off, talk to you later Zach,” she smiles as she steps away.

Grinning, you glance at the time and say, “I hope you have a good night, I’m already looking forward to work tomorrow just so I can see you again. Whenever you have time feel free to text me or call.”

“You too,” Jayne smiles as she slowly, reluctantly backs away towards the door, “uhm, when you’re picking out a couch make sure it’s big enough for two people to lay on and watch TV. Or not watch TV, whichever.” With a final wicked grin she’s out the door.

The couch you select is fairly cheap but well sized for your living room. You don’t spend a lot of time at the IKEA but you had looked up your options at work so you had an idea of what would look good - not having much other furniture made that easy at least - and you buy a bookshelf and small coffee table as well. Arranging for delivery on Friday you’re out of the huge, confusing store in plenty of time for your next appointment.

You’re in the waiting room at the clinic for only a few minutes before the clerk brings you into a small appointment room to wait for the doctor. You have a few minutes to consider that you could have actually gone to the walk in clinic at Bathurst, but this clinic is only a short distance from work and since they are a Sexual Health Clinic it seems easier.

Also, whatever, you’d be embarrassed to ask Dr. Goodall or one of the other doctors you know for a HIV test, even though you are sure they’d be totally professional about it.

The actual appointment with the doctor is quite brisk and surprisingly easy. She asks you some basic questions, you tell her you are in a new relationship and just wanted to be tested for STIs and she takes a cheek swab and some blood. You will have to wait a week for some of the results but the clinic does rapid HIV testing so you get your expected negative result (even though you had no reason to think otherwise... you still got a tiny bit nervous waiting!) in 15 minutes and shortly after that you are done that chore too.

One last stop at a grocery store and pharmacy and you’re done, so just after 7 PM you’re back at your apartment with some food, a couple of boxes of condoms you actually chose, and a few things for the bathroom that a woman might appreciate having on hand.

An hour later and your phone beeps. Like a true dork, you had already set a unique ring tone for Jayne so you’re already excited when you open it up.

Hallsy: Hey Zach :)

You: Hey back. How was your night? I missed you and I’m way too smitten to try to be cool about it and pretend otherwise lol

Hallsy: Awwwww! <3 <3 I miss you too! So much it’s crazy. I’m glad we didn’t hang out tonight because I was trapped here at my Mom’s place way too long but I’m very hopeful you’re free tomorrow ;)

You: Very very free. I bought a couch and did some errands but the furniture won’t be here until Friday

Hallsy: Awesome, if you want i can

...

Thirty seconds later you are still waiting for Jayne to finish that thought. You see the three dots appear for a moment as she starts a message, then it disappears. Another minute passes before your phone rings instead of beeps.

“Hello?” You say, making it into a question even though you can tell it’s her calling you of course. The first thing you hear makes you wonder if it is in fact a wrong number somehow, because you hear loud voices and laughter, then quickly the sound of someone holding their hand over the microphone.

“Uh, Jayne?”

A final muffled peal of laughter and then you hear your girlfriend saying “Zach? Shit, sorry! Hang on!” A slight banging sound is next, and after a moment your brain recognizes it as the sound of a door closing none too gently.

Trying to not laugh, you try again, “Jayne?”

“Arrrghhh! Sorry! My sisters are being impossible! I had to lock myself in my old bedroom like I’m in high school again, for God’s sake.”

“It sounded like you were in a mosh pit or something,” you can’t help it, you have to laugh.

“Heh yeah yeah. I was texting you and my Mom realized I was talking to you because she said I was ‘smiling way too much’ and then my sisters started teasing me. The little witches actually tried to grab my phone away, then Mom started yelling in Portuguese about us fighting and acting like animals even though it was totally them not me, and I had to call you just to hear the voice of one sane person. Uh, how was your night?” she laughs.

“I’m flattered you consider me sane, Hallsy. I went to IKEA and bought a couch and some other furniture, like I said. It’ll be delivered in a few days.”

“Oh that’s great! Not that I’m, you know, demanding you change your living situation or anything. You haven’t even seen my place yet.”

“I hope to soon though, and I’ll judge your couch harshly because I have a brand new couch. It was the third cheapest one they had, but still, brand new!”

With a laugh Jayne says, “Well I hope my place meets your lofty standards. Maybe you can come see it tomorrow?”

“That would be great, Hallsy. Oh, also I went to a clinic and, well, got some tests done. I’ll get some of the results in a few weeks but I did get an HIV test. Negative... as expected, but uh I wanted you to know.”

There’s a short pause and then Jayne says, “Thank you Zach. I know I have some trust issues since, ugh, Eric. But it’s sweet and thoughtful of you to do that.”

Huh. So her ex-fiancé is presumably named Eric. You never liked that name, to be honest, and suddenly like it much less. “I’m actually not the most sexually experienced guy around, I got married shortly after high school and wasn’t exactly super popular with the ladies before that, but for all you know I could have been the biggest slut in London, right?”

With a loud, adorable laugh, Jayne replies, “Oh yes I could tell you were a serious tramp alright. The way you only flirted with me in the most bashful and careful way for months, you must be a total player.”

“Touché. So, instead of laughing at my lack of a love life for quite a while until now, how about you tell me about your family.”

“And ruin my mood? Alright I’m mostly joking. My family drives me nuts but they aren’t quite as bad as I may make them out to be. My Mom got sick of my Dad and his drinking and infidelity a while back and kicked him out. Dad is... well impulse control was never his thing let’s just say.”

“I’m sorry to hear that Jayne. You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want?”

“Nah it’s fine. Dad was just a womanizer and hated working, but he had a lazy charm and so Mom took him back way too many times before she finally said enough is enough. He took off for good when my sisters were in grade school. Mom raised us with the help of Dad’s parents, they are the ones who sold me my house. Speaking of the girls, Morgan is the nail tech, she’s 22. She lives with Mom again because she has terrible taste in men and had to move back home. Brianna is 20 now, she’s in university and doing well. Uh, she’s gay, so just an FYI for when you meet her I guess.”

“I won’t bother asking her out then.”

“Hah, you ass! She’d probably say yes to bug me.”

There’s a short, companionable silence and you can tell Jayne is moving her phone around, maybe getting comfortable. She said she was in her old bedroom, might she be laying down? Damn, now you really wish you were there.

“I really like this Hallsy. Talking to you on the phone like this, it reminds me of junior high. I wasn’t allowed to get a cell phone until I was 16 so when I had a girlfriend I had to talk to her on the landline like kids in the 90’s.”

“Aww. That’s sweet, I like laying here in my old room talking to you too. I wish I was there though.” Jayne sounds a bit wistful, and she lets out an audible sigh.

“I was thinking I really wished I was there. For a lot of reasons, not the least of which is I was wondering if you were laying down.”

A throaty chuckle, and in a lower voice she says, “I am in fact. My old bed is small and squeaky. If I was able to sneak you into my bedroom I’m afraid the noise would have my Mãe banging on the door very quickly. I wouldn’t be able to help myself.”

You feel a stirring as you close your eyes and say, “I would risk it, after last night I’m scared to admit just how much I want to see you again.”

“Me too Zach. I’ve... I’ve fallen for you very fast.”

Almost whispering, you say, “I know. I’ve liked you basically since I met you, more than I wanted to admit, and the last few days have been so wonderful and unusual to me.”

“I know what I feel isn’t that stupid computer Zach, I was really hoping you’d ask me out a month ago if I’m being honest, but I do still wonder-”

There is a brief pause and you can tell Jayne’s voice cut off for a half a second. Then she’s back, “Hang on, I just got an alert... oh it’s Karissa. One sec I’ll try to not hang up on you while I check this.... huh.”

You wait as patiently as you can, but it’s only a few seconds later when you say, “And? What’s she saying?”

“She’s just DMing me, she followed me on Twitter a while again even though she said Twitter was, and I’m quoting, for older people like her Mom. Anyway, she just said ‘Hi!!! (three exclamation marks) this is Karissa, just wanted to let u know i’m still thinking seriously about what we all talked about. i don’t have zach’s contact info, so can you let him know i want to talk to you guys tomorrow. But after work, we can get a drink and discuss. Does that work for you guys? Is zach there? Hope ur having fun!!’”

“Good lord this girl texts like she talks, and she put some peach and eggplant emojis at the end just in case I was unsure what she meant by ‘fun’. As if I wasn’t horny enough already. What do you think?”

You shrug to yourself and say, “Yeah sure, it’s fine with me of course. I’m glad she’s thinking about it but I was hoping she’d just tell us to make her dormant already. I really assumed she would.”

“Yeah, it’s weird but let’s face it, she’s an odd girl. If she’s not interacting with us then TAM probably isn’t doing much to her anyway, right?”

“Probably not, but who knows.”

“Well, if she wants to talk at work that’ll be OK too, but I have meetings all day. But if not we’ll go out for a drink or whatever after work and she can tell us her thoughts. Hang on, I’ll let her know.”

As Jayne types on her phone you wait, then she’s back on. “All done. Listen, my Mom is calling me. I should let you go I guess.”

“Sure thing Jayne. Wish you were here, or I was there.”

“Me too lover. Very very badly. I’ll show you how much tomorrow if you come to my place.”

Groaning, you say, “Oh god you’re killing me here Hallsy.”

“Hah, perfect. See you tomorrow, sleep tight Zach, and dream of me.”

You do, in fact.