04-19-2009, 04:02 AM
IMPATIENS
The Maryland sun shone down upon the small houses and apartments that lined a narrow road. Summer had yet to begin, but it seemed that spring was unusually warm and ready to give way to vacations and pools, air conditioning and ice cream trucks. The heat was intense enough to drive Finna Burke out of her home with a cold glass of freshly brewed iced tea and a cherry flavored Popsicle. Her boyfriend followed her slowly, careful not to slam the door. He sat across the porch, beer in hand, and wiped the sweat from his forehead.
“Those freaking repairmen were supposed to be here soon, right, Fin?” he asked as he scratched his chin. Sipping his beer, he did not even glance over at the woman to whom he spoke, as though he had been asking the brick house.
Finna rolled her eyes and ran a fingertip through the condensation dripping from her glass idly. “Sometime soon. I hope they get here quick. I can’t stand to be awake when the house is as hot as it is out here. I’d rather sleep all day.”
Her boyfriend shrugged his broad shoulders and drank his beer again. “Freaking repairmen better get here soon.”
Sighing, Finna plopped back in the cushioned chair and finished the last bit of her Popsicle. She hadn’t really been expecting to be where she found herself at the age of twenty-two. Had she ever expected to be waiting for her air conditioning to be fixed on an early June morning, seated across from her loving boyfriend instead of next to him (for she couldn’t stand the smell of alcohol on his breath or from the beer can) and only a few blocks from her mother’s house. She had expected to be farther from home. She had wanted to travel far from where she grew up, where a drive to Harper’s Ferry was more of a hassle than an easy Sunday morning drive after church. And yet, she loved every moment of the time she had in her little house with her beloved Gregory, their small porch and the intricate detail in every room, a combination of Gregory’s strength and trade skills, and her creativity and sharp sense of style. Each room had a taste of their love and a unique look that awed visitors. It was something Fin found herself very proud of – something she could call her own.
Fin looked past Gregory at the hanging baskets of flowers. They continued to grow despite the fact that she was often too forgeful to water them. “Honey, when do you get home from work tonight?” she asked. The ice rattled in her drink as she set it down.
“Not sure. I told the guys I’d have a beer or two with them after we finish today’s work.” He noticed the concern on her face and quickly added, “We’ve got a designated driver, baby. We’ll be fine.”
“It’s not that, exactly,” Fin admitted, feeling just a bit ashamed, twirling her finger on the glass once more. “I was just hoping that we could do something tonight. That’s all.”
Gregory moved towards Fin and kissed her. She recognized the taste of beer on his lips and forced a smile at him. “I’ll tell you what – we’ll go out to dinner tomorrow night. For tonight, maybe you could go shopping with all your little girlfriends. I know how much you love to shop with your friends.” He kissed her forehead and returned to his seat.
“All right, I’ll find someone to shop with.” She smiled a half smile. It wasn’t as bad as she made it out to be, after all. There had been a time or two when she had to cancel plans with him as well. And it wasn’t as though she had asked him ahead of time. She placed a few of her fingers to her collarbone, where she realized there was something amiss. Her necklace – where did she put her necklace?
“Something wrong, baby?” Gregory asked, only half interested in Fin’s sudden shock. “You look like you saw a ghost or something.”
Fin shook her head. “The clasp on my necklace broke yesterday when I was at work. I took it off and I think I left it in my apron pocket.” She put a hand to her forehead as she stood up. “I’d better go back and get it. Will you be all right waiting for the repairman yourself?”
Gregory shrugged. “I guess so. He’d better get here soon. I’m gonna get sick of waiting for him. Are you taking the car?”
Fin reached into the doorway and picked up her light gray courier bag, heaving it onto her shoulder. “No, I’ll walk. I need the exercise anyway. And you need the car to get to work after the repairman leaves.” She kissed Gregory goodbye and descended the small stairs onto the sidewalk, waving goodbye to him as she went on her way.
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