Page 24 of Two Friends in Marriage
I don’t say anything.I think she just needs someone to listen.
She’s talked about her mom with me before, but not a lot.I had the impression of a playful, involved mother, though Jane was quick to point out that her childhood memories may not, exactly, be the truth.I also know that her mom died of cervical cancer.
In the silence, I do some quick math.I know how old Jane was when she lost her mom…
“She was thirty-two,” I say as realization dawns.“Is that why you wanted to wait until you were thirty-three to get engaged?”
She nods.“I knew it was unlikely that I wouldn’t live to see my thirty-third birthday, but some tiny part of me couldn’t quite believe that I’d make it.”
I open my mouth to say I’m sorry, but for some reason, I don’t think she wants to hear it.I keep my hand on hers and squeeze it again.It seems wrong that someone could die of cancer at such a young age, but her mom is hardly the only one.
“I wish I could have met her,” I say simply.
“I wish so, too.”
If only I could take that pain from her face, but I can’t.Her mother died a long time ago, and nothing can bring her back.
“Do you want to do anything for her birthday?”I ask.
Jane is quiet for a moment.“We should have cake.”
“Okay.What did she like—what would you like?”I can’t bake, and I’m not familiar with the bakeries in the area, but I see it as my job, as her husband, to procure something.
“We can just have some of our wedding cake.I mean, we should use it up, right?”
“Yes, but if you want something else—”
“No, the wedding cake is good.Slices of vanilla, not chocolate.My mom always picked vanilla, if given the choice, and I never understood.”
Since I’m determined to do my very best when it comes to this simple task, I google it on my phone.Apparently, it’s best to defrost cake by putting it in the fridge the day before.It’s cut up into slices, however, so I figure twelve hours shouldn’t be a problem.
We sit there, sipping our coffee, for a few more minutes, my hand loosely holding hers.Even in that short period of time, I swear I can feel the outside temperature rising.I’ll be glad to be in my basement office for the workday, but for now, I’m here with Jane.
When she stands up, I feel more disappointed than I should.But a split second later, her quiet laughter fills the air, and it brings me more joy than expected.
I turn around.Jane is looking at Watson, who has yet to remove his cowboy hat.
“Yee-haw,” she says, her tone a little dry.
I can’t contain my grin.
I go for a longer walk than usual at the end of the workday, and I buy a package of candles and some matches.After dinner, I put one slice of defrosted vanilla wedding cake on a plate for Jane, and the other on a plate for me.I slide a candle into her slice.
“Make a wish,” I say after lighting the candle.
Maybe she’ll wish for something impossible; maybe she’ll wish for something small.
I just want her to be able to dream.
Chapter 9
Jane
“How’smarriageandhomeownership?”Claudia asks me the next day on a video call.
I’m sitting on my bed after dinner.Evan is outside, talking to Gordon, and later, we’ll watch an episode of our current K-drama.Evan told me yesterday that he thinks the lead actor is hot, and I felt a strange prickle of jealousy.
“It’s good,” I say.
