Page 85 of A Journey For Jasmine

“Someday,” he said.

“Like little flowers blooming?” his mother asked with a grin.

“Now you’re pushing it.”

“I know my son. I know what he wants or wanted. I know the look in his eye when he has it in his sights again. But I also know he’s treading carefully. The question is why? Because of Noelle or something with Jasmine?”

“Probably a little bit of both.”

“Talk to me.”

“I thought I was,” he said.

“Do it more.”

He sighed. It probably wouldn’t hurt. “I don’t know if I’m moving too fast for her or me. Jasmine is the first person since Noelle. She’s very independent on top of it. Completely different than Noelle too. I know she had to come to conclusions or decisions on her own.”

“And it’s been over two years since Noelle. No one is going to think you are moving fast if that is what you’re worried about.”

“I’m not.” That never really occurred to him.

“Then you thinkJasmineworries you are moving too fast?”

“I think she might not be sure since she is the first. We haven’t talked about it.”

“Maybe you should.”

“And we will at some point. It’s just finding that right time. It’s not now after dear old Dad paid his visit. Her parents next weekend along with her siblings.”

“You’ll get through that fine. Then you can slide by some with the slow season here and see where life takes you.”

“It’s been one hell of a journey so far,” he said. “Surprisingly, I’m looking forward to more of it.”

28

Different Ways

“I’m so excited to see Dahlia,” Ivy said to her a week later. “I haven’t seen her since before she came to America. Not in person. Video calls don’t count.”

Jasmine looked at her younger sister bopping around the airport while they were waiting for Dahlia’s plane to land. Ivy was supposed to arrive herself this weekend but ended up finishing her job earlier than planned, packed up and hit the road.

She’d said she wanted to get all settled in the apartment she’d be sharing with Jasmine and wanted to spend as much time as she could with her family.

It seemed to Jasmine that she traveled the most in the family to see people. Dahlia hating planes, and car rides from Chicago were oftentimes too long. Ivy not having the money or caring for flying all that much either.

“No,” she said. “They don’t. Her plane looks like it’s coming in right now.”

“Doesn’t it remind you of being in the small airstrips as a kid when the tiny puddle hoppers came in sideways on dirt strips?” Ivy asked.

“I don’t think so,” she said. “First off, there is no dirt around. Second of all, you were too busy with your hands over your eyes or your head between your knees to watch anything when we were in a plane. I’m not sure how you flew to see me a few weeks ago.”

“I’m better now,” Ivy said. “I normally have a drink or two before I get on the plane. That helps to relax me, but it’s not the same as it was then. I was truly scared of those planes. You’ve never seemed scared of anything in life.”

She snorted. “I’ve been scared of plenty and you know it. We just express it in different ways. If anyone didn’t show how they were feeling most times it was Dahlia.”

“I bet she comes off looking green. That will show us how she is feeling,” Ivy said, giggling.

“You’re right. I’m glad she could swing this and come for the weekend. It’s going to be great to have us all together. Wish Mark could have come, but we know that was way too short of notice for him to come from Japan. Mom and Dad knew they’d be in between assignments this summer so it’s easier for them to leave.”

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