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There’s so little to his thinking about his future. It worries me. But for now, I try to think about my own future in order to answer his question. “I love my job, so no changes there. I’d love to get married in the next five years if I can find the right person.” I think FC is that person, but we’re in different states and unless we make an effort to be together, to cross the line from friendship to relationship, then nothing will happen. It took twelve years for us to meet. Should I wait another twelve years to see if things will go further with FC? Even though I’m certain he’s my soulmate? “Do you believe in soulmates?” I blurt out.
FC looks at me, looking a little tense all of a sudden. “Why? Do you?”
“Yeah. It’s my grandpa’s fault. My grandma died when I was a baby, and I grew up with him telling me all about her and how she was his soulmate. He says he doesn’t know if people have more than one soulmate, like if he would find another person to love as much as he loved her, but she’s always been his one and only. He’s certain there’s at least one perfect person out there for everyone. Someone we’re destined to meet and who our souls yearn for.”
“Soulmates sound nice, Idaline.” FC searches my eyes, as if he’s looking for something. There’s a knock on my door just then that startles me. “Are you expecting someone?” he asks.
“No.” I stand and walk to the door with FC following behind me. I peer through the peephole and smile. Without thinking about my neck or FC being here, I open the door wide. “Grandpa!” I throw my arms around the old man’s shoulders. He hugs me back. “I was just talking about you. What are you doing here?” I ask as we release one another.
“What happened to you, Idaline?” He gingerly touches my neck with warm, callused fingers. Then, he notices FC. “Did he do this to you?”
“No!” I exclaim. “It’s nothing, Grandpa. Come in. This is FC.” They shake hands as I close the door behind him. We walk over to the couch and all of us sit, with me in the middle. “What are you doing here?” I ask again.
“I was in the neighborhood and thought I’d stop by to see my favorite granddaughter.” Grandpa rests his hand on my knee. “Now, what happened to your neck? That’s not nothing.”
My grandpa is the most stubborn man I know. He won’t let this go. With a sigh, I avert my eyes and quietly say, “I was breaking up with someone and he got upset.”
Grandpa wraps his arms around me. “Oh, girlie. How many times do I have to tell you that men aren’t any good?”
I laugh. “You said we all have soulmates; how are all men bad if one of them is my soulmate?”
“Just listen to the men are bad part for now and go with it,” he says, rubbing my back. “When you feel better you can think about soulmates again.” I enjoy how my grandpa smells, like aftershave, and how my arms fit around him perfectly and how much comfort he gives me with his hugs. “You’re the infamous FC, huh?” Grandpa asks him.
“You know of me?” FC asks.
“Idaline doesn’t keep secrets from her grandpa.” To me, he says, “You two make a good pair, looking all beat up.” Grandpa chuckles to himself. “I’m not even going to ask what happened to you, FC. Are you just here for another visit?”
“I came to check on Idaline. She called me after what happened.”
“Well, I’m here and I’ll keep an eye on her. Say goodbye, Idaline.”
At this, I sit up. “Grandpa!” Why is he trying to make FC leave? Grandpa doesn’t look like he’s about to argue with me either. His eyes are steely and his lips are flat.
“He needs to go, Idaline,” Grandpa insists. “We need to have a talk anyway.”
“It’s okay,” FC says as he stands. “I shouldn’t stay too long.”
They are both ruining my night by FC leaving early. I stand and hug FC, not wanting him to go but having no choice. “Thanks for coming,” I whisper.
“No problem.” He takes a step away and says to my grandpa, “It was nice to meet you, sir.”
My grandpa only nods and then I walk FC out. Once he’s gone, I turn to face the only man left. “What was that for?” I demand to know.
Grandpa calmly pats the seat next to him and I reluctantly come to sit down once more. “Idaline.” He cups my cheek and gives it a little pat. “You can’t let him come here anymore,” he says as gently as possible. When I frown, he says, “You’re in love with him, you kissed the last time he was here, and most importantly, he’s in a relationship with someone else. It will not turn out well if you continue to invite him back or allow him to come back. Not for you and not for him. It’s not fair to his girlfriend either.”
“But he only came to check on me.”
“I don’t care. It doesn’t matter. He probably hopped in the car and left his girlfriend behind. Who knows if he even told her where he was going. You don’t think that won’t cause problems for them? That it’s good he’s willing to leave her in a hot minute for you when he’s supposed to be in a committed relationship with her? Don’t be the kind of woman to get involved in a sticky situation like that.” His voice lowers with emotion. “Don’t. Not with my wife’s name.” Grandpa reaches for my hand and holds it. “If you think about it, you’ll realize I’m right, Idaline.”
Unfortunately, I already know he’s right. The problem is I wish he wasn’t.
After much internal debate, I decide to go forward with my date with Justin today. I look a bit ridiculous, though. Who wears a scarf with shorts and shirt? Today, I do, apparently. When Justin comes to pick me up, he smiles, kisses my cheek, but eyes me with a bit of surprise.
I nervously touch my throat. “I bet you think I look ridiculous.”
“I think you look beautiful,” he says. “Are you ready?”
My muscles relax. He’s not even going to question why I’m wearing a scarf. I already like him a little more.
