The Wheels on the Bus

"So there really is a heaven," she said quietly out loud to herself while sitting at her desk at work.

"It sure isn't this warehouse," the girl next to her said.

Jessica had no idea she'd heard her.

"Oh, sorry. I just got a text from...from...someone very special."

"Ah, okay. That makes sense. I was thinking I've never seen you all starry-eyed and...glowing like this."

The girl smiled then said, "He must not work here."

Jessica was in a good mood already, and the other's woman's workplace humor was funny in its own right. She laughed like she hadn't laughed in so long, and when she stopped laughing she realized she felt wonderful.

She looked down at her bare left hand and wondered what it would be like to have a diamond there again. Only from someone else. Someone who was very handsome. Someone who was young but also wise for his age. Someone who shared her views on the importance of romance. Someone like Garrett...

Jessica realized she still didn't even know his last name and frantically checked her phone, but he'd only provided his first. Sadly, she would have to wait to find out what her new name would be one day as she started doodling it on a piece of paper.

"Ms. Thomas? How much are we paying you to stare at your nails?" she heard the floor supervisor say in that 'well, any day now!' kind of voice.

She decided not to mention she hadn't been looking at her nails even though that would be less embarrassing than explaining what she'd been doing and why. The bottom line was she'd been sitting there daydreaming for at least several minutes between reading his text and doing the doodling.

"Sorry, sir. I was just thinking, and I know I don't get paid to think."

The supervisor looked at her as though she was being a smart aleck, and when she realized how that sounded, she couldn't help laughing again which brought on another caustic rebuke.

"Get a manicure on your own time, and get back to work!" he barked before hollering at a forklift driver to slow down before he impaled someone.

"Asshole," the other woman said just loudly enough for Jessica to hear.

She was so happy she laughed again and didn't care what the supervisor or anyone else thought for the rest of the day.

That evening, Erica agreed to stop by and discuss her best friend's newfound good fortune, and by the time she arrived, Jessica had exchanged several texts with her handsome new...friend?

Garrett had several ideas for their time together beyond coffee—if she was interested. There was a free art gallery not far away where they could spend some time looking if that was interesting to her.

"You said jobs didn't matter, and I'm pretty much broke all the time so for me, 'free is better than cheap'!" he'd texted.

"That sounds wonderful!" she texted back. "And I don't need you to spend money on me, so please don't ever worry about that. I want to spend time with you, Garrett, not your wallet."

She added some smiley faces then hit 'send'.

His reply made her smile.

"Okay. I just didn't want you to expect roses and champagne. And I was concerned you might get tired of me on the first day, so even if it is just coffee, that would be perfectly fine. As long as it's coffee with you."

He put some blushing emojis then hit 'send' back.

"I don't need either of those things or even the coffee. Just you and your amazing smile will be more than enough. And as to getting tired of you, well, I don't see that happening...on any day," she texted back with some smiley faces added for effect.

"Then let's do this!" Garrett wrote back. "I can't wait to see you again, Jessica."

More butterflies. Her tummy fluttered when she read his last line and replied in kind.

"Same here, Garrett!"

Erica wanted to read every line of every text and hear every detail of their conversation on the bus after Jessica gave him the thank you card.

"You see!" Erica said, wanting to add, "I told you so!" but didn't.

"You were so right!" Jessica said excitedly.

"Yeah, I usually am," Erica said as she did her best not to laugh or even smile.

"It's so amazing to have gone from feeling so—blah and almost hopeless—to feeling this happy and excited," Jessica told her without replying to her feigned smugness. Erica wasn't smug—ever—and she really was right most of the time.

"So you have your big date coming up. Coffee and an art gallery? That's a pretty full slate for a first-time get together."

"I know, but I actually wish it was an all-day kind of thing, you know? I realize I'm just feeling giddy, but this is what I've been craving so badly for so long."

Erica smiled and said, "You deserve it, Jessica. Just don't be too disappointed if the 'buzz' wears off at some point."

"I won't. Well, unless it happens on our first date," Jessica replied. "Other than that, I'm all too aware it has to at some point. But what doesn't have to end is a commitment to being romantic. To me, it's a way of life rather than something you do just long enough to get the guy so you can move on to some boring routine."

"True, but routine is a part of every couple's life," Erica said.

"Yes, it is, but it shouldn't be all there is. In my way of viewing things, each person should make a concerted and conscientious effort to do things for the other person. Love is a noun, but it's also a verb, and I don't want another relationship where love only means a feeling. Especially where that feeling is something you never feel."

Erica agreed with her friend, but knew how hard that was to do in real life.

"It takes a lot of work, that's for sure. But if both people are committed to it, it can pretty wonderful."

Jessica's face took on a kind of wistful look as she said, "I know that's what I want, and I'm hoping Garrett feels the same way. If not, well, I'll be hugely disappointed, but I'm not going to change who I am or give up trying for anyone or for any reason."

"So far, so good, right?" Erica said, hoping to see Jessica smile again.

"Yes. Definitely! I'm 'all in' up to this point even though we haven't even had a first date yet. And yes, I'm well aware he may not be ready for anything serious let alone a lifetime commitment. I'm just looking forward to spending time with someone I really like."

"I need to see a pic of this guy, Jessica. I keep imagining how he looks, and whether it's a person or a place we've never been to, our imagination is usually way off."

"Oh, he is so good looking, Erica!"

"And...young, right?"

Jessica felt slightly embarrassed even though that wasn't Erica's intent. But with her now being 40 years old and him being 24, that was very significant.

"He has a birthday coming up very soon, but yes, we're more than 15 years apart," Jessica said.

She stopped, tilted her head slightly then told Erica, "Wow. When I say that out loud it sounds even worse."

Erica laughed and told her friend, "I get it. But hey, as long as he's over 21 and a decent guy, what difference does it really make, right?"

"No, I agree with that, it's just that when I stop and think of how I was in high school when he was born..."

"Yeah, that does sound kind of...well, I'm not sure how it sounds, really. I think the only thing to do is spend some time with him and see how much you have in common."

Jessica's phone rang, startling her, then causing her to grab it like it was a grenade about to go off.

"Hmmm. I wonder who that's from?" Erica teased at her friend's reaction.

Jessica saw his name and her stomach went into knots.

"Hello?" she said.

"Hi. I...I just really wanted to hear your voice," he said. "Is this a bad time to call?"

"No. Not at all," Jessica said as Erica kept trying to tell her to go to video chat.

Jessica kept moving away, and Erica kept following her and mouthing, "Video! Video!"

"Garrett? Would you mind if we did a video call?" she asked hoping to get Erica to leave her alone.

"Are you kidding? I was just about to ask you so I could see your beautiful face again," he told her.

Jessica had the the phone on 'speaker' so Erica heard what he said and made 'goo-goo' eyes at her friend.

"I'm so in love with you, Garrett!" Erica whispered as she feigned swooning.

"Stop!" Jessica said just as the video kicked in.

"Stop what?" Garrett asked.

"No. Not you. My insane best friend," Jessica said while giving Erica a 'death stare'.

"Oh. Is she the one who gave you the sage advice?"

"Yes. It seems hard to imagine right about now, but yes, that would be her."

"I want to see him!" Erica said loudly causing Garrett to laugh.

"Do you mind, Garrett? My friend won't leave me alone until she..."

Erica was trying to look over her shoulder as Jessica pulled the phone away.

"Hey, you're making me seasick!" Garrett said with a laugh.

"If my soon-to-be-ex-best friend here would stop moving the phone around so I could see you, everything would be fine!" Erica said as she kept chasing the phone.

When she stopped chasing, Jessica stopped moving, and Garrett's face came into focus.

"Day-um!" Erica said without hesitation. "He is yummy!"

Garrett chuckled then asked, "Did Jessica really call me 'yummy'?"

Jessica called out, "I did not say that!" as Erica said, "Oh, yes. Several times, in fact. And now I know why."

Garrett laughed again as Erica said, "Well, since I'm very happily married, I guess I'll have to give the phone back to my very single, very interested friend."

"It was nice meeting you, Erica," he told her.

"You, too, yummy guy!" she said as she handed the phone to Jessica.

"You are so dead!" she told her friend before putting on her best smile and saying, "Hi."

"Hi," he said back.

"You really are back in high school," he heard Erica say about Jessica.

"I like her," Garrett said about Erica.

"Me, too. I have no idea why right now, but I do love her."

"Because I give you sage advice," Erica reminded her.

Garrett laughed again then got serious.

"I really did just want to see you again."

"I'm glad. Me, too," Jessica said sweetly.

"You're very easy to look at."

"No, that would be you," she insisted.

Garrett laughed politely then told her, "Well, I guess I'll let you go. I just couldn't make it the rest of the evening without talking to you."

"I'm glad you called, Garrett."

"See you tomorrow?"

"Yes. Definitely. Bye."

"O...M...G...!" Erica said. "Where do I get mine?"

"He is pretty gorgeous, huh?"

"And he's a nice guy? A nice guy who isn't just a nice guy but one who's romantic?"

"Yes and yes."

"So...who cares how old he is?" Erica asked.

"I guess I'm not sure anymore."

"Let me put it this way. If he doesn't care and you don't care...who does? And more importantly, why would you care if they do care?" she clarified.

"I agree," Jessica said. "At least I think I do. That was a whole lot of...caring to keep track of."

Erica laughed then said, "Well, of course you agree. I mean, what woman in your place wouldn't?"

"Okay, but all kidding aside, what's the sense of pursuing this?"

Erica's eyes opened wide then said, "You have looked at him, right?"

Jessica laughed again then said, "Of course. But I also know how old he is."

"And your point is?"

"Stop!" Jessica said. "Be serious for a minute."

"I'm tempted to keep going, and were I in your shoes, I'd keep going...anywhere with that guy. But, okay. I'll stop. I can't promise to be serious, but I'll try."

"Finally," Jessica said with some exasperation.

Almost immediately, Erica said, "Okay, in the vein of seriousness, let me ask you something. Does every relationship have to have the potential to end up in marriage? Can't it just be...fun?"

Jessica hadn't really thought of that before. It made sense if one wasn't marriage minded. But even after a bad experience, Jessica was still very marriage minded with the ultimate goal of having a family. And maybe it was the whole having just turned 40 thing, but she was starting to feel like time was running out.

So while it might be fun to 'play' with someone like Garrett, how would spending six months or a year fooling around help when it came to finding a husband before having children was no longer an option? One who was like Garrett but...older?

And that begged the question—how much older?

What if he was 40? Done deal, right? How about 35? Sure. No problem. But what if was only 30 or 29. Yeah, okay. But what if was 26 or...24?

Too confused to think, Jessica decided the only thing to do was spend some time with this gorgeous, younger man then worry about it later.

"Perhaps you're right. Maybe my biological clock is ticking a little too loudly, and I need to tell it to sit down and relax."

Erica felt sympathy for her friend and said, "I really do understand. If you're going to have children, you don't want to keep putting it off. But if you artificially hurry things along, you may end up in another situation like the one with Jerry."

Jessica's resolve to have some fun didn't last long as her earlier concern resurfaced.

"Or I could spend a year with Garrett only to find out he's not really what I wanted after all. And then what?"

"Jess? I don't have all the answers. I only know you have the chance to have some fun and experience some of the romance you talk about all the time; a chance with someone who's a fellow self-avowed hopeless romantic. And although the odds are admittedly against it, what if it turns out he is the one? What if you don't even try and miss out on the most amazing opportunity of your life?"

"Oh, great. Now I feel...paralyzed, Erica. Like I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't."

"Someone once told me courage isn't the absence of fear but working through your fears and not letting them control you."

"Maybe you're right," Jessica said. "And even if I crash and burn, he really is to-die-for cute."

"And he seems to really like you," Erica added. "So stop letting your fears control you and give it a whirl."

"Ha! You make it sound like I'm taking a new car out for a test drive or something."

Erica laughed then said, "Would that be so bad?"

Jessica gave her a puzzled look, and Erica explained.

"You know, giving him a test drive. In bed?"

Jessica tried not to laugh but couldn't help herself.

"Normally, I'd have said something like 'shame on you', but I have to admit I've kind of been thinking the very same thing."

"There you go! Go bold. Go big. Or...go home," Erica said.

"You're full of bumper-sticker advice today, aren't you?"

"I just want to see my best friend happy. That's all."

"No, I understand," Jessica told her. "I think I'm just really nervous because he's...he's so damn young!"

"Yes, but he seems to have his act together. Most guys his age—and a lot of them our age—are still floundering around trying to find themselves. Garrett not only has the heart of a romantic, he's got a proven ability to focus. He's got a very secure future just ahead of him, and while you say you don't care about money, living without it isn't a whole lot of fun."

"You're right. About all of that."

"So go to the art gallery. Have coffee. Spend time with him. Get to know him. It won't take six months to figure out if he's not a good fit. But in the meantime, try and relax and enjoy yourself, kiddo," Erica advised her friend. "And for goodness sakes, have a little fun!"

Jessica sighed then smiled.

"You know what? I'm gonna do that!"

"There you go! That's the spirit!"

Jessica didn't see her handsome, younger friend the next day, but he did text her several times, and each time her phone buzzed, her heart did, too. She'd stop whatever she was doing and grab her phone, and the moment she saw it was from him, she'd smile as she read his text.

"I hope I'm not bothering you too often. It's hard to know how much is too much. I don't want you to think I'm a weirdo, but I also don't want you to think I'm not interested. Because I am. I'm very interested."

There were some smiley faces and a one that was blushing, and Jessica couldn't stop smiling or thinking about him.

She let him know it wasn't too much then added, "It's hard to imagine you texting me too many times, Garrett."

She put some blushing faces below it then sent it back.

He immediately sent an entire row of smiles back, and Jessica realized her heart was racing. 'Fortunately' her supervisor was heading her way, so the racing stopped as she got back to her paperwork to avoid getting chewed out again.

The last text came around 9 pm that evening, and let her know when and where to meet—if that was acceptable to her.

Jessica happily tapped out her reply ending it with a ton of smiley faces.

"Yes. It's perfect. I'll see you then, Garrett!"

She got some more smiles in return and by the time she got ready for bed, nearly all of her previous anxieties were gone, and she found herself very much looking forward to spending a good part of her day with this amazing, funny, smart, and gorgeous younger man.

Jessica had never been the Frye Art Museum on Terry Avenue. She'd heard of it and been by it many times but never gone inside. The museum has its own cafe called the Cafe Frieda and features made-from-scratch sandwiches, seasonal soups, and Seattle's favorite beverage—coffee.

The weather was chilly but not cold, and Jessica was pretty sure she'd be okay without a coat. Yes, it was a little silly to be worrying about how she looked, but she couldn't help it as she went through her closet several times trying to decide what to wear. She wanted to wear a dress, but that was a bit much. Jeans were too casual, and in the end, the weather more or less dictated her choice.

Sweaters were the norm in the area nine or ten months of the year, and the ribbed look was back in a big way, so Jessica chose a long-sleeved, white, rib knit sweater and a short, black skirt. Even though they would be walking around, there was no way she was going to wear flats on a first date, so she ended up choosing a pair of black heels that were 2 3/4". Not too high to be uncomfortable, but high enough to make her calves stand out, and that's exactly what she wanted.

A simple silver necklace and earrings along with a matching watch completed her look; one with which she was very pleased. Coupled with her long, dark hair worn down, she thought this was about as good is it got, and for...forty...that dirty new word...she knew she looked very nice. All she could do now was hope Garrett agreed.

Jessica took the bus, making two transfers to get there, and ended up arriving almost fifteen minutes early. Then again, she was more often early than late preferring to wait for someone else rather than make them wait on her.

There were benches outside, and although it was on the chilly side, she waited there rather than go in. To her great delight, Garrett showed up a few minutes later and as he called out 'hello' to her and waved, a smiled broke out on her pretty face as her heart began to beat a little faster.

"Hi, Garrett!" she said as she stood up to meet him.

"Wow! Look at you!" he said as he walked right up to her.

Jessica had no idea what he might do, but she knew that if he were to try and kiss her there'd be no objection coming from her.

Garrett didn't kiss her, but he did open his arms inviting a hug, and Jessica was all-too-happy to accept a hug and give him one herself. He wasn't a large man by any means. He was maybe 5' 10" and maybe 175 pounds. He was also neither heavy nor thin, and Jessica thought he looked just as good in his jeans and the brown leather jacket he was wearing as he did her in the outfit she'd chosen.

"Thank you, and you, too!" she told him admiringly.

He smiled and told her, "I don't get all dressed up for just anyone."

"Well, I think you look very handsome," she told him truthfully.