Connexion

Part 98

The following day Caleb saw Jena with the mystery man again. Jena and the man were standing at a door of a restaurant in down town of the city. The mystery man was animatedly talking to her, gesturing and smiling. She was smiling too. Caleb could not stop watching Jena and the man. And Caleb thought good job no one was taking his blood pressure, because it would be sky high. He watched. Jena nodded at the mystery man and then gave him a hug. Caleb clenched his fists. Jena nodded again, then left him at the door and she walked toward her car. Just before she got into her car, she blew a kiss at that man. Ok, Caleb thought, clearly blood pressure can be more than sky high. Jena drove away,  and both, the mystery man and Caleb watched her departure.

It was just after 9am. Caleb exhaled and thought they obviously had breakfast, Caleb. The restaurant was not close to Jena's home, so it must be close to the mystery man's place. And she had probably stayed with him over the night after the party. His jealousy rode him hard. He could not remember any time when he felt like this.

He rubbed his palms over his face, and sighed, he was going to do something about this. Being envious was not a good feeling.

The following day, Caleb found him eating Sunday lunch with his parent and Sophie. And he was still processing the situation about the mystery man, because he could not get over the fact Jena was dating someone else. Their kisses, the fact his heart raced at the mere thought of her, the fact his brain was having difficulty in processing this situation, the fact his dreams always included her, was making him ratty.

"Sophie, I saw Jena yesterday." Caleb said quietly. He could not get rid of that image in his mind. It surfaced despite the fact he had banished the image from his mind.

"You did?" Sophie smiled, anticipating more details. She was pleased that his brother had seen Sophie. And perhaps this relationship might gain speed. Sophie was already planning dinner with her parents and Jena to support her brother's campaign to woo Jena.

He picked up his fork and speared an asparagus tip, and said simply, "Yes."

"Where?" Sophie dabbed at her lips, having slurped a strand of noodles.

"Downtown." Caleb said.

Sophie decided she would have to change her strategy and increase the rate of this collection of information, "And did you ask her about her ..."
"No."

Sophie's plans were derailed. "What? Why not?"

Caleb raised his head and announced bluntly, "She was on a date. Not good form to ask someone out when they are on a date." He speared another asparagus tip. He thought he was dumping his frustration on this action, by spearing vegetables.

Sophie put her fork down and shook her head, "I think you are using an imaginary sighting to avoid asking her about this mystery man. What makes you think she was on a date?"

"Breakfast date, I would say." Jealous resurfaced. So much for dealing with this, he thought. He had barely slept last night, and when he woke up, his first thought was an image of Jena, followed by that mystery man.

"Breakfast?" Sophie pouted.

"Yes. I saw her, and her mystery man at a restaurant just around nine, in the morning." Caleb banked his ire and did his best not to reveal it in his voice. "So obviously she must have stayed over at his place."

"Are you sure?" Sophie frowned.

"Yes. Same man I saw at the party. I guess she went to his place after the party, and stayed with him. And had breakfast. The restaurant must be close to his place."

Amanda and Drew exchanged a message. Clearly their son was not happy. And at the same time, they were not sure that their son was sharing all the pertinent facts.

"What did he look like?" Sophie continued the conversation.

"Tall. Blonde."

She waited. Nothing more from Caleb, so she said, "Caleb that could be anyone. Come on, what did he look like? Young. Old. Fat. Slim. Tattoos? Hair short?"

"Average! Non-descript!"" Which was far from the truth. He was good looking, young and handsome. But Caleb had no intention to give the other man any points at all. "So?"

Sophie frowned. "I am going to ask Matt, you know, the icer. He is my best option! He would know if Jena met or left with a man. And he would spill the beans if pushed!" Sophie grinned.

Caleb asked, "I thought he was deaf? And I know you have not learned sign language, so how would you ask him?"

Sophie thought about it for a second, "I will ask Mary and she can sign my questions to Matt, cause she can use sign language."

"And you think Mary will sign your question? Why not just ask her?"

"Fine! Either way. Or even better, I can write my questions and I know Matt can speak, so maybe that might be the best way for me."

Drew picked up the reins of the conversation, "Caleb, I thought you had arranged a lunch date with Jena."

"Yes." It wasn't his single reply that registered, it was his anger that was chronicled with Drew and Amanda.

"And you are taking her on a date when you know she has a boyfriend?" Amanda asked.
"Well, according to Sophie, she doesn't have a boyfriend." Caleb said with irony.

"But you know she does. Because you saw her with a man, and believe you stayed with him last night." Amanda said quietly.

"And I know, you do not go out with people who are in a relationship." Drew added.

Caleb exhaled, and did his best not to reveal the fact he was upset. "Yes. I know, Dad."

"So have you told her?" Amanda asked gently, because she could read between Caleb's statements. He was definitely not happy.

"Told her what?" Caleb feigning confusion. How could one woman, cause so much chaos in his mind. Why couldn't he shift her from his brain? Why did his heart escalate every time he thinks about her?

"That the date is off?" Drew seeking clarity. He could hear the melancholy in his son's voice. Which was both unexpected and sad. Drew knew his son was not a monk, that he had relationships with beautiful women, and had split, but when they split he was not depressed or upset or miserable when he spoke about it, and he seemed ok with that. But now, his son voice showed he was downhearted.

Caleb said as if it was just a matter of fact, reading a shopping list. "Remember, I am in her friend zone. You take your friends to lunch. Not sure why I can't do that."

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Drew asked his son because he sounded glum.

"Dad, she offered Sophie a job. She fed me. Can't I thank her for that?" But his voice failed to cover the fact he was upset. And fed-up. And miserable.

Drew and Amanda exchanged a look. For someone with a decent track in his social sphere was making a hash of something that was crucial to him personally given this rejection was causing angst.

"So do you want me to ask Matt?" Sophie asked quietly, because she, like her parents recognised her brother was depressed and not happy.

"No thanks, Sophie. I am pretty sure, at my age, I can handle my social scene."

"Fine." She rolled her eyes. No point arguing with him. It would be like taking a donkey to the water and does not drink. "And for the record, Caleb, you are an idiot regardless of your age!"