American Woman

Chapter 10

Thanksgiving 1993
Normally on a day like today I would be hopping out of bed eager to see family and friends I don't see often and eat until I could barely walk. I also would normally be eager to lay my eyes on Lenny. Now I couldn't think of anyone I would rather see less than him. My plan was just to avoid any room he was in and keep myself in deep conversations all day. We arrived over at Ms Roxie's around 11:00 with mounds of pies and sides. Lunch was always at 12:30 sharp and mom and I would always get there extra early to help set everything up. Thankfully Lenny and Zoe hadn't arrived when we got there. By 12:00 I was so engrossed in my duties that I actually forgot about him...but no sooner had I rid my mind of him but Zoe runs in the door yelling "happy turkey day! Let's eat! Grandma where's the turkey I'm hungry!"
"Zoe we have to wait for everyone to arrive. Just be patient babygirl." Lenny's smooth voice said and I could tell he was directly behind me. I just kept to my task of setting the tables. I could feel him brush by me and his hand land on the middle of my back to give himself leverage to squeeze between me and the hutch on his way to the living room. Could he not just walk around the other way? Was that really necessary? If he is here to torture me I am going to set his ass straight before this day is over. Before I could get any more worked up about it guests started arriving. At 12:30 Ms Roxie asked for silence so that the blessing could be said. I hadn't realized that Lenny was standing right beside me and as soon as everyone said "amen" he and I both made our way towards the food at the same time and literally bumped into each other. He blurted out "sorry" and the same time I blurted out "excuse me." He looked up at me and said "ladies first." I rolled my eyes and quickly grabbed my plate. By the time I had piled it high almost all the seats were taken. I really didn't care who I sat by as long as it wasn't Lenny. I would even be willing to sit by my Uncle Charles with his annoying stories and bad breath. I saw one spot open next to him and was heading towards it when Zoe shouted "Jen come sit by me and daddy! Please!" I made my way closer to her to see her and Lenny sitting at a table set for 3. "Oh honey let your grandma sit by you. I was about to go sit by uncle Charles."
"Grandma is already sitting somewhere else. Come on Jen. You know his breath smells bad. Daddy and I have good breath. See" she exclaims as she blew her breath towards me. "It smells like turkey!" I laughed. "Just sit down by us I promise I won't breath on you" Lenny remarked as he pulled out the chair. I reluctantly sat down and immediately begin eating trying to not make small talk or eye contact with either of them. Within 5 minutes Zoe said "dad I'm done. Can I be done? I want to go watch tv." "Three more bites and then you can be done." She scarfed down three more bites and ran off towards one of the bedrooms. "Great" I thought. This is exactly the position I didn't want to be in...30 people here and I am sitting next to the only one I was trying to avoid. After a few more minutes of silence Lenny says "the green bean casserole is really good. Did you make it?"
Without looking up I replied "yeah. I make it every year."
"I know you do that's why I commented on it. It taste almost as good as you." He replied and I felt his hand on my knee. I quickly jerked my knee away and stood up to go put my plate away. I had suddenly lost my appetite. As I turned to walk away from the table he grabs my elbow and says "meet me in my old bedroom in 5 minutes. I want to show you something."
"What a photo album of all the girls you screwed on tour. No thanks. I'll pass."
"Jen please. I wrote something for you. I want you to hear it. I think it's going to be a big hit on my next album. Please."
Ug fine but as soon as I'm done listening to it I'm leaving your room and don't talk to me the rest of the day!"
Just to be extra bitchy I waited about 20 minutes before I finally made my way back to his bedroom. When I opened the door, I saw him sitting on the edge of the bed. Damn he looked fine! Fuck!
"Did you get lost?" He replied.
"No this is the last place I want to be so I was avoiding it.  Now shut up and play

the stupid song."
"Ok I want your honest opinion. It might be the song I'm most proud of that I've ever written."
"Just stop talking and play it."

By the time the song was over I was a blubbering mess.
"So was it that good or that bad?" He joked.
"Why did you write this? I haven't heard a word from you in over 6 months and you show up here with this song. Why?"
"Because baby I wanted to do it in person. Not over the phone or through the mail. I wanted to see your face when you heard it."
"Ok well it's a great song! You see my face. Which I sure looks real pretty at the moment."
"You look as beautiful as ever. I love you Jensen."
"W-w-what?" I couldn't believe what I just heard him say. I wasn't sure if I trusted him.
"I said I love you. That tour was one of the most miserable months of my life. I missed Zoe. I missed you. I've never had an album or tour be so successful and I was miserable. I just wanted to be home with my girls."
"Well I'm sure you had plenty of other girls to occupy your time."
"Not a single one."
"You expect me to believe you went 6 months and didn't sleep with, or do anything with, a single person?! You must think I'm really gullible!"
"I don't know if I expect you to believe it, but it's the truth. I meant every word of that song when I wrote it and I still mean it."
"How long ago did you write it?"
"About 2 months into the tour."
"So you felt that way 4 months ago and just did nothing and let yourself and me just be miserable that whole time."
"You were miserable too?"
"Of course I was miserable. The man I loved my whole life had broken my heart."
"You love me?"
"I said 'loved'"
"Do you think you could love me again?"
"You know I still love you. Why did you wait so long though? I don't understand. We could have been together this whole time."
"I told you I wanted to be able to see your face and tell you how I felt in person."
"You had days you came home."
"I did have a few days but it was never more than a day or two at a time."
"So?"
"So I wanted to do this...." He starts to get down on his knee and pulls a ring box out of his pocket. "Jensen, I love you. I've known you my whole life and you've always felt like family. Now I want to make it official. Will you marry me?"
"Yes! Oh my god baby! Yes!"
He jumps to his feet and picks me up and swings me around. He places my feet back on the floor and gives me the most passionate kiss with that tongue ring I've missed so much. I finally break the kiss and say "let me see the ring!" He pulls it out of the box and places it on my left ring finger. "It's so beautiful. Thank you."
"It's even more beautiful on your finger sugar. See this is why I had to wait. If I did this while I was home for just a day or two and you said yes I would have to turn around and leave you and I don't think I could have done that. Then if you would have said no I wouldn't have the time to harass you until you said yes."
I start laughing. "You would never have to harass me baby. I've wanted to be your wife my entire life."
"I don't want to wait long Jensen. I will leave for another tour in January and I want you to come with me."
"What about school?"
You do what you want baby. I'll support you either way. But I want nothing more than to marry you before January and have you come on tour with me. It's going to be an European tour. We could explore Europe together. Make love in every country."
"I think school can wait another year or so."
"I was hoping you would say that. Now kiss me Mrs. Kravitz."