A New Vista

Chapter 27

I was the last of the original set of girls in my house to graduate. I looked over the new kitties who filled their places. As I walked that platform to get my diploma, of course, I was glad that I could've achieved something like this.

But in my kind I kept thinking about ways I'd get to see Paul. My suitcase was filled with letters from him over the years, but in the last year or so he's been pretty quiet.

He said he was absolutely tired out from all of the television shows & plays he'd been doing. It seemed to me like was turning into his lifetime career. He would finally do away with football all together.

I didn't know when I'd get to see him. I had been writing letters to him about how excited I was to graduate. He hadn't answered in six months.

I figured he'd moved and changed addresses. There was no way that Paul could ever not write back. Once I arrived home, I took the metro down to the city and made my way to Staten Island.

I eyed the address on his last letter as I read it out loud to the taxi. I was using the only money I had in my pocket to make this commute. I just knew when I saw Paul I wouldn't be coming home right away anyway.

I looked inside my purse to see that I didn't have a penny left to get home. He is such a gentlemen, he'd pay for my way back. In my mind there were recurring fantasies of being in his arms again. Finally, this would become my reality.

With my suitcase in hand, I walked up to the small Staten Island house. It was a suburban neighborhood, all the one story homes looked the same on the small cul-de-sac.

I had to make sure I had the house number correct since they all looked so much alike. I wore my best gown, an even dress that cinched at the waist and puffed out at the skirt. I was wearing my best lacy i underneath that made it stand out even more.

My white gloves matched the tilted fascinator hat on my head. Those two accessories went perfectly with the lace at the top of my dress, showing my chest under the sleeveless torso.

I slowly placed my suitcase on the ground. My kitten heels were shaking since I could barely feel my knees. I folded my hand into a fist and slowly knocked on the door. Then I stuffed the letter I held into my small, round purse.

I heard a bit of a ruckus on the other side of the door. Finally, the door opened. Paul looked much older, even more mature than his photographs. He wore dark colored slacks and a tight white t-shirt up top.

His jaw was more pronounced and his nose grew into his face. His hair wasn't as fluffy and youthful as it once was, but it was cut low on the sides. His body was stronger, his forearms showing from his rolled up sleeves on his sweater.

He had grown so much since we last saw each other, yet one thing was the same. His blue eyes looked at me in the same way they did when he say goodbye.

"Liz?" He asked as he looked at me. His boyish voice was now deeper and even more raspy. "How'd you get here?"

"Well, I got a bus back home to Westchester. Then I took a bus to the train station, the metro to Grand Central, then the Amtrak here..." I began telling him and he shook my head at me.

"No, I mean..." He said as he pondered, then his blue eyes looked up at the sky. "It's May."

"It's the moment we've waited for." I smiled at him. He gave me a grin, but it was awkward. We obviously still needed time to get to know each other again. In my heart, I felt as if he'd be the same boy who left me in Ohio.

"I'm surprised you didn't expect me!" I told him as I pushed passed him and walked into the house. "I've been writing to this address for months and you haven't seemed to have received any of it."

I stood in the middle of the living room as I looked around. It was very simple, he had a couch against the wall that had the front door. Above the couch was a window that brought in a little sunlight, but it was still very dim even for a spring day.

There was a coffee table in front of the couch and on the adjacent side a small fireplace imbedded in a stone wall. In the corner of the room was a very tiny sat television next to a bookshelf.

I walked to the bookshelf and saw mostly books about acting, poetic books and The Theatre as Paul put it in his many letters.

When I turned around, he still was standing in the open front doorway. His eyes were wide as he stared at me, his hands were on his hips. My suitcase was still outside on the sidewalk.

"Are you that shocked to see me?" I smiled as I walked over. "I would've contacted you but I figured it would be no use because you hadn't received the last few letters."

"Well, uh, I guess New York postage can be tricky." He said as he stood in the doorway.

"Is this a tiny bar in your living room, Mr. Newman?" I smiled as I walked over to a small bar next to the bookshelf.

"Yes it is." Paul answered quietly. "Now if my memory serves me, you were never a drinker. Unless that's changed, of course."

"Paul, I haven't changed one bit." I smiled as I turned to him. "I'm still the girl you once knew."

"Well the girl I once knew loved going to diners. How about we go out, see a movie then grab something to eat?" Paul asked as he looked at me in the corner of his eye.

"I just arrived, it's been a long trek. From Ohio, to Westchester, to The Big Apple."

"Well, you took a break between the trip from Westchester to here, right? It's only about an hour away." Paul pointed out. I stood in front of his bar now, picking up the glasses that sat on a metal tray on top.

"Well, I couldn't wait to see you. Right when I had the chance I ran over. I can't remember the last time I slept." I smiled as I held a glass in my hand. "I must look horrible."

There was a pause.

"You look beautiful." Paul answered as he stood behind me. He still hadn't moved from the door.

"You're too nice to say otherwise." I laughed. Something about this situation was awkward. There was definitely something off about Paul. I desperately wanted to loosen the mood.

"You know what? How about I have a drink after all? Just for the thrill of it?" I asked while turning to him.

"You don't have to do that, it's really alright, Liz." Paul said as he stepped toward me.

"Oh please, I know you're a man who appreciates a scotch. It's never too early to be relaxed." I said smoothly. Then, I began looking around the bar. "Where do you keep the alcohol itself?"

"I'm not sure if I have any." Paul answered as I looked around. "We could definitely get some from outside."

"Oh, here it is." I smiled as I opened the cabinet below the bar. I saw a tall bottle of scotch that was opened and halfway filled. I wrapped my hand around the neck of the bottle and lifted it, and then I noticed something.

"You keep your junk mail in here?" I laughed as I looked inside. Then, I recognized the soft pink & powder blue colors of the envelopes. I placed the bottle I had in my hand on the beige carpet beside me, then lifted the letters.

I looked at the envelopes and most of them were addressed from me. There were letters from other feminine names mixed in with them, but the majority were addressed from me.