The Reunion Part 11
Karen backed the rental into Jasmine’s driveway, aiming the trunk at the single garage door.
Together they placed the block of cement into the trunk. “I’ve got a few other things for you too if you want them.”
As she made her way through the garage, opening cabinets and drawers, she created a pile of things on the workbench. “You’re welcome to all of it, or not. You probably didn’t expect to leave here with a bunch of old junk.” Jasmine ran her fingers over a rotting work apron and rusty garden tools. “But it’s not junk,” she said, her voice soft. “Is it?”
Karen’s lip was already quivering. She nodded in agreement, then shook her head in disbelief. “It all seems like a dream.”
Jasmine agreed, nodding her head. When she looked up from the pile Karen saw the tears in her eyes.
The women hugged again, as they would a few more times when Jasmine added items to the stack and Karen placed them in the trunk.
She packed it all into the car, whatever Jasmine wanted to give, Karen took it. It didn’t matter how old or insignificant, whatever it was, it had at one time been touched, held or used by a member of her family. It was the closest she’d felt to them in decades.
By the time they’d finished, the trunk was nearly full and both women were emotionally exhausted. So many memories had been shared in just a few hours of time.
“Whew!” Jasmine exhaled then took another deep breath, stretching her arms high above her head and leaning into a backbend. “This has been quite a morning, hasn’t it?”
Karen leaned in for another hug, “I can’t even begin to thank you enough.”
“Oh, sweet sister, no. There’s no need to thank me. We are family, no matter what.”
Karen pulled away as guilt slammed into her heart. She’d not been completely honest with Jasmine. It was time for her to share her secrets.
“Jasmine,” Karen searched for the right words. “There’s something I have to tell you. And, I really don’t know where to begin.”
Jasmine reached over, her hand wrapping around Karen’s arm in a firm grip. “Whatever it is, it’s okay.”
Karen's lips rolled between her teeth. She felt her heartbeat speed up and she swallowed, hard. She took Jasmine’s hands into her own and squeezed them. “I can’t make you promise to understand, and I can’t, I won’t ask for your forgiveness. What has been kept a secret, all the years lost, none of this is okay. None of it can be given back. What we’ve lost. What we’ve all lost.”
Jasmine blinked, her eyes lids lowering and lifting slowly, squeezing shut, creating deep crows feet at the corners of her eyes as her own mind worked to understand. “What are you talking about?”
As the words tumbled from Karen, Jasmine recoiled. She cried. She slammed her fists against the workbench surface, she screamed at Karen. “How could you? How could you keep this from us, from all of us?”
Karen kept talking. She tried many times to wrap her arms around Jasmine, who pushed her away until she could no longer fight off Karen’s attempts. Tears and anger turned to anguish, a final realization of a past being relived and future that looked completely different than it had just minutes before.
Finally, Jasmine let Karen hold her. The women clung to each other as Karen’s shattering truth was finally shared.
When her story was done and the tears had passed, they sat quietly together in what had once been her mother’s rose garden on a bench built by Jasmine’s husband. Karen finally let herself sink into the memory, the colors and scents that had been a staple of her childhood and had become her livelihood in her adult life.
“You should come see the flower shop,” she said, breaking the silence. “It’s such a sanctuary, for me. For all of us.”
Jasmine nodded, “I can see that.” She smiled and took Karen’s hand in her own, lacing their fingers together and squeezing them tight. “My God,” she shook her head and rubbed her other hand across her forehead and over her eyes. “My God,” she repeated.
“Yeah,” Karen nodded.
They sat in silence for a few more minutes, until Karen’s phone buzzed in the back pocket of her jeans. She slid it out and read the message, “from Jim,” she showed it to Jasmine.
Jasmine read the message, then nodded, “umm, hmm.” She let go of Karen’s hand, then put her face into both of hers as she leaned forward over her knees. “What the hell are you going to do now?”
Karen sighed. “I kind of have a plan.” She wiggled her phone, “I’m not sure if he’s the right person to help me.”
Jasmine’s face showed her concern, her eyebrows lifting, creating worry lines across her forehead. She shook her head, “I don’t know girl. He’s one of them.”
Karen swallowed hard. “It’s a tough one,” she admitted. “I didn’t really think about the ‘him & I’ part of this. I,” she pulled at a lock of her hair, the extensions. “Well, maybe a little, but really,” she let her thought trail off.
“Bullshit,” Jasmine snorted. She too picked up some of Karen’s hair and pulled on it. “You know exactly what you’re doing. And,” she gave Karen's hair a yank, hard enough to jerk Karen’s head a little. “You better fucking tell me what the plan is.”
Karen smiled. “Are you sure? This could get ugly, fast. Especially tonight.”
“You mean hopefully tonight,” Jasmine sighed. “This is the only time you’re going to have everyone who’s anyone in the same place. Whatever you’re planning, has to happen tonight.”
Karen agreed. “It’s just a little nerve racking, you know?”
A laugh burst from Jasmine's mouth. “Just a little? You’re going to expose a truth that could, and should, blow a big fucking hole right in the middle of some pretty fucked up people. You’re going to change lives tonight.”
Karen nodded. “But, it’s more than about changing lives sister. It’s about making things right. Justice.”
Jasmine puckered her lips, popping them a few times and shaking her head again, “man oh man oh man.” She slapped her palms to her thighs and pushed herself up from the garden bench, then patted Karen on the shoulder and offered her hand. “Well then, we better get this show on the road. You’ve got some ‘splaining to do.”
Looking up at Jasmine, Karen recognized the energy and resilience of their younger days, it glowed all around her friend. She took Jasmine's outstretched hand and pulled herself up from the bench.
“It’s not really something I think I should tell you now.” Karen examined her phone for messages, then slid the device into her back pocket and sighed. “I know you want to know what my plan is, but in reality, this is a one-woman show right now.”
Karen couldn’t help but smile as she waited for Jasmine to say something, to stop studying her, and just agree with her. She wasn’t going to offer another option.
Finally, Jasmine nodded. She hooked her arm through Karen’s and walked them towards the front of the car. “Okay.” She finally responded, her head nodding slowly. “Okay. I’m going to tell Zachary everything, just so you know.”
Karen expected this and agreed. “I know he’ll take it hard too.”
The women wrapped their arms around each other one last time before Karen settled into the driver's seat of the rental.
Jasmine leaned on the open door, “I’ll see you tonight then.”
Karen smiled and nodded, “yes, tonight.”
Jasmine shook her head and whistled a low tune. “This is really going to be something.” She pushed the door shut and blew Karen a kiss through the window.
