chapter 5

Two days later

Jordan awoke Thursday morning and went into the kitchen to roam the fridge. Leaning down into the icebox, he rummaged around to see what was available. Seeing that there wasn't much, he grunted and opened the freezer, it was equally bare. Letting out a frustrated sigh, he closed the fridge and thought of what he would eat. He didn't have much money, considering the fact that after paying his rent for that month, and the month that he would spend down here, he had bought a round trip plane ticket, leaving enough for the car rental. He was an idiot for paying the two hundred sixteen dollars for the car for the full week and insurance that cost an extra forty dollars to cover.

Now as he thought about it, he could have taken the bus system from Richmond to Hampton, hitch hiking in any areas he needed to. He made a mental note to file that away for next time he came to visit. Sighing, he glanced up at the clock. It was seven thirty in the morning, there was plenty of time for him to get to the store and back. Running up to his room, he opened the closet, pulled down a small leather pouch and opened it. He took out the twenty dollars he had left over, wondering what could he possibly get that would last while he was here. Peanut butter, Jelly, Bread, and sandwich meat. Although he didn't enjoy balonga too much, he'd have to make due. Sighing, he zipped the pouch back up and sat it back on the shelf in the top of his closet.

When Jordan made it to the supermarket, he parked his car next to a gray Toyota. Going inside, he glanced around to see all kinds of specials going. It was just his luck, that piggly wiggly was having a sell. Cruising the isles, he pulled off a pack of generic cheese for a dollar in the mini dairy section. Next to that, he pulled out a pack of hot dogs that were also a dollar, he pulled two packages of meat. Going to the milk aisle, he saw that the half gallon jugs were a dollar a piece.

Denise pulled into Piggly Wiggly, cursing her mom for making her get up this early in the morning on her day off and go to the deli, just so she could get some boar's salami and goat cheese. Sighing, she stepped out of her car and walked up to the sliding doors that were electronically activated. Stepping inside the cool air, she headed straight for the deli, fuming the whole way.

Jordan stopped at the deli, checking out all of the meats in his section. He could really go for some peppered turkey right about now. He hadn't had any since he'd left. No coleslaw, or anything that was native to his southern roots. Lingering just long enough to think about trading in a few miscellaneous items, but not wanting to completely starve, he moved on away from the section.

Denise arrived at the deli, just as Jordan was getting ready to turn up the nearest aisle. "Can I get three pounds of boar's head salami, a pound of goat cheese, and..." Now that she was here, she couldn't help but salivate over the Peppered Turkey. Along with the American Swiss cheese. She grabbed three pounds of peppered Turkey, and an equal pound of American Swiss. Sighing, she waited for the man to calculate her order, wrap up her package and hand it to her. Content, she walked up the aisle closest to her. A price tag catching her eye, she notice that a whole gallon of milk was at two for three fifty. Grabbing those, she took them with her. Five minutes later, she glanced at the items in her hands, knowing she needed a basket, but was unable to walk. Looking down one end of the aisle and then back up the aisle, she didn't see anyone who could offer help.

Jordan counted the items in his basket, taking the bare necessities, and wanting to put the others back. When confronted with the option of grilled cheese or milk to drink, he chose the milk. Getting irritated, he left the line and went to put the cheese back. Grilled cheese would have to wait another day.

It seemed the more Denise tried not to move, the harder it became to steady the items in her hand; milk, a jar of pickles, cheese, and etcetera. As she was counting the items, the jar of pickles slipped from her grasp and went to the floor with a loud crash. This caused the other items to loosen and slip as well. As she was trying to catch a loaf of bread, the cheese slid out from underneath and fell to the floor.

Jordan heard the glass break as it hit the floor, walking around the corner at break neck speed, he came to the visual of a woman kneeled down, her long hair falling over her shoulders and chocolate toned arms reaching out to catch them. A smile went to his face, as he walked faster to get to her before she lost everything.

Denise felt a hand reach under her, grab the items from her hand, mainly the heavy stuff, and take hold of them. Although this sent the other stuff toward the floor, she was able to catch it with free hands before it even hit. Inhaling sharply, she pushed herself up using her knees. Glancing down at her pair of brown Capri pants, she stared at the splash of pickle juice that had landed on the very bottom of them. "Great, now I'm going to smell like pickles."

"Are you alright?"

Denise glanced up at Jordan's face, a smile taking over. "Hey."

Jordan smiled back. "Fancy seeing you here."

Denise sighed, "I had to get a few things for my mom and got greedy."

Jordan laughed, referring to the mess, "I suppose that's what happens when greed takes over."

Denise sighed, "Yeah, come here to do some shopping too?"

Jordan nodded, "Just a few things." He nodded toward the items in his small basket. He didn't want to draw too much attention, so he pulled them away. Denise picking up on this, said, "I was just going to get a basket for my stuff."

"You didn't get one before you started?" Jordan inquired as they walked toward the baskets.

Denise shrugged, "No, I wasn't planning to get anything else, however I couldn't resist the sell; so now, I think I may as well get some other stuff while I can."

"Alot or little?" Jordan wondered.

"Alot I guess."

"Well, in that case, you're going to need a buggy." He stated, walking past the baskets and out to the buggies that were lined up against the store front. Denise pulled the buggy alongside her. Jordan took the other side, going along with her. "what about your stuff?" She inquired.

"They're already in the car. I just came back in to exchange the cheese."

"You don't have anything out there that's likely to spoil, do you?"

Jordan shook his head no, not wanting to leave just yet. Denise nodded, understanding. "Alright, well tell me something about yourself."

Jordan raised a brow. "But you already know a lot about me."

"That's from when we were in high-school, I'm positively sure you've changed."

"Not that much."

Denise pulled a package of cookies from a shelf. "Well, let's see when you left, your hair was long, you come back, it's short and spiked, you've grown a little goatee and not to mention the smoking habit."

Jordan sighed, "I started smoking because it helps me relax. I'm really tense a lot of the time."

Denise sighed, "Oh, do you still work out?"

Jordan glanced over at her, "You're really curious. I thought for sure you'd be mad at me."

Denise sighed, "Well, I was at first, but I realized that you were going through a lot and having been there through it all, I realized I should have been more understanding due to the circumstances. So, do you still work out?"

Jordan sighed, "Yes, at times. So you've decided to be nice to me because you suddenly realized I was dealing with a lot?"

Denise shrugged, "Jordan, I know sometimes I was confused about whether or not you loved me back then, but after a time of realizing it, I decided yeah, you were worth it. I could forgive you. After all, it wasn't your fault things happened this way, so why hold it against you?"

Jordan narrowed his eye brows, who was this reasonable girl? "Ok."

"So, what did you do these two years?" She asked, her voice filled with curiosity. She pulled a pack of shells off the shelf. Jordan glanced into the cart, wondering exactly how much of this stuff they actually needed at her house.

"Do you always have to ask questions?" He pondered, bemused.

Denise grinned sweetly, "Am I being intrusive?"

Jordan laughed, remembering the first time he'd told her that. They'd been sitting in a coffee shop.

"Yes, you are."

She laughed, "I'm sorry, I just want to know that you're ok, that's all."

Jordan nodded, "Well, that's fine. I'm doing good. I think the pain's starting to dim a bit."

A nod, allowed him to see that she got his drift.

"So, what about you? How have you been doing ?"

Denise cleared her throat, "Pretty damn good if I may say so."

Jordan smiled at her choice of words. "Oh really?"

"Yeah, since I'm not angry at you anymore, and I'm working, I'm doing good."

"Did you ever get your scholarship back?"

"It slipped out of my grasp. A partial scholarship to NYU, gone."

Jordan swallowed and glanced over at her again, "That's my fault, I'm sorry."

Denise shrugged, "It's not your fault, it's because of choices we both made. Not just you. I mean, I was really selfish. Maybe it's good I didn't get it."

"You're really good at Hstory, Denise, you could have made it."

Denise laughed softly, "What do you mean made?" She put her hand on her hips, "I'll still make it. I'm going to go there this fall, I may be a little set behind on my schedule, but it's alright, I'll achieve."

Jordan stared at her, quite impressed with how much she'd come to terms with in the last two years. His heart swelled with pride. He had always known there was more to her than brains.

"What?" She asked, her gaze meeting his.

"You're so beautiful, even more than you were in high school."

Denise cleared her throat, "Really?"

"Yeah." His tone was barely audible. Somehow, without noticing, they'd both made their way to the checkout line.

They said goodbye to one another, once outside. He got into his vehicle and she got in hers. Denise cut on the radio, to the nearest soul R &B station. A song by Tamia was playing. Her smooth sweet deep vocals always seemed to calm Denise. Tamia had to be her absolute favorite, outside of Toni Braxton. It seemed like the older she got, the more her taste in music changed. When she was younger, a kid, the only thing she would listen to was hip-hop. After her best-friend Stacy died in seventh grade, she'd slid toward more soulful ballads and now, as an adult, she'd become completely immersed in soul, including some old jazz sounds. Sighing, Denise pulled to a stop at the town's light, once it turned green, she continued on moving toward her house.

After unlocking the door, Denise's gaze flickered to her nineteen year old sister, who was attending her last year at the local community college. She was going for an Associate degree in Business first and then go back to school to get a degree in fashion management. "Get up and come help me with the groceries."

"I don't recall mom asking you to buy the whole store," Vicki stated, her gaze glued to the television.

"She didn't, but I thought maybe we could use some of these items, because they are on sale, now get your butt up and go out there."

Vicki ignored her, "You can't tell me what to do, I'm not a kid."

Denise turned around, "Fine, I'll tell mom about the..." Before Denise could get the words out, Vicki gasped and stood up, "You wouldn't."

"Yep, I was the one who got it fixed, remember."

"No way, that's black mail, De-De."

Denise smiled, "I know, isn't blackmail a beautiful thing?"

Victoria growled at her, cutting sharp hazel eyes at her. "What ever!" With that, she stalked outside. Just as she reached the front porch, Denise heard a scream. Furrowing her brows, Denise wondered which idiotic friend had stopped by today.

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