Karissa set the plate of sandwiches out on the coffee table. The dinner table
was extended and set up, ready for their card game. A.J. helped her with moving
a few furniture items around to allow more room for her guests to move. Ryan,
Ming, Tyran and Will were all scheduled to arrive.
"Well, what do you think? What should we have available to drink?" she asked as A.J. set a bowl of chips down.
"Nothing too heavy," A.J. replied. "Card players don't like heavy drinks. Makes them give away their tell signs too easy. Personally, I'd serve beer."
"Beer it is . . . and some soda, of course," she winked and took a seat on the couch for a moment. "After all, I have to drink something . . ." she laughed softly. "Thanks for coming over and helping me."
"No problem, ma'am." A.J. took a bottle out of the small bucket of ice that was sitting on a tripod endstand. He plopped down into one of the armchairs with beer in hand.
"You want me to get you a bottle opener?" Karissa asked.
A.J. shook his head. He twisted down on the cap, popping it off the bottle. He then took a sip, and placed it down on the table.
She laughed and replicated a soda
for herself, sitting down on the couch. "I guess you don't need one! But
I'll set one out for the other guests in case they don't have your talent."
Her smile was bright as she
was looking forward to the party. Yet there was something she was picking up
from A.J. She had been picking it up for awhile, but hadn't said anything to
him.
"All right, what do you wanna know?" A.J. asked.
Karissa's eyes widened. "Excuse me?"
A.J. grinned. "One of your tell signs is you twirling your hair. You always seem to do that when you have a good hand, or you're anxious to see what someone else has." He gestured to her finger which was wrapped up by one of her brown locks. "Apparently, you're eager to see what's on my mind."
"You know, you are getting to
know me too well!" She smiled, but her dark eyes held her concern. "Is
everything okay with you?" she asked. "The last several times we've
gotten together, I've just picked up
something from you, like something was wrong . . . I haven't pried . . . I figured
you'd tell me if you needed to talk, but . . ." she shrugged her shoulders
and met his eyes with her own. "I am concerned about you . . . "
"No need to be," A.J. replied. His reply was nearly hollow, with a slight hint that there was a need to be. "My brother Paul sent me a letter a week or so ago saying that Pa died."
"I'm sorry to hear that," she said softly, reaching to touch his hand. "Its okay to grieve, A.J. . . . It's something important we need to do in order to move on . . . "
"Hmph," A.J. snorted. "You'd
be surprised how many times I've heard that one before." He rose from his
chair, placing the beer on the table. He then put his hands behind his back
and began to pace back and
forth as Karissa watched with intent. "That's what all the family counselors
said when Ma died. 'You've got to grieve, and let your emotions play out. It's
okay to cry.' It's all a crock." A.J. pointed at Karissa. "Crying
and mourning gets you nowhere! It doesn't bring your dead relatives back. What
in the hell's the point?"
She nodded in understanding. He had a lot of anger inside, and she could see why. He hadn't gotten past the angry stage to final acceptance of his feelings . . . "You're right," she said. "It can't bring them back . . ." She was quiet for a moment. "What's the best memories you have of your mother and your father?" she asked.
"Where are you trying to go with this nonsense?" A.J. asked.
"Memories are what makes us who we are . . . Our parents are a big part of that . . . I'm just curious what you remember about them," she explained, as gently as possible. She wasn't trying to play clinician, but she was a concerned friend. She knew what suppressed emotions could do to a person. Eventually they all came out . . . Sometimes not pleasantly.
A.J. calmed down, and then started.
"I remember one time we went fishing," A.J. started. "It was
on my Uncle's property in Wisconsin. Dad and I were out in one of the boats
and Paul and Jim were in the
other one. Dad and I are out there and we were letting the current take us across
the lake when finally he gets a bite." He grinned. "This fish just
takes off. Dad's losing a lot of line. He drops his beer, and is yellin' and
cursin' and finally gets the rod in his hands. It was great. He finally reels
this giant walleye in. He picks up this fish out of the water, and I get a picture
before he tosses the fish back into the lake. He looks into the boat and says
the funniest thing I remember about him. 'Sum'a'bitch made me spill my beer.'
I couldn't help but laugh." A tear formed at the corner of A.J.'s left
eye and rolled down his cheek. "Dad always did have a way with words."
"Sounds like you have very fond memories of him . . ." she said softly with a smile. She got up and walked to him, gently touching his shoulder. "It must have hurt to hear about his passing . . ."
A.J. stopped pacing and propped his
back up against the wall. "You don't need to be a psychiatrist to know
that one," he retorted, then smiled. "Dad was a good man, and I'm
gonna miss him." A.J. reached
over and picked his beer up off the table. "To you, old man." He raised
the bottle up in the air, and took another sip from it. "Thanks for putting
up with me," A.J. said to Karissa.
"That's what friends are for," she replied, with a smile. "And if you ever want to talk, I'll be here for you."
"Good to hear," A.J. smiled. "If I may..."
Karissa had a questionable look on her face. "Ok..."
A.J. gave her a large, bear hug, nearly crushing the smaller individual. "This is nice A.J., but I would like to breathe," Karissa managed to get out.
"Sorry," A.J. said sheepishly.
He relinquished his grip, and she slid back down to the floor.
She giggled softly. "Next time, just not quite so strong," she replied, her dark eyes sparkling. "And I might want another later, so keep that in mind!"
"Yes, ma'am," A.J. replied with a smile. He set the beer down at his spot on the table. "One thing is for sure, Commander. I'm winning back those credits you took from me last time."
She raised her eyebrows and her smile grew brighter . . ."We'll have to see about that," she laughed. "And how about you try calling me Karissa tonight. We're off duty, and right before a party . . . No sense in formalities . . ." Her dark eyes met his.
"I'll try, ma'am," A.J. replied. He smiled as he took his seat.
"Karissa," she replied with a gentle laugh.