My Savior Forever by Vicki Green

afternoon as we were cleaning up
the kitchen after lunch, I look over at Jesse who is wiping off the
counters. I can see a tattoo peeking out from under his shirt
sleeve.
    “Um, Jesse?”
    He continues to wipe and looks over at
me, “Yeah?” I shift back and forth where I stand, nervous for some
reason. “Is-is that a tattoo on your arm?”
    He smiles and nods at me. He stops
wiping the counter and sets the cloth down. Walking over to me, he
pulls up the sleeve on his shirt over his shoulder. Once he reaches
me he turns so that his left arm is in front of me.
    “It’s a symbol that means forever. I
got it after mom died. I wanted something that meant I would
remember her forever,” he says with a small smile.
    I reach up to his arm and lightly
trace it with my finger. “It’s beautiful.” I slide my finger over
it, following the pattern. It’s a heart but has lines going around
it from either side and through the middle.
    Jesse looks at me and smiles. I shiver
and feel heat go down my body at the same time. He drops his sleeve
and reaches over and lays his hand on my shoulder. “Are you ok,
Cassie? Are you cold? You’re shivering,” he asks
concerned.
    I blush. “Um, no. I’m fine, really.” I
smile shyly. “I’m, um, gonna go lay down for a bit, ok?”
    He nods at me with a frown. “If you’re
sure you’re ok.”
    I compose myself and nod my head,
maybe a little too much. “Really, I’m fine. I just-” I stop and
wonder if I should say how I am feeling. No, it’s too soon. “I’m
just gonna go lay down.” I smile, turn and go upstairs.

    ~*~*~*~

    I feel refreshed after my nap. I go
downstairs to the kitchen and get a diet coke. I pop the lid, take
a giant gulp and sigh. Just what I needed.
    I walk into the living room looking
for Jesse and don’t find him. I walk down the short hall towards
his office, and I see the door is slightly ajar. I can hear him
talking to someone but only hear his voice. He must be on his
phone. I feel like I am eavesdropping but can’t stop
myself.
    “Oh, that’s great! They will love
that. Yes, that’s perfect. Ok. I know! Don’t you think I know
that?” He sighs. “I should have more time to spend on that, at
least for a while. Thanks, Betsy. You know I really appreciate you
and all that you do. I couldn’t manage without you. I love you too.
Bye.”
    I don’t know why but jealousy begins
to rear its ugly head. Where is that coming from? I have no
business, no right, to feel this way. But I can’t help it. Who is
this Betsy and what is he appreciating so much? And he loves her?
Grrrrrr.
    I can hear him push back a chair so I
jog, as much as my injured body will let me, down the hall into the
living room and sit on the couch. I grab the TV remote and turn it
on. I have no idea what’s on the screen.
    Jesse walks in and stops beside the
couch. “Oh, you’re awake. Did you sleep well?” He asks. I turn my
head and look up at him and give him a half smile. “Um, yes, I did.
Thank you,” I say with a bit of a snap. He looks at me, his face
showing confusion. “Ohhh, kay,” he says. He looks over at the TV
screen and then back at me, his confused expression turning into a
smirk. “And what are you watching?” He says as he cocks his
head.
    I quickly look at the screen. Looking
back and forth between the screen and Jesse I say, “Well, it’s a
great show about making plastic containers. I am really learning a
lot.” Oh, my God! This is horrible and so not
believable.
    He stares at me. I wiggle in my seat,
so uncomfortable. “Hmmm, didn’t seem like you were the crafty
type,” he says with a smirk. I look at him even more unsure now.
“Well, I do like to make things, um, sometimes. It’s nice to get
ideas,” I say with a shrug.
    “Ok then. Well, I am gonna go clean
up,” he says. I can’t say anything so I just nod.
    After dinner, we are sitting on the
couch watching a movie. Jesse has his arm across the back of the
couch almost touching my