Handsome, computer analyst, Cory Anderson stepped into the elevator just before the doors closed. He was dressed for casual day in a pair of nice jeans and a polo shirt. “Thanks, Sharon”, he responded to the short overweight blonde-haired woman as she smiled up at him, he has the lips of a God, Sharon thought. 

“No problem, Anderson”, she quipped in her best boss’ voice, smiling, broadly.  They both laughed at her imitation. 

     They exited on the fifth floor where Cory asked Sharon to tell Jasmine Rush, Jaz, his girlfriend, to meet him at the sub shop at one o’clock for lunch, “If there’s a problem, have her buzz me okay?” Sharon worked with Jaz, though Sharon was a contract employee and Jaz wasn’t.  She agreed and they parted ways, her to the left and him to the right of the elevator.

---

     Cory worked alone most of the time. His office was in a semi private area with a desk three chairs and a view that adjoined another office on one side. That day he was in his office from 9 a.m. to 12:45p.m, with only two calls to interrupted him. 

---

     At the busy sub shop downstairs, he spotted Jaz in the corner looking around for him. 

“I ordered for us, I hope that’s okay,” she informed him after sharing a brief kiss. 

“Good Thing,” he replied with a crooked grin.

     He relaxed in his chair and placed his warm ivory hand on her soft brown ones on the table. She pushed her long dark hair over her shoulder before smiled at him revealing her beautiful white teeth beneath perfectly full lips. She wore a long jean jumper with a white t-shirt underneath, for her casual attire.  As a woman used to suits and heels four days a week she found it hard to “dress down“.  He winked at her and looked lovingly into her brown eyes, only to hear their order number being called.

     While eating lunch they spoke of their hectic day. Jaz worked for the same company as Cory but on the administrative side of the building. The corporate world was one of the things that they had in common.

 Before they were finished, eating, Brandon Berry, Cory’s pal, showed up.  Brandon was a handsome blonde and considered “cocky” by most. He plopped down and stretched his long legs out without so much as a hello. 

“Hello to you, too” Cory said sarcastically emphasizing his Gaelic accent.  Jaz held back a giggle, since it always happened this way. 

“You can be so touchy,” Brandon said with a roll of his eyes.

“You’re right, I shouldn’t expect common courtesy from the likes of you,” Cory said with irritation. 

     Despite the fact that Jaz and Cory left Brandon seating at the table, after a few minutes, the “dynamic duo”, were friends again by the end of the day.

---

     Having dated for two years after meeting at an office party, Cory and Jaz were very comfortable with one another.  However, their friends were not always supportive of them because of the “inter-racial thing”.

     That evening at dinner after Cory’s usual ranting about Brandon’s rude behavior, he and Jaz were able to discuss personal matters.

“Living together is out of the question,” she said.  Cory smiled, “we could just get married.”  Waiting for a reaction, he played with the jeweler’s box in his pocket. 

“Besides, I thought we were saving for that eventuality/”

     His thick black hair such a contrast to his Irish green eyes, he hesitated, the setting isn’t right, not romantic enough.  He sighed.  No candles, no dim lights, no classical music.  But, we are not promised tomorrow. 

“Cory, you okay?”

“Will you marry me?” he asked finally.

He placed the box on the table.  Jaz’s hand flew to her face tears, streamed down her cheeks. 

“Oh, yes, of course, Cory,” she replied finally.  At that moment, he decided to sit beside her in the booth, and when he did, they kissed, slowly and deliberately.  When the kiss ended, Cory put his arms around her with a smile that dimpled his cheeks.

“Nice,” Jaz said contentedly.

     Cory and Jaz made their engagement announcement to their boss before their company meeting and he told everyone else; their work family seemed happy for them as they applauded.  Cory’s cheeks turned red as he squeezed Jaz’ hand, affectionately.  Brandon arrived late that day and missed the meeting, but Cory had already informed him of their engagement.

--

     A week later, Brandon arrived at Jaz’s apartment early on a Saturday morning.  She was still in her bathrobe, preparing breakfast with one hand and talking on the phone to her sister-in-law, Vivian, with the other.  Taking the cordless to the door with her, she was surprised to see him standing there.  However, she invited him in and ended the phone conversation. 

     “Hey, Brandon want some breakfast?” she asked as she walked to the kitchen, he declined but sat down at the table. 

“So what’s up, is Cory meeting you here?” she asked between bites of cereal. 

“I don’t want you to marry Cory,” he blurted out.

     He stood up while he ran his fingers through his thick blonde hair, that small action allowed the muscles under his tee shirt to contract.  Jaz found it hard not to notice.  Lord, help, she prayed silently. 

“Why?”   He went to her and bent down to meet her eye to eye.  Blue eyes facing brown, “Simple, I love you too,” he insisted.

     Jaz backed away from him and almost fell out of the chair.  He stopped her fall just as there was a knock on the door.  They look guiltily at one another.

     Brandon had a seat while she answered the door.  Sharon was standing there in her new green jogging outfit. 

“Not ready, I see,” she said, frustrated, “and I’m late.”

Sharon stopped talking and her mouth dropped open when she saw Brandon in the kitchen, sitting calmly and eating cereal.  Between bites, “Hello, Sharon,” Brandon said amiably.  Sharon looked from Jaz to Brandon and decided to leave despite Jaz’ attempts to get her to stay.

---

     Alone again with Brandon, Jaz insisted that she loved Cory.  Even after calling Brandon, arrogant, self-serving, rude, and chauvinistic, he simply said he would try to do better and again declared his love for her.  Before he left, he pulled her into his arms to kiss her; when she looked into his eyes, she believed he did love her.  Afraid she would slap him he hesitated a moment before he pressed his lips to hers.  Jaz responded with an eagerness that frightened her.  There were tears in her eyes when they stopped.

“I’m sorry, that shouldn’t have happened.  You should leave.”

“Think about it, okay,” he said before he left.

---

     When he was gone, Jaz sat staring at her engagement ring.  Why am I even considering Brandon’s words?  Is my heart so unfaithful?  What is wrong with me?  The phone interrupted her thoughts.

     Four hours later at the hospital, Jaz was still in shock.  She and Cory’s mother, Edith, had been sitting in the waiting room for three hours with little input from the doctors.  Vivian and Sharon had both come and gone. The details that the police had given them were sketchy.  Basically, someone who ran a stoplight hit Cory on the driver’s side.  His chances of survival were slim.

     Jaz had hesitated to call Brandon’s to leave a message, but Edith had insisted.  He sat silently beside them for more than two hours.  Sometimes he paced, other times he scanned through magazines.  He seemed restless; Jaz presumed it was guilt, the same guilt she felt.  She tried not to stare at him, though he glanced her way often.  Edith chattered on about Cory and his life off and on, mostly she cried and seemed to be praying.

     Brandon did surprise Jaz at one point, by asking to hold hands and pray with the two ladies.  “Father, we ask for your will in Cory’s life, but we pray that it is for him to live.  Though we know you may want him there with you as much as we need him here with us,” he faltered as tears fell silently down his face.  “Amen,” Jaz ended the prayer for them.  Edith and Brandon embraced.

     When Edith, went to call her pastor, Brandon spoke of Cory, “I’m sorry about Cory, Jaz, he has been like a brother to me, despite my feelings for you,” he continued, “I hope you see that, and don’t misunderstand.”  Jaz started to cry and was in Brandon’s arms when Edith returned.

---

     At Cory’s funeral, Jaz couldn’t stop crying.  Alternately, Vivian and Sharon took turns as they tried to console her, but it didn’t help.  She was so distressed that Edith phoned the doctor after everyone left to stop by to give her a sedative.  Jaz’s parents had both passed away a few years before so she was alone in the world.

When Jaz returned to work after two days leave of absence, she dreaded seeing Brandon.  She hadn’t returned any of his calls to her home, and didn’t know what was appropriate to say to him.  All day she was tense and prayed that he wouldn’t seek her out.

     At the end of the day, she started to relax, and then she saw him outside the building. 

“Jaz?” he said with a question in his voice.  She continued walking to her car, but he fell in step beside her.  She finally, turned, to him at the car, “I think my guilt and grief were mixed,” she admitted.  “I know,” he replied.  Lifting her chin to face him, “I felt it too.”  He kissed her then she knew that all of this: Cory’s death, Brandon’s love, and her life were part of a greater plan.

     After two years of marriage they had a baby, they named Cory.  Brandon and Jasmine settled into a routine and life was good.

Copyright 2002 France Aprahamian All Rights Reserved.