Blood of the Rainbow (11 page)

A couple more weeks have passed and I got the job I wanted and the salary was to die for. Apparently, it has something to do with the fact I’m Navajo. Funny, I never thought me being what I am would work to my advantage but apparently, I’m a minority. Hey, I can live with that. I can really bring ‘Raging Storm’ out now and I can start putting some money away for my house. I will have it! My dreamgirl still hasn’t shown up – I’m beginning to think she’s never coming again, but I’m still hopeful. I have so many things I want to share with her.

I’ve been drawing sketches of my dreams. Some are a little fuzzy and could use a little clarity, but I’ve drawn them the way I saw them. It seems, the clearer my dreams are, the easier it is for me to sketch them. I wonder if they will help me convince her she’s for me when I find her. I want her to see my secret place. I would never show it to another living soul. That’s my place, our place, just ours!

Well, I’ve got one hell of a country band going. Steve and Carl’s neighbor, Lucy Ripley, has joined the band. She’s hot but she’s not my type. I don’t like blondes anymore. I guess I’m just doomed to live the rest of my life without finding my dreamgirl. At least I’m staying busy.’

Entry Five: Wisteria Hall

‘Oh man, can my luck get any better. Ok, I know I’m a doctor, and I’m supposed to live for the preservation of life but the passing of this life has given me another piece of my dream. Thanks to Gary Browne, and his cousin Donna Rigden, Wisteria Hall is mine!

Just got a good look at the inside of the house and the rest of the grounds. This is not going to be easy but I’m going to enjoy it. I’ve drawn up all the plans, hired the crews and work has begun. Each thing I do here, reminds me more of her, my dreamgirl. I can’t wait to show it to her. I can’t wait to share it with her.

Well, it took almost a year, but it’s done. I thought the house was my crowning glory, now I have a fully equipped recording studio out back. The band really enjoys working here and so do I.

Lucy said something about her niece coming to live with her when school was out this year. I wonder what she’ll be like. Maybe I can spend some time with her. I’m really getting lonely. I’ve been spending all this time on the Hall, and now that it’s finished, I don’t have anything to do with my time. I need something to do.

Kim at work has been giving me the eye. And then there’s Donna, Gary Browne’s cousin. Donna is a nice girl and all, and she does look a lot like the girl in my dreams, but then too much doesn’t fit. I appreciate Donna’s help in securing Wisteria Hall for me. I think she kind of likes me too, but, what kind of relationship could we have, if I’m still in love with my dreams?

Steve tells me I should live a little. He says I’ve been using this mysterious dream to keep me from getting on with my life. Sometimes, late at night, when I’m lying awake and can’t sleep, I wonder if he might be right. Maybe I should give Donna a chance, but then again, maybe not. It wouldn’t be fair to have her assume we might have some kind of future together when there’s another woman on my mind. No! I’ve held an angel in my arms and after that, nothing can compare. I want my dreamgirl! She still hasn’t come again, but then she said she wouldn’t. I guess I should have believed her but I want her with me. I desperately need her. There’s a missing part of me, and because of all the clues she’s given me, I’ll know when I’ve found her. Granddad, I’ll find that missing part – the other half of me. I wish I had her now - guess I’m not being so patient.’

Entry Six – She’s here! She’s here! She’s here!

‘I had given up the idea of having my dreamgirl with me. I had completely put her out of my conscious mind. Well, maybe not completely. I guess it’s a good thing my sub-conscious mind held onto her because at last, I have beheld her and now I know her name. It’s Sara Foster. She’s everything and more than the girl in my dreams. She is the girl in my dreams; I can feel it. When she stands next to me, it’s as if a missing piece of me has come home. The touch of her hand in mine sends chills down my spine.

I was across the street at Steve and Carl’s, just chilling when a strange car pulled in behind Lucy’s. I watched her get out. I wondered who she was. She’s apparently come to stay with Lucy and she had a lot of what looked like heavy luggage so I thought I would be a gentleman and help them out.

Sara was bent over, digging deep in the trunk of her car, trying to retrieve some of her books. I noticed she had long dark brown silky hair. Could it be her? Come on Jared, get it together, you’re losing it again. Just do what you came to do. Help them get the stuff in, say hello and get on with life. I stood there, watching her, something terribly familiar about her. “You look like you could use a hand,” I said, innocently.

She let out a little yelp and banged her head on the top of the trunk lid. I don’t like to brag, but I think she might have been dazzled by what she saw when she looked up at me. It was either my looks or the fact that she saw the blood on her hand when she touched her head, because she looked like she was going to faint. “Easy there! Are you all right?” I asked, helping her to stand up.

Her eyes met mine and I thought I was going to lose it. I wanted to take her into my arms and never let her go. It was all I could do to dress her wound. It wasn’t as bad as it looked. I decided she wouldn’t need stitches. Then, feeling desperate for some reason to keep her with me, I asked her to go for a walk and she accepted. She didn’t pull away when I took her hand as we crossed the street. Her hand in mine felt so natural. Almost as natural as breathing. How am I ever going to make myself leave her, but I have to. She told me I would have to take it slow. I really am trying to.

I’m not going to write anything else in here, because I feel this journey has met its end. And, even if it hasn’t, and even if Sara may not be the girl in my dreams, she’s enough for me, everything fits. The girl in my dreams will just have to find someone else. I’ve found what I’m looking for and I’m going after it!’

Jared loves Sara! Forever!

Sara read the last few lines again.

‘I’m not going to write anything else in here, because I feel like this journey has met its end. And, even if it hasn’t, and even if Sara may not be the girl in my dreams, she’s enough for me, everything fits. The girl in my dreams will just have to find someone else. I’ve found what I’m looking for and I’m going after it!’

Sara wiped the tears from her eyes and ran her fingers over the last written words as she read them again.

‘
Jared loves Sara! Forever!’

Slowly, Sara closed the diary and sat on the side of her bed. Her head filled with so many confusing thoughts that she couldn’t think straight.
How am I supposed to take this? Who are Gary Browne and Donna Rigden? If they and Jared are friends, why hasn’t he introduced us – especially Donna? He seems to have a soft spot for her. What if…?

Sara had always believed in love at first sight but, this went beyond that, far beyond it. This was even beyond scary. It didn’t occur in the real world, not in her world. Sara’s world was filled with pain, loss and disappointment.
This couldn’t be meant for me
. “What should I do?” she mused. “Should I just let things stay the way they are? If Jared’s dreamgirl were Kim or Donna, obviously he hadn’t gave either of them a chance. I wonder….”

Sara booted her laptop. Since she didn’t have a last name for Kim, she searched for Donna Rigden with reference to Gary Browne and D’Netics. She started the search and waited. There were several references to Gary Browne and D’Netics, but only one for Donna Rigden. Sara truly wasn’t that interested in what Donna had done or accomplished. She was searching for a picture, and she found one. Sara’s mouth gaped. To the side of an article about genetic research and heart disease was a smiling face much like Sara’s. She narrowed her eyes as a pang of jealously shot through her, then sadness, guilt, regret. “Oh God! This is hard. Am I being selfish? What certainty do I have that it’s her? This isn’t fair. I found him first. Don’t I deserve happiness?”

Sara thought she’d been in love before, but this wasn’t how it had felt. She was so confused. She wanted Jared, that was a fact, but could she be so selfish as to try and fill shoes that were never meant for her to wear? Could she live with the fact, that she might be preventing Donna or someone else from getting what truly was never Sara’s? Could she be strong, and love Jared enough to let him go? To let him be with the one he was destined to be with?

------------

Sara stood, and ran her hand through her hair, pacing back and forth, the short distance from her bed to the opposite wall. She knew Jared would expect some kind of response when she saw him again. But, when
would
she see him again? Sara glanced at her watch. She’d been reading his diary for the last hour, and it seem like she had only just opened the book. Where did time go?

She went into the kitchen and fixed a sandwich. She went outside to get the mail. Steve’s head was under the hood of his jeep, fiddling with something. He was always fiddling under the hood. He closed it and then picked up the water hose.
Surely, he’s not going to wash it again!
“Didn’t he just wash that thing yesterday? He must wash the damn jeep every day,” she mused.

Sara called out to Steve, and he waved. She grabbed the handful of flyers and bills that usually cluttered Lucy’s mailbox. Lucy was always sending off for this and that, and of course, when they got her address they started sending junk mail to her. Sara had tried to warn her about this, but Lucy wouldn’t listen.

Sara tucked the mail under her arm and started back inside the house. An idea struck her. She stopped, and decided to talk to Steve. Sara needed to confide in
somebody,
and she wasn’t prepared to wait another four hours for Lucy to get home. She went back inside the house and tossed the mail on the table. Sara quickly made another sandwich, grabbed hers, and hurried across the street.

------------

Steve playfully pretended he was going to spray Sara with the water hose. “You better not do that, unless you want a soggy snack,” she said, handing him the paper plate.

“What’s this?”

“A snack. Aren’t you hungry? I figured, with all the work you’ve been doing on that jeep, you’d be starving!”

Steve wiped his hands on a towel and sat on the step by his front porch. “I
was
about to order a pizza.”

“Where’s Carl?”

Steve stuffed a quarter of the sandwich in his mouth. “He had to work today. If you wanna chill, I could still order
us
a pizza….”

Sara sighed. “Not unless you want one.”

Steve grinned. “That would depend on how long you can stay.”

“That would depend on how long you want to put up with me – until Lucy gets home?”

Steve laughed. “I
might
be able to stand you that long. What’s up Sara?”

 “What do you mean?” Sara tried acting innocently.

“Come on. You’re like Lucy. When something’s bothering her and she needs to talk, she always tries to feed me – not that I mind.”
Like when Jared gave her the brush off for his dreamgirl
.

Sara laughed and blushed. “I didn’t know that. I
do
need to talk about something but what I say has to be kept between us. You can’t tell a soul not even Carl and especially
not
Jared.”

Steve eyed Sara suspiciously. “Oh Gee – this sounds serious,” he responded, contemplating. “Yeah, shoot - I can keep my trap shut,” he said laughing, “At least as long as you stuff food in it.”

Sara punched him in the arm. “I’m serious Steve.”

He rubbed his arm and grimaced. “I’m sorry. I was just kidding.  I
won’t
tell a soul.”

“I really feel guilty talking to you about this. Maybe I shouldn’t, I promised I wouldn’t’ say anything about it.”

“Come on Sara, let’s have it. My mouth is sealed. Upon my last drop of blood, and my last breath, I will
not
tell.”

“All right. How long have you and Jared been friends?”

Steve laughed. “Forever, at least it seems that way. Let me see, I’d say we’ve known each other for at least six or seven years. Why?”

“I was just curious. Has he ever talked to you about me?”

“Oh yeah, all the time. I’m so freaking jealous! Jared gets the looks. He gets the job. He gets the money, and now, he gets the girl too. It can’t be fair for Jared to have all the luck, especially the part about getting the girl?”

Sara smiled. She was flattered Steve thought of her that way. But Sara didn’t need flattery – she needed answers. She ignored Steve’s failed attempt at flirting with her. “What has he told you?” she prompted.

“Now hang on Sara! That’s not a fair question. Just like what you tell me, what he tells me is private too. You know - the guy thing.”

“Ok, let me rephrase it then,” she persisted. “Has he ever said anything to you about me
before
I moved in with Lucy?”

Steve drew in a deep breath and blew it out between his lips. “I don’t know if you could say he was actually talking about
you
. He did have this one girl, but even when they were together, he kept talking about a girl he’d seen in his dreams.”

“Did he ever mention her name?”

“No, he said he never found out her name. She wouldn’t tell him, said she wasn’t supposed to. He was crazy about her though. I thought he was a little fruity, but you know how those Indian legends go. Something about finding his perfect match.”

“Do you think he’s forgotten her now?”

Steve looked up at her and laughed. “With you being around – yes! Jared is pretty into you, if you know what I mean.”

“Yeah, I do. I hope I’m not coming between them.”

“What - his dreamgirl? Nah! Jared’s always made up his own mind. I don’t think he would let a dream determine his future,” Steve laughed. “Who knows? If there’s anything to his dreams, you might be her. If not, I wouldn’t let it bother you. Since you’ve come along, he doesn’t talk about her anymore.”