26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Sean

I've been ready to see Jessica since noon, but I didn't want to appear desperate so I busied myself with some chores while mentally counting each hour until it was almost five. With ten minutes left I can't wait another minute longer, so I grab my phone and head next door.

Jessica opens on the first knock, and she looks adorable in a pair of jeans and a navy t-shirt. My heart picks up pace and I give her a look from head to toe before I can stop myself.

"You look great," I say, with a smile from ear to ear.

She closes the door behind her and starts moving past me down the stairs with a smirk on her face. "Thank you. You look great, too."

I've heard variations of this compliment all my life, but when Jessica says it to me it hits me differently. "Thanks, Jess. You ready?"

"To kick your butt? You bet I am," I can't help but laugh.

"Are you driving?"

"I could," I say. "But I was hoping we could walk. I love this weather."

Jessica peeks over her shoulder at me, "Okay."

I don't realize that I haven't started following her down the stairs until she talks. "Are you coming, Sean, or am I going by myself?"

I start walking down the steps and chuckle at my behavior.

"So where are we going?" She asks as I'm walking to her.

"The church, a few blocks away. They have bingo in the basement," I answer.

"Really? I didn't know that." She frowns. "And I've lived here all my life. It's not very popular, is it?"

"Depends on who you ask. Some people think it's very popular." We are walking so close that our arms brush. I desperately want to hold her hand, and it takes everything in me to control myself from entwining my fingers with hers. What if she rejects me?

"My grandma loved it and would take me whenever she could. You won't really see any people our age there. Which is sad ‘cause it can be a lot of fun with the right people."

"Am I the ‘right kind of people'?" Jessica playfully nudges me with her elbow.

"You are the right kind of people, Jess." Then I laugh as fond memories play in my mind's eye like a slideshow. "You know Grandma Mae?" I ask Jessica. "My Dad's mom?"

She nods vigorously. "Yes. I remember her. She was so lovely and gave the best hugs."

"Yes!" I chuckle, remembering how Grandma Mae's hugs felt like a giant teddy bear was smothering you. "That's one of the many things I miss about her. Her hugs could make my day go from a zero to a hundred in one second."

"I'm sorry," Jessica says, and I shake my head.

"Thank you. I am grateful for the time I had with her. She was a special person. It's why I like to go and play bingo every once in a while. It brings me back to the time I would spend with her."

"How?"

"She loved playing bingo and would go any chance she got to play and spend time with her friends." A smile splits my face as I think of Gram and how much fun she had. "At first, I only liked following her because it meant I could get away from home, even if it were just for an hour or two. It felt like a night out. But I started making friends with some of Gram's friends. One day they challenged me to play. I think I was eighteen or nineteen at the time."

"You were so young!" Jessica says in surprise.

"Yes. I was young. But I enjoyed the game. Every day after that, I started going because I wanted to play one round. My favorite person there is Steve; he's very old but agile. You'll meet him at the hall; he's always there."

"I cannot wait," Jessica says. "Why is he your favorite?"

"Because he's a sore loser, just like you," I laugh. "When Steve loses, he goes on about how his eyesight is bad, or his fingers are stiff, just excuses to invalidate your win."

"And when he wins?"

"Oh, the entire hall must celebrate with him." I shake my head. "He suddenly forgets about his bad eyesight or stiff hands."

"He sounds like a character."

"He is."

"Who would've thought Sean O'Connell loves spending time with elderly people?"

The fact that she is serious and not teasing me makes my heart melt. This woman and what she does to me.

"Spending time with them is like spending time with Grandma Mae. When I lost Gram, I missed her hugs so badly. But on the first day, I went to the hall without her; everyone hugged me, and it felt like being hugged by her all over again. I hope when I'm old, I give such amazing hugs."

When we reach the hall, everyone is present, and already teeming with laughter and banter. I'm always surprised that people this old could cause such a ruckus, but it's always fun to watch.

"Sean!" Faith rushes forward to hug me. Faith is ninety years old, and she was Grandma Mae's close friend. "It's so good to see you. We thought you wouldn't show up today." Before I can respond, she turns glittering eyes to Jessica. "And who is this pretty girl?"

"Hi, Faith." I point my hand in Jessica's direction. "This pretty girl is Jessica."

"Hello." Jessica holds out her hand.

Faith swats Jessica's hand out of the way and hugs her. Then, she turns to the rest of the group.

"You guys, come on, Sean brought his girlfriend!"

I open my mouth to say that Jessica isn't my girlfriend but the rest of the group rush toward her, shouting questions and jokes. I glare at Faith. "Faith!"

She shrugs and winks at me.

Jessica is passed from one person to another in tight hugs. By the time she's done, her shirt is rumpled and her hair sticks out in different angles, but her face has a smile on it. I pull her close and smooth her hair before turning to the group.

"You guys, Jessica is my friend, okay?" I stare pointedly at them because they can be as hard-headed as teenagers sometimes. "She's Evie's best friend and my best friend's sister."

"Jessica." I look at her as I point to each person. "This is Faith. Thomas. Alisha. Steve. Desmond. William. Hannah. Leah. And Tom. We have been playing Bingo together for more than a decade."

"It's so nice to meet all of you," Jessica says.

"It's great to meet you too," they chorus. Steve steps forward, and I roll my eyes because he's about to say something silly. "Sean has never brought any girl to the bingo before."

"Really?" She draws out the word with raised eyebrows and a smile. She's enjoying this, I can tell.

"Okay, guys. Let's play." I clap to get their attention. "You see Jessica here; she thinks she can beat me at bingo."

They all gasp, and I nod, so proud they're taking my side.

"She's very competitive and such a sore loser, like Steve here."

Everyone laughs except Steve and Jessica. "I'm not a sore loser," Steve argues.

"It's okay, Steve," Jessica comforts him. "They're just jealous." She turns her smile to me and I feel my heart pound against my rib cage.

Steve smiles up at her. "I like this girl." Then he nods. "Let me get the caller; everyone can sit down. The game will start in ten minutes."

I lead Jessica to the table where we play and sit beside her. "Do you like this place?"

She nods. "I see why you come here," she whispers. "They're like kids."

I laugh, agreeing with her. "You should see when they're arguing over who gets to eat the last slice of pizza or other mundane things. It's so interesting to watch. I—"

"They're such a cute couple, aren't they?" I recognize Alisha's whisper.

Another thing about the older people is that they are all half deaf and their whisper is like a stage whisper. She probably thinks we can't hear her. Jessica bites back a laugh.

"Sean says they aren't dating," Hannah counters. "Maybe they're just friends."

"They aren't just friends," Alisha insists. "I wasn't born yesterday. Don't you see the way they look at each other?"

Jessica's face is red from trying hard not to laugh, and it's even harder for me because, in a way, they're right. To Jessica, I might be just a friend. But to me, she's so much more. I guess Alisha truly wasn't born yesterday.

"Well, you're right," Hannah agrees. "They look good together. Oh, to be young and in love."

"Lower your voice," Alisha scolds. "Don't let them hear you."

"It's a little late, Alisha." I glance back at them. "You weren't doing an excellent job at whispering."

The two women look bashful for a moment before crossing over to us. "We're sorry, dear," Hannah tells Jessica. "Sometimes, Alisha doesn't like to mind her business."

Alisha gasps. "Hannah!"

"What?" Hannah shrugs just as Steve returns to the table with the bingo caller, Gertrude. Everyone sits at the table as Gertrude passes the scorecards and bingo chips.

"You good?" I lean over to Jessica.

She winks and leans so close to me that I am surrounded by her scent. It's vanilla. "Give it all you've got, big boy."

Her words go straight into my bloodstream, sending tingles down my spine. Wow this girl is beautiful and she has no clue how she affects me. Without another thought she goes back to arranging her score cards and waiting for instructions.

I take a deep breath as Gertrude verbally reviews the instructions for Jessica before starting the game. Usually, I don't exert myself while playing, but today I am. When Jessica is with me at the table, I better sit up. Bingo is more a game of luck and chance than skill, but that doesn't mean I'll simply relax and let Jessica win.

It's a shock to everyone at the table when, in a very short time, Jessica shouts, "Bingo!"

"What?" Steve leans over to her side of the table and scans her scorecard. "Heck! Gertrude's voice was too low," he complained. "So many times she called a combination, and I couldn't even hear her."

"Steve!" Everyone laughs.

Jessica nudges me, and when I turn to her, she's smiling. "When will you admit I'm better than you, Sean?"

"Never." Unable to resist, I lean down and kiss her cheek, then immediately turn back to everyone sitting around the table. "Gertrude, let's prepare for another round!"