Next Door Neighbors by Frances Hoelsema Page B

said as he took a seat on the couch closest to his mom. “I would have been back sooner but a drink sounded nice so I quick stopped at a little café in town.”
                  “The Coffee Cove?”
                  “Yep. Let me tell you, their cappuccino is good.”
                  “I’ll never understand why you like all of those coffee drinks,” Elena stated.
                  Brian chuckled.
                  After a brief moment of silence, he added, “You’ll never guess who I saw there.”
                  “Who?”
                  “Jill!”
              “So that’s where she went. She told me, but I forgot. She was with her mom I think.”
                  “She was.”
                  Brian tried to figure out how to best proceed. He didn’t know if he should just jump into asking about what he overheard or if he should beat around the bush a little.
                  “Is something wrong?” Elena asked. “You look deep in thought.”
                  “Oh, I’m just trying to figure out something that I overheard. Maybe you can help me.”
                  “Well, I don’t know about that, but I’d be glad to listen.”
                  Brian sighed. “I overheard Jill talking to her mom about me a little,” he began.
                  “All good things I’m sure,” his mom interrupted.
                  “Yeah, mostly.”
                  Elena raised an eyebrow in curiosity, and leaned in closer to Brian’s direction so she could listen more carefully.
                  Brian continued, “She mentioned somebody named Mark and then how she could never end up with me.”
                  “Ah, I see,” Elena exhaled.
                  “Now I’m not saying I want to be with her,” Brian clarified, “But she seems so anti-relationships. Who’s this Mark guy, and what did he do to her?”
                  Elena’s face went blank. It was obvious she was deep in thought, but after she remained silent for a great length of time, Brian became concerned.
                  “Mom?” he asked again.
                  “Sorry. I’m not sure what to say, sweetie.”
                  “Well, who is this guy?”
                  “Mark was her husband,” she revealed.
                  “Husband?”
                  The way Jill spoke and acted, he found it hard to believe that some man got that close to her. Clearly there was a story here; Jill probably wasn’t always the way she was now.
                  “Yep. They were married just over two years, most of which was before I even knew her.”
                  “So what happened?”
                  “It’s not really my place to share with you. I wish I could, but I think she should be the one to tell you. Not me.”
                  Brian was disappointed, although he admired his mom for her integrity.
                  Seeing he didn’t get the answer he wanted, Elena said, “I’m sorry.” She then reached out a hand to pat her son’s.
                  “It’s okay, mom.”
                  Remembering he had to finish unloading his car, he told his mom he would be right back. The whole time to himself, he thought about a way to get Jill to share her story. He wanted to know what that good-for-nothing Mark did to her.
                  Whatever I have to do, I’ll find out. She needs to know that not all men are the same, and that she deserves to be happy…with me.
     
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                  A few hours later, Jill stopped by the house. She almost walked right in, as she was custom to doing while Brian was away.