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She had plastered herself against Kenn, her head securely nestled in the crook of his arm, her eyes glazed over.
“What’s the problem?” Alex asked. “We thought you would like this celebration.”
She raised her head, looked straight into Alex’s eyes. “Did you really? How would you like it if your most personal moments were broadcast throughout the campus?”
“My life will soon be an open book,” Alex said without hesitation.
“Literally,” Blake added with a smile.
She watched as Dr. Chare grabbed another dinner roll from the middle of the table. “You really need to stop worrying about any of that, Professor St. Clair, and dig into that spaghetti. It’s delicious, simply delicious.”
“It really is,” Deb added. “This putsMario and Luigi’sto shame.” She took a sip of water before she added, “You’re lucky to have such a great meal named in your honor.”
She looked up at Kenn. He shook his head as his free hand covered his mouth. She pondered the situation she found herself in. How could everyone be okay with it?
She raised her head out of the safety of Kenn’s arm and studied her pair of fictional characters.
“It doesn’t bother you that your life is an open book, Alex?”
“No,” she said, “it comes with the territory. You take life as it happens.”
The full impact of what her characters said hit her.
My life will be an open book.
Literally.
They had spoken the truth. In fact, the entire purpose of her creating them was for the entertainment of others. She hoped that literally millions of people would know about Alex and Blake’s love story.
What a fool I’ve been.Part of living is allowing others to see who you really are. Interacting with people.
Then she shot up out of her seat. “I finally get it,” she announced as she pulled Kenn up out of his chair.
“You love me no matter what, even if right now I may embarrass the hell out of you?” She whispered in his ear.
“Nothing you could do can embarrass me, darling.”
“Don’t be too sure about that. But I want to give these people what they really came to see—a love story.”
She pulled Kenn toward her, stood on her tip-toes, and whispered, “Get down here and give me one long, passionate kiss. I’m celebrating the fact my life is an open book.”
As they embraced and kissed, she heard Dr. Chare gasp.Or was he choking?After a moment, the choking ended and she heard him repeat over and over, “I see nothing. I see nothing.”
She heard a small amount of applause at first, then it steadily grew. By the sound of it the entire café was captivated by the moment.
But she refused to stop and look. Then she heard the scuffle of a chair and Alex saying, “Kiss me, you wonderful fool.” She could only imagine where that led to. The applause and cheers were now deafening.
Then she realized the Jewish Mariachi Polka Band was playing the theme from that tragically romantic movie from 1970. It had taken her a moment to recognize it played on an accordion.
Finally, she pulled herself away from Kenn. She didn’t think the reaction couldn’t get any louder, but somehow it did. She took a quick bow and noticed Alex and Blake staring at her.
“Oh, we’re not done, yet.” She winked at them and then trotted over to the band. When she approached the music abruptly halted.
“How about that Jewish folk dance tune that you guys do so well? I feel like dancing.”
****
JJ’s body melted into Kenn’s as she rested a leg over him and nuzzled her face into his chest. Even though they had already made love several times, she felt a desire to re-ignite their passion again. Kenn’s strong arms brought her even closer. If ever two bodies could be one, if ever two people could be one, this was the moment, she thought.
