Page 33 of Bless This Hot Mess

Rebekkah, leaning in as if she were in an old black-and-white picture, purred, “Yes, doooooo go on.”

Ronald fidgeted and reset the shoulder straps of his pinnie. He took a deep breath, “Well, I was just thinking that… Well, I’ve been selfish. Just thinkin’ ‘bout me. And all this time,youandyou. You’re both standing right in front of me. And you really see me.”

Japheth and Rebekkah replied in unison, their voices simmering with sincerity, “We do!”

Ronald paused, looking from one to the other, his eyes softening, “And what was I gonna do? Leave that all behind? Leaveyouandyoubehind?”

“How could you?” Japheth whispered plaintively.

Ronald shook his head, “I don’t know if I can.”

Rebekkah stepped forward, her eyes wide, “You shouldn’t.”

The bus driver, growing impatient, called from his seat, “Are you three getting on the bus or not?”

Ronald, still clutching his crumpled bus ticket, waved him off, “My ticket is for New York. But I’m not going!”

Japheth blinked in surprise, “You’re not?”

“No!” Ronald said, shaking his head decisively.

Rebekkah, grinning from ear to ear, repeated triumphantly for the aural benefit of the bus driver and everyone on the bus, as well as her own growing satisfaction, “He’s not going!”

“But Rebekkah, Japheth,” Ronald said, suddenly serious, “Please don’t leave me. Stay. Stay with me, right here in Greater Napanee. Maybe I don’t measure up to the man you need me to be…”

“You do!” Japheth and Rebekkah exclaimed together, their voices overlapping in impassioned stereo.

Ronald smiled at their enthusiasm, but his expression remained earnest, “I promise to always be big where it counts. And to be on your team, if you’ll still have me?”

Japheth beamed, “We will!”

Ronald looked at Rebekkah, his tone softening, “Rebekkah, you’ve only ever been with Japheth. I know this is a lot to ask, but can you handle two guys?”

“By golly, gosh, darn-it,” Rebekkah’s accent lilted with amusement and warmth. It had travelled from the Mid-Atlantic and ran ashore in a Texas twang. “Ronald, Japheth, guys, I’m willing to try.”

Ronald let out a small laugh, relief washing over him, “That’s all I can ask.”

Ronald stood there in his low-slung basketball shorts, self-titled jersey, and high-top squeaky-clean sneaks; his expression earnest as he turned to Japheth. “And Japheth,” he began, looking deep into his eyes, “your Jesus ghost and those Globetrotters all had whole teams of men. I can’t be twelve men. And I don’t expect you to be twelve men either. But can we promise each other…”

“Anything!” Japheth sputtered, almost breathless.

Ronald’s eyes locked onto his; sincerity on speed-dial from his soul, “Can we promise that we’ll give each other the endurance, support, and love of twelve men?”

Japheth’s eyes misted with emotion, “Yes, Ronald, oh yes.”

The bus’s air-pressure doors hissed as they opened and then closed, and the driver checked and then closed the cargodoors with a little shake of his head at the three people clearly not going anywhere, as they stood in a tight little triangle holding onto each other’s hands and ignoring him.

Rebekkah tilted her head, a hopeful smile creeping onto her face, “Does this mean…?”

Ronald nodded, a smile finally breaking across his face, “If you’ll have me.”

Japheth, his voice trembling slightly, responded, “Ronald, I also may not be twelve men…”

Rebekkah grinned as she chimed in, “And I’m gonna see if I can handle two men.”

“But what we lack in numbers,” Japheth continued, a hand on Ronald’s shoulder, “we make up for inheart. And we couldn’t be happier that you want us to stay.”

Rebekkah nodded in agreement, her eyes sparkling, “And that you want to join Trinity.”