Part Five

Stuart grabs his navy blue suitcase out of the hallway closet and places it on his bed. He slowly walks to his dresser as he mumbles under his breath what he should pack. Three pairs of boxers, socks, and tank-tops go on the left side of his suitcase. I wonder what the weather will be like this weekend. He trudges over to his nightstand and grabs the remote to turn on the television to watch the evening news. He shoves his suitcase over to sit down on the bed and takes his phone off the charger to text Harry.

“Hey Harry, Do you want me to pick you up or meet you at the bar?”

“Do you want to go to Buffalo Wild Wings? There’s a hockey game tonight,” Harry replied.

“Sounds good. The news just announced that the Las Vegas Knights are playing against the Buffalo Sabres.”

“I’ll meet you there at eight. I’m helping Holly with her homework.”

“Give her a hug for me. See you tonight, bro!”

Harry replies with a smiley face emoji. He places his phone down on the nightstand and steers to the closet. He grabs a light blue button shirt, black dress pants, a green polo shirt, and a tee. He sweeps through his closet, looking for a pair of jeans to pack. My jeans must be in the laundry room. Before closing the closet door, he takes his hockey jersey off the hanger and tosses it on the bed. He glares at the television and listens to the weather before heading downstairs. Ooh, nice, it’s going to be in the mid-fifties this weekend. Yea. It’s getting warmer, with no low thirties and snow like last week.

The smell of garlic and onions scours up his nose as he travels into the kitchen.

“Hi honey, I didn’t know you were home,” Stuart’s mother says while stirring the pot.

“I ran to my room as soon as I came home to pack.”

“What’s going on?”

“I have to go to New York this weekend for work. Chief needs me to get sealed files from headquarters for a cold case I have been assigned,” says Stuart with his pursed lips.

“I wish you well, son. Do you need help packing?”

“I got it, mom, but I can’t find my jeans.”

“I just took them out of the dryer. They’re in the white basket on top of the washer.”

“Thanks, mom. You’re the best.”

Stuart kisses his mom on the cheeks and goes into the laundry room. He grabs two pairs of jeans and presses them against his nose. The scent of lavender always puts a smile on his face.

“I’m going to finish packing.”

“Okay. Dinner will be ready in about twenty minutes,” Stuart’s mom called out.

“Save me a bowl of pasta. I’m going to Buffalo Wild Wings with Harry tonight.”

“Have fun with the boys. I’ll leave a container in the fridge for you.”

“Thanks, mom,” Stuart shouts as he heads back upstairs.

Stuart folds his jeans and places the rest of his clothes into his suitcase and zippers it. He will only need to add his personal care items and medications to his bag in the morning. He peeks at the clock on the cable box to check the time. I have an hour before I need to leave so, I will look through grandma’s journal. Stuart bends down and reaches under his bed for the cardboard box with his grandma’s belongings. He sets the box down on the bench in front of his bed and lifts the photo albums to get to the journal. He takes a deep breath and rubs his index finger over the blue silk ribbon that encases the journal. He changes the television station to the NFL network before untieing the journal. What will this journal reveal about my grandmother’s life?

June 8^th, 1956

When walking home from the factory, I noticed a tall, muscular man sitting on the bench on the corner of Pearl street. I tried not to stare at him, but I couldn’t help it. He looked so handsome that he made my heart pump fast, and I began to blush. I started to speed walk to the bus stop so that he wouldn’t notice me. I hope he didn’t see me. I couldn’t sit on the bus bench because it was wet. It must have rain when I was inside the factory. We must have made over five thousand pieces of candy, and George didn’t say any dirty jokes today either. Thank God, because the next time he does that, I am giving him a black eye. I look up at the sky, watching the birds fluttering by, and then the guy from the bench places his hand on my shoulder. My knee shook has he asked my name. We exchanged phone numbers, and he asked me out on a date. His eyes are blue like the ocean, and he has a charming smile. I can’t wait to see him again. Arthur is going to meet me at the bus stop after work on Friday. I hope he is a gentleman like I think he is. I can’t believe I am going on my first date. I don’t know if I should tell my mother and father.

Goodnight, Diary.

Grandma’s handwriting is so beautiful. It’s hard to picture my grandmother, a young woman falling for a guy she met. The name Arthur is written down, so I must be on the right track. Stuart turns off the television and tied the ribbon back onto the journal. He goes into the bathroom and sprays body spray and changes into his hockey jersey and jeans. Stuart places his wallet and phone into his pant’s pocket and closes his bedroom door.

“Mom, I’m leaving,” Stuart shouts.

“Have a good time, and drive safely.”

Stuart puts his arms through the sleeves of his gray hoodie as he walks down the porch steps. He waves goodbye to his mom before driving away from the curb.

***

The smell of fried foods and hot sauce punch Stuart in the face as he enters the restaurant. There were a whole bunch of people wearing hockey jerseys and dancing in their seats as music blares from the speakers on the ceilings.

“Welcome to Buffalo Wild Wings, Sir. How many people?” says a server with long curly brown hair.

“I’m good right now; I’m meeting some friends here.”

“Okay, let me know when you’re ready to be seated,” says the server.

“Thanks.” I think the server just winked at me. I try to see the score of the game, but there are too many people standing up to see the bottom of the screen from where I’m sitting.

“Hey, Stuart!” Harry shrieks.

“I’m glad you made it, bro. You ready to chow down on some wings?”

“Yea. I’m starving.”

“Me too. My mom was making homemade sauce and pasta, and I tried really hard not to eat any, but I told her to save me some.”

Harry’s body shakes as he laughs and says, “Do you think we can get a table? It’s crowded tonight.”

“We can always sit at the bar if we have to.” I wave my hand to gain a server’s attention.

The woman who winked at me says, “Are you ready to be seated?”

“Yes, can we have a table for three?”

“Oh, Danny’s not coming tonight. He’s working a double shift.”

“Sorry, I need a table for two.”

The server pulled out two menus from the host’s station and looks around the room for an empty table. “Would you mind sitting at a booth?”

“No, we don’t mind. As long as we can see the game,” says Stuart with a smirk on his face.

“Of course. We just turned on the bigger television because it’s really busy tonight.”

Stuart and Harry sit in a red leather booth next to the kitchen, and the smell of food made them more hungry.

“What can I get you guys to drink?”

“We will take two Miller Lites,” says Harry with a smile that could light up a thousand rooms.

“Be right back to take your order.”

Harry nudges Stuart’s arm and says, “Dude, did you see how pretty she is?”

Stuart scratches his head and says, “I don’t know. Umm… she’s cute.”

“You should ask for her phone number.”

“I’m not ready to date yet. I’m still trying to figure everything out.”

“Sorry, bro. I understand.”

The restaurant erupts when Jack Eichel scores a goal. They order a bucket of barbeque chicken wings and mozzarella sticks to share and enjoy watching the rest of the hockey game. When Stuart finished eating, he left the table to use the restroom and wash his sticky fingers.

With a hand on his stomach, Harry says, “Oh, man. I am stuffed, I can’t take another bite.”

“Me too. I think I overate. Next time, we are not ordering that many wings.”

“I agree.” Stuart’s fist bumps Harry.

“We need to figure out our traveling arrangements, says Stuart with his left hand over his mouth.”

“Can we talk about it in the morning? I feel sick too,” says Harry.

“No problem. Have a good night.”

“You too. Thanks for dinner, buddy.”