Mrs. Martha Johnson had lived in her house for 50 years, and Jason Hansen had lived next door for almost 20 of them. Situated in a quiet neighborhood 5 blocks from Central Campus, the campus and the town had exploded around Mrs. Johnson. Jason had taken over the house during his sophomore year of college, but she had known him longer. Jason's family had owned the house before moving to Texas to retire while Jason was still in college. A quiet neighbor, Jason and Martha had a unique and mutually beneficial relationship. She baked him treats or sent over frozen meals, and he mowed her lawn and shoveled the snow. In his parents' absence, Mrs. Johnson was as good of a surrogate as Jason could hope for.
Jason was finishing up his four year degree and would soon find out if he would head off for active army service or stay in the reserves or National Guard. He was fine with either. Active duty meant war but a steady job, while the Reserves or Guard meant a civilian job and probable war and civilian disruption. Single, unattached, handsome and earning pretty good grades- he would succeed either way.
Jason had also become aware that Mrs. Johnson was becoming...not well. Forgetful, more frail- Jason was afraid once he was gone, Mrs. Johnson would need to be moved into a home, or she would unintentionally harm herself.
But a week before classes were set to start, Mrs. Johnson got a new caregiver. She invited Jason over for supper and introduced them.
"Jason, do you remember Elizabeth?"
Jason looked at the beautiful brunette in front of him. Tall at about 5' 10", bronze skin from lots of sun, shoulder length hair pulled back in a pony tail, perfect smile and an athlete's body. And to top it all off she had ice blue eyes that he just wanted to dive into and lose himself in.
Then it hit him, "Lizzy? Oh my gosh! LIZZY! You look, I mean, you're all grown up!"
"I go by 'Elizabeth' now, but I let my friends call me 'Beth'" she said.
"Do I get to call you 'Beth', or will I be forced to call you 'Elizabeth'?"
"'Beth' is fine, IF you stop calling me 'Lizzy'," she joked. Her eyes sparkled and changed colors as she said that. The change was subtle, but since he couldn't stop staring into those eyes, he noticed.
"So, tell me about yourself, Beth. Where have you been since- wow, has it been 8 or 10 years?" Jason asked.
"Well, my parents had been missionaries for the last 8 years. I came back 2 years ago from China and lived with my cousins in Omaha to finish U.S. high school," she said.
"I remember your folks. How are they doing? Are they still doing mission work?"
"Dad was killed in China last year, and Mom is out east with her parents," Beth said, causing an uneasy silence. Jason wished Mrs. Johnson had told him that.
"Did I never...Oh, I'm so sorry, Jason," Mrs. Johnson said. "I get so forgetful anymore."
Jason first felt fear for Mrs. Johnson. To forget to tell Jason something so major as her son being killed, that was not a good sign. But he also felt sadness for Beth, and a little rage. Maybe as an army officer he would someday have the opportunity to right some of these wrongs of bad people killing good folks. Beth's parents had been good people. Maybe he just died in an accident or of natural causes, but he suspected more.
They spent the next hour catching up on the past several years, and the conversation turned to Beth living in Omaha with her cousin Rick- who had been a friend of Jason's he hadn't even heard from in about 3 years or so- and Rick's stepsister Tanya, whom Jason had always found sexy, but protected or possessed by Rick. They were both Jason's age whole Beth was almost 3 years younger. Jason, Rick and Tanya would enjoy playing together when they would spend the summer with Grandma Johnson, while Lizzy was the annoying little 10 year old with buck teeth and broken glasses.
"So how are Rick and Tanya doing?"
"Rick got Tanya pregnant, broke his phone's SIM card. and hasn't been seen since," she said. Mrs. Johnson had let him down and failed to tell him that also.
"Tanya is doing okay- she's on her own, but I try and help her out when I can," Beth said. The missionary upbringing of service to others was strong in her.
After silently watching, Mrs. Johnson said, "Elizabeth, dear, I want to take a nap. Will you help me lie down, please?"
"Sure, Grandma."
"Jason, stay here, and you two catch up." As she said that, Beth couldn't see her face and Mrs. Johnson winked at Jason. Jason's heart skipped a beat at the thought of more time- alone time- with Beth, and was grateful for the old lady's meddling.
"Or, Jason, you guys could go swimming in your pool, like you did when you were young," she said.
"You still have your pool?!"
"Yep, and I maintain it. It's a lot of work and expensive for no more than I use it, but it's there. If you want to come over..."
"If it's okay. I do a lot of swimming to stay in shape and the hours for the P.E. building open swimming are when I am busy with Grandma. If it's okay...I will bring something over and we can grill it? Is that okay?"
"Let me go out and pick something up, and then come over. What sounds good?"
"Hamburger or hotdogs? Something cheap and easy," Beth said, innocently.
"How about steak? This is a special occasion."
"Great!. I'll see you soon," and she excitedly and somewhat awkwardly hugged him.
"I will leave the pool gate open. Come on over when you are ready," Jason said.
He went out, picked up two steaks, some bacon- wrapped asparagus, some cut up fresh fruit, and some wine coolers in case Beth wanted a drink. Not much of a drinker since turning 21, Jason occasionally had a beer or a Bloody Mary, although usually he just drank the Bloody Mary Mix and ate the garnishes.
When he pulled into the driveway he could see the gate to the backyard and pool was open. He carried the groceries inside, changed into his suit and went out into the backyard. His pool was fairly old and large by private pool standards. While not as big as any of the 5 or 6 pools on campus, it was big enough to swim short laps. Mostly 4 to 6 feet deep, it did have a low diving board and diving well.
