#14 The Things She Carries
Oct 7th, 2009 by Ashley
Jane carried a paperback of Tom Rob Smith’s first novel, Child 44. It was given to her by her boyfriend, K. In exchange, she gave him The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society which she finished reading just a week before she got home. Jane’s book club came close to choose Gurnsey as their second book, but instead The Collector, which turned out to be too intimidating that no one actually read it, won by two votes. During the spring, several of the book club members read Gurnsey on their own and they all raved about it. She bought it, read it on the plane, fell in love with it, and gave it to K with a slice of boarding pass tucked in as a surprise souvenir. Unlike the cute and delightful Gurnsey novel, Child 44 was thrilling and intense. She still couldn’t help sidetracking while reading it. She kept stopping to wonder if he liked the parts she liked. She couldn’t wait to finish the book so that she could share her thoughts with him. But at the same time, she couldn’t bear to finish it knowing the sense that they were doing the same thing would be gone. Thinking that he was holding this book, enjoying the same excitement it brought just a few weeks ago comforted her. It made her feel less apart.
Jane also carried a small vial of Paul Smith’s Story, a cologne she and K picked up after numerous cologne tasting at the mall. She loved smelling the Chinese grapefruit on his neck riding on the back of his motorcycle. It reminded her of his embrace. She would simply tip the top off and immerse herself in the green aroma of the early autumn fruit and remembered sunset by Rainbow Bridge where they talked about football and kissed. She would close her eyes, see his smile and imagine his hand touching hers with a squeeze that makes both of their stomachs flutters with joy.