One Name

It was a strange feeling to know I would not be moving for a while. Settling down in a house that was mine. Well, technically the house was the banks, but the payments belonged to me. By some miracle I had managed to pick a winning lottery ticket of $20,000.00. Once it was confirmed as legitimate, I knew exactly how I wanted to spend the money: A down payment on my first home.

I had moved around to a few places since college. I enjoyed going to new places and trying new things. I tried a new career with each move. Waitressing, banker, receptionist, landscaper. The list just continued to grow. If a job grew boring or it dealt with too many rude people, I was on to the next one. I had attended college without finding a major, graduating with an associate degree in General Studies. It wasn’t anything impressive. There was always a new path calling my name.

When my lease was up at the last apartment, I decided to move closer to home. I wanted to build a stronger relationship with my family. Growing up my siblings and I had 7 years between each one of us. I remember a few family vacations, but I did not have many memories with them. As we grew older, we each developed our own lives and saw each other maybe on the holidays, if the timing was right. I would hear of friends going on sibling trips or having standing lunch dates with family once a month. I was always so jealous to hear about these relationships. I decided the only way to develop a close relationship with my family was to physically move closer. I thought maybe then we could do some of these things together.

Originally, I was looking for a rental, but the lottery win had changed that. I found a house in Bloomington, only 30 minutes away from the rural community of Irving, where I was raised and my family still resided. I was ready to get closer to them, but I still needed a little room. The rustic wooden beams on the front porch drew me to the house immediately when I saw the listing online. It was a cozy two bed two bath, with open living space. The master bedroom and bathroom were in the loft. A small second bedroom was on the main floor with an open living room and kitchen area with another bathroom. It was more than enough space for me. The selling point of property had to be the backyard. There was a small brick fire pit just off a cement pad that spanned the width of the house. The rest of the yard opened to green grass with two large maple trees just inside the back fence line. I was never much of a gardener but grass and trees I could keep alive.

When I informed my mother I would be moving closer, she was overjoyed. She was not only excited to spend more time together, but also to have her craft room back. After high school and college my mother’s craft room had doubled as a storage unit. I had totes with books and pictures, old prom dresses and holiday costumes. All the sensible items a young adult female would hold on to just in case they were needed later. Now that I had a permanent living situation and room for such belongings, it was time to decide what to keep and what to get rid of.

As I drove away from my mother’s house, I was feeling remarkably accomplished for talking her into holding on to my two favorite high school dance dresses, tucked away safe in the closet. I was also able to fit all totes and other items I would be keeping into one carload. It was only day two in the new house, but it was quickly becoming mine.

Once the contents of the car were rehomed into the extra bedroom. I began to sort the keepsakes from the garbage. The first tote was mostly junk, old concert tickets and chemistry notes from high school. My high school yearbooks earned a spot on the new bookshelf. The next tote was full of books. My heart leaped with joy as I read the names of these long lost friends. As I worked my way down to the second level of books, a thin black notebook caught my eye. I opened the cover and read my name and address written in my hand. I flipped through the pages seeing names and phone numbers with little notes next to them. I must have written this, but I could not recall a single memory of the notebook. I scanned the entries for dates for some clue for reference but found none. The names and numbers belonged to people I knew. As I read their names, faces flashed into mind. I turned to the last page to find a name that had no face attached: “Grant Roberts”. I knew no one by that name. The phone number listed below the name was the same as the number listed under “K & T Roberts”. K & T Roberts I knew, Kara and Tom Roberts. The memory of a joyful couple in their 40’s laughing in a small living room started to take form. The memory filled me with joy, but it was not quite complete. I could not remember the context of how I knew Kara and Tom, or why I was at their house.

I set the notebook on the shelf and tried to focus my attention back to the tote of books. I was able to unbox three more books, but I couldn’t shake the questions growing in my mind about the names on that last page of the notebook. I grabbed the notebook and turned to the last page. It was obvious I would need to call the phone number listed with the names. Having no year to reference with the number, I started to make excuses. The number could be an old landline, or the Roberts could have changed numbers by now. I sat on the floor contemplating my options. No harm could come from calling the number, and I could move on once I knew it was a dead end.

I picked up my phone, pressed the numbers into the screen, and hit the call button. The anxiety rose in my chest as the line started to ring. “Hello this is Kara.” No freaking way. It was them. “Hi Kara, this is Ava. I don’t know if you remember me but,” “OH Ava! Of course we remember you! How have you been? It’s been much too long. Let me put you on Speaker, Tom is here with me.” “Hi Ava, how have you been? Have you talked to Grant recently?” Their voices sent me right back to the same memory I had when I first saw their names. How could I have forgotten these people?

“That’s actually why I’m calling. I know this will sound strange but, I found your information in a notebook as I was unpacking. I remembered playing cards at your house, but I am having trouble remembering Grant. Maybe you could fill me in on some details?” “Ava, Grant is our son.” Kara said with a bit of concern in her voice. “He brought you to our home one night for dinner and cards. You two seemed quite close. It has been a few years since then. You must have been in college at the time. I think Grant was just getting started with his business overseas. He is working in Norway now. We can give you his cell number, but his hours are quite different from ours.”

Well that at least gave me a timeline. I must have been in my second or third year in college, when I met these people. I still could not find a face in my mind to match to Grant’s name. “Thank you, but I was just trying to connect some old memories together. I just moved into a place in Bloomington and found your number in my things. This phone call has helped a lot. I won’t need his number.” This was my chance to talk to Grant and I was dismissing it because I was afraid.

“Ava, we live in Bloomington as well! Would you come to dinner tomorrow and maybe we can help with that bit of memory? If anything, Tom could use to lose to you at cards. He has beat me every time we play lately. Would 7 o’clock work for you? I’ll text you the address.”

“Umm, sure. I can be there.” Did I just say yes to dinner and cards with people I hardly knew? The joy from the memory had pushed me into saying yes without any hesitation. “Bring your A-Game.” Tom said into the phone. “We’ll see you tomorrow!”

“See ya tomorrow.” I replied, ending the call. The rest of the night I searched for anything to take my mind off the dinner date I had made. I organized the rest of the totes and retired into a hot bath. I tried to remember anything I could about Grant, but nothing came to mind. At least I would know someone in my new town. The Roberts seem like good people and the one memory I did have with them begged me to add others.

The next day passed like any other. I unpacked more boxes. I ran to the grocery store. I decided to pick out a bottle of wine to bring to dinner. I would need a little liquid courage. About 6pm I touched up my hair and added a little makeup. I didn’t think it would be a formal occasion, so I threw on a pair of jeans and combat boots I could always count on, with a t-shirt and flannel, my everyday go to.

I found the Robert’s house with ease. The house had a dark green siding with rock lining the bottom half. As I walked up the walkway, I saw the large wooden door with a welcome sign hanging in the middle. The door swung open before I reached it to Kara and Tom, “Ava! You made it. Come in!”. Well, there was no turning back now. I followed the Roberts through their front door and into the main room. There was a fireplace to the left with couches and a kitchen with an island to my right. Leaning against the marble countertop was a man in a tailored grey suit and white button-down shirt. His hair was cut short, with the top just long enough to push back. He had to be around 6 feet tall and his presence commanded the room. He had a strong jawline and that smile, wow.

“Ava.” As he said my name it was like a key to a lock. The memories and feelings came pouring back into me. I steadied myself against a kitchen chair. This was Grant.

“What are you doing here? I thought your parents said you were in Norway.” I had so many questions, but I had to make sense of the man standing in front of me first.

“Yes, I was in Norway. I actually just got off the jet, hence the work clothes.” As he motioned to his body. “My parents called me after they received your call. They told me you had moved to town and were coming to dinner. I knew I couldn’t miss my chance with you a second time.”

My heart stopped. Was this real? Am I hallucinating? Why could I remember him now? I remembered how we met in college and going on dates with him. Then he was gone. He had decided to chase his career and I wanted to experience life. Yet we had found each other again. I still had hesitations, but something just felt right about him.