"Hey Trickster! Where do you want us to put this stuff?"
Surprised by the unexpected inquiry, Nicole Christianson walked out of her kitchen to find Tesa Gordon standing in the middle of her living room, a huge moving box in her arms. Behind her stood Elezebeth DiCarlo with a box of her own.
"Tes! Bethie! I didn't even hear you guys come in," Nikki exclaimed, the joy evident in her voice.
The two newcomers set their boxes on the living room floor and the three old friends embraced warmly.
Disengaging herself, Tesa glanced around the room," Nikki, this place is wonderful. How on earth did you find such a great spot right in downtown Baltimore?"
Nikki grinned wickedly, "It always pays to know someone who knows someone."
"Oooh," Beth laughed, rolling her eyes, "listen to Ms. I'm-an-Ad-Exec Now."
Beth's antics caused Tesa and Nikki to start giggling.
Nikki had graduated high school with Elezebeth and Tesa. The three had then attended the University of Maryland together, Nikki for web design, Tesa in art and Beth in speech therapy. After graduation, Nikki started working for the web design firm of Paulson & McIntyre. This past month she had been promoted to advertising executive from her previous position as designer. A week ago, through some connections, she'd found this beautiful walk-up in downtown Baltimore. Being too big for just herself, she asked Tesa and Beth if they wanted to share it with her, and they happily accepted. It wasn't much of a move for them since they had been sharing an apartment just outside Baltimore in Joppa, Maryland, a twenty minute drive from downtown.
"Hey! Watch it," Nikki snickered, lightly punching Beth on the arm.
Beth squealed in mock pain, "Oww, that hurt." She playfully pushed at her friend, which led to a fake boxing match between the two.
"Okay children....knock it off," Tesa commented sarcastically. "We need to get the rest of our stuff out of the van, Beth," she said. Tesa then turned back to Nikki, "Which leads me back to my first question. Where do we put this stuff?"
"Tes, you can take the room on the third floor since it has the most light for when you paint and Beth can take the one on the second," Nikki replied.
After taking their boxes upstairs to their rooms, the girls asked Nikki to help them carry in Tesa's bedroom suit.
"Sure guys, just let me get some shoes," she said, walking to her own room to grab her Nikes.
She could hear her friends talking in the living room and soon the stereo began to play. The light sounds of David Sanborn floated into her room.
"Ugh...David Sanborn?!" Beth exclaimed. "Where's Pearl Jam?" she yelled.
"I have it in here Beth, " Nikki yelled back, now unable to tie her shoes due to her fit of laughter.
Within seconds Tesa walked into the room, "Just give it to me," she said.
Without glancing at Tesa, Nikki directed her to the small stereo near her dresser, "It's in the CD player, Tes."
"Oh my god" "Who is he?"
Nikki looked up to find her friends eyes focused on the far wall of her bedroom. Photography was Nikki's hobby and she had her most beloved pictures hanging on that far wall. Tesa was staring at the portrait in the center of the others.
It was of a handsome young man with raven black hair and beautiful green eyes. His eyes were focused on something beyond him and his demeanor seemed melancholy and wistful. Everytime Nikki looked at his face she found herself getting lost in his sad eyes.
"Uhhhh, j-just some guy I met in Florida last year. He was kind enough to let me take his picture," Nikki stuttered in a rush.
Tesa kept staring at the picture, " You are a lucky girl! You never showed us this one before. You know, it's funny.....he looks awfully familiar."
"Yeah, that is funny....," Nikki murmured, hoping that Tesa couldn't hear the slight tremor in her voice.
"Tes, where's that CD?," Beth whined from the other room.
Tesa looked at Nikki and rolled her eyes, "I'm coming you big baby!."
Watching till Tesa left the room, Nikki turned back to the picture and sighed.
Stepping up to the portrait, she lightly traced the contours of the young man's face with her fingertips. As the memories of their meeting came back to her unbidden, a single tear rolled down her cheek......
