Ron And Jaime

Ron and Jaime grew up as friends. They were neighbors. Between the houses where they lived, there was an old oak tree. It served as a landmark where their family properties ended.

When they were little, they used to play together beneath the oak tree. They got along fine, most of the time. But, too, there were times that they quarreled. He liked calling her 'Veronica', she liked to be called 'Ron'. It was where their quarrels usually began.

She would ignore him and play by herself inside their house. Jaime never felt the need to make the first conciliatory step. Their feuds often lasted for days.

Bored of playing by herself inside their house, Ron would go out and play beneath the oak tree. Jaime would come to join. She would let him. And then all would become well between them again.

---

When they grew older, their quarrels didn't become rare. Ron was forceful, never hesitating to speaks her mind. Jamie always held his ground, never liked Ron point out that she was the smarter one. It was the frequent cause of their altercations.

They would not talk to each other for days, sometimes, even for months. But, somehow, they always found themselves beneath the oak tree where they made up.

Ron loved Jaime, but pride prevented her to show it openly. She gave out not a few subtle signs for him to read. But all those signs, Jaime failed to notice. So, Ron also gave out some unsubtle hints, expressing that Jaime was stupid.

---

Ron was sitting on an exposed root of the old oak tree. She just got home. She took a 2-day leave from her work to attend Jaime's wedding. Jaime emerged from their home and joined Ron under the tree. “Hey!” he said. “Hey!” she responded.

“Thanks for coming to my special day.”

“That's what friends are for, right?!”

“When's your special day gonna be?”

A momentary silence. “I don't know .... If it's meant to be, it will come.”

“The problem with you, Veronica, is that you are so independent .... I've been looking for a sign to know if you need me in your life. 'Haven't found one.”

Ron lowered her head and closed her eyes. “Oh my God, Jaime!” she shouted in her mind, “ You are so stupid!”

When she opened her eyes, she saw Jaime staring at her. “Your face is so red,” he said, “Are you ill?”

Her blushing red face was a sign, but Jaime,again, missed it.

01/27/11