When September Ends Part II

Previously: When September Ends Part I

The air became crisp that weekend. The warmth of the summer had finally passed. Leaves began to turn in patches of amber, gold, and orange.

The weather didn’t bother James. He continued to wear his signature short-sleeve button-up, famously unbuttoning the top two buttons, and his favorite pair of Levi’s. Rachel couldn’t help but match him, wearing her own pair of Levi’s, but opting for a more colorful top rather than James’s muted palette.

James was stressed. He had been ruminating all week about the future. He wanted to have a memorable weekend with Rachel, but he was tight on cash and had stopped showing up to work after the towers fell.

After the final bell rang at school that Friday, he waited for Rachel in his truck out in the senior parking lot. Once she got in, he gave her a peck, and they went straight to Gilbert’s, where they had their first date.

Gilbert’s was a fast food burger joint where a lot of the skater dudes and punk rock girls hung out on the weekends. Guys and girls alike would skateboard there, using the patio tables, ledges, and rails for tricks and grind spots. James and Rachel walked over to the outdoor counter holding hands while the skaters easily glided and maneuvered around them.

James and Rachel ordered their usual: two cheeseburgers and a basket of fries to share. The lady at the counter waited patiently while James patted around his denim pockets for loose cash. He didn’t have any. Rachel promptly dug two five-dollar bills out of her front right pocket and handed them to the lady. James was relieved.

As they walked from the counter with their burgers, James began to explain.

“I swore I had a ten in my jeans. I must’ve—”

Rachel smiled, put her hand on his shoulder, and shook her head as if to say, Don’t worry about it.

They sat at one of the patio tables and told stories about what happened at school that day. Rachel laughed so hard she felt like she was going to choke on her fries. She had to stop looking at James because every time she looked, he made a funny face that would make her laugh all over again. It was just like their first date.

On Saturday, James wanted to surprise Rachel by taking her to the movies. She couldn’t stop talking about wanting to see the new Ben Stiller movie, Zoolander. James asked his dad for ten bucks to take Rachel to a matinee since it was cheaper.

“What happened to your money?” James’s dad asked sharply.

“You know. I’m saving it,” James said quietly.

James’s dad understood and didn’t question him further. He gave him a twenty.

“You guys have fun. Treat her nice. Get some popcorn and a couple Cokes too.”

Not only did James take his dad’s advice, but he also managed to sneak a couple of his dad’s whiskey shooters into the theater. Zoolander was a lot funnier buzzed.

After Zoolander, the laughs continued at James’s house. James playfully chased Rachel inside while she ran away, laughing so hard she couldn’t breathe. She fell onto the living room sofa as James stumbled across the porch and through the door. They knew James’s dad had gone to work, so they felt comfortable making a ruckus. Once they cooled down, they cuddled and began to kiss.

After their makeout session, James wanted to play his PS2. He turned on one of his favorite war shooter games. Rachel sat next to James on the floor and watched him play. At first, she was intrigued by the gameplay, but the violence and gunfire soon made her anxious. There had been enough talk of war on the news since the towers fell.

She crawled over to the TV and hit the power button.

The screen went black.

She sat in front of the TV feeling accomplished and stared at James mockingly. James held his arms out wide, looked at the blank TV, and then looked at Rachel with an expression of confusion.

“I was just about to finish that mission,” James said with disappointment.

Rachel looked James deep in his eyes and smiled seductively.

That was enough for James to forget about the game for the time being.

Sunday was James’s birthday. He had nothing planned except ordering pizza at the house with Rachel to wrap up their weekend. Little did James know that Rachel coordinated with James’s friends and his dad to throw him a surprise birthday pizza party. James’s grandma and grandpa even drove into town for the occasion.

James’s grandma made a white cake with vanilla icing and “18” candles on top. After everyone sang “Happy Birthday,” James made a wish. As he went in to blow out the candles, Rachel grabbed a handful of cake and mushed it right into James’s mouth. He ate the cake out of her hand and spit some back at her.

The room erupted with cheers and laughter. This was the happiest Rachel felt since the towers fell.

In the evening, all of the friends went home except for James’s grandparents. James and Rachel sat on the front porch relaxing and watching the sunset. James’s dad was in a good mood and gave him one of his ice-cold Budweisers to celebrate his 18th.

“Enjoy the day, bud,” James’s dad said as he cracked the bottle cap and clinked his bottle against James’s.

A little later, Rachel went inside to use the bathroom. James sat alone on the porch. He had struggled all week with how he planned to tell Rachel the news. They had just had an amazing weekend together, and for a moment, he wondered whether he should go through with what he had planned at all. But his will and motivation were too strong. He knew he had to tell Rachel eventually.

Moments later, Rachel left the bathroom and began heading back toward the front porch when she heard James’s grandma getting emotional in the kitchen.

“I’m going to miss him, but I’m just so proud of him. He’s going to make us all proud,” James’s grandma said with a whimper.

James’s grandpa consoled his grandma.

“It’s in his blood, ain’t it? It’s what he’s been called to do.”

Finally, James’s dad chimed in after a pause.

“I knew as soon as I saw those towers fall he was going to enlist. No doubt about it. He came to the decision on his own. He was born to be a soldier, and he’ll be a damn good one.”

Rachel froze.

She covered her mouth with her hand. For a moment, she just stood there. Then she stormed toward the front porch and sent the porch door flying open.

“James, you didn’t. Tell me you fucking didn’t.”

James was shocked.

She knew.

He instinctively played dumb.

“Did what?”

Rachel slapped the shit out of James across the face. Rachel was gentle. She had never hit anybody in her entire life.

James held his cheek and stared back at her. Rachel searched his face desperately for some sign that she had misunderstood what she heard. Some explanation that would make the whole thing ridiculously out of context. Something they could die laughing about five minutes from now.

There wasn’t one. James was dropping out of school to join the U.S. Army.

James put his head down into his hands. Rachel covered her mouth and began to cry.

“Oh my God. Oh my God. How can you do this and not tell me? Please, I love you so much. Don’t do this!”

Rachel fell to her knees and put her face in her hands. James knelt down and tried to console her.

“Rachel, I love you too. Please st—”

Rachel pushed him away.

“No! Why would you do this? I can’t believe you did this.”

Some of James’s neighbors heard the commotion and began to watch the scene unfold from their own porches.

James was emotional, but his sadness quickly turned to frustration.

“I thought of all people you would understand!” James shouted.

“Why don’t you understand? I did this for you! I did this for us! This was supposed to make it easier! I don’t have shit going on here. I thought you’d be proud of me! I thought you, of all people, would understand why I’m doing this!”

James flung open the porch door and went inside. Rachel had never heard James scream like that before. She stayed on the porch but her headache started again.

The last of the sunlight disappeared behind the neighborhood as she sat there alone, listening to the muffled voices of James’s family inside the house. Just hours earlier, they had all been celebrating and laughing together.

Rachel wiped her face and looked out toward the darkening street.

James didn’t carry her home this time.