Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience.
 
 Part 3 2001

   As we drove, Miranda and I caught up on our lives.

   Well, mostly I caught up with hers.  Maria had filled her in on my
travels and travails.  At least what she knew of them.

   "Listen, I don't know how much money you have," she said.  "So whatever
you want to buy, I'll pay for.  And dinner is on me, too.  God, I didn't
think I would get the chance to say that to you."

   I assured her that I was doing fine financially, so long as it didn't
get outrageously expensive.

   "As for dinner, maybe we should just go Dutch," I told her.

   I have to admit it was nice being around Miranda again.  But, I realized
it might be the first time the two of us had been together without Maria.
That lessened the enjoyment I was feeling considerably.

   Shopping with Miranda was not a treat.  Finally, I just bought a pair of
decent shorts and a pullover and told her that was the best she was getting
from me.  Luckily, my sneakers didn't look as old as they probably were. 
So I thought I could make do.

   All in all, it wasn't nearly as bad as I expected.

   Finally, at dinner, Miranda hit me with both barrels.

   "You know why I brought you all the way out here, don't you?" she asked.

   To be honest, I had no clue as to why, and told her as much.

   "Well, you'll see in a minute," she told me.  "But first, there are some
things you need to know.

   "Maria told me what happened when you saw her engagement ring."

   I started to feel very uncomfortable with where this was headed.

   "You're more of a gentleman that I gave you credit for.  And more of one
than you should be," Miranda continued.  "Yes, she is engaged.  There is
nothing really wrong with her boyfriend.  I think he's a jerk, but I think
most men are.  Carlos is a bit like you.  Well, the way you were.  His
family has money, but he seems to have manners.  I know he probably is a
decent guy inside, but he has a pretty bad temper.

   "Maria cares about him," Miranda said.  "And I have to admit, he's
handsome and occassionally funny and charming.  There is just one flaw in
him that I can see.  One thing that keeps Maria from loving him."

   I waited, expecting Miranda to tell me he was an ax-murder or child
molester.  What I got was worse.

   "He's not you," she simply said.

   "If you hadn't come back, Maria probably would have been relatively
happy as his wife.  Now, I don't think she can be.  For the past two days,
every time the phone rang, I watched her hopes rise, thinking it was you.
When it wasn't, I saw her spirits fall again.

   "The main reason I brought you here is because Maria and Carlos will be
here in a few minutes.  It will give her a chance to see how she feels
inside seeing you with me, because, although you're sweet, I always used
Maria's jealousy to push her toward you.  It also will give you the chance
to see her with someone else."

   "Miranda, I think perhaps we should go," I told her, getting angrier
each minute.  "I don't want to play the games we did when we were 14 and
15. Maria's life is different.  So is mine.  I think we all are too old for
this."

   "Well, speaking of games, there is another reason we're here," she said.
"Maria and I figured out who the JB in JB Enterprises is.  And we recognize
who the Maria Grant is named for.  That's why I offered to pay for the
clothes, to see how far you'd take this."

   I tried to look puzzled.  I didn't succeed.

   "Josh, R.J., whatever the hell your name is now, give us a little credit
for Christ's sake," she said.  "How long have you known she was here?  Why
didn't you just come down to see her.  You didn't have to do it this way.
When I talked to her today, she was pretty mad about the way you handled
this.  Although I doubt I should have, I felt it right to warn you about
it."

   Now, I truly succeeded in looking puzzled.

   Before I could answer, I saw Maria walking toward the table.

   ------

   "Miranda, Josh, I didn't expect to you two here," Maria said with more
than a trace of anger in her voice.  "I see you can find some free time
after all."

   I could see this wasn't likely to go well for me.  Apparently my puzzled
look made Miranda realize all wasn't as it seemed.

   "It was my fault, Maria," she said, willing to take the heat.  "I sweet
talked Sam into letting him go for an evening.  I just wanted to catch up
with him."

   Maria's look toward her oldest friends was not one of pleasure.

   "Yeah, perfect opportunity for a little catching up, isn't it," Maria
said.  "Try not to catch up on too much.  Well, you two have fun.  Josh, I
hope we can have a chance to talk before you leave.  There are some things
I want to say to you, but not here."

   With that, she turned and walked back to her fiance.

   "Well, that went over like a lead zeppelin," Miranda said.  "But, at
least you know she feels the same way about you.  We can deal with that in
a minute.  First, you didn't do this just to see her, did you?"

   "I didn't know she'd be here," I said, tracing Maria's ring around my
neck again.  "I was surprised as hell when she drove onto the job site.  I
thought the heat had fried my brain."

   "I'm sorry, Josh.  Maria was so convinced that you did this for her,"
Miranda said.

   "No, I guess I just did it because of her," I replied, knowing that is
exactly why I had.

   Miranda stood up, walked around the table and took my hand.

   "Come on, you're right," she said.  "We're adults.  I think we get this
straight."

   Before I could protest, I was being pulled toward the table where Maria
sat having a rather heated conversation with her fiance.

   "Carlos, I have someone I want you to meet," she said.  "This is one of
our best friends from when Maria and I lived in the States.  Josh, this is
Carlos.  Carlos, this is Josh."

   I extended my hand in greeting as Carlos glared at me.  Finally he
reached across the table to shake my hand when Miranda added, "But when we
knew him, his name was R.J.  I think you might have heard Maria mention
him."

   At that, Carlos' glare turned from displeasure to sheer anger.

   "So, this is R.J.," he almost spat.  "I'm surprised that you have fallen
so far as to a common laborer."

   "Carlos," Maria started, but he just turned his venom toward her.  "Oh,
yes.  I know you had a very nice time with one of the construction workers
the other day.  Nothing you do gets past me."

   With that, Maria's temper reached a point I hadn't seen since my
misguided attempt to kiss her when I was 12.

   "How dare you," she said in a voice louder than what she intended.  "To
spy on me."

   "It seems I have reason to, now doesn't it," Carlos replied.  "You'll
remember it wouldn't be wise to embarrass me like that again.  A common
laborer.  Maria, if you are going to have a fling, at least have better
taste."

   Now, my temper was soaring.

   "It looks like Maria's taste has dropped significantly since I knew
her," I told him in an even voice.  Then, looking at Maria, I said, "You
could have done so much better."

   As I got up to leave, I heard Maria say "You bastard," but I wasn't sure
if she was talking to me or not.

   I got my answer when Carlos' hand shot toward her face.  As the sound of
his palm striking her cheek echoed through the restaurant, Carlos got very
little time to enjoy his manly triumph.

   In a second, I grabbed his arm and heard the sickening crack of his
wrist breaking.  In three seconds I had snatched him off his chair and was
dragging him by his neck through the eatery.

   As I got to the door, I pinned him against the wall and whispered into
his ear, "As God is my witness, if you ever hit her again, I will put you
in the ground."

   Then to add injury to insult, I punched him in the mouth and tossed him
outside.  The last I saw of Carlos, he was stumbling to his car and driving
away.

   As I returned to the table, the manager was staring at me.  In my
calmest voice, I told him, "Don't worry, I was just taking out the trash
for you."

   -----

   Maria was crying, and Miranda was steaming as I got back to the table.

   "Are you OK," I asked her, putting my hand softly on her shoulder.  "If
I would have known he would hit you, I wouldn't have egged him on.  I'm
sorry, Maria.  I didn't mean to disrupt your life.  I hope you know that."

   Now it was Maria's turn to be angry.

   "Is this part of your plan?" she asked bitterly.  "You find me, you lie
to me, then you turn my life inside out.  Do you think you're 12 again,
R.J.?

   "Why did you do it?  How did you find me?  Why didn't you just come down
or call me?  You didn't have to give us money just to visit me again.  Is
that why we got the grant on our first try?  I told you before, I am not
something you can buy."

   It took me a minute to regain my senses after the barrage.

   "Maria, some of what you said is true," I began.  "I guess since you
figured it out.  I should tell you the whole story.

   "First, I am the one who started JB Enterprises.  And the Maria Grant is
named for you," I told her.  "I started it after I graduated from college.
Mom died about 10 years ago.  Right after yours, I found out.  I was sorry
to hear about your Mom.  She was a very nice lady.

   "I didn't like what money had turned me into.  So I decided to find a
right use for it.  Judging from the reactions I have seen at the other
places, I would say I made a pretty good choice.

   "But, Gwen is in charge of filtering all the applications.  She boils
them down to why we should or why we shouldn't consider each application.
Since the first couple of years, I don't see the originals.  She doesn't
know about you.  I hope you believe that I had no idea you were here.  If I
did I would have been here years ago.  Money or no money.

   "But, when I decided to do make this my life's work, there was no way I
couldn't name it after you.  Because if it weren't for you, it is hard to
tell how I would have turned out.  It was just my way of saying 'thank
you.' I can't make you believe me.  I can only tell you the truth."

   Maria wouldn't even look at me.  As I stood, preparing to leave, I
remembered one more thing I had to do.

   I took the chain from around my neck and slowly unclasped the loop from
around the ring.

   "Maria, I found this many years ago, the day I left home," I began. 
"It's been around my neck almost every day since, because one day I wanted
to return it to you.  I think this probably will be the last time we see
each other, so I guess it has to be now."

   As I looked at Maria's grandmother's engagement ring, I finally got to
say part of what I dreamed of saying for years.

   "Maria, I know how much this meant to you.  Over the years, it has come
to mean a great deal to me, too.  But, now it is time for it rest where it
belongs.  With you.  I only wish you knew how much I owe you, not just for
when we were younger, but for the years since.  I held this ring close to
my heart as a memory of the one person I'll always love."

   There were tears in my eyes as I put the ring on the table next to her
hand.  They were flowing freely as I walked outside.



   Author's note: As always, constructive criticism is welcomed.  Although
it might take a while, I will respond to any questions or comments you
might have, so long as you include your e-mail address.  I may be reached
at cantrell_jay@yahoo.com.