Chapter 61: Long Live Jasmine Pruett

Jasmine is still alive and ticking! Everyone in the Pruett house thought it was remarkable that a woman of her age could be so active. She worked out every day, although she was dreadfully tired afterward. She helped out in the garden, cleaned up, and was a tremendous help. Everyone knew she had to go sometime, but they didn’t want to let her go.

Bianca was still thinking about her conversation with Asia and decided that she needed to make some strides in her relationship with Giancarlo. She called him up and asked him to come over. “Hey there! Thanks for coming so quickly.”

“If I could have flown, I would have, BJ.”

“BJ?”

“Yep! That’s what I’m going to call you now.”

She had never had a nickname before, and she loved it because it was something that only the two of them could share. Although she thought it sounded like a boy’s name, she thought it was cute.

“Ok! Ummm…have a seat, please.”

“Uh oh…what am I going to the principal’s office for now?”

“You’re not in trouble, silly head. I…I’m just gonna cut to the chase.”

“Ok, doctor! Rip the bandage off!”

Although she was trying to have a serious moment, she loved his random silliness. Him making her laugh definitely help took the edge off the nervousness she was feeling.

“You’re in rare form today! I wanted to ask you if you would…I mean, well, I’d like for you to, if you want to–”

“Rip it off, BJ! Spit it out.”

“Move in with me!”

“Whoa. Now that was unexpected. Did you hear that, folks?”

“I need you here so you can help me.”

“I see. So ummm, what are the sleeping arrangements,” he asked with hope.

She thought it was nice to be wanted.

“You can sleep in my father’s room, across from me.”

“Haven’t people died in there,” he asked, searching for a loophole in her plan.

“No,” she laughed.

“Oh, all right. Well! This is a momentous occasion! We must celebrate. Go change your clothes. We’re going out!”

He took her to the museum, and when they arrived, she was very underwhelmed. She had never been to the museum because she assumed it would be boring walking around looking at paintings. She had seen enough paintings at home through her mother’s work. But she went with it. She failed to remember that fun is what you make it. What she learned was that anything with Giancarlo was bound to be an experience.

“I have to hand it to you, Giancarlo. I never knew museums could be fun.”

“Correction. Museums with Giancarlo are fun! Besides, I knew there wouldn’t be a ton of people, so why not?”

“Smart.”

They walked around and looked at a few more paintings.

“They’re all so beautiful,” she said.

“But none as beautiful as you.”

“Giancarlo…”

“Ok…enough four play…I’m going to kiss you now. Pucker up!”

“You liked it, didn’t ya,” he said very proud of himself. “Uh huh! I know you did!”

They flirted with each other, did some more kissing, and went home to eat dinner.

“I had a really nice time, Giancarlo. A really nice time.”

“How nice? Like, it was great, but I’d never want to do it again, or like, ‘oh no, Giancarlo, you don’t need to sleep in my father’s room tonight!'”

She laughed so hard she almost choked on her taco.

“Don’t try to confuse me! I will allow you in my bed on my terms in my own time.”

“Ok. Can’t hurt to try, right?”

The next afternoon, Jasmine was upstairs exercising, Brandon was downstairs upgrading plumbing, Giancarlo was practicing the violin, Asia was tending the garden, and everyone else was at school and work. Brandon heard Jasmine upstairs moaning, so he went up to see about her.

“Aunt Jasmine? Are you ok? Did you fall off the treadmill?”

“Aunt Jasmine!!”

“Joshua. Joshua,” she kept whispering.

“Don’t go yet, Aunt Jasmine! Don’t go!”

“Joshua!”

When The Grim Reaper arrived, he pulled out his iPad to see Jasmine’s file.

“Jasmine Pruett? Oh, YES! I’ve been waiting to get you! You’ve lived, what, like 115, 120…a LOT of days! Time’s up, sister! Ha ha ha!”

“Now wait just a minute, buster! You’ve been coming around here way too often, and enough is enough! Has some respect for our feelings. You WILL not take her!”

“Whoa there, little guy. You’re a confident one, aren’t ya? I’ll tell you what I’ll do for you….I’ll let her stay for another day or two, but when I come again, there will be no more mister nice Grim. Got it?”

“Got it!”

“Aunt Jasmine! You’re back!”

“Let me go next time.”

As the rest of the house trickled inside and came home, word spread about Brandon’s triumphant conquest with death. Everyone was so grateful and relieved, but Jasmine was not. She had been ready to go for weeks, and she desperately wanted to be reunited with her husband. She stayed out of the lime light and kept to herself the rest of the evening.

Meanwhile, at dinner, the older Pruett couple were having another serious discussion.

“…so what do you think,” Jared asked.

“Well, it will be different, that’s for sure. But, you’re right. Brandon is married now, and Bianca’s boyfriend lives here. We should do it.”

“What about you, Kolby? What do you think?”

“You guys already have your minds made up, so why does it matter what I think?”

“It matters, son! I want your opinion.”

“I don’t really care.”

“Fine. It’s settled then. When Jasmine goes for good, we’ll leave. I’ll start looking for a house.”

Most everyone had already gone to bed by the time Giancarlo retired for the night. He was about to go to his room when he got a silly idea. He laughed to himself and went to Bianca’s room. He tried to slip under the covers undetected, but he failed.

“What are you doing, babe,” Bianca asked, still very much asleep.

“I’m sleeping with you,” he whispered and laughed.

“Ok. No funny business,” she said and rolled over.