In This Life by Christine Brae Read Free Book Online

major. And you?”
    “Oh my gosh, me too! I went to NYU! Bio.” I tried to cover up my squeak.
    “I heard that you were the hotshot that got into med school,” he teased. “I mean, John Hopkins med school, not just any other school.”
    “I think I got lucky,” I said humbly. There was a price to pay for that. It was called loneliness. The vicious cycle of becoming so focused on your goals that you don’t have time for anything else, and not having anyone else so you end up focused on your goals.
    “I’ve always been amazed at how doctors can remember every single part of the body, how they can remember all those medical terms,” he said. “Does it come naturally to you? Memorizing stuff? Taking tests?”
    “I guess. So how about you, what’s in your future?”
    “I’m going for a Masters in Theology in the fall.”
    “Hmm. Interesting. Is it the humanities side of this that interests you?”
    He nodded his head. “I’ve always been fascinated by the human psyche and the role that religion plays versus the influences of society. I assume we practice the same religion since we met at a catechism class, so how religious are you?” he asked.
    “Unfortunately, baptism is the extent of my experience with Catholicism. My mom is a staunch churchgoer but she never really required us to follow in her footsteps.” I paused to entertain an afterthought. “But I’m not a murderer nor am I an adulterer, and I want to devote my medical skills to helping the less fortunate. So I guess some of the altruism instilled by her faith has rubbed off on me.”
    He sat closer to me, our elbows rubbing. “It’s our faith, not just hers,” he emphasized. “I think it’s all quite relative. I’ve always believed that there are limitless choices we can make to live a life of service. There is no better way or worse way of finding purpose in our lives.”
    “Okay, now you’re getting too deep for me.” I laughed. “I’m here to unwind. No soul searching or anything like that on this trip.”
    “You’re absolutely right! Sorry! Let’s talk about lighter things. Like, are you sure you and Leola don’t have anything going on?”
    “Why are we going there again?” I said, laughing.
    “I don’t know,” he responded. “Maybe because whoever it is that has your heart is a very lucky man?”
    I wasn’t sure if he was flirting with me. There was a breathless energy around us, a frisson brought about by heightened senses and beaming faces.
    “I haven’t given my heart away yet. Who’s got time to deal with all that?” I lifted myself off the floor and began to roam around the house. A tattered brown leather case next to a crate of clothes immediately caught my eye. “Wait… is this a—” I exclaimed, lifting the case up and unlocking the rusty latch that held it closed. “Yes! A backgammon set! Get ready, I’m challenging you to one game before I leave.”

 
     
     
    “HOW’D YOUR DAY go?” Jude asked as we sat on a small sandy hill a few feet away from the beach.
    “It was fine. I think I’m getting used to the heat because I don’t feel as exhausted anymore.”
    The backgammon challenge the night before had ended up being seven games instead of one. By the time Jude walked me back to the house, it was past two o’clock in the morning.
    I spent part of my day at the free medical clinic in the neighboring town. A baby girl suffering from malnutrition was brought in, and the hopelessness in her parents’ eyes still bothered me hours later. I imagined the same wretchedness in my father’s eyes when my mother announced she was leaving. Nothing to fight for, as if he had seen it coming. Some pictures embed themselves in your head for as long as you live. Those images stayed with me.
    I couldn’t wait to see Jude again. What was this now? Our third date? Already I had opened up to him more than I would have done in ordinary circumstances. Anything to get my mind off the turbulence that was going on at