[2013] Consequential Damages Read online

  The sharp words caught Jake by surprise. “What have I done to hurt you, Kelly? I honestly have no idea. Whatever it may have been, I can assure you it wasn't intentional, and I apologize. Just talk to me. I don't like this silent treatment. How have I offended you?”

  She looked at him with contempt. “Not me—I'm talking about Amanda. That was really rotten of you to lead her on like that. She's one of the sweetest people I know. She's been going through a very difficult time and you’ve made it a lot worse.”

  Jake stared at Kelly with his mouth open, utterly dumbfounded.

  “You never told me you had a fiancée in Chicago. And you sure never told Amanda that either. You—”

  “What? What in the hell are you talking about?” Jake demanded in a loud voice that turned the heads of those seated nearby.

  It was Kelly's turn to be taken aback. She had never seen Jake like this. Every inch of his body projected outrage. Her tone became less confrontational, as a look of uncertainty crept over her face. “I heard you had a fiancée in Chicago. Isn't that why you gave Amanda the brush-off?”

  “Are you nuts?” he shouted, his face turning a deep shade of red. Then, doing all he could to exercise self-control, Jake lowered his voice and continued. “How long have you known me, Kelly? Have you ever heard me mention any fiancée? Where did you get that crazy idea?”

  “That's the word that was going around shortly after the party at Kathleen's place,” Kelly replied, sounding defensive and less sure of herself.

  “Look, I don't have a fiancée. I don't have a girlfriend. I've been driving myself crazy all summer long trying to figure out what went wrong with Amanda. We had a date arranged right after finals ended. I was ecstatic. She never showed up. I called her several times. She never returned my calls.”

  Now it was Kelly's turn to look totally confused. She stared silently at Jake for a few moments, struggling to absorb this information. “Oh shit, Jake!” She raised her hands to her cheeks. “I don't know what happened. I know she tried to reach you before she left town. She thinks you just decided not to call her again.”

  “She left town? Where did she go?”

  “She went home to Berkeley for the summer. She took a leave of absence from the hospital after her grandmother had an accident.”

  “That's where I was calling her—the hospital. Maybe she had already left. What happened to her grandmother? Is she okay?”

  “She broke her hip, and then had some pretty serious complications. She's not doing very well, but Amanda returned to work a couple of weeks ago. Here, look at this.” She handed him the campus newspaper she had been reading, pointing to a notice in the health section. It referred to a series of luncheon seminars being conducted at the Medical Center covering various topics of interest to the medical community. The topic for the next seminar was the difference in the incidence of Alzheimer's disease among Asian cultures as compared to others, and a discussion of research being conducted to identify the reasons. It was scheduled for the following day, and the speaker was Dr. Amanda Chang.

  “I need to fix this,” Jake said. “Is she really angry with me, Kelly?”

  “I wouldn't say angry. More sad and disappointed. And confused. She just couldn't understand it.”

  “I've got to go,” said Jake, abruptly getting up from the table.

  “Jake, I'm really sorry. Let me—”

  He was gone before she could finish.

  Jake hurried away from the café, and found himself walking in the direction of Amanda's apartment. What a mess, he kept thinking to himself. How could communications get so fouled up? Yet, despite his anger and frustration, he had a new sense of purpose. There was hope now, where yesterday there had been none. He needed to make this right.

  Within a few minutes, he found himself in front of Amanda's apartment. He realized he didn't know what to say to her. He had to have a plan. He might only have one chance to fix this and he was determined not to blow it. He turned and walked in the opposite direction, back toward the dorm.

  Wheeler Auditorium was a modern lecture hall located within the medical school complex. Because of its proximity to the Medical Center, it was frequently used for lectures and seminars that were of interest to the doctors, nurses and other health care professionals at the Medical Center, as well as students, professors and researchers from the school.

  The auditorium had a seating capacity of approximately five hundred, but only about a quarter of the seats were occupied. Jake walked in and seated himself in the back row, feeling out of place, but doing his best to appear as if he belonged. The moderator was just finishing her introduction. “If you have any questions for Dr. Chang, jot them down on the index card on your chair. We will collect them toward the end of our program and Dr. Chang will answer as many of your questions as time permits.”

  Jake listened with rapt attention as Amanda delivered her presentation. She came across as a polished and accomplished speaker. She was confident and engaging. She spoke without notes. He soon found that, although his eyes were glued to her, and he heard every word she spoke, he was not paying attention to what she was saying. He was focused on how she looked, the sound of her voice, her manner as she moved about the stage in complete command of her subject and her audience.

  As Amanda was concluding her presentation, she offered to take questions from the audience. The moderator walked down the aisle, collecting index cards. Jake hastily scribbled something on a card and passed it to the aisle.

  The moderator handed Amanda several cards. She read the first question aloud and proceeded to answer it without hesitation. She answered two more questions and then picked up the final card. She looked hard at the question and then scanned the audience. For the briefest moment, she seemed flustered. She quickly regained her composure and said, “I’m sorry, I can’t make out the handwriting on this last question.” She paused, then said, “Whoever submitted it can see me privately afterwards and I will do my best to respond. Thank you all for coming.” She walked off the stage to polite applause, stopping to read the note again once she was off the stage. It read: An old Chinese proverb says “When your mind doesn’t understand, listen to your heart.” Can we talk? Jake.

  Jake remained seated as the crowd dispersed. Several people approached Amanda and cornered her near the stage while they asked questions and shared observations. After a few minutes, she excused herself and walked toward the exit at the back of the room. She saw Jake as he stood and made his way toward the aisle.

  “Hi Amanda,” Jake said with an uncertain smile. “I enjoyed your presentation.”

  “Hello Jake. I didn’t expect to see you here.”

  Jake stood before her, hands in his pockets, feeling awkward and uncomfortable. “Amanda, I –”

  “I spoke with –”

  They spoke at the same time, and shared an embarrassed laugh.

  “How’s your grandmother? I just heard about her accident. I’m really sorry.”

  “She’s struggling, I’m afraid. Thanks for asking.”

  “I didn’t know you had left town. I tried reaching you at the hospital … I thought about …”

  Get a grip, he thought to himself. Stop stammering like an idiot. He paused and took a deep breath, looking up at the ceiling as he groped for the right words. “Amanda, I hope you don’t think I’m a jerk for coming here, but I had to see you. I’ve been thinking about you all summer long, thinking I must have done something to offend you. I truly hope I haven’t. There are some things that need explaining.”

  He paused, still searching for the right words, which seemed impossibly elusive. Amanda interrupted gently. “Kelly called me last night. She explained some things.”

  “She did?” Jake had not asked Kelly to intervene, but was happy to hear that she had.

  “Yes. It sounds like there were some communication breakdowns.”

  “Amanda, I honestly don’t know what happened, but I’d love to have the opportunity to try to find out.” />
  Amanda avoided his gaze and stared at the floor. “Just answer one question for me. You don’t have a fiancée in Chicago, do you?”

  Jake looked exasperated. “I don’t know where that came from. The only time I’ve ever been engaged was when I was twelve years old, and she dumped me before I turned thirteen! Can we start over and try this again? A fresh start?”

  Amanda smiled gently. She nodded her head, still looking down, unable to speak. Then she found her voice, looked up and said, “I believe there is a lot of wisdom in the old Chinese proverbs. I’m listening to my heart, and it’s telling me that would be an excellent idea. I’m free this evening. How about a movie?”

  “That would be great.” His voice was calm, but his spirit was soaring.

  “But only if you let me pay. After all, you got stuck with the theater tickets last time we tried this.” She laughed, the hearty, carefree laugh Jake first heard in the dormitory stairwell.

  “Deal!” he replied.

  “Great! Why don’t we meet at Milano’s for pizza at six o’clock? I promise, I’ll be there this time,” she assured him, smiling brightly. Then, glancing at her watch, she said, “I’ve got to get back to work. See you tonight.” She began walking away, with a bounce in her step. After about ten paces, she stopped, turned around and trotted briskly back to Jake and gave him a quick embrace. “It’s really good to see you again, Jake,” she whispered, and hurried off.

  That evening, they picked up where they had left off. The awkwardness they felt that afternoon was gone, replaced by an eagerness to make up for lost time. They discussed their summer experiences over pizza and strolled to the movie theater. As Jake sat next to Amanda in the dark theater, he found himself stealing subtle glances at her face, and experiencing the same sensation he had felt during their last evening together: a powerful and unmistakable feeling that this was the perfect girl for him. He could not allow himself to lose her again.

  After leaving the theater, they stopped for ice cream and walked slowly toward Amanda’s apartment, neither of them in any hurry to end the evening. “I know you have to work in the morning, so I won’t keep you out all night like I did last time,” Jake said as they neared her apartment. “Can I see you this weekend? Saturday perhaps?”

  “I have to drive up to Berkeley on Saturday, to visit my grandmother.”

  Jake did his best to hide his disappointment. “I understand.”

  “Have you ever been to Berkeley?” Amanda asked.

  “Not yet. I’d love to see it, but not having a car, I’m somewhat grounded.”

  “Why don’t you come with me? It’s a fabulous place. There’s nowhere else like it. ‘Berserkley,’ many people call it. I need to spend some time with my grandmother, but we could leave early and make a day of it. I’ll show you around.”

  “That sounds great. Count me in! Will I get to meet your grandmother?”

  “I’d like that.”

  “Me too.”

  They stopped in front of her apartment. “Would you like to come in?” Amanda asked.

  There was nothing that could have sounded more enticing at that moment, but he did not want to appear too forward. He wanted to be a gentleman. “It’s getting late, and you have to work tomorrow. I’ll see you on Saturday.”

  He leaned forward and kissed her softly on the lips. It lasted only a second, but it was sensuous and left them both longing for more. Like everything else with her, it was easy and natural. He gave her hands a tight squeeze and walked away.

  CHAPTER 14

  Traffic was light between Palo Alto and Berkeley Saturday morning, and they made the trip in a little over an hour. Amanda parked the car and they began a stroll through the campus. She acted as tour guide, identifying the various buildings and providing facts about the University, the city and local history. They walked through a large bronze gate, green from the passage of time, and into a wide concourse at the center of campus. Amanda explained that this was Sproul Plaza, the site of raucous sit-ins and protests several decades earlier. It was very serene now. They walked along winding paths that snaked through groves of ancient trees, grassy knolls and over a gurgling stream, which Amanda identified as Strawberry Creek. The buildings were mostly gray stone or concrete structures, old but well-maintained. The entire campus was built on an incline, sloping gently upward to the east, into the Berkeley Hills. They passed a few students walking purposefully across campus or lounging on the ubiquitous concrete benches, reading or visiting. For the most part, the campus was quiet and sleepy.

  They made their way to the southern edge of the main campus. Bancroft Way was the main artery stretching from East to West, with university buildings on the north side of the street and shops and eateries on the south side. Looking westward, Jake could see the terrain gradually sloping downward until it reached San Francisco Bay, glistening in the distance.

  Telegraph Avenue intersected Bancroft Way at the midpoint of the campus, and provided a jolting contrast to the serenity of the campus grounds. Bustling crowds of people jostled past each other on both sides of the street. The sidewalks were lined with card tables and blankets, where street vendors hawked cheap jewelry, artwork, and psychic readings, among other things. Clean-cut students, scruffy street people, middle age professorial types, and scary looking teenagers blended comfortably together in a colorful mosaic of humanity.

  It was an effort to stay together, as they navigated the crowded sidewalks. Amanda took Jake's hand and guided him through the shifting maze. They walked for some time with no particular destination, hand-in-hand, just watching the people. After an early lunch at an outdoor café, they returned to Amanda's car and drove up into the hills toward her parents' house.

  As they ascended the winding roads up into the Berkeley Hills, Jake stared at the stunning panorama before him. Within minutes, they were overlooking the University of California campus, San Francisco Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge. “Wow! What a view! Your parents must be loaded.”

  “No, they’re professors, and they live very simply,” Amanda replied. “They bought their house twenty years ago, before property values skyrocketed.”

  High up in the hills, Amanda pulled into a driveway in front of a modest looking house made of dark wood, with forest green shingles, which blended perfectly into the wooded surroundings. “Anybody home?” Amanda called out brightly as they entered. The house looked like the home of two professors, Jake thought, as he looked around. The walls and floors were dark wood, and the furnishings were simple, yet tasteful. Books were everywhere. The place had a warm and cozy feeling. They walked past the kitchen and down a flight of stairs into a comfortable family room, which was dominated by floor-to-ceiling windows framing the most spectacular view Jake had ever seen: San Francisco Bay glimmering in the sunshine in all its glory, spreading out into the vastness of the Pacific Ocean beyond.

  “Hello?” Amanda called, walking in the direction of the windows and opening a sliding glass door that led onto a cedar deck. “There you are,” she said as she found her parents having lunch on the deck. Jake could see their faces brighten at the sight of their daughter, as they stood up to embrace her. “Dad and Mom, I’d like you to meet someone. This is Jake McShane.”

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you both,” Jake said, shaking their hands.

  “The pleasure is ours, Jake,” said Mr. Chang, as he greeted Jake warmly. He was a short man in his late fifties, with a confident yet soft-spoken charm about him.

  “I’m so glad you could come,” said Mrs. Chang. She had lively eyes and an energetic manner about her. Jake was struck by the resemblance between mother and daughter. It seemed that he was looking at two versions of the same face, Amanda’s unmistakably Asian in appearance, while her mother was fair skinned and blue-eyed.

  “This is an amazing view,” Jake remarked.

  “It is marvelous, isn’t it?” Mrs. Chang agreed. “We’ve been here over twenty years now and I never take it for granted. We were very fortunate to hav
e found this place when we did.”

  For the next fifteen minutes, Jake received a lesson in Bay Area geography, as Mr. and Mrs. Chang together identified the various sites before them. After the lesson concluded, Amanda changed subjects. “How’s Grandma?” she asked, a look of concern crossing her face.

  “I think she’s coming along physically, but mentally she’s still not herself,” her father replied. His voice was soft and subdued. “She’s really struggling. It’s hard getting her interested in anything. She reads a bit, and watches TV occasionally, but mostly she just stares out the window. She’ll be glad to see you, though. Your visits always lift her spirits.”

  “Come on, Jake, I’d like you to meet her.”

  They excused themselves and headed upstairs. “Knock, knock,” Amanda called out cheerfully as she opened the bedroom door and peeked in. Her grandmother was sitting in a wheelchair next to a large window with the same view Jake had seen from the floor below.

  “Hello kitten,” the old woman said, smiling weakly.

  Amanda walked across the room and hugged the old woman for a long time, then pulled back and looked directly into her grandmother’s eyes. “I’ve missed you,” she said. “You’re looking better.”

  Grandmother Chang gave her a skeptical look.

  “You really are, Grandma. You must be getting your appetite back.” Then, looking toward Jake, who was standing awkwardly in the doorway, she said, “I’ve brought a friend along. I’d like you to meet him. This is Jake.”

  Jake approached and shook the frail hand. “Hello, Mrs. Chang. It’s an honor to meet you.” She looked at Jake for a few moments, as if assessing him, but did not speak. Jake continued. “I was sorry to hear about your accident. I hope your rehab is going well.”

  “It’s hard getting old, really hard,” she replied, in a faraway voice.