Ch 60 An ever fixed mark

The cell phone sounded just as Wes was in the middle of kissing Janet.

“Dad,” he muttered, annoyed as anything. He stared at Janet for a second and kissed her again while he dug in his pocket for the offending device. He put it to his ear only after he pulled away from her. 

“Hello,” he growled.

“Wesley, where are you? You do realize it’s a school night,” Donny said.

“I’m on my way home now, Dad,” Wes said, winking at Janet.

She shook a disapproving finger at him and she giggled when he went to bite it. He then covered her mouth so his dad wouldn’t hear her laughing.

“I realize you and Janet have made up, but…”

“I’ll be there soon, Dad,” Wes said.

“I can still ground you, you know.”

“But I didn’t do anything wrong!” Wes shouted into the phone.

“Yet, and I want it to stay that way,” Donny said. “We need to have a serious talk, so come home now. I’ll be waiting. Tell Janet good night for me.”

Wes frowned at the phone and stuffed it back into his pocket. “He knew I was lying.”

“Parents always do,” Janet said. “Better take me home.”

He sighed and did just that. He walked her to the door, but he wouldn’t let her inside without a bit more kissing.

“Aren’t you sick of me yet?” she asked. “We’ve spent almost the whole weekend together.”

“God no! I don’t think I’ll ever get enough of you,” Wes replied and he kissed her again.

“I think you will when you get in trouble and your dad confiscates your computer or takes away your car. You’ll blame me for it and then you’ll hate me. See, nothing lasts forever,” Janet said triumphantly.

“You’re so wrong.”

“Which part?”

He stared at her for a minute, suddenly serious. “Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds, or bends with the remover to remove. Oh, no. It is an ever fixed mark that looks on tempests and is never shaken.” 

“Huh?” she said, bewildered. 

"It's Shakespear."

“Yes, I know! But are you actually reciting Shakespear to me?”

 He nodded. “I’m trying to prove a point.”

“What? That you can remember perfectly useless poetry?” she scoffed.

“Silly girl, poetry is the fruit of love,” he said, caressing her cheek. 

“I think it’s more like rat poison, but I guess that’s just me!”

“It’s the best way of explaining myself to you. You’re not getting rid of me no matter what you say, or my dad or anybody does. Threaten me with whatever you like, I’m not changing and I’m not going anywhere. You’re stuck with me. I love you and that’s forever.”

Janet gaped at him as a funny fluttering started in her chest. It took a few seconds before she could speak. “You asked before…how you were like my father.”

“Yes?” he said, a bit annoyed with what he assumed was a change of subject.

“This is one of those things,” she said, snuggling into his chest and willing herself not to start crying again. “It’s something he would say…I heard him say it…a million times to my mom.”

“Oh,” Wes said, surprised and pleased. He held her close and grinned like a fool.

She kissed him then pushed him away. “You have to go. I really don’t want you in trouble. I’ll see you tomorrow at school, okay?”

“I already miss you,” he said.

“Oh, stop! You’ll see me in English class,” she said, her hand now on the doorknob.

“Parting is such sweet sorrow,” he said, smirking.

“You’re killing me, Wes!” she said, pushing him down off the porch.

He laughed and continued to recite in grand lover’s fashion. “Is love a fancy, or a feeling? No, it is immortal as immaculate truth…”

“Good night, Wes!” Janet said and she went inside shutting the door.

“Tis not a blossom shed as soon as youth drops from the stem of life…” he said loudly.

“I’m not listening!” Janet shouted through the door.

“Yes you are!” he said. “For it will grow in barren regions, where no waters flow, nor rays of promise cheats the pensive gloom…”

“What the heck are you doing?”

Janet jumped and turned away from the door to see Jasmine standing on the bottom step already in her footie PJ’s. “Hi, Jazzy,” she said, blushing.

“Are you and Wes fighting again?” Jasmine asked.

“Uh…no. Wes was… just being silly and…uh… romantic.”

Jasmine’s eyebrows shot up into her hair. “Romantic? Does he have to wake up the neighborhood for that?”

“Oh, nobody’s asleep yet. It’s only…” she then looked up at the clock and gasped. “That can’t be right!”

“I assure you it is. You, my dear sister, are way past your curfew. Good thing Mom’s past hers too, or you would be so busted.”

“I just hope Wes doesn’t get in trouble,” Janet said, biting her bottom lip as she followed Jasmine up the stairs. “Jazzy, are you sleepy?”

“A bit, why?”

“I have something to tell you…about Dad.”

Whatever sleepiness Jasmine had, was now completely gone. She grabbed her sister’s hand and rushed her into their bedrooms.