Page 20 of Autumn Leaves and Pumpkins Please

My day at Bee’s Batter was busy, but not insanely so. However, when I got off work Jayse’s truck wasn’t in his driveway so he must still be working. I considered texting him, but it seemed silly since I wasn’t even sure what we were to one another right now. So instead, I headed up to my apartment. Thora happily greeted me as I headed upstairs to soak in a hot bubble bath for a bit. My feet were achy.

Just as I climbed out of the bathtub, I heard the doorbell ring out through the house. Quickly, I slipped on my oversized t-shirt and shorts and rushed downstairs. When I open the door, Jayse is standing there looking tired, but with a smile on his face and food in his hands. “I brought dinner.”

“I see that. Come on in,” I tell him, as I step away from the door. He puts the pizza, pasta and wing boxes on the table. “How was your day?”

Jayse sighs heavily. “Long, but okay. I finished up a couple of jobs, did an estimate on another one, and fixed my mom's car.”

“Is her car okay?” I ask. I’ve seen Jayse’s family a few times in the bakery. They’re all very nice and welcoming. His mother reminds me of the kind of mother I always wanted.

He nods his head. “Yeah, it just needed new brakes and with dad’s bad back, he has a hard time getting down there now.”

I cross the room and without a second thought I wrap my arms around his waist and plant a kiss in the middle of his chest. “You’re kind of awesome, do you know that?”

Jayse chuckles. “No, I didn’t.”

“Well, now you do.” He wraps his arms around me and presses a kiss to the top of my head. His stomach growls in hunger loudly. I look up at him. “I think you need to eat.”

“I’m afraid I’ll forget to chew and just inhale it all,” he admits. He seems a little embarrassed, but he shouldn’t be. He’s had a long day.

“That’s okay too, just don’t choke,” I tease him with a laugh.

After we eat, Jayse heads across the alley to shower and change. He promises to be back later. While he’s gone, I decide to finish the painting sitting on my easel. My hands itch from the absence of my creative outlet. I haven’t been painting and normally that only makes me more anxious. Jayse has been a good distraction.

I take my seat in front of the easel and finish the painting. It’s about to get the perfect new home.

EIGHTEEN

Jayse

As I walk into my house, I prepare for a wave of guilt. Surely, I’m not allowed to feel this content in life right now, even though it has been seven years since losing Bradee and Sam. However, as I enter, I still have a feeling of contentment settled within my soul. As I look over my shoulder, my eyes move to her window where she sits on the stool, paintbrush in hand, and coffee mug in the other. Thora sits on the window watching me. I never thought I would be allowed to even attempt to move on from my past life, but maybe it is possible after all. One last lingering look at the woman who has come in and completely changed my life before I head inside.

****

The next morning once I’m showered and dressed, I send a text to Capri wishing her a good day. I start to load my truck with the necessities for my job today and head out. My sister calls me on my way to the house. “Hey, Whit,” I answer.

“Hello to you, too.” The tone of her voice has me on high alert instantly. She’s got that annoying sisterly sound like she knows something that I don’t. I know that’s not possible because there is nothing to know, but it still causes my body to tense up.

Silence fills the line just the sound of her TV in the background and my low playing music in the cab of my truck. Finally, I bite the bullet and ask, “What’s going on?”

I can practically hear the smile in her voice. “Oh nothing, I just got off from work and I got the next two days off.”

“Well, that’s good and well earned. I’m glad you have some time to finally catch up on stuff and relax. You work too hard.” Whitney always has. Even as kids, she worked extra hard to keep straight A’s and be an outstanding citizen, always volunteering when she could. Whitney just always wanted to help the people around her, no matter what it ended up costing her in return.

She laughs. “I could say the same thing about you. You’re always working and when you’re not you’re locked away in your house. It’s not healthy.”

“That’s not entirely true.” After I admit that to her, I regret it. There’s a good chance that is exactly what she was wanting me to say.

Whitney scoffs. “It is, which is why I’m calling you. You need to come have lunch with me and mom today at the house. Dad has some kind of fishing trip planned with his friends so she’s all alone and you know how she loves to cook.”

It was true my mom did love to cook, and she was fantastic at it. Honestly, she could have opened a restaurant if she had wanted to, but she always said she never wanted that hassle. Instead, she would sign up for every bake sale or money raising food activity she could. “What time are we having this lunch?”

“Noon! I’m going to grab a quick nap before I head over there. We’ll see you then.” That tone is back in her voice, but I don’t have time to question it before she disconnects the call.

Once I reach the house, I’m working on today I call Everett. “I’m actually heading in your direction. The wood you placed an order for came in, so I was going to drop it off for you.”

“That’s great news, but I’m actually not at home. I’m heading to a job. Do you want me just to swing by and grab it after I finish here?”

“No, I’ll pop it in the shed. There’s supposed to be a storm brewing today. I don’t want it to get ruined before you even receive it.” Everett hums along to the song on the radio.

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