Page 2 of Kaede
“Daisy, there isn’t a flowerpot.”
I leave my suitcase and walk around the south side. Maybe she meant the back door. The large glass windows allow me to have a peek inside.
Ugh.
Daisy had prepared me. “Wyatt will change the sheets on the bed, but he’s a little messy,”she said.
Little?
What I see can be described asvery, Daisy. Wyatt’s place has dust on everything I can see from here. I glance back at my car. I know it’s crazy, but as soon as she warned me, I decided to bring along a few cleaning supplies. Daisy isn’t a clean freak, like I am. When I go to hotels, I clean the bathroom before using it. That’s why I always carry baby wipes. Everywhere.
Plus, I like the smell.
But she also knows that I actually enjoy cleaning, so if this ends up with this dude making an effort to be a little more organized and tidier, my efforts won’t be for nothing. And if it doesn’t, I’ll still enjoy my time with a frosted cranberry candle and sparkling clean toilet.
The back door is bare of any embellishment and not a flowerpot to be found.
I walk to the car. I flip on the dome light to see as the sun is almost gone for the day. I grab the shopping bags and collect an item that fell on the floor. Two bags, one with the cleaning supplies and one with food. I have to have my favorites— mac and cheese, those red and green M&Ms, some seasonal flavored coffee, and a few other ingredients for quick and easy meals.This is my weekend not to think about diets, carbs and sugars, numbers on a scale, or how my leggings fit. If they emphasize every roll, I don’t care.
Daisy, Boone, and Maverick certainly won’t care. The animals in the woods don’t care.
“I don’t fucking care!” I scream into the night and an owl hoots in response.
I stare at the front door like it will magically open. How to get in since the owner didn’t leave the key like Daisy said he would? I examine the windows… way too big to break. I consider the oval glass insert on the door. I could break it. Maybe I could break the door down and then claim it wasn’t my fault he didn’t leave a key.
I grab the knob, turn… and it opens.
Well, I certainly used more brain cells than needed to do that.
I flip on a light and I realize this place isn’t unrecoverable. It’s got a lot of great bells and whistles. Like the kitchen. I know who did this woodwork.Boone.It’s got all the same beautiful hand-carved wood lines as their cabinets. And granite counter tops that will be perfect for baking a pie to take for Christmas dinner.
This place is much more compartmentalized than Boone and Daisy’s cabin. It’s actually got doors on bedrooms. I like that.
I open the door. The bedroom’s the cleanest room in the place. I bounce on the bed. Reminds me a lot of my bed. Just right.
There’s a picture on the nightstand. I get closer.That’s weird.It’s a photo of people in military uniforms, and I recognize one of the guys. I don’t remember the guy’s name being Wyatt, but maybe that’s what Boone calls him. They all have nicknames and bro-names for each other. I shake off the thoughts to start my weekend.
I hang up my clothes and put my collection of bath supplies in the definitely remodeled bathroom. Local granite covers almost every surface and as cold as I thought it could be, I feel warm inside. Still needs to be cleaned, but I’ll get there.
This is what I need. Simplicity. I’m always going, going, going and I’m tired of being tired. I’m going to sleep in and not feel bad about it.
My phone buzzes.
Daisy: Did you make it?
Willow: I did. It’s definitely NOT clean.
Daisy: Hey, he works long hours and he’s a bachelor. Give him a break.
Willow: Donning my gloves to get dirty. Or actually to get clean.
Daisy: I’ll make it up to you tomorrow. Biscuits and gravy in the morning?
Willow: Hell, yes!
Daisy: Let’s plan on brunch, around 11am, so you can sleep in. And I can clean before you come over.
She gets me. I laugh and shake my head on the cleaning.
