Page 76 of Pictures in Blue
“Nope. But they sabotage almost every year. Especially Tom’s.”
“What do you get for winning this?”
“For winning this, you get the satisfaction of putting everybody else to shame. And a year of free beer at Frank’s. Cordie and Fran love their beer. I don’t think those two need more though. They get up to enough mischief on their own without the influence of alcohol.”
He laughs and gets lost in a memory I hope brings him comfort. I have seen the way he looks at those two women and I know they’re two of the good ones. Two grandmotherly like characters in his life that he would do anything for.
HUDSON
My heart swellswith excitement as I tell Avery more about Blue Grove. And I feel comfortable giving her the pieces of me I never thought I would give anyone. This feels like a moment in time that I want to remember. The way her face lights up at the mention of the different festivals is a look I don’t want to forget anytime soon. And all of a sudden I wish she was staying long enough that she would get to experience those things. That I would get to experience them with her.
I want to experience the look on her face when she sees Fran and Cordie sneaking up behind Tom’s snowman with a blowtorch, slowly melting the bottom of it without anyone noticing. One year they even tossed poppers at the bottom that startled Tom so much, he tumbled into his snowman. He was fine, but we didn’t hear the end of it for the next three town meetings. The two old women hiding their smiles each time, even though the whole town knew it was them behind the pranks every year.
I want to hear her laugh when she realizes the hayride is probably the most uncomfortable thing any human adult can experience, yet somehow, it’s still fun. I want her to experience my world, but to do that, she’d have to stay. And that’s not something I can ask her to do, is it? I don’t know.
She is bigger than this town. Bigger than me. I can’t ask her to give up her life for me. Even though it’s something I wish I could do. More than anything. Even if I did ask her to stay, there’s no guarantee she would say yes.
And that terrifies me.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
HUDSON
The next few days pass with Avery in the warm cocoon of the cabin. Ever since the agreement, we haven’t had a reason to leave, so we pass the time with work, food, anda lotof physical activity. The more we are together, the more I start to realize that “getting it out of our systems” is something that won’t ever happen. She isn’t something to get out of my system. She’s something I want permanently in my blood, a steady flow injected into my veins.
Avery is the embodiment of good things and her stuff has made a home in my room and there isn’t a night that passes that she isn’t in my bed wrapped in my arms. Being the neat freak that I am (which she has pointed out on multiple occasions), I don’t even care that she leaves her ribbonseverywhere.I like tidiness. I like clean. But her ribbons? I act like they drive me crazy, but the truth is, discovering a piece of her somewhere around my house, knowing she was there at some point in time, fills me with something I can’t figure out. Happiness? Longing? I don’t know, but the blue ribbon currently laying on the counter next to her can stay forever as far as I am concerned.
My phone buzzes and I am pulled back into the kitchen where I have been standing, drinking coffee, and staring at Avery.
Sky’s name lights up the screen and I sigh, wondering why she’s calling me right now. It’s not even noon yet. And she usually doesn’t call me in general. I let out a long sigh before pressing the green button and bringing the phone to my ear.
“You give up on me big bro? So easily? I thought I meant more to you than that.” She sighs dramatically. “But, I guess I’m just not worth any more of your time. Oh, well. I assume I’ll see you around eventually. You know, you were actually starting to wear me down and I am deeply offended you’ve decided to give up. I mean, really, Hudson…I thought mom raised you better than that.” She says all of this in a very sarcastic, very mocking tone.
“Sky…is there an end to this ridiculous, clearly over dramatic speech where you tell me what the hell you are talking about?”
She laughs. She actually laughs and my chest tightens at the sound. I don’t remember the last time I made her laugh.
“Oh, right. I forgot you’re a love sick fool shacked up with a beautiful out-of-towner.”
“I am not—” I start to lie, but she cuts me off.
“It’s Sunday, Hudson.”
Shit.
“And when you didn’t show up in yet another pointless attempt to drag me off to Sunday brunch, I was a little hurt.”
I place my pointer finger and thumb between my eyes and try to rub away the oncoming headache my sister has invited in with this conversation. “The first instinct you had was yourself and not worrying about me?”
“Self preservation, big brother. Anyway,” she says, her voice further away now, the sound of boxes being shuffled around as she continues. “What are you going to say to convince me to come this week?”
I have been trying for too long to get Sky to come around again. I gave her space when she wanted it and then I suffocated her with my presence when she didn’t want it. I suffocated her with Elias’ presence, because I’m convinced she’s always secretly liked him more than me. Ialmostdragged Ethan into it, but even I’m not that cruel.
We are at an impasse, but Avery might just bridge the gap. She already has, if I’m being honest. I can’t remember the last time Sky called me instead of the other way around and the only thing that has changed is Avery’s presence in my life—inourlives. I don’t think I am the only one Avery is prying open.
I look over at her, a piece of toast halfway to her lips as she types with her other hand on her laptop. Sitting at the island bar, perched on the barstool, her hair is pulled to the top of her head, a ribbon tied around it. Red today. My face softens and I can feel the silence stretching between me and Sky, but the way Avery fits here hits me in the chest.
The image of her right now is perfect. Shefitshere. With Judy sitting at her feet, waiting for any scraps she can get, Bernard not far behind. Her shoes at the front door. One of her sweatshirts resting on the back of the couch, camera equipment spread out on the coffee table and suddenly, I don’t want the coffee table to be clean ever again. I mask my features, but my eyes remain on Avery.
