15. Lennon
Chapter fifteen
Lennon
The End
I woke up early today and finished my manuscript. I can’t believe I did it. I don’t have long to sit in my excitement, because today is the day I’m going to Rosie’s school. Last night, I couldn’t decide on what the right outfit was to wear, thinking that it would come to me this morning. I was wrong. I dig my phone out from under a pile of discarded clothes and decide to text the group chat.
What am I supposed to wear to a kindergarten class?
Shelby
You are overthinking this, babe.
I need a solution to this problem. I have tried everything on in my closet.
Tess
Ok, I got this. It is craft day, so obviously nothing too nice. Skinny jeans, chunky sweater, and ankle boots.
Shelby
I know you have a lot of that in your closet.
Thank you! I don’t know why I’m nervous to go hang out with a bunch of five-year-olds.
Shelby
I have a thought as to why…
Tess
You will be fine. If any of those punks give you a hard time, Ro Ro will take care of them for you.
Shelby
Umm…
Are we all forgetting that I will be there, too?
I thought you didn’t want to leave the diner short staffed?
Shelby
Well…When Cash got home last night, he found me in the bathroom crying because I was upset about missing it. So, he is going to the diner while I’m at the school.
Tess
Now, that is a good man. We need more of those.
My brother is a good man. One of the best. He would do anything for Shelby and their kids, I knew that when they started dating. I make a mental reminder to talk to Shelby privately today because she isn’t one to cry over things. The girls and I tell each other bye, and I finish getting ready.
I meet Shelby in the parking lot of the school, and she directs me to the classroom. As soon as we enter, Rosie and Crosby run over, throwing their arms around my legs. “ Hey! What am I, chop liver?” Shelby jokes, the kids running over doing the same to her, and lead us to a table.
“You get to sit right next to me, Lennon! I’m so happy you could come.” Rosie gives me another hug once I’m seated. “Of course I would be here, sweet Rosie.” More women enter the room, I don’t want to assume they are all moms because unfortunately, I’m not Rosie’s mother.
I’m surprised that the school still words this as Mom and Me craft day. Don’t they realize all the ways a family can be made up of?
Looking around I notice we are seated at the smallest table, the only kids at the table being Rosie, Crosby, and Scottie’s nephew, Denny. Denny is sitting at the end of the table, head tilted down, with no one sitting next to him. I know he stays a lot with Scottie, but I haven’t gotten the full story on where his parents are.
I nudge Shelby under the table, and when she looks at me, I look over at Denny. She takes out her phone, sending a quick message, before returning her attention to the little boy. “Hey, Denny. Why don’t you come sit down next to us, bud?” He looks over but doesn’t get up right away. I think he is going to ignore Shelby, but he finally gets up and moves closer. He is now sitting directly across from Rosie, and I’m hoping he can keep mean comments to himself today .
Rosie decides that the first craft she wants us to do is to paint. She has a clear vision, so she runs to go get the appropriate supplies, while Denny just sits there. “Hey, bud, why don’t you come over to this side and help us out?” He looks up at me, and his facial expression is a mixture of anger and sadness. “Ok, Ms. Lennon.”
We spend the next hour working on various projects, but our time is almost over and one of the teachers comes in with snacks for everyone. The teacher stops at the table and Rosie wastes no time introducing me. “This is Lennon, she is my…my—” She looks confused on what to call me, so I step in. “Hi there, as Ms. Rosie said, I’m Lennon. And Rosie is my very dear friend.” The teacher smiles when she sets down a platter of little sandwiches and cookies.
“Maybe you could be my mommy someday.” I guess the saying, ‘ Kids say the darndest things ,’ is completely accurate. Unfortunately for me, when she made the mommy comment, I had just taken a bite of a cookie. I start coughing, so Shelby hands me a bottle of water, with a small smirk on her face.
“You will never have a mommy. Your mommy didn’t want you. Stop trying to get Lennon to do it, you look dumb.” And just like that, our happy day has ended. Three things happen almost all at once; Rosie’s bottom lip starts shaking and tears are quickly forming, Crosby runs over and hits Denny in the face before Shelby can pull him back, and Scottie steps up to the table. “Denny James Mercer! You apologize to Rosie right this second.”
The little boy just stands there with his hands in a fist at his side. When Scottie realizes his nephew isn’t going to say anything, he kneels down in front of Rosie. “Oh Rosie, please don’t cry. I’m sorry about what Denny said. You have always been wanted; you hear me?”
Denny’s outburst came at the end of the day, so after cleaning up, we all walk out together, and I get Rosie loaded in the extra seat Shelby let me borrow. “Ok, sweet Rosie. Let’s go get some ice-cream!” She has completely shut down, and that just won’t do. Hayes probably won’t like our ice-cream date, but sometimes a girl just needs a scoop of Rocky Road.
Rosie convinced me to stay the rest of the day playing with her. It didn’t take much convincing. After our stop at the ice-cream shop, we came back to their house and played in the back yard until she was ready to watch a movie. Hayes came home with pizza, and we sat around the table eating dinner as a little family.
I need to remember that I am not their family. Hayes and Rosie are family. I am Hayes’ employee. I am Rosie’s…friend? I should have left after pizza, but Rosie begged me to help with her bath and read to her at bedtime. That turned into three stories. I don’t know how Hayes does it, I haven’t been able to tell her no all day. I’m surprised that I didn’t find her a puppy today.
I walk back into the living room after Rosie was officially down for the count and find Hayes on the couch holding out a glass of wine for me. I plop down on the plush couch and graciously accept the glass. I’m shocked when Hayes reaches over and pulls my feet onto the couch and starts to rub them. There have been little touches, light kisses, here and there but this seems like more. “Oh God, that feels so good.”
“So, what exactly—” I immediately pull my feet from his hands and sit up, upset at myself. I should have at least texted him about the incident as soon as it happened. I sent him a picture of Rosie eating her ice cream and did say there was an incident with Denny, but I didn’t give him any details. He has been waiting for Rosie to go to bed so he can yell at me about my oversight. I’m so stupid. He is never going to trust me with his daughter again. “I’m so sorry, Hayes! I should have told you right away. But I didn’t want Rosie to hear us talking about it and upset her again.”
Hayes is fully sitting up now as he grabs my hand, with wide eyes. There is a large part of me that just wants to get up and run out of this house, get in the Bronco, and drive home to die of embarrassment. “Hey, sunshine. I’m not mad, I promise. I know if she was physically hurt you would call me immediately. You knew what to do to get Rosie’s mind off of whatever happened. You are amazing with her.” I let out a breath that I didn’t know I was holding. Hayes isn’t mad at me. I didn’t mess something up.
He pulls my feet back to him and while he continues to massage them, I tell him about Denny and Rosie. We both agree that something has to be going on with the boy for him to be saying such cruel things. I’m glad that he has Scottie, but fear that Scottie is going to have to step in further for his nephew.
At some point, Hayes refills my wine glass, while he grabbed another beer. I don’t know how long we sit there talking. Hayes is telling me about his hopes for his business and funny stories about Rosie throughout the years. If I didn’t think he was a good dad before tonight, I would now. I honestly don’t know when the man sleeps .
While Hayes told me meaningful things, I told him surface level things. He knew me all my life until he moved to Arizona, and I went to college. I started dating Connor sophomore year, and after that everything revolved around him. It didn’t get obsessive until we graduated, but I still don’t want to tell Hayes stories that include my ex. I tell him about working for the school newspaper-which I loved. I tell him about the time my roommate and I both got the flu at the same time, and we weren’t able to get out to go to the doctor because a record blizzard had hit. For the record, that wasn’t fun.
I feel myself start falling asleep, and the next thing I know, I’m being picked up and carried. To where, I have no idea. I need to leave, go home to my bed. “Where are you taking me?” He doesn’t say anything as he carries me into his bedroom. He goes to his dresser, pulling out basketball shorts and a T-shirt. “Go get changed, sunshine. There is an extra toothbrush in the top drawer, if you need a towel, they are in the cabinet.”
I go and do as he says, only slightly drooling at his massive soaker tub. I can envision taking a bath in it with a glass of wine and my kindle. A girl has to have things to strive for, and now I am going to strive to live in a place where I can have that exact tub .
Walking back into the bedroom, I find Hayes is already in bed. He has one bedside lamp on, and is just turning on the TV. “Where do you keep your spare blankets? I’m sorry I was falling asleep down there. But a few hours on your couch and I should be awake enough to drive home.”
“Lennon, get over here and lay down. Please. We are both clothed, I think two adults can share a bed.” I bite my lip, weighing my options. Where the couch was comfortable, almost too comfortable, the bed looks like the most comfortable cloud. The army green down comforter, the fluffy pillows. I know sleeping on that bed would be the best sleep of my life. When Hayes flips the comforter back, and sends a wink my way, my mind is made up.
I’m staying the night with Hayes.
Once I get into bed, I make sure I am laying on the edge of the bed. One part of my brain tells me that he is just being nice. But the other part tells me that if he was just being nice then he would go down and sleep on the couch. He wants to be in bed with me. Once I am settled, he hops and strides into the bathroom. A few minutes later, he climbs back into bed and I feel his hand move towards my hip, and before I know it, Hayes is pulling my body closer to him until I am nestled into his side, his arm still securely around me .
“That’s better. I just want to be here with you, sunshine. We go at your pace. If you don’t want anything more from me, that’s okay too. It may kill me, but it would be ok.” I don’t even think. I close the small distance between us and lay my lips on his. It starts off tentatively, but the taste of cool mint from the toothpaste, the rough pads of his fingers on my face, turns the kiss into an inferno. The feeling of Hayes’ lips on mine lights a fire in me. This. This is how it should feel when you kiss someone.
Like your soul needs the other for survival. Like you need the feeling to feel whole.
I don’t know how much time passes, but it feels too soon that Hayes slightly pulls away, ending the kiss. “Shit. I knew that kissing you was going to be amazing. But I didn’t know you would just change my life, sunshine.” With a smile on my face, I lay my head on his chest, and silently agree with him. Being here, with this perfect man, is starting to change my life. It doesn’t take long before my eyes start to droop, while Hayes runs his hands through my hair. I’m almost fully asleep when I hear something that sends a jolt to my heart.
“I’m yours, Lennon. And you are mine. I will wait until I’m old and grey if I need to. There is no one but you.”