Chapter 20
Summer
Saturday morning we enjoy waffles at Sue’s house, then find a spot to plant the azalea.
Zander and I help her in the yard with mowing, pruning, and weeding until lunch.
Despite living here, this is the first time I’ve been in the backyard.
It’s a small plot since we're in town, but Sue's made the most of it with flowers and shrubs filling all three sides of the fence and grass. There’s a small bistro set in the middle of the yard under a large maple tree.
“Your yard is beautiful, Sue. I wish I helped you with it while I was here.”
“Nonsense sweetheart. You weren’t ready, and that’s okay. I’m glad you get to enjoy it now, though,” she says, giving me a side hug.
We eat at the diner for lunch, then Sue comes with us to see Jake. “Hello everybody,” Mal smiles from the front desk.
“Hi Mal. How are you today?” I ask, signing in.
“Just fine, Sugar. I gave Jake a nice bath this morning, so he’s all ready for y’all. Come on, let’s go back,” she says, ushering us to the hallway.
After Sue and Zander visit Jake, they decide to do some shopping while I stay here.
Crawling into bed and wrapping myself around him, I breathe in his familiar scent, my body instantly unwinding.
I think he’s gotten taller since I last visited.
His dad is a little over six feet, so it makes sense Jake would still be growing.
Slipping my fingers through his, I notice his hand is larger and broader.
I lift my head to look closer at him. Yeah, he’s definitely grown.
His shoulders seem wider, and his feet reach the end of the bed.
A wave of sadness washes over me that I missed these physical changes in person.
Video calls only show his face, not his growing body.
He would see changes in me, too. I’ve filled out since the accident. First, I became skin and bones, then my boobs started growing. Add in the regular meals and track, and I look more like a woman now than a girl.
Lying my head on his chest to listen to his heartbeat, I realize my feelings haven’t changed one bit for Jake, despite being with the other guys.
I was wondering if I would feel differently once I saw him again, but I don’t.
He's my moon and stars. He’s still home, and I still love him.
Something inside me has always lightened when I’m with Jake.
Growing up with him, I never noticed how Jake was my lighthouse, since we were always around each other. I noticed I could unwind when I visited Jake before moving to South Carolina, but now that I don’t see him much, I recognize it more easily. He’s part of my very soul.
I tell him about Mal and Sue’s birthday dinner yesterday and how funny they were while drinking. Then I talk about the guys, especially E, and how much I’m struggling with what E's doing.
As is typical, I fall asleep, and Zander has to wake me close to dinnertime. After kissing Jake goodbye, Zander drives us to Sue’s for dinner. We help her make a chicken dish, and she puts brownies in the oven before we sit down to eat. I ask about her health as we dig in.
“No change yet, sweetheart. I visited the doctor at the end of August, and he was pleased that it hadn’t progressed. What I’m doing works so far,” Sue explains.
“You’ll tell me if that changes, right?” The thought of Sue disappearing still freaks me out, despite living states away from her now.
“Yes, I promise. I won’t keep that from you.” She pats my hand with a gentle smile.
“Hey, it’s Saturday, no book club this week?”
“No, Roberta had a stroke a few weeks ago, I’m afraid, so we’ve suspended book club until she can join us. It wasn’t bad, so she will hopefully be ready in another week or two.”
“I’m so sorry. I hope she gets better soon.” Sue squeezes my hand again with a nod as we continue our delicious meal.
I gather the plates as Sue gets the brownies from the oven. She cuts us each a square with ice cream for dessert. Zander and I help clean up before we settle in the living room. “So what did you and Zander accomplish this afternoon?” I ask them.
“Oh, Zander was so thoughtful; he helped me shop, put away groceries, fix the sticky front door, and even replaced a loose board on the steps.”
“I was happy to help Sue,” Zander smiles indulgently at her. “Do you need anything else fixed around here?”
“No, you’ve done more than enough already,” Sue says, waving him off. “You’re here to visit, not to work on this old house.”
“That’s code for there’s more,” I lean over and whisper to Zander.
Chuckling, Zander looks over to Sue. “Tell me what you need done, Sue, or I’ll go hunting to find it.”
Sue hesitates, looking between us. “Okay, okay, you two. The faucet in my bathroom is leaking a bit. It just started a few days ago, but I can call the plumber on Monday.”
“Lead the way,” Zander says, standing up and waiting for her.
We follow her through her bedroom into the bathroom.
She just redid her bathroom a few years ago, so it’s still modern.
You can see the faucet dripping into the sink, though.
Zander grabs the toolbox, and he gets to work.
Less than half an hour later, the dripping has stopped, and the faucet works like new.
“Thank you, Zander. I appreciate your help.”
“Of course, Ms. Sue. Happy to help,” Zander replies with a genuine smile.
We decide it’s time to head back to the hotel for the night, and Sue sends us off with some brownies to snack on. I text the guys, and Seb calls immediately, so we chat while Zander has a shower.
Sunday morning, we meet Sue at the diner for breakfast before driving to the cemetery to visit Mom and Lily bee. It’s a beautiful sunny day, so we spread out a blanket and visit for over an hour.
Once I’m ready to leave, we visit Jake and Mal again. “Sugar, those boiled peanuts were so fresh and good. Thank you for bringing them up here.”
“Glad you liked them, Mal. If you want anything from down south, just let me know and I can mail it to you or bring it with me on my next visit.”
“I’ll think on that, Sugar. Now sign in so we can head back there.
” Sue and Zander join me in Jake’s room.
We take several combinations of pictures of us before they leave me alone with Jake.
There’s not much to tell him today except my visit with Mom and Lily bee, so I fill him in on that, then just lie with him until Zander tells me we need to leave.
Mal thanks us again for dinner and her presents before Zander gives her a big hug.
When they separate, I step up and open my arms for a hug, too. “Are you sure, Sugar?”
“Yeah, Mal,” I smile.
She envelopes me in a warm hug, and when we pull back, she has tears in her eyes. “I’m so proud of you. Thank you, Sugar.”
I smile back, then head out with Zander and Sue. After more hugs at Sue’s house, Zander drives us to the airport to fly back home.
Somehow, I feel both lighter and heavier after visiting.
My spirits have lifted after seeing three people so important to me, but there’s an underlying stress being in the town from my past and a bit of sadness from missing my family.
It’s a complex ball of emotions and thoughts inside me, but overall, the happiness wins out.