33. Cade
Something in the Orange - Zach Bryan
Paige has been gone for two days. Two fucking agonizing days, and I’m already lost without her. I need an escape, something to keep my mind occupied while she’s away. There are reminders of her all over the cabin; a hair tie on her nightstand, vanilla scented body wash in the shower, her favorite sweater on my pillow. Everywhere I look, there are little pieces of her.
Not for the first time, I wonder if I could create a sanctuary for her — a space where she can cuddle with Goose and lose herself in her beloved books. It doesn't take long before I have my mind made up, deciding to transform my unused office into a small library with a reading nook.
“If I’m going to pull this off, I’ll need some help,” I mutter to myself, and Goose who has been my little shadow for the past 48 hours. He’s just as distraught as I am. More than once I’ve found him curled up on her pillow, soaking in her scent — I know, buddy. I know.
Cade: Y’all up for another super secret project?
Miles: Will there be snacks? ??
Cade: Is that a yes?
Dean: Throw in some beer and I’m in.
Liam: Will work for beer and snacks.
I agreed to meet with Miles at the local hardware store later today. All the guys are like brothers to me, but Miles is a general contractor so I defer to him for any construction related topics. He might be a bit of a jackass at times, but he takes tools and lumber very seriously; wood related jokes notwithstanding.
“Ok, so what are we thinking?”
“I want floor to ceiling bookshelves to start with, a small window seat in the bay window, and can you build me one of those fancy rolling ladders?”
“You mean, like Beauty and the Beast?”
“How the hell do you know that?”
“The better question is, who doesn’t know that? Women only need 3 things to be happy: respect, appreciation, and the library from Beauty and the Beast.” Getting relationship advice from someone who is perpetually single wasn’t exactly on my to do list today, but to be fair, Miles has had his fair share of… romantic entanglements.
“Paige saw the one they have at Chapters and Brews and I could see the hearts in her eyes. I think it would be really cool for her to have one at home, too.”
Miles leads me to the lumber section of the store, pointing out the best materials for the main structures, along with some decorative trim that he thinks will give the room a “whimsical v ibe” — his words, not mine. I tend to agree with whatever Miles suggests; I wouldn’t trust him with any of my sisters, but he has my full confidence when it comes to construction.
It’s midday by the time we get all the supplies ordered and we both skipped breakfast, so we head over to Rosie’s for a late lunch with Dean and Cara. We arrive in time to find them canoodling in our usual booth. It’s not long before we get our orders placed and the discussion turns to Paige and my grand gesture.
“Have you heard from Paige lately?” Dean asks. It might seem like an odd question to ask her husband, but Paige has been really busy since her flight landed 2 days ago. She stopped in Toronto first and she’ll be there for a couple more days, tying up loose ends.
I received her copy of our visa petition; it’s up to me to finish filling it out and mail it off. We were required to provide a ton of evidence to prove that our relationship is real, so Paige painstakingly went back through months of correspondence and vacation photographs. She even reached out to some of our friends to provide written testimonials. It turns out the not-so-secret Sunshine album on my phone was extremely efficient.
“Yeah, she’s doing ok. Probably better than me, to be honest. She’s been busy wrapping everything up back home. I, on the other hand, have entirely too much time on my hands now that she’s not here.” I've never had trouble being honest with my friends. They know that I’ve been pining for my girl since the moment she stepped out of my arms and into the airport.
“Yeah, man. You kinda look like shit.” Dean may be crass, but he’s not lying. I have dark circles under my eyes from lack of sleep and I’m overdue for a haircut. I’ve taken to wearing my cowboy hat everywhere because it simultaneously reminds me of h er and hides the mop on my head. “So when do you want to get started on this super secret project?”
It’s Miles who answers this time, “I’m in between job sites right now, so I offered to meet with the lumber delivery guys at the cabin tomorrow morning. We should be ready to get some of the framework done in the afternoon if you’re free.”
“Sounds good. My calendar is wide open tomorrow. I only have one consult early in the morning to take care of and then I can head over to help get the office cleared out.”
I appreciate these guys more than they’ll ever know, but they’re not only doing this for me; it’s just as much for Paige. The fact they’re more than willing to drop everything to do something for my wife says everything you need to know about Paige. She draws people to her like a moth to a flame. She has us all wrapped around her little finger.
I catch Cara smiling at Dean while he discusses plans with Miles. She’s good for him; he needed someone to make him slow down. “I’m not good with tools —”
“I wouldn’t say that, babe,” Dean smirks, cutting her off.
“As I was saying, I’m not good with building shit,” she elbows Dean in the stomach, “but I’m great with a paintbrush so once you’re ready to slap some paint on the shelves, say the word and I’ll be there.”
“I appreciate it, Cara. It looks like Paige is going to be gone for at least 2 weeks, so I’d like to get everything done by then. Does that seem like a reasonable timeline?” I ask Miles. He’s the one who’ll need to work around his own projects and, truth be told, he’ll be doing most of the hard labor.
“Yeah, it’s not a huge project. I think I even have some leftover sage green paint from your kitchen cabinets, if that’s the same vibe you want in the library.”
Our lunch winds down sometime around 4pm. We worked out all the little details for the library and I’m itchin g to get the ball rolling. Unfortunately, real life is calling, and I’m due for my shift at the bar.