9. Andy
ANDY
There’s nothing like a soothing cucumber mask at the end of a long day.
Worry for Jedd, Piper, Alex, and myself have played on an endless loop through my head. From working with clients all the way to picking Piper up from Hal’s, slightly sunburnt with a smile that would melt the sun itself, I haven’t been able to shake the anxiety plaguing me.
I just want a normal fun night. For me and for Piper.
That thought led me to a girls’ night. An impromptu one, but the best part of being a beauty service provider is having quality products on hand for a serious self-care sesh.
“You okay, Aunt Andy?” Piper asks from where she’s perched on my bathroom counter, her own face coated in dark green. Her curls are tied back under a silk bonnet and she’s wearing my thin teal robe.
She looks seriously adorable.
Get it together. Put it away for now.
“Sorry, Pip. Just distracted with some things.”
“Is Uncle Jedd coming over?” she asks, bouncing slightly.
This girl is psychic. She would bring up the exact person I’m worried most about.
I shake my head. “Probably not.” He said that he was going to spend the day and evening cleaning up the shop, before sitting down with his expansion plan, so I doubt he has the energy to come play makeover—no matter how entertaining that would be for me.
Her expression falls, shooting a knife right into my heart.
“You know what? Why don’t we do this girls’ night up right? I’ll message Jem and Maisie to see if they can come over.”
“Will Maisie bring Audra?” Her voice rises with excitement.
“She probably would if I asked. Audra’s a girl after all.” I grin at my niece.
“Let’s do it! We’ll need more food though.”
I have chicken nuggets and french fries in the oven, because it’s hard to mess up something that easy, but Piper’s right—with more people I’m going to need more food to feed everyone.
“How about we go for the full pig out and order pizza too?”
Her arms shoot into the air. “Yes!”
“Okay. Give me a few minutes.”
Piper works on washing the cucumber mask off her face while I pull out my phone and open the group message that I have with Jem and Maisie. We mainly use it to coordinate Calhoun family events because the group chat with the boys can get a little rowdy sometimes.
You guys up for a girls’ night?
Opening the camera and flipping to selfie mode, I snap a quick picture of me with my green face and Pip’s dripping one and send it through the thread.
Jem: Say less. On my way.
Maisie: God yes. Is that the stuff you were telling me about?
You know it. And I have plenty to go around.
Jem: Need us to bring anything?
Could you pick a couple of pizzas up if I call them in?
Jem: On it. Do hot wings too please. The really spicy ones. I’ve been craving them so bad all week.
Craving? Anything you want to tell us?
Maisie: Yes, do tell Jem. Is there anything you’d like to share with the class?
Jem: Middle finger emoji.
LOL.
Maisie: I’ll bring some extra drinks. Audra just weaned so they’ll be alcoholic in variety, so if you can’t have alcohol *cough* Jem *cough* speak up now.
Jem: *jazz hands* *wine glass emoji* *melting face emoji*
Well that answers that. Also, Piper would like Audra to come too if that’s okay.
Jem: Yes, please bring her, I never get to cuddle her around the boys, they always steal her from me.
Maisie: Craving hot wings, and wanting to snuggle my infant daughter. *thinking emoji*
Jem: You hush. It’s your own fault for creating the cutest baby girl ever. Now if only the guys would give me a turn with her.
You just gotta learn how to karate chop their hands away when they reach for her.
Jem: Yeah, see that doesn’t really work for me, since I’m married to Boone, but Jedd’s only your friend. I can’t go around beating my husband and brothers up for stealing all my baby snuggles.
Only your friend.
That puts a sting in my belly. No matter how I want to explain that Jedd and I are more than friends, we’re not. Not in the way that they’re thinking.
Is Jedd my best friend? Absolutely. But sometimes friendship feels inadequate to explain the relationship that we have. He’s the last person I think of before I close my eyes and the second thought—after coffee—I have upon waking. A girl has to have her priorities after all.
My two stipulations for the night are no worries and no boys—even talk about them—allowed.
Jem: Oh. My. Shit. Did something happen between you and Jedd?
Maisie: I KNEW IT!!!
Jem: RIGHT?! They’ve been circling each other for so long I thought they’d be collecting social security before one of them made a move.
Stop. You guys. We’re friends. JUST friends. He’s just being stubborn right now and I’m worried about him and the shop. Nothing more. Nothing less.
Jem: *Eyebrow cocked emoji*
Maisie: *You sit on a throne of lies GIF*
I roll my eyes at them. Maisie started the “Jedd and Andy like each other” train when she first came to town earlier this summer and it caught on. We’ve denied and defended our friendship, but they still insist something is there.
Jedd denied and defended vigorously enough that I got the message loud and clear.
There is something there. But only on my side.
And my friends celebrating the complete opposite is a painful reminder of what I won’t ever have.
Are you two coming or not?
Maisie: We’re loading into the car now, be there in about thirty.
Jem: Same, call in the pizza order and I’ll swing by and grab that.
Piper’s smoothing moisturizer on her face when I finish submitting the online pizza order.
“Jem, Maisie, and Audra are on their way.”
The container of moisturizer clatters to the counter as she raises both hands in a double fist pump. “Yes,” she screeches.
Seeing her happy releases a little bit of the tension that I’ve been carrying since Thursday.
We head to the living room, where I queue up the movie we agreed to watch tonight. Then it’s on to baby proofing what I can and pulling the chicken nuggets and fries out of the oven.
Right as I’m fluffing the throw pillows on the couch, the cavalry arrives. My front door opens to Jem and Maisie waltzing in with food, a diaper bag, and bottles of wine.
“Who’s ready to start this shindig?” Jem cries, lifting the pizza boxes and my spirits.
Once Jem and Maisie have their skin masks in place, and we all have a plate of food and something to drink we start the newest animated movie that the kids have absolutely lost their marbles over.
Piper is laying on her tummy on the floor in front of the couch making cute faces at Audra, and I’ve already taken a billion pictures of them playing together.
“So. What happened with you and Jedd?” Maisie asks in a near whisper.
“No boys allowed,” I say staunchly.
Jem swipes up one of the pillows behind her and swats me with it. “Dish.”
I have a momentary pause, not sure that Jedd would appreciate me sharing the full story with the two of them.
And then I think better of it. Family means that we’re all in each other’s business, to help, to rag on each other, to be there when needed and when not.
Especially when none of this is exactly news after the conversation at family dinner last night.
“The new inspector won’t let him reopen the shop until he meets the new safety requirements. He can’t meet those—or it’s really hard for him to meet them when he doesn’t have enough space in the shop. You know that plot that’s been for sale next to the shop forever?”
They nod.
“Jedd’s been trying to buy it for years, but his business doesn’t support the loan needed to purchase the land and then to fund the expansion.
But David reached out to a commercial development company and the commercial company is interested.
So if Jedd wants to buy it, he needs to come up with the money soon.
I offered to loan him the money or to cosign on the loan and he’s being stubborn about it. ”
Jem takes a bite of pizza. “I know that Duke offered to help too. His business has been doing gangbusters lately. Did you hear about the piece he designed that was featured in Home and Style?”
I shake my head, not surprised though. Duke’s reputation for crafting bespoke furniture has slowly and steadily built. Now he’s one of the top designers for celebrities that want classy, durable artistic pieces in their homes.
“He doesn’t feel right taking help from his family. Makes me want to smack him upside the head.”
Maisie cocks her head to the side. “I mean, yeah, he’s a numbskull, but I can see his point.”
“What do you mean?” Jem asks.
“Asking for help—even from someone you trust—means being vulnerable. Nobody likes to feel vulnerable. And asking for help leaves you open to disappointment if something goes wrong. Trust me. It took me a long time to ask for help with my situation.”
Maisie crashed into Everette one night while she and her daughter were on the run from her abusive ex. If anyone knows how vulnerabilities can be held against you, it’s her.
“It’s not just that though.” I lower my voice more. “He’s worried that the custody case for Piper is going to be expensive, and he thinks that I need the money more for her right now.”
That was the only part of his argument that I agreed with. But I’m honestly hoping that the case doesn’t come to that. That Alex will see reason and agree that Piper is better off with me, at least for now.
Some small part of me is still holding out hope that this will be the wakeup call she needs to get clean and stay that way. If not just for her, then for her daughter.
“Custody cases—lawyer fees—those add up fast. Not to mention that you’ll have to prove you’re financially stable to take on a kid to the courts.”
I nod. “I know. But I can do all that and help him qualify for the loan he needs. He’s just being stubborn about it right now.”
The three of us look at each other and at the same time chorus “boys are dumb” before we dissolve into laughter.