Willow

Chapter 3

“Who is it?” Willow Raintree called out and stood when the back door opened. “Hey, Gary, what’s up?”

“Delivery.” The delivery man grinned as he entered pulling a cart behind him. “Big one today, almost triple your normal order.”

“Good. Can you put it over here?” she asked as she wiped her wet, dirty hands on a rag and pointed. “And when you finish with that, those can go.” She grinned as she pointed in the opposite corner and he saw at least fifty boxes there.

“Been busy?”

“I have, my completed orders, and I’ve even been able to send some stuff out to family and friends.”

Gary did his work, and at one point he stopped and watched as Willow sat at a stool and leaned over a potter’s wheel, forming a glob of clay into a vase. “Wow. Never seen anything like that.”

“Thanks.” She glanced up, and Gary sucked in his breath as her bright blue eyes danced with an inner fire.

“If you don’t mind my asking, what’s in all those boxes I bring you every Monday?”

“Clay.” She grinned and nodded to a plastic bag on a table beside her. “I get a discount if I order a certain poundage.”

“Glad I’m a strong guy.” He grinned, and they shared a laugh. She continued working and watched him out of the corner of her eye as he loaded the outgoing boxes. He had to make five trips to get them all out to his truck.

“Need your signature.” He smiled and watched as the wheel slowed then stopped and she wiped her filthy hands on an equally dirty rag. She grabbed the tablet he passed her and quickly signed her name. She thought he was leaving, but she looked up and frowned when she saw him still standing there.

“Was there something else?”

“Will you go out with me?” He blurted out and then groaned and quickly backed away. “Sorry.”

“Wait!” she called out, and stood. “I didn’t hear what you said.”

“It was nothing.”

“It was if you’re flushed and rushing out of here. Take a breath and tell me what you said.”

He did, then said slowly, “I asked if you would go out with me.”

Shocked, Willow could only stare at him.

“It’s not to some tuxedo and sequined gown affair, just to a local bar that has bands on the weekends.”

“Oh damn, and I was wondering if my red with gold sequins or black with silver would work better.”

Gary laughed and relaxed. “A sapphire blue to match your eyes would work.”

Willow snapped her fingers. “Damn, I just took it to the cleaners this morning.”

“What how about jeans and a nice top?”

“I think I could handle that. When were you thinking?”

Gary was so shocked she agreed that he didn’t have a quick answer. “Ah, Saturday?”

“Sure. I worked this past weekend, so I should be able to take a break.”

“Cool. Do you want me to pick you up?”

“How about I meet you there?”

“Sure, ever hear of ‘The Pit’?”

“I’ve driven by it, so eight?”

“Perfect,” Gary said, and quickly left. Willow noticed he had a bounce in his step and if she was honest, she felt better too.

She promptly returned to work, and after closing her shop late Saturday afternoon, she grabbed a quick sandwich and took not only a hot bath, but a hot shower.

She had a lot of clay to wash off her skin and out of her hair.

For the last three years she’d set up her shop, and she loved it.

She did pottery, and she had an assistant that did everything so that Willow didn’t have to interact with anyone except for the pottery wheel and Gary once a week.

Her designs had been such a hit that she spent all her time in her shop.

She chuckled as she dressed for her date with Gary.

Six months ago, her assistant had to hire an assistant.

As long as they left her alone to do her thing, she was okay with the way her business operated.

After putting her makeup on and fixing her hair, she stepped back and looked at herself with a critical eye.

“Not bad.” She grinned at her reflection.

Out in her living room, her computer beeped an incoming call, and she rushed over and saw it was her sister.

“Hey, Fern,” Wanda laughed as she sat down and grinned at his sister’s expression.

“Holy shit, who are you and what have you done with my sister?” Fern stared in shock at the beautiful woman staring back at her.

“Stop, I have a date tonight, so I decided to clean up.”

“Well, you clean up well. I have to say I have a million questions going through my head as to what you do, but I’ll respect your wishes and let you tell me when you’re ready. But you have to promise to tell me first.” Fern grinned at Willow’s laugh.

“Why, so you can tell Doug you found out first?”

“Absolutely. How have you been? Haven’t heard from you all week.”

“Good, because I knew I had a date tonight, I worked longer every night, but I’m caught up and ready to go out and have some fun. It’s been a while.”

“So, who’s the guy? Not that you’ve dated a lot, not from what I’ve gathered from our previous conversations, but he must be nice if you agreed to go out on a date with him.”

“He is and his name is Gary, I don’t know much about him, but he makes deliveries to where I work, and has been the deliveryman for the last two years.

I’m meeting him there at the bar/restaurant.

I like my privacy too much to have him pick me up.

In case you’re worried, he’s only seen me at my business, I don’t think he knows where I live.

” Her sister didn’t either, but she wasn’t about to tell her that the place of business was below where she lived.

“I should say so, you won’t even let us know your address.”

“I know, I will soon, so how was your Easter dinner last weekend?”

“Good.” Fern said, then she giggled. “Doug broke up with his girlfriend at the dinner table before we even finished eating. He even called an Uber to come and pick her up.”

“What the hell?”

“She said she met you a couple of years ago and started spouting off that you were pretty, but would be beautiful if you lost weight.”

“What the hell?”

“Don’t worry, Doug put her in her place, and when Brandon walked her out, he informed her that she’d burned her bridges with Doug. Told her Doug protects his family fiercely, especially you. He also told her not to call me to try to talk to Doug.”

“Did she?”

“Yep.” Fern grinned and held up a finger to the screen.

Willow automatically touched it with hers, their Skype version of a high five.

“Four times in the last week. Whining that she was sorry, but if Wanda would only lose weight. Blah, blah, blah. And before you ask, Douglas told her about the medication you’re on. You’re still on it aren’t you?”

“I am. You kidding, after all the shit I went through do you think I’d take a chance with my life?”

“Nope. Douglas said you had a clean bill of health?”

“I did. This visit was extensive. I heard back from the doctors yesterday, I’m still in remission, and the donor's kidney is functioning correctly. I’m good for another year. How are Mom and Dad and Brian and Sarah?”

“They yelled at Emily, saying you were healthy. Mom and Dad are good,” Fern said, and giggled.

“What?”

“Mom reminded us about something.”

“What?” Willow frowned.

“Do you remember what last Sunday was?”

“Easter Sunday?” Willow frowned and shook her head in confusion.

“It was also April 11th.”

“And? Still not understanding here Fern.”

“And it was your twentieth wedding anniversary.”

“Oh my god!” Willow hollowed with laughter.

“Oh my god, I barely remember it. Damn if the last twenty years is what marriage is supposed to be like, I had an excellent marriage. No fights, no arguments, no man’s dirty socks all over the place.

” She giggled, then frowned. “I wonder where Christopher is now and what he’s doing. ”

“No clue.” They talked for a few more minutes, and the last thing Fern asked was when they were going to see her in person.

“Probably not for another six months. Oh hey, before we sign off, I was at a craft fair the other day and saw something I thought you might like. I mailed it to you this last Monday, you should be getting it any day.”

“You mean this?” Fern grinned as she held up a vase that was at least two foot tall. “I love it. I wish I knew where you got it or enclosed a card from the maker. I would love to look at their website. Because this is beautiful.”

“I have their website info. Why don’t I give it to you?

” She whipped it off and had Fern repeat it to her.

Shortly after they signed off, and once she knew she was alone, she did a happy dance.

Her big sister loved her work. Yes, yes, yes.

She looked at the clock and swore, then hurried down to her car.

She couldn’t drink because of the medication she was on, so she decided to drive to The Pit.

She arrived five minutes to eight, parked and made her way to the front.

She saw Gary and slowed her steps. She paused next to him, and he looked at her, then looked up and down the street like he was looking for someone.

“I’m sorry,” Gary said. “But I’m waiting for someone.”

“It’s not sequined, but is this color okay?” Willow smiled as she indicated her deep blue shirt.

“Willow?” Gary asked in shock. “Oh my god, you’re beautiful.”

“Thanks.”

“No, I mean extremely beautiful. I always thought so, but you always had that wet clay on you, you clean up really well.”

Willow laughed and reached up and put a finger over his lips. “Stop. You’re babbling.”

“Shit. Sorry.” He paused, then took several deep breaths. “You ready to go in?”

“Before we do, can I talk to you a minute.”

“Sure.” He frowned, but they walked about ten feet away from the entrance where people were going in and out, and Willow took a deep breath.

“I don’t tell anyone about this, no one but my family and doctors know.

First, I hardly ever date. You’re the first one I agreed to go out with, in over two years.

Second, I wanted to tell you before going in, that I don’t drink alcohol.

I have no problem with people doing so. It’s just that I can’t.

” At his frown, she paused and looked him in the eye.

“I’m on medication that doesn’t allow me to drink. I love my life too much to mess it up.”

“Okay. I won’t ask any questions now, but maybe someday you can tell me about it.”

“Someday, maybe. So, if you order me a drink, it’ll have to be soda.”

“Any particular kind?”

“Ginger ale with lemon.” She grinned and felt relieved when he took her hand and led her up to the doorman, and he paid their cover.

It was still early enough that they were able to get a table at the back.

They ended up spending time there until they called the last call.

They had talked and gotten to know each other better.

Gary walked her out to her car and with his hand on her hips studied her intently.

“Do you mind if I kiss you?”

“Not at all, but that’s all.”

“Deal.” He grinned and bent down and kissed her. After only thirty seconds, he lifted his head and sighed deeply. “No bells or whistles?”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I’m glad I got to meet you and go out with you. You’ll still talk to me when I make deliveries?”

She couldn’t help it, she laughed. “Who else are you going to talk to? Just because this date didn’t turn into anything, I still consider you my friend.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right. I wish we had a spark, but if you don’t mind, I’d like to consider you a friend.”

“Same here.” They kissed each other on the cheek and Willow saw that Gary watched her until she was out of the lot, and she sighed wondering why she couldn’t find a man who gave her sparks, bells, whistles, and anything other than friendship.

With that thought in mind, she decided to set her sights on her career.

She had a lot of orders to fill, and she’d have to be happy with that.

What surprised her was that her dreams that night were of her ‘wedding’ twenty years ago, except this time, she was at her age now, and Christopher was at his current age, which would be twenty-five or six now.