Chapter 20 #2
“Celeste’s father. He used to be around. When she was younger. Then, he up and left when…” She quiets, gazing out the window, chewing on the side of her thumb.
Colours seep in through the holographic film spilling across the table and floor. I keep my focus down on the violet and blue hues, leaving the space open for her to continue or not.
“Well,” she looks at me then, her features softening as she offers me a tight smile, “I’ll let Celeste tell you the story.
But just so you know, she had someone, and then he left when things got hard.
She can’t have that again.” Her tone indicates something raw and real, a side to Celeste I’ve never been privy to.
“I never meant to hurt her,” I admit, my voice barely above a whisper.
My eyes stay downcast, unable to meet June’s.
I feel shame wash over me and I expect to be berated by a mother that’s so clearly protective and devoted to the well-being of her daughter.
But in the beat of silence, I dare a glance up at her, her eyes still soft, no anger on her face whatsoever.
Her hand tentatively reaches out and rests atop my forearm, giving it a small comforting squeeze.
“Oh honey, I know. The way Celeste has talked about you…” She sighs, pulling her hand back.
“I know. But it’s time Celeste knows too.
” She looks at me with one of those soul-crushing stares, like she can read my mind, pulling all the thoughts from my head to analyze them herself.
I must look queasy at the idea of laying it all on the table for Celeste because she huffs a small laugh and gathers our dishes up, carrying them to the sink.
“It doesn’t have to be today, Dominic. Think it over. But,” She turns to me, “However you decide to win her back, make amends, put it all out there whatever…Make. It. Big.”
I’m almost startled at June’s sudden interference and clear indication that she wants me to try with Celeste.
I move slowly from the table with this new conundrum placed in my lap, my mouth going dry at the thought of planning something big enough for Celeste.
She deserves the freaking world, how the hell am I going to impress her?
As if June reads my mind, yet again, she says over her shoulder, “I can’t tell you what you need to do, you have to put in the work. But come back tomorrow to help me with some of the gardening, and we can mull over some ideas together.”
I nod to her back silently—which I’m sure she knew because she’s clearly omniscient—thank her for the lunch, and head for the door. I had some planning to do and Celeste to woo.
I return the next morning to find June bent over and grumbling into some of the bushes growing in her front gardens. I duck as a weed is thrown over her shoulder, narrowly missing my face.
“Good morning, June,” I say, by way of greeting.
“Oh, hi, Dominic. Thanks for coming. Hand me that hoe, would you?”
My eyes shift left and right, and I find myself shocked and speechless and also on the verge of giggling like a fourth grader.
“Oh my God. Dominic, if you can’t keep a straight face when I use the word hoe how can I take you seriously for my daughter.” Her tone is jovial but stern. I swallow my laugh and pull the garden tool from the porch and hand it to her.
“Sorry, June.”
“Don’t apologize, just use your youthful back, and come pull some of these weeds that are growing up close to the house.
The little fuckers are choking out my hydrangeas.
” She stands up, bracing her back slightly, gloved hands resting on her hips, and a sheen of sweat sticking to her forehead.
Her usual tidy blonde hair is thrown haphazardly into a claw clip at the nape of her neck.
“How was your shift after you left yesterday?” June asks casually, fanning herself in the breeze-less August heat. I can confirm it is now August, after I triple checked my calendar after we first met.
“It was okay, not very many students around campus this month. Honestly, Celeste came by so often she made my days…better. Now I just cook a lot at home by myself.” I speak into the weeds that grow viciously along the outer trim of the house.
“She has that effect on people. I remember she once talked her way into a biology project because she wanted to learn more about human cells. What do you cook?”
I turn, frowning at June over my shoulder.
“Oh, it was an English class. But she didn’t want to read Shakespeare, so instead she asked if she could make a presentation on the human cell.
She made a full diorama and everything. I still have it actually.
” June squints through the front window and points to a skinny shelf in the corner where I can just make out the circular shape of the cell.
“She really talked her way out of Shakespeare? That’s impressive, actually. And Italian. I really love cooking Italian dishes, mostly pastas,” I say, trying to carry on this dual conversation while simultaneously pulling weeds.
“She’s always been an over-achiever in the sciences.
Reading up on everything she could get her hands on,” June continues, staring off at nothing as she reminisces.
I lap up every word about Celeste like its an oasis in a desert.
“She was reading medical texts she found online well before high school. Most of it I couldn’t even decipher but, she was willing to put in the work.
She has a passion for medical sciences that’s for sure.
Also, I’d love to try your pasta some time!
” June ends by looking at me and fuck, do I feel inadequate.
I make pasta? Celeste has been invested in her medical career for decades and I cook fucking pasta? I blow out a slow breath and collapse down in front of the hydrangeas, pulling my gloves off and raking my fingers through my sweaty hair.
“I tried to think of things for Celeste last night. You know, grand gesture kind of things. But I feel like everything is out of my budget. Or not good enough.” I close my eyes feeling defeat lay heavy on my chest. June moves to sit beside me, arms resting atop her knees.
She turns her face to the sky and closes her eyes, like a sunflower soaking in the sun’s rays.
“It’s not about the price tag, Dominic, and it never will be.
With any partner. It’s about the effort.
” Before I can jump in she turns to me and holds up a finger and I snap my mouth shut.
“By which I mean, a grand gesture can even be found in the little things. If someone loves reading, make the effort to read the book that they love and then talk about it with them. Another would be, say, if someone loved to paint, you could set up a date where you both paint. It’s about participating in their interests.
Anyone can book a trip to Paris or London, but would anyone else know the way she takes her coffee? Her favourite movie?”
June pauses as I take in all her wisdom, all her words with a tiny niggling feeling of something almost like hope taking root in my sternum. This could work, I could do this.
She has an expression of amusement, like she’s seen the light bulb in my head flicker.“Come on. Think and pull at the same time. This garden wont weed itself.”
We work side by side for the next hour with little progress.
As much as June says she loves gardening, there’s been very little maintenance done on it.
We eat our lunch outside, sipping on iced coffees to keep us going.
My shirt is almost soaked through from the heat and June is even sweatier than I am.
Clutching her back she rises to full height, blowing out a deep breath through pursed lips. “I think we’re done for the day. You go and rest, it’s hot out and I know you’ve got a shift you need energy for this afternoon.”
“You sure?” I ask, but really I would love to go home and shower before having to go to Biblio & Brew.
“Yeah, yeah.” She waves me off, “I’ll finish up the weeds later today.”
“So I’ll see you tomorrow?” I ask under the assumption there is something else for me to do. June nods once then collects our dishes, piling them onto a tray. My hands reach out to help on instinct and she swats me away.
Luckily I’ve had late afternoon and closing shifts all week at the cafe and can come here to do tasks for June in the mornings.
To be honest, I like having something else to do, since I haven’t seen Celeste lately.
I know she’s still at Delaney’s, but each day makes me more anxious to talk with her.
I just want to fix things and make it right.
But I’ll take June’s and Delaney’s knowledge of Celeste to heart and wait it out.
Do it right. They both have said she needs space, and I’ll respect that boundary.
June dips her chin in farewell then carries the tray inside.