Chapter 52 #2
“I think we should do it. Having construction while Jake is healing isn’t ideal.” I tell the man that if he can have it done tomorrow, he has a deal, so he takes a bunch of measurements and leaves with a promise to be here at 8am tomorrow.
The movers are setting up the dresser and nightstands in the primary bedroom when we finish.
Walking out to the main area, I see the couch, armchair, coffee table, and tv are set up, as are the dining table and chairs.
There’s a bbq and two folding chairs on the balcony.
Bay and Seb are in the third bedroom putting a desk together.
There are only 10 boxes for Jake along the left wall.
I open them and find hockey gear, clothes, personal items, movies, and pictures, with no furniture.
Getting teary, I leave them alone and head to the island to grab my notepad and pen.
I add Jake’s bedroom furniture and clothes to my shopping list along with food.
Zander goes over the paperwork with the movers before they leave and signs his name. Ray has two weeks to report missing or damaged items, but I haven't seen any issues so far.
I take a break to call Jake from the balcony.
Ray answers, moving the phone so he and Jake are both visible, and asks how it’s going.
“Really well. Your room is now blue,” I smile at Jake.
“They delivered everything. The bathroom is being redone tomorrow by the medical supply company that delivered the bed. They’re also putting a ramp on the patio doors so Jake can get in and out easily. How are you, handsome?”
“I’m good, Sum. Bored. Thank you for all the work you’re doing,” he says.
“You're welcome. I’ll let you guys go. Call if you need me. Love you.”
“Love you, Sum,” Jake says, then I hang up.
We work until 5pm unpacking all the boxes. Ray doesn’t have many personal items but has some wall art, which I set aside to hang tomorrow after everything else is in place.
The guys have been breaking down boxes as we unpack, so they offer to haul all the packing material down to the storage area.
The building has large recycling bins in the service area that they allow new owners to use when moving.
While the guys clean up, Zander and I conduct a walkthrough to identify any remaining needs.
Ray’s room seems fine. We found bedding and towels and all his clothes.
I washed the bedding and towels and already made his bed.
The office has a corner desk, bookshelves, and a desk chair.
Jake needs nightstands, a dresser, clothes, and bathroom stuff. I want to get a wall-mounted tv for him, too. There’s already a spot on the right wall set up for it. The building’s cable and internet are hard-wired, so they just need to switch it on Monday morning.
In the main area, we need stools for the island, maybe an end table, hooks and a mirror for the entrance, and patio furniture for outside.
The only appliance we found for the kitchen was a coffeemaker, so I add a toaster and blender.
Ray has a decent amount of cutlery, utensils, and dishes, along with pots and pans.
I add a smoothie cup, straws, kettle, and decorative items. There’s a lot of shopping to do.
When the guys are done, we decide to stop for the day. The guys offer to divide and conquer the shopping tomorrow morning and then meet here at noon. I promise to send them lists tonight and hug each one in thanks. Seb asks to come over again, and Zander agrees.
We pick up food at the diner on the way home.
After we eat, Seb and Zander hit the shower while I take a walk around the yard to check on my plants.
I grab some fertilizer for a few perennials that look droopy, but overall, it looks okay.
Heading back inside, I grab clean clothes from my bedroom and take a long, hot shower.
Why was today so hard? I was fine and in work mode for parts of the day, then almost in tears at other times.
The roller coaster of emotions is so draining.
As I walk back into my room and plug my phone in, I spot the pic of Mal and Jake.
I’ll need to get a new picture of Jake now with his beautiful sapphire eyes open.
That reminds me, I should call Sue and Mal tomorrow.
I haven’t talked to Holly in a while, either.
Bay, Alex, and I need to schedule the makeup labs this week.
Damn, I need to make a schedule for my life.
I’m mentally going over all that’s coming up, feeling overwhelmed again.
When I pass Nick’s room and see his phone and hair elastic on the nightstand, something inside me cracks wide open.
I walk in, find a t-shirt and pull it over my head, then crawl into his bed, my body trembling as tears fall.
I've officially reached the end of my rope.
The pillow absorbs my muffled cries as I hug it tightly.
Seb walks past the room and then backtracks.
“Oh, Sunshine,” he says. He gets under the covers and pulls me into his lap, wrapping the comforter around me as I hug the pillow to my chest. “Overwhelmed?”
I nod and sob into his chest as he rocks us back and forth. Hearing me, Zander comes inside to see me a disheveled mess, and settles on the bed’s edge, right in front of us. “Darling. You’ve been so strong. You are incredible. It’s okay to rest now. Let it all out,” he says, rubbing my back.
Seb and Zander comfort me, but the harder I cry, the more my body is wracked with sobs.
I’m not sure how long my breakdown lasts, but Seb and Dad don’t move the entire time.
After my tears have slowed to a trickle, I wipe my eyes, feeling completely drained.
“Would you like some chamomile tea, darling?” Zander asks.
“Yes, please,” I reply in a quiet, hoarse voice.
Dad squeezes my shoulder. “You’re not alone, you know. I understand you had to be strong and take care of things before, but we’re all in the same town now. Let me and the guys help you.”
“I’m just so tired, and there’s so much to do. SAT exams, missed labs, Jake’s physiotherapy. I haven’t been running, which isn’t good for my stress levels, and I want home-cooked food for a while. I miss Nick too, so much. What if he isn’t okay?”
“None of that has to be taken care of tonight, Sunshine. I miss Nick too, but in this case, no news from the FBI means he’s alive. Give your mind a break, please,” he begs. “Relax tonight and don’t worry about anything.”
“I still have the shopping lists to make, and I need to ask the guys which stores they want to shop at,” I remind him.
“I can do that for you,” he offers.
“Can we just do it now, and then there’s nothing else for tonight?”
Seb stares at me for a minute before nodding.
He climbs out of bed and leaves to grab my notes.
Both he and Zander come back at the same time.
I prop myself up against the headboard, and Zander hands me a cup of tea.
Seb climbs in beside me as I take a sip.
“Okay Sunshine. We have furniture, food, kitchen items, clothes, and personal stuff. What size do you think Jake is?”
“He’s over six feet, I think, but he has no bulk right now. His waist is small, although he should start gaining weight soon. Maybe choose clothes that fit you and Bay?”
“Okay. Let’s have E hit Target for kitchen and food. Alex can get the furniture, and I can grab clothes and stuff in the morning. You and Z take the morning off.”
I go to open my mouth and protest, but Zander speaks. “Summer. You need to take a break. Let’s stay home in the morning. Give Seb your card and let the guys help. You’re going to get sick if you don’t take care of yourself.”
Sighing, it’s not what I want to hear, and I’m so used to taking care of things myself.
I need to learn to let go. My new family is so great, and having them easily jump in to help means the world to me.
I agree, so Seb sends texts to the guys with what to purchase in the morning, and I remind him to tell the guys to keep their receipts for me.
Seb will give Bay the condo key to let the workers inside in the morning.
Seb carries me, the comforter, and pillow out to the couch and sets me in the corner before sitting beside me.
Zander grabs a beer and joins us. Seb runs his fingers through my hair while we veg out in front of the tv for the night.
I still feel overwhelmed, but the cry helped, and the head massage is relaxing.
I wake up later to Seb carrying me into Nick’s room. I roll onto my side, making a burrito of myself. Seb leaves and returns with a blanket, getting into bed beside me. “Door stays open,” I hear Zander say as I drift back to sleep.