Mia Amata

Chapter 15

My first stop in town was at the local shopping center. I went in, grabbed a cart, and headed up and down the aisles looking for the things I needed. I found a purse with a matching wallet that I liked and found some toys for Lucky and Lady. I picked up a few other items and then headed to the checkout. I paid for my items, went out to load them in my car, heading next to the grocery store.

I bought the few groceries I needed, loaded them in the car, and then decided to drive around the town a little bit before heading home to see what was around. It looked like a nice town, the businesses all looked like they were doing well, and the homes were mostly nicely kept. I made note of some stores I wanted to check out eventually, then drove home.

Once home, I unloaded everything from the car, putting things away. I left the dog toys on the counter, made a pitcher of iced tea, and took a glass of tea out to the deck. I took the purse, wallet, envelope containing the papers, and the cash out with me. I loaded the IDs, cash, and credit cards into the wallet. I then put the wallet, the keys, some small items I purchased like Kleenex, hand lotion, Chapstick, notepad, pen, fingernail clippers, just little things I thought would be handy, in my purse.

I came across Randy, Josh, and Jacob’s cell phone numbers when pulling the cards out of my pocket, so I sent all of them a text message from my phone, so they would have my phone number. They seemed like nice people. Maybe we could be friends although I knew I had to be careful about what I told them.

Josh responded with a simple, “Hey, let us know if you need anything or if Lucky shows up there.” Randy asked if I had any difficulty finding what I needed in town. I replied no that I had found everything I needed for the moment. She replied back saying there is a larger town about an hour north of here that has some bigger stores, so if I needed something I couldn’t find locally to let her know, and she could recommend some place there. I thanked her, telling her I might take her up on that soon .

Jacob didn’t reply as quickly, but when he did, I had to take a minute. “Hey, Mattie,” his message started. “It was really nice to meet you today. Let me know if you need anything.” I read the message, then I sent back, “Thank you. It was nice to meet you too.”

I put the cell phone down. I wasn’t sure what to think about Jacob, the way he looked so intensely at me made me uneasy. I decided not to worry about him, I probably wouldn’t even see him very much.

I started reading through the paperwork in the envelope that was left for me in the car. The papers showing ownership of the house and car were in there. There was also an envelope from a bank that I had seen in town. I opened it up, finding a debit card along with a deposit slip for an account in my name.

According to the deposit slip, there was another $5000 in my account. I couldn’t believe that people who didn’t even know me were so generous. I thought about adding the rest of the cash to what was in the account, but I decided against it for now. I would keep it in an inside pocket in my purse in case for the moment, in case I needed to make a getaway.

The information for the two credit cards was in the envelope also, showing the credit line on both along with the dates the payments would be due. I vowed not to use them too much unless I absolutely had to. I took my purse and the paperwork back into the house and put them on the table. I would take the paperwork down to the office later and file it away.

I went back out to the porch, sitting down, drinking my tea, and looking out at the lake. There was a pair of loons swimming out there, diving for food. I watched them for a while, then realized that one of them had a baby on its back. While I watched, I heard a small bark. I looked down to see a black ball of fur running up the steps to my deck.

“Lucky!” I laughed. “What are you doing here?” He ran over to me, and I picked him up. He gave me a couple of licks, then curled up in my lap. He didn’t go to sleep, but he seemed very content lying there. I picked up the cell phone, sending a message to Randy. “I have an ornery little puppy sitting here with me on my back deck!”

A couple minutes later she replied, “Oh my gosh! I am so sorry! We will walk over and get him in a couple of minutes.”

“No problem, he seems pretty content right now.” I put the phone down, stroking Lucky’s fur while watching the loons out in the lake .

As I looked out over the lake, stroking Lucky’s fur, I felt completely at peace and happy. About 10 minutes later, I see Randy, Josh, and Jacob coming through the trees. I waved at them and motioned for them to come on up. They joined me on the deck, I invited them to sit down. They did, looking at Lucky lying there in my lap. Jacob was looking at me, I couldn’t bring myself to meet his gaze.

“I hope he hasn’t been a bother,” Randy said.

“Not at all. He showed up, I picked him up. He instantly fell asleep and has laid here ever since.”

“He seems quite content,” Josh said, looking at Randy.

“Yes, he does,” Randy said.

Jacob, who had sat in the chair next to me, reached over and scratched Lucky on the top of his head. “Looks like he belongs here.” Jacob’s closeness to me unnerved me. I could smell his cologne; he was so close.

“We actually were talking on the walk over here. We think that you should keep Lucky,” Josh said.

“Oh, I can’t take your dog away from you!” I said.

“You would be doing us a favor actually,” Josh said. “We only wanted one dog, but we couldn’t bring ourselves to separate the siblings from each other. It is obvious that Lucky is happier here with you than with us since he comes straight here whenever he gets loose.”

“Who could blame him,” Jacob said quietly, looking at me.

“I don’t know,” I replied, trying to keep my calm with Jacob so near. I looked down at Lucky lying in my lap. He was looking up at me as if begging me to let him stay. “What do you think Lucky? Do you want to live with me?” He promptly sat up and licked my check, as if he understood exactly what I had said and was voicing his opinion. The four of us laughed.

Randy said, “Well, I guess that is that.”

Josh added, “I’ll run home and get you some of his dog food, along with his dishes. Also, his dog bed. I’ll be right back.”

“I’ll go with you,” Randy said. “I need to check on supper.”

He headed down the steps. Randy laid a leash on the table. “He really looks happy here.” Randy observed before she headed down the steps behind Josh.

“He does look happy,” Jacob said, not making any move to get up .

“I always wanted a dog but never got around to getting one. He seems like a sweet little guy.” I was so nervous at being left alone with Jacob, I hoped that Josh and Randy wouldn’t be gone too long.

Jacob laughed, “Well, if you didn’t agree to take him, Josh or Randy would be here every half an hour or so picking him up to take him home.”

I laughed, asking, “What about Lady? Won’t she miss him?”

“I don’t think so, besides, they live close enough that you should be able to get them together often for play dates. She will get more attention at home this way,” Jacob said.

We chatted a little bit about the puppies, while Lucky slept in my lap. I finally got my nerve up to glance at Jacob.

Jacob looked back at me, those blue eyes locking with mine.

“Would you like a glass of iced tea?” I asked.

“No,” Jacob said, “I’m good, thanks.”

I blushed, looking away. I found it difficult to make small conversations with him.

Jacob leaned closer, “They say that a dog is the best judge of character in humans. Lucky seems to love you already.”

Nervously I stroked Lucky’s head. “I have to admit, he has captured my heart too.”

Jacob laughed. “Well, he is very smart, look at how often he escaped.” We both laughed at that.

I sat silently for a couple of minutes, looking down at Lucky sleeping in my lap. I didn’t know what to say to Jacob.

“Mattie?” Jacob asked. “Is that short for something? Matilda? Madeline?”

I looked up at him. Our eyes met and again, I felt the intensity of his blue eyes on mine. “No, I’m just Mattie.”

“You don’t seem like a Mattie. What’s your full name?”

I hesitated. “Mattie Irene Austin.” I kept my middle name, just to make remembering it easy.

“You don’t seem like an Irene either,” he said thoughtfully.

“Who exactly do I seem like?” I didn’t know where this was going. Could he have picked up on the fact that Mattie is not my real name? Socializing and small talk were not things I knew how to do very well .

“I think you are a… Mia Amata. That’s what I’m going to call you. Mia Amata.” He asked me a few more questions, changing the subject before I could ask him why he was calling me Mia Amata.

Thankfully it wasn’t long until Randy and Josh came around the side of the house. They had driven back over, parking out front, so they walked around the side of the house.

“We drove over. Turns out with the dog bed, dishes, and food, there was a lot more to carry than I thought.” Josh said as they came up the steps to the deck and sat down. They brought Lady with them, so Lucky woke up and the two of them ran down in the yard, playing and chasing bugs. Jacob and Josh got up, walking down the steps to keep an eye on the puppies as they played.

Randy and I stayed on the deck, watching as the guys played with the puppies. Randy commented on the lovely house I had, and I thanked her. “Is it just you here?” she asked.

“Yes, just me.” I didn’t offer more information than that.

“Well, it’s a good thing you have Lucky then! He will be a great companion and guard dog. They are very loyal dogs. Do you work around here?” Randy asked.

I shook my head, “I start a new job a week from tomorrow. I’ll be working at home.”

“Oh, that’s nice! I envy you that. What kind of job is it?”

“I’ll be transcribing legal documents, court cases, and things like that.”

“Sounds very interesting.”

“Do you work?” I asked Randy.

She nodded her head, “Yes, I work at a dentist office in town. I’m a dental hygienist. Josh runs his own business, building houses.”

“Is there much house building going on here in town?” I asked.

“There are quite a lot of houses being built actually. People leave lake life as they get older, wanting to live closer to doctors and stores. Younger people want to live on lakes. He sometimes travels a few hours away to build when it is slow here. In fact, he is leaving Monday for a job site about eight hours away, so he will just stay there during the week.”

“Hence, the reason we got the pups, so I would have companionship, maybe a guard dog while he is away. He worries about me a lot when he has to be gone for days at a time, and I miss him a lot.” She seemed sad at the thought of his leaving Monday. I liked Randy a lot. She seemed very easygoing, and I was hoping she would become a friend.

“Maybe we can get together a couple of times while he is away, make the time go a bit faster for you,” I suggested.

“I’d like that,” she said. “Josh is from here, but I just moved down here recently and still haven’t made a lot of friends yet. Between moving and the new job, I’ve not had a lot of time to socialize. It would be nice to have a friend so close by.”

“Sounds like we are in the same boat,” I replied. “You three are the only people I’ve met. It will be great to get to know you both better.” We smiled at each other and continued to chat while the guys played with the puppies. Pretty soon Jacob and Josh joined us back on the deck, along with the puppies. Lucky came straight to me, so I picked him up, letting him rest in my lap. Jacob took the seat next to me, Josh sitting next to Randy.

Randy looked at Josh, saying “Mattie and I are going to get together a couple times this week while you are gone.”

“That’s great,” he said taking her hand in his. “What do you have planned?”

“Well, nothing yet, but maybe supper out one night.”

“I’d grill for us too,” I said.

“Sounds like you ladies will have a good time.” He looked at Randy, “Maybe you won’t miss me at all.”

“I’ll miss you terribly,” She smiled at him. I watched their interaction with each other and could see how much they loved each other and how happy they were. I glanced at Jacob, to find out he was watching me. We all chatted a little bit, I asked if they wanted to stay for supper.

“We would, but unfortunately we have a family dinner tonight,” Josh said.

“Oh, do you have much family around here?” I asked.

“My parents live close. My sister and her husband live an hour away. Jacob lives about 20 minutes away. We try to get together a couple of times a month at least.”

“That’s nice,” I said. Lucky let out a snore from my lap, and we all laughed.

“They are really nice people,” Randy said. “Josh doesn’t know it, but I’m marrying him only for his family.”

Josh laughed, “I can probably live with that.” We all laughed. “We should probably get going. Where do you want me to put everything?” he asked .

“I’ll open the garage door, and you can bring it in through there.” I sat Lucky down, and we all entered the house.

“This is a gorgeous house!” Randy exclaimed.

“Thank you,” I said. “I am in love with it.”

“I can see why,” she said.

Josh was looking around, “Looks like a good solid house. If you ever need any repairs or anything, give me a call. If I can’t do it myself, I can recommend people.”

“Thanks, I will keep that in mind.” I walked them to the garage door, and we went out that way, retrieving Lucky’s items from Josh’s truck. We left the bucket of dog food in the mud room, and they set everything else on the table. They turned to leave when Randy surprised me, giving me a hug. I hugged her back.

“I am so glad you are here,” she said. “I think we are going to be great friends.”

“I think so too,” I said.

Josh smiled and then walked out with his arm around Randy. Jacob hesitated a moment, then said, “Bye Mia Amata,” then followed the others out to the car. I waved goodbye as they drove off, shutting the garage door behind them.

I shut the door, turning to see Lucky sitting there looking at me. “Well, boy,” I said. “It’s just you and I now. I should have asked if you were housetrained.” My cell phone went off, it was as if Randy read my mind, “BTW L is trained.”

“Good to know,” I sent back. I filled his food and water dishes, putting them in the mud room where he could get to them easily. I took his dog bed into the living room, putting it on the floor in front of the fireplace. Lucky was following me around the house, watching every move I made. I went back into the kitchen, made another pitcher of tea, and put it in the refrigerator. I realized that I had skipped lunch, so figured I would fix myself an early supper. “What sounds good for supper Lucky?”

Lucky barked at me.

“I agree. A hamburger does sound good.” I got the fixings out to make myself a hamburger and started cooking the burger. On a plate, I put a bun with a piece of cheddar cheese. I put a bit of ketchup on that and grabbed a bag of chips out of the pantry. I put a few on my plate and then put the bag away. Pretty soon my hamburger was done, and I put it on the bun. I sat down at the table and ate my supper.

Before I finished, my cell phone chirped. I looked to see a new text message from Jacob. “Welcome to the area Mia Amata. Hope to see you again.”

I wasn’t sure how to feel about his texting me like that. There was something about Jacob, I couldn’t place my finger on it, but I felt uneasy. I debated about replying to his text message but decided not to. I didn’t feel like I should encourage him too much.

Lucky went back to his food dish and ate his supper, while I washed up the dishes by hand, even though there was a dishwasher, putting them away. I then went into the living room. I armed the alarm system and then sat down with the remote. Lucky sat at my feet, looking at me, whining. “I really shouldn’t let you on the couch you know,” I said looking at him. “That is probably a bad habit to get into.”

He tilted his head to one side and looked at me.

“Stop that, no fair! No sad puppy eyes.”

He tilted his head to the other side and gave me the same look.

“OK OK! Get up here.” I patted the couch next to me, he jumped up lying his head on my lap. I laughed and stroked his head. We sat like that, watching a movie on TV. When the movie was over, I stretched, looking down at Lucky. “I’m tired, boy. I think I will take a nice bath and turn in.”

He jumped down, sitting there looking at me expectantly.

“I’d swear, it’s almost like you can understand everything I say to you. It’s uncanny.”

I got up, shutting all the lights off. I checked the alarm again. I had closed all the drapes when it got dark. I headed to the bedroom with Lucky following behind, not letting me out of his sight. I ran the bath water, putting my clothes in the hamper. I got my pajamas out and lay them on the bed. I climbed into the tub, letting out a huge sigh. I turned up the hot water a little bit, letting it run for a little while longer. Lucky lay on the floor where he could keep an eye on me.

After my bath, I crawled into bed. Lucky sat on the floor looking at me again, whining. “Seriously?” I laughed as I looked at him. He put his paws on the side of the bed, begging me to let him up. “I guess the bed is big enough for both of us.” I spread a small blanket on the other side of the bed and said, “ All right, get up here.” He leaped onto the bed, almost not making it with his puppy legs. He immediately lay down on the blanket I put down for him. I shut the lamp off, rolling over on my side, stroking his head. He gave my hand a quick lick. Pretty soon we both were sound asleep.

***

I slept soundly, getting up once during the night to let Lucky out when he whined. He was such a good puppy, letting me know he needed to go out and then going right back to sleep. We had no reason to get up super early the next day, so we lazed in bed until mid-morning. Finally, my stomach and Lucky’s bladder demanded that we get up. I left Lucky outside, leaving the door open to the deck, while I went into the kitchen to make a cup of coffee.

I took my coffee, along with some toast I made, out on the deck, watching Lucky chase butterflies, then a squirrel who sat in the tree chattering at him. As I sat there drinking my coffee, I heard a voice hollering my name. Randy was coming up the path with Lady. I waved at her, motioning her to join me on the deck.

“Morning,” I said as she joined me on the deck.

“Good morning,” she said. “Hope I’m not imposing.”

“Not at all. There is coffee in the kitchen if you would like a cup.” I offered.

“Oh, that sounds wonderful. Thank you.” She went into the kitchen, poured a cup of coffee, then came back out and joined me. “Lady and I like to go for a walk in the mornings before I go to work. I thought we would walk in this direction and say hi if you were up.”

“I’m glad you did. We are just sitting out here enjoying the morning. It is so beautiful here.”

“It really is. I’m not from here, I moved here a couple of months ago after Josh asked me to marry him. I have come to love it here.”

“So, you and Josh are my neighbors to the north. Jacob lives reasonably close Josh said. He isn’t married?” I asked, trying to seem like I was just making conversation and not trying to pry information about Jacob out of Randy.

“Yes, that is right. Jacob rents a small house about 20 minutes away. He isn’t married. Their sister, Janet, and her husband, Jack, live about an hour away. Nora and Donald, their parents, live just a few minutes away. They try to get together every weekend, if possible.” Randy sipped her coffee.

“Sounds like a close-knit family,” I commented.

“They really are. They are all so nice, I feel lucky that I am going to be part of the family. They already treat me as if I am family. You would like them,” she looked at me out of the corner of her eye.

Taking a sip of my coffee, I asked, “Do you work today?”

“Yes, I should probably get going in fact,” She stood up. “Would you like to come over for supper tonight?”

I smiled at her, “Thanks for the offer, but I really can’t tonight. Let’s plan some night this week though. I would love to have a girl’s night with you soon.”

“Sounds good, I’ll text you later, and we can work out the details.” I stood up with her, picking up our coffee cups. She went down the steps to the backyard, taking Lady with her, they headed up the path toward her house. She waved at me before I lost sight of her in the trees, I waved back.

***

After washing up the dishes, I went down into the basement, with Lucky following me down there. I sat at the desk, reviewing all the information for the new job I would be starting in a week. I used the login information in the folder to login in to the computer, where I was instructed to change the password. I checked the email that I was set up with, replied back to some emails from my supervisor and then checked out the programs I needed for work. I set up the company chat as instructed, sending my supervisor a chat message stating it was done.

She replied back right away, said she was glad to meet me and was looking forward to working with me the following Monday. I told her I was excited to start. She asked if I would have time to read over some account information and protocols before Monday, which would make my training go much faster. I told her I would have plenty of time, so she said she would send the information over. I watched for the documents, printed them out, putting them in one of the 3-ring binders that I had found in one of the drawers on the desk.

I spent the rest of the morning going over the information in detail, asking a couple of questions and making some notes as I went along. My supervisor advised me to keep track of the time spent reviewing the information, putting it on my timesheet on the computer, so I would get paid for it. I could consider it part of my paid training.

I took a break at lunchtime, making myself a sandwich. Lucky and I went outside on the deck. Lucky went down, running around in the yard, while I ate my sandwich, watching him, laughing at his playing with a butterfly, smelling the wildflowers. I was surprised that he never ran off, he never got too far away from me at all. He kept a very close eye on me, stopping to check on me every so often.

My cell phone chirped, alerting me to a text message. Randy sent a text asking how my day was going if I would be free Wednesday evening for supper. I replied back to let her know Wednesday sounded good. We texted back and forth a couple of times, then she went back to work after we set up a time for her to come pick me up.

I stood up to go back inside. Lucky ran up the stairs and was at my side in an instant. We went back inside, washed up the lunch dishes, then I went back down into the office to do some more studying of the information for the account I would be working on starting Monday. After reviewing the information for a couple of hours, I recorded my hours on the time sheet and then went upstairs to do a few things for myself.

I sat down at the kitchen table with my purse. I reviewed the instruction booklet on my cell phone, trying to familiarize myself with the things I could do with it. After playing around with the smartphone for a bit, I took out a notepad and pen. Using my phone, I looked for the name of an OB/GYN doctor.

I would need to get established with one soon. My bruises were almost all gone, no one seemed to notice them last night thanks to the makeup tricks I had been shown. I knew I would have to come up with a story for the scars on my body, so I figured a car accident would probably work.

As to the father of the baby, if asked, it was someone I had been involved with but found out he was married, so I moved here to make a new start. I thought that would cover the bases. I researched some doctors, finding one that seemed like she would be great. Her reviews were really good, people talked about how caring she was. I called the office and spoke with the receptionist, stating that I was new to the area and was about six to seven weeks pregnant .

She took the new insurance information work had provided for me. We set up an appointment on Friday of this week. She asked me if there was some place where they could get my medical records from. I told her that I have not been to a doctor for years, so I don’t have any records. She didn’t seem like that was a huge problem, then repeated my appointment time for me.

I added it to the calendar on my phone. I figured when I met the new doctor Friday I could ask her for pediatrician recommendations, I had plenty of time for that. I would also need a regular doctor for when I wasn’t pregnant, for other health visits. I had time for that too, maybe the OB doctor could make recommendations for that also. I could ask Randy Wednesday night at supper for some vet recommendations also.

I then searched for local clothing stores. I will need some maternity clothes soon. I also couldn’t wait to buy some baby clothes, figuring I would start with some basics until I knew what sex the baby was. I wrote down some local stores. Wednesday night, I would tell Randy that I was pregnant, to see if she had some ideas where I could shop.

I researched the town, looking to see what was available for other businesses, such things as restaurants and stores. I made notes, then just browsed a map of the area to try and get more familiar with the town. There were a lot of lakes and parks with hiking paths. There seemed to be a lot of things to do around here as far as outdoor activities. From what I am learning—both on my drive around town yesterday and my research online—I felt I could really love living here.

I noticed the time. I decided Lucky and I would go for a walk down to the mailbox. I doubted I would have anything, but I should check and empty out any junk mail. I grabbed the leash, just in case. I didn’t want to risk him running out into the road and getting struck by a car.

“Come on, boy. Let’s go for a walk.” He seemed excited, so we walked out the front door. I armed the alarm behind me, then we headed down the driveway. Lucky stayed close to me but was not willing to risk anything, I hooked him up to the leash when we got close to the mailbox.

As expected, the only thing in the mailbox was a flyer from the local hardware store. We turned back. When I thought it was safe, I unhooked Lucky from the leash. He stayed close to me but sometimes would chase a bee or butterfly. He never did get far away from me .

Going back into the house, I took out my notepad again. I glanced through the flyer, and it gave me a few ideas I wanted to try for the house. I made another list and grabbed my purse and car keys. “I’ll be back, Lucky. You behave while I’m gone.”

He barked, wagged his tail, then promptly went and lay down in his dog bed, watching me. I shook my head in amazement, he really seemed to understand me.

I drove into town, stopping at the hardware store. I picked up some shelving, screws, hooks, nails, a hammer, and an impact driver with extra drill bits, things the salesman recommended that I would need for my projects.

From the hardware store, I went to the local nursery/greenhouse to pick out some plants. There I spoke to a saleswoman who helped me find plants that would thrive where I wanted to place them. She also recommended soil and plant food and helped me pick out planters. She advised me on the care of all the different plants I purchased. She gave me a business card for the greenhouse, telling me to call if I had any questions.

My last stop was at a little home decor store that caught my attention the day before when I was driving around. This time, I told the saleslady I would just like to browse, as I wasn’t sure what I was exactly looking for. I wanted some decor that would add color here and there.

I liked the white walls and cupboards, but it seemed pretty stark. I found a beautiful blue bowl that would go on the island. I found a matching vase and votive candle holders for a centerpiece on the dining room table. I picked up a runner for the breakfast nook table and some bookends for the built-ins by the fireplace in the living room.

I was done shopping but was hungry, so I decided to stop at an Italian restaurant on the way home. “Welcome!” A man’s voice boomed as I walked in the door. “I am Sal, welcome to our restaurant!” I instantly liked Sal—he was everything one would expect when picturing an Italian.

“Thank you,” I smiled at him.

“A table for one?” I nodded. “A lovely vision like you dining alone? I will give you our best table. Louisa!” Sal called back. “Louisa!” His booming voice could be heard throughout the whole restaurant. “I’m coming old man,” boomed a woman’s voice from the kitchen, almost as loud as her husband. “Who is this lovely young lady?”

“My name is Mattie,” I said, shaking her hand .

“Give her our best table Louisa. We will cook her the best Italian meal she has ever had!”

“She is a vision, eh Sal? Eating alone, such a waste of all that beauty is it not Sal?” Before he could answer her, she went on, “Come! Come! Your table is ready for you. I will seat you.”

She started to lead me into the dining room. She took me back to a small table in the back, next to a large window overlooking a lake. It was a beautiful view. “Sit, sit,” she said. The table was set with two settings, right next to each other instead of across the table. I sat down, while she took the second place setting away. “You are new here, no?”

“Well,” I hesitated, nervous about sharing things with strangers. “Yes, I just moved here a few days ago.”

“You have plenty of time to find a man here,” Louisa predicted in typical Italian fashion.

“I’m not really looking,” I explained.

“Oh, but you will. The men, they will be after you like crazy!”

Just then we heard Sal’s booming voice, “Jacob! It’s about time you paid your uncle Sal and aunt Louisa a visit. Louisa! Our Jacob is here.”

“That man,” Louisa said, shaking her head, but it was obvious she adored Sal. She hurried over after handing me a menu.

“Uncle Sal, Aunt Louisa!” I looked over to see Jacob standing there. I instantly looked at the menu, hoping he wouldn’t notice me. I could hear the three of them chatting by the entrance.

“Jacob! It has been too long.” Louisa chided him.

“Sorry Aunt Louisa, I’ve been busy lately.”

“Too busy to come see your family?” Louisa scolded.

“Louisa,” Sal boomed, “quit harassing the boy, show him to a table!”

Having made my mind up on what I wanted to order, I lay down the menu, looking out the window at the lake. I waited for the waitress to come take my order.

“Mia?” I heard Jacob ask. Steeling myself, I turned to look at him.

“Hi, Jacob,” I said.

“You know our Jacob?” Before either of us could reply, “Sit! Sit!” Louisa was pushing Jacob to sit on a chair at my table.

She looked at us, then gave a huge smile, “I bring you your drinks then take your order.” She walked off, calling to Sal as she went .

Jacob looked at me apologetically. “Sorry about that. They are the typical Italian family. I can ask for my own table if you want me to.”

I watched Sal and Louisa working together, “I like them. It’s OK, I would hate to upset Louisa.” I really didn’t want him to sit at my table, he made me nervous and anxious, but I didn’t want to be rude.

He asked what I would like to eat, I told him what I had decided to order. Pretty soon Louisa was back with our drinks, ready to take our order. I ordered the pasta primavera, while Jacob ordered shrimp Fra d iavolo.

I looked around the restaurant, which was busy, but I noticed that the tables closest to ours were not being used. This did little to help my anxiety, but I was in a public place and a loud cry for help would get attention. That realization helped me to calm down.

“Sal and Louisa are making sure we aren’t disturbed. Sorry, they like to play matchmaker for me.” He took a drink of his soda.

I laughed a little. “Do they do that a lot?”

“Yes, they do. They think it is a shame that I am still not married.”

Louisa showed up with our meals at that point. “You’re not getting any younger Jacob. You could do worse than this lovely young lady.” She said this all matter-of-factly and then walked away.

I was stunned, didn’t know how to reply to that. Jacob seemed nervous, picking up his fork and playing with the shrimp on his plate.

Deciding to ignore Louisa’s statement, I picked up my fork and started eating. We ate in awkward silence for a few minutes, then started a casual conversation.

“How’s your pasta?” he asked.

“It’s very good.”

“This is the best Italian in the state,” he declared.

I laughed. “So you have tried every Italian restaurant in the state of Minnesota?”

“No.There was no reason to look any further than this one.” He smiled.

I smiled back, “Uncle Sal and Aunt Louisa. You don’t look Italian to me.”

“We aren’t actually related. Dad and Sal served in the Army together. They have been through a lot together and refer to each other as brothers. He has always been Uncle Sal to us kids,” he explained. “He was the best man at Dad’s wedding to Mom and was there the night they met. Dad was there when Sal met Louisa and best man at their wedding. ”

“That explains a lot. Sal and Louisa definitely look Italian, but you don’t.”

“What about you? Do you have any siblings? Are your parents still alive?” he asked.

This was something I didn’t have to lie about; I just wouldn’t tell him about the exact names from my past. “I don’t know who my parents are, or if I even have siblings.”

“You don’t?”

“No.I was abandoned in a trash bin when I was a newborn. A policeman walking by heard my cry and took me to a local hospital.”

“Oh, Mattie,” he said, “I am so sorry.”

“It’s OK, I came to terms with it a long time ago.” I smiled at him.

“Mattie?” Jacob said.

I looked at him, “Yes?”

“Why are you here?” he asked.

I smiled sadly at him. “I needed a new start.”

“From what? Am I prying? Did I overstep?” he asked.

“No,” I sighed. “It’s fine. I made the mistake of getting involved with the wrong man.”

“Wrong how?” Jacob frowned.

“He was charming and told me all the right things. There were signs that something was wrong from the beginning, but he lured me in. I was naive and young. I believed I was in love with him. Then suddenly, he didn’t want anything to do with me. Turns out he was already married with two kids. I was so stupid.” I felt terrible telling him the lie, but I still had to protect myself, the baby. I glanced at Jacob who seemed angry.

“You made a mistake, that doesn’t mean you were stupid. Men like that are pigs. Did you tell his wife?” he asked.

“No, I thought I would, but decided against it. I didn’t want to destroy his kids’ home life. I decided to start over some place new so that we wouldn’t risk running into each other ever again. That is why I am here,” I replied.

“You were used by a man who didn’t deserve someone like you. I admire you for not ruining the jerk’s marriage when you could. That says a lot for your character.”

We finished our meal in silence. Louisa came back, asking if we would like dessert. I told her no; I was too full. The meal was fantastic. I told her I was ready for my bill, I needed to get going .

“Your meal is on the house!” Louisa declared. I tried to protest, trying to talk her into letting me pay for my meal. “You make our Jacob smile. He is falling for you. Anyone who makes Jacob happy, we welcome any time. Just like your mama and papa eh Jacob? Love at first sight!” She took our plates and walked off, again leaving me speechless. She was good at that. I looked at Jacob.

“Don’t try to argue with her,” he stated, “full-blooded Italians always win.” Standing up, he walked me out to my car.

Hesitantly, I said, “Thank you for walking me to my car. I had a nice time.”

He smiled, “Even though we were rather forced together?”

“Yes, even though it wasn’t up to us.”

“I had a good time too Mia Amata,” Jacob said. He watched me climb in my car, then turned and went to his truck.

***

Once I was home, I unloaded the plants, pots, and soil, leaving them in the garage. I took the rest of the items in the house. I washed up the bowl, vase, and candle holders, then put them out as I had planned. The pop of color it added was nice. I needed more decor, but I was pleased with my purchases so far.

I took Lucky outside, walking down to the pier with him. He played around for a while. My cell phone in my pocket went off. I pulled it out seeing a message from Jacob. “I had a nice time tonight, Mia. Thank you for the company.” I debated about responding but decided I didn’t want to be rude, so I decided to be honest. “I had a nice time too.” Lucky and I headed back up to the house where we relaxed watching a movie, then headed to bed. Lucky sleeping on his blanket next to me.

I woke up stretching. I lay on the bed, petting Lucky who was lying on his blanket next to me, remembering supper with Jacob. It had turned into a good night. Lucky gave a little whine, so I got up, throwing a robe on. The coffee was already done, so I poured a cup, and Lucky and I went outside on the deck. He ran down to take care of business, then chased a squirrel around a tree. Pretty soon I hear someone holler “Hello!” Randy and Lady walked over again. I waved at her, and she came on up .

“I hope you don’t mind; I just had the urge to come visit with you before work,” Randy said when she walked up the steps.

“Not at all. Help yourself to some coffee. Creamer in the refrigerator.”

She went into the kitchen and came back out with a cup, looking at me suspiciously. “When did you go to Sal’s? I saw the leftovers in the refrigerator.”

I blushed. “Last night.”

“Oh? With whom?”

“No one. I stopped in after shopping for some plants and decor for the house. Why would you think I went with someone? I don’t know anybody here except for you.”

“I was just curious, it’s Jacob’s favorite restaurant.”

“Oh?” I said, but I blushed bright red.

All of a sudden Randy let out a little squeal. “You had a date with Jacob last night!” I smiled but shook my head.

“Not exactly. I stopped in there by myself, he showed up a few minutes later.”

“So what happened?”

“When Louisa realized we knew each other she sat him at my table, then said since I make Jacob smile, and he is falling for me, my meal was on the house.”

Randy laughed, “I knew it! I knew there was something between you two. I could sense a change in Jacob from the moment he met you. He kept asking us questions about you, trying to be all innocent about it.”

“Slow down. It was just a chance meeting. Not a date.”

“If Louisa said it, it must be true! Jacob is falling for you!” Randy stated.

“He doesn’t even know me. You’re imagining things,” I said.

“He has talked about you often since meeting you. There is a family history of love at first sight!”

“You believe in love at first sight?”

Randy became completely serious. “I do. When you meet Donald and Nora, you will too. I’d better get going and head to work. We still on for tomorrow night?”

“Of course, I’ll see you tomorrow morning for coffee.”

She grinned, “You do make great coffee. Oh, when are you seeing Jacob again?” She stood up and walked to the stairs .

I blushed again; I couldn’t help it. “I’m not. We have no plans.”

Her grin got even bigger, not sure how, but it really did. “You will. I’d bet money on it. I’ll text you later.” She winked and ran down the steps, calling for Lady.

My cell phone went off. It was a text from Jacob again, “Morning Mia Amata. I hope you have a good day.”

I replied back, “Thank you. You too.”

Lucky and I went inside. I threw some things in the crockpot for chicken and rice and mixed up some dough for some homemade rolls. I let that sit to rise, cleaned up, and went down to the office, Lucky at my heels.

I spent my day reviewing things for my new job, I really wanted to be prepared for work on Monday. I also had some things that I wanted to do around the house, so after lunch, I worked around the house doing some light cleaning and repotting the plants I bought. I had some issues with the rail planters I purchased, so I sent Josh a text just to ask his opinion. He didn’t offer me any advice, instead he said he asked Jacob to stop by to help me out.

I finished all my chores early, checked on supper, and decided I had time to soak in the tub. I took the book I was still working on with me and enjoyed a nice long soak with Lucky lying on the floor next to the tub. While I was in the tub, Jacob sent a text stating he would swing by after work to help me. It seemed like we were constantly being thrown together, whether we liked it or not.

After my bath, I threw on shorts and a V-neck shirt. I went into the kitchen and put the rolls in the oven, having kneaded the dough earlier and letting it rise again. I grabbed ingredients for a salad and started chopping up the vegetables for it. Once that was done, I made a homemade vinaigrette, putting that in the refrigerator until it was time to eat. Everything was almost done, so I decided to take Lucky out before Jacob got there. I stood at the rail watching Lucky run around, chasing some bug I couldn’t see from here. I heard Jacob knock on the door, so I went inside, leaving the door open for Lucky.

I opened the door. Jacob was wearing shorts and a tank, showing his tan body. “Hey, Mia Amata.” He smiled.

“Hey back.” I moved to the side to let him in. I closed the door behind him. “Thank you for stopping by. It wasn’t urgent.”

“It’s not a problem. Josh said you had some planters you needed to set out, but there was a problem?” he asked .

“Yes, the planters I bought don’t seem to want to fit, even though I took measurements with me when I bought them.”

“Where are they? I will take a look.” I showed him to the back deck. “You lifted these to the rails?” he asked.

Confused, I said, “Yes. I carried them from the garage, then tried setting them on the railings.”

He shook his head. “You should have asked for help. I would have been happy to lift these for you.” Feeling a little insulted, I retorted, “I’m perfectly able to carry things. I just need help mounting them to the railings.”

“Sorry,” he replied, “I didn’t mean anything. I’m sure you are capable. Let me see if I can figure out what the problem is.”

“It’s OK. I need to do some work on the front porch. Let me know if you need anything.” I went out to the front, setting up a ladder, so I could hang the potted plants from the roof overhang between the posts. I went to the garage, getting my hanging plants, carrying them to the front porch. I climbed up the ladder to place the hook for the first plant. I reached up with the drill in hand to make the first hole. All of a sudden, a wave of dizziness hit me, and I found myself falling from the ladder. I cried out, unable to catch myself, landing on my back on the floor of the front porch. I lay there trying to catch my breath, but blacked out, unable to fight it.

I came to with Jacob kneeling next to me, calling my name. “Please, answer me.”

“I’m OK.” I tried to sit up.

“Lay still,” he demanded, “the ambulance is on the way.”

“I’m fine. I don’t need an ambulance.”

“Mia, you fell off a ladder and were unconscious. You need to get checked out. You scared the hell out of me.”

“I’m sorry,” I said weakly, closing my eyes, drifting to sleep.

“Mia Amata, stay with me. You have nothing to apologize for. Come on baby, don’t leave me.” Jacob was very anxious.

I barely caught what he said, but I tried to open my eyes. “My baby. Is she OK?” I asked drowsily.

Jacob was confused, “Lucky? He is fine. I put him in the house.”

I shook my head, “No.My baby. I’m pregnant. Please. Is my baby OK?” I started drifting off. I started to shiver .

“You and the baby will be fine, just lay still. Hang on, I’ll grab a blanket.” He ran into the living room, coming back with a throw from the couch and covered me up. “Stay with me baby, please don’t leave me.”

The ambulance soon arrived, and I was loaded onto a gurney. They told Jacob to follow the ambulance in his truck. He ran into the house, shut the oven off, grabbing my purse for my insurance card, then followed us to the local hospital.

Once at the ER, the doctor came out to talk to Jacob. I was drowsy, it was difficult to get information from me. Jacob explained what happened and also told him that I was pregnant, but he didn’t know how far along I was. The doctor asked a few more questions and then went back into the examination room.

About two hours later, the doctor came out to get Jacob, bringing him into the room where I was sitting on the side of the bed. “Hi,” I said quietly.

“Are you OK?”

“I’m fine. The doctor says I have a slight concussion, but otherwise, I’m OK. I’m so sorry to cause so much trouble for you.”

“Please stop apologizing. I’m just so relieved you are OK.”

“I need to bother you for one more thing. Can you give me a ride home?” I asked. The doctor was listening to our conversation.

“Mr.Vance. I need someone to keep an eye on her tonight. She should be fine, but with a concussion there could be issues that arise in the first 24 hours. Do you think you can arrange that?”

“Yes, I’ll keep an eye on her, make sure she is OK.” I tried to protest but the doctor threatened to admit me if I didn’t agree. I finally gave up. The doctor went over all the signs and symptoms to watch for, saying to wake me up every couple of hours to check on me.

I stood up to leave, Jacob wrapped my throw around me and led me out the door. He kept his arm around me, helping me into his truck, making sure I got seat belted OK. We drove in silence for a while. “Mia, are you sure you’re OK?”

“Yes, I’m sure. I am so sorry for causing you so much trouble.”

“Mia, stop that. You are no trouble. You just scared the hell out of me. What happened?” he asked.

I took a deep breath. “I’m pregnant Jacob. I climbed the ladder, reached up to use the drill, and felt dizzy. Evidently, I passed out and fell. ”

Jacob was silent for a while. “You aren’t hurt? You and the baby are OK?”

“The doctor said I might be sore for a couple of days, I have a slight headache, but the baby and I are OK.”

We pulled into my driveway; Jacob shut the truck off. We sat there in silence for a couple of minutes. “What the hell were you doing on a ladder?” He seemed so angry, I cringed away from him, against the passenger door, getting as far from him as I could. I worked on unbuckling my seatbelt, getting ready to flee.

Quietly, I said, “I’m pregnant, not incapable of doing my chores.” I got the seatbelt unbuckled.

“Yes. You are pregnant. You have no reason to be on a ladder.”

I didn’t reply. I opened the door to the truck and climbed out, heading to the house. I heard Jacob close the truck door, following me to the house. Lucky welcomed me happily when I walked in. “Hey, boy,” I scratched his head, then let him outside. I followed him out, standing at the rail as he ran down into the yard. Jacob came out on the deck.

“Mia Amata,” he said, grabbing my arm. I pulled away, frightened.

“Please don’t grab me,” I said.

“I’m sorry. I won’t hurt you. I am just trying to understand what happened. What is going on?”

“What more is there to understand? The man I was involved with previously didn’t want anything to do with me when he found out I was pregnant. I am here, alone. I am trying to figure out my life.”

“Do you know how much you scared me tonight? Had something happened to you, I don’t know what I would have done.”

I looked at him confused. “Why do you care? You don’t know me.” Lucky came back up the steps, I led the way back inside the house. Jacob stayed on the deck for a couple more minutes, then followed me in. I went into the kitchen, checking the rolls and the food in the crockpot. The rolls were done, but cold. The chicken and rice was done, still hot. I looked at Jacob. “I’m sure you are hungry, the least I can do is feed you for all the trouble I’ve caused you.”

Jacob rubbed his face, tired. “Mia, you aren’t any trouble. Let me help you.”

“Just have a seat at the table, I’ve got this under control. ”

Jacob washed his hands, then sat down at the table, watching me as I pulled the rolls out of the oven. I tossed the salad and added the vinaigrette, setting it on the table along with a plate of rolls. I grabbed the chicken and rice, putting that on the table too. I poured us some iced tea, then joined Jacob.

“I have to admit, this smells wonderful. Did you make all of this from scratch?” He looked impressed as I nodded.

Conversation between the two of us was difficult as we ate supper. We avoided the elephant in the room.

I really didn’t feel good, my stomach was nauseous, and my head hurt. Jacob told me about his job, he worked as a game warden and really loved what he was doing. “I grew up in the outdoors practically, always bringing home stray animals, hunting and fishing. It just seemed the right course for me to take.”

“Can it be dangerous?” I asked.

“Yes, honestly it can. I deal with hunters and poachers; you never know how they are going to respond to you. For the most part, they are decent people who make a mistake.”

“Do you carry a gun?” I looked at him, concerned.

“Yes, I do. I’ve never had to fire it except to put a hurt animal out of their misery. Most of the time I take animals to local shelters or vets to try to get them help, so they can be released back to the wild. I even have some room at my place where I can keep a couple animals from time to time, having vets come out to help me nurse them back to health.”

“Sounds like you really enjoy what you do.” I smiled at him.

“I really do. Not only do I get to help animals and the environment, but I also get to teach people. I’m up for a promotion, I’ve been working hard for it. I should know in the next couple of weeks if I get it.”

“I’m sure you will, you really seem to have a passion for what you do.” We stood up. He insisted I go rest on the couch; he would clean up supper for me. When he finished, he walked over to where I was resting.

“Do you feel like a walk down to the pier?” he asked, “It’s a beautiful evening out there.”

“Fresh air sounds nice.”

We walked outside with Lucky at my side. We walked down, taking a seat on the pier bench. After a few minutes of silence, Jacob spoke up. “Mia Amata, explain to me what is going on with you? ”

“I’ve already explained Jacob. There is nothing more to say. What do you feel you need to know? Better yet, why do you feel you need to know?”

Jacob thought for a couple minutes, “I guess you don’t owe me any explanation. You asked me why I care. I do care Mia Amata. I can’t explain it, but there is something about you that has captured my heart. I’ve never felt this way before about anyone.”

I was quiet, not knowing how to respond. “Jacob,” I hesitated.

“Don’t Mia. Please don’t say anything. I just want to get to know you better.”

I didn’t say anything for a little bit. Then I sighed. “I don’t understand, but what do you want to know about me?”

“You said you didn’t know your family. Let’s start there. Were you adopted?” he asked.

“No, I grew up in foster homes. Some were good, some were horrible. I ran away from the last one at the age of 16 after…” I trailed off. I hadn’t thought about that for a long time. I had buried that memory because of the trauma I had been dealing with in the years after that.

“After?” he asked softly.

“After my foster father raped me,” I said, hiding my face from him in shame.

“Mia Amata, look at me,” he said. I couldn’t raise my face, he reached over, taking my chin gently in his fingers, pulling my face up to look at him. “Never hide your face in shame. You did nothing wrong. What he did was not your fault. Do you understand that?” I nodded as tears fell. He wiped my tears away. “I am sorry you had such a rough life. I wish I could have protected you from all that pain you suffered.”

I brushed more tears away. “I hadn’t thought about that in years. I survived.” Right at that point Lucky came running past us and jumped into the lake, splashing both of us. “Lucky!” We both cried out, laughing.

We sat, talking. Lucky soon tired of running around and came to lay beside me on the pier. I was getting cold, but I didn’t want the night to end, talking to Jacob felt good, once I let go of my fears. He noticed that I shivered though, and he promptly stood up, pulling me to my feet also.

“You’re cold, and it’s getting late, let’s go back to the house.” We made our way back to the house. Once inside, he shut the door behind us. “Listen, Mia, I’m glad you are OK. You scared the hell out of me. Promise me no more ladders? I’ll hang things for you tomorrow. I promised the doctor I would keep an eye on you tonight. If you have a blanket and pillow, I’ll lay out here. He said to wake you up every two hours, I don’t want to scare you every time I check on you.”

“I’ll be fine. You can go home if you want.”

“No, I’m not going to risk that. The doctor explained to me what could go wrong. I’m staying. Maybe I can take one couch, you the other, that way I can keep a close eye on you.”

I thought about it for a few minutes. I was so tired, I just wanted to sleep in my own bed. As much as the idea scared me, it seemed like the best option. Shaking my head, I said, “No.I have a king-sized bed. You just as well lay in there if you insist on staying. I’m so tired I want to sleep in my bed.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

He already had, but once again, I was finding I had to put my trust in a stranger. “Give me a few minutes, I’ll let you know when you can come in.” I walked away, heading to the bedroom with Lucky by my side. I changed into capri pants and tank pajamas. I walked back out to get Lucky’s dog bed, looking at Jacob. “OK, you can come in.” I took Lucky’s dog bed and lay it on the floor at the end of the bed. Lucky lay right down, not seeming to protest that he couldn’t lay on the bed. I climbed into bed, pulling the blanket up and getting comfortable. I faced away from Jacob, but I could hear him getting undressed and then felt him crawl into bed on the other side.

“Mia Amata,” Jacob said quietly.

“Hmmm?” I murmured, almost asleep already.

“Sleep well.”

***

Jacob kept his promise to the doctor, waking me every two hours to check on me. I woke up on my own about 4:30 in the morning, found that I was lying on Jacob’s shoulder, his arm around me. It took me a few minutes to realize what was going on. I tried to move away from him, but at first, his arm tightened around me. I froze and then slowly managed to get out of his grasp. I got out of bed, heading into the bathroom. My head hurt, but my stomach was feeling somewhat better. I went out into the living room, and let Lucky outside, watching him from inside the door.

“Mia?” I heard Jacob call .

“Out here.”

He came out a minute or two later, pulling his shirt on. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine. Thank you for everything. I’m sorry that you have had to do all this for me.” I looked at him.

“You need to stop apologizing. You are not inconveniencing me at all. I am happy to help you. I have to leave now, to take a shower then get to work. Will you be OK?”

“Yes, I will be fine.”

“I’ll stop by after work tonight to hang those planters for you if that works for you.”

“I have plans with Randy tonight, we are going out to eat.”

He smiled. “Have a good time. How about Thursday night? Or are you busy that night too?”

“I’ll have to check my social calendar,” I said with a little smile. “Thursday night will be fine. I really do appreciate your help.”

“Six o’clock Thursday,” Jacob said.

“I’ll see you then,” I replied.

He reached out, running his fingers over my cheek, “Bye Mia Amata.”

I closed the door behind him and leaned against it myself.

I climbed back into bed to get some more rest; this time Lucky was lying back on his blanket next to me. My phone went off. “I’m glad you are OK. I’ll see you Thursday night.”

I smiled and sent a reply of ‘Thank you’.