Chapter 6
Chapter six
You're a Wizard
Jo
I’m awoken by a pair of tiny fingers prying open one of my eyelids.
“Aunt Jo Jo,” she whispers.
When I don’t respond, she moves even closer so that her mouth is pressed against my cheek. “Aunt Jo Jo.”
I’m doing my best not to laugh, but damn, she makes it hard.
The next thing I hear is Leah at the door. As quietly as she can, she says, “Luna, let Aunt Jo Jo sleep.”
“But Mommy! Aunt Jo Jo needs me!”
Before this can go any longer, I wrap Luna in my arms and start peppering her face with kisses. She giggles and squeals, “Mommy! Help!”
“Nope. You’ve made this bed. Now, you have to lie in it.”
I say, “The monster needs to be fed. I must kiss your face off!”
“No! I want to keep my face!”
I suddenly stop. “Okay, okay. I suppose you can keep it…for now.”
Sitting up and rubbing my eyes, I see Leah in the doorway, holding her other daughter, Sadie.
“Bring me the baby,” I prompt, holding out my arms.
“You sure? I can take them, so you can sleep some more.”
“Nah, I’m good. I just need some baby snuggles.”
She walks in, plopping Sadie in my lap.
“Good morning, Sadie,” I coo. “Good grief. You’re a chunky little monkey, aren’t you?”
Leah chuckles. “Yeah, the girl loves to eat. And we are just now starting on solid foods.”
I hold her up. “That’s okay. Nothing wrong with baby having some back. They wrote a whole song about it.”
“Something tells me that’s not what Sir Mix-a-Lot had in mind.”
“Eh, close enough.” I look down at Sadie. “When are you going to start growing some hair? You don’t look much like a Lawson yet.”
All of my siblings and I look like our dad with dark hair and brown eyes. All of their kids have inherited the same genes.
Leah laughs. “Hey, don’t jinx it. So far, this kid actually looks a little like me. The second her hair starts growing, I know that will change.” She points to Luna. “That one, on the other hand, straight up looks like your brother crapped her out.”
“Yep. The Lawson genes run strong.”
“I now understand how your mom felt having five kids who didn’t resemble her in the least.” She walks over to grab Luna who is now attempting to climb on the headboard. The moment she sets her feet on the ground, Luna takes off running out of the room.
“How do I get that kind of energy?” I ask.
“You have to be three-years-old,” she jokes. “So, how are you feeling after a good night’s sleep.”
“I’m okay. Happy to be home.”
“Any big plans for the day?”
“Well, I realized I left all my bathroom stuff back at Mario’s, so I think I’m going to hit the store to stock up, and then, I should probably go see my parents.”
Her nose scrunches up. “Yeah, you better go see your mom before she comes here looking for you. I don’t want her blaming me for anything.”
“Hey, she likes you.”
“And I’d like to keep it that way,” she says with a smirk. She starts to head for the door but comes to get Sadie first. “We’ll let you get up and get ready in peace.”
I feel the need to say something before she leaves. “Leah?”
“Yeah?”
“Thanks for going to bat for me last night. I know me being here isn’t exactly convenient.”
She smiles. “Anytime. Welcome home, sweets.”
***
An hour later, I’m up, dressed, and hitting the streets of Lilly Leaf Falls.
Man, I forgot how much I love this small town.
Every time I come home, I always get a little lost in the magic of this place.
Up until now, it always felt so short-lived.
It was just a few days here and there—normally for a holiday or someone’s birthday.
I tried to cram in as much time with family and everyone else as I could, and I never truly got to slow down and enjoy it.
But now? Now, I’m going to try to savor every moment of it.
As I walk through the town square, I can smell the fresh donuts coming from Dina’s bakery. After smelling it, there’s no way I can just walk on by.
I duck into the tiny shop and take a giant whiff. Lord, it smells even better inside.
Looking around, I see the place hasn’t changed much at all. On one end of the counter, there are cute little animal figurines. I remember coming in here as a kid and playing with them while my dad picked out donuts.
Dina comes walking in from the back.
“Hey, there! How can I—“ She stops when she sees who I am. “Well, well, well, look what the cat dragged in!”
She walks out from the other side of the counter to give me a hug. “Little Jo Lawson. How are you doing, sweetheart?”
“I’m good, Dina.”
When I was a kid, I was a bit of a wild child. I was usually getting into some kind of trouble, so a lot of folks in town weren’t crazy about me. But Dina was always nice. I knew I could come in and grab a donut when the rest of the town seemed mad at me for one reason or another.
Don’t get me wrong—I’ve never given a shit what people thought of me. I couldn’t care less if they hated me or not, but it was still nice to have someone on my side.
“What brings you to town, kiddo?”
“I’m moving back.”
She throws her hand over her heart. “I never thought I’d see the day!”
“Me either,” I reply, only half-joking.
She walks back behind the counter. ”You want the usual? Two chocolate glazed?”
“That would be perfect. Thanks, Dina.”
As she’s getting them out of the display case, she says, “I’m surprised your momma didn’t tell me you were coming home. I just saw her yesterday.”
“It was a last-minute decision. I just got home last night, so she’s on my list to visit today.”
She gives me a pointed look over the thick frames of her glasses. it’s a look that requires no words between us. I know that she’s thinking my mother is likely to kick my ass for not keeping her in the loop.
Dina’s right. She probably will.
She hands me a bag with two donuts and a to-go cup of coffee. I pull a crumpled up ten out of my pocket, but she shakes her head.
I say, “Dina, I’m not a kid anymore. You don’t have to give me free donuts.”
“I know I don’t. But I’m going to anyway. Consider it your welcome home gift.” She winks.
“Thanks, Dina.”
“Good to have you home, kiddo.”
I give her a warm smile and head out the door. I start walking again, taking the scenic route to Andre’s, the bar my parents own. It’s where I’m sure I’ll find my mother. I take my time because I expect a verbal lashing when I get there.
On the way, I try to take everything in.
We are approaching Halloween, so all the shops that line the streets are decorated for Autumn.
Orange string lights hang from every street lamp, and smiling scarecrows sit on the benches.
Lilly Leaf Falls loves holidays, but the ones in the last quarter of the year reign supreme.
After Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas will take over. In my book, pumpkins and candy canes are tied. I’m excited to be in town for all of it this year.
I stop to look at a cute window display and pull one of the donuts out of the bag and take a bite.
Fucking delicious.
As I turn away from the store, I accidentally collide with someone. Thankfully, no coffee spills in the process.
“Shit, I’m sorry,” I say. When I look up, I see that it’s Sheriff Swift.
Fuck, this guy hates me. To be fair, I was a thorn in his side for many years, but still. That was a long time ago. Judging by the way he’s looking at me, though, his feelings haven’t changed.
“Hey, Sheriff,” I greet.
Beneath this thick grey mustache, I can see his lips purse together.
“Joanna,” is all he gives as a greeting. “I see you’re still not paying attention to anything around you.”
The man makes my blood boil, so the fact that I do the same thing to him thrills me.
I know I shouldn’t fuck with him, but I just can’t help myself. “So, Swift? Any relation to you know who?”
He glares at me. “Why don’t you tell me why you’re in town.”
“I live here.”
“You moved away.”
“Yes, and while I know you would have loved to have christened the day I left as a town holiday, I am back. For good.”
He does absolutely nothing to hide his disappointment. Oh well. He can suck on a body part that I don’t even possess.
“I’m sure you and I will be seeing a lot of each other, Joanna,” he says in a demeaning tone.
His eyes glance down at the bag that rustles in my hands.
Not able to help myself once more, I say, “Oh, sorry, did you want one? I know your kind loves donuts.”
I truly have nothing against cops. I’ve been arrested enough times to have had my fair share of experiences with them. Most have just been doing their jobs and have been nice enough. But Sheriff Swift is the only one who has me pinned as guilty no matter the circumstances.
I half-expect him to pull out his cuffs right here and now, but he just eyes me up and down again.
“Oh, yes, Joanna. We’ll see each other much more.”
He lumbers away, and I think about what a dick he is. Back when I was a teenager, Mr. Simpson’s dog went missing, and the sheriff immediately came to my house to grill me about it.
Anyone who knows me knows how ridiculous that is.
I love dogs more than I love people, and I’d own fifty of them if I could.
As a kid, I spent hours every week volunteering at the animal shelter.
I should have been his least likely suspect.
I may have gotten in trouble for many things, but hurting an animal would never have been one of them.
My mom thought it was so absurd that she slammed the door in his face right after telling him to get his head out of his ass. I smile just thinking about it.
God, I love that woman.
Suzanne Lawson is not a woman to be trifled with. Even the sheriff knows that.
Speaking of my mother, as I walk into Andre’s, I see her standing behind the bar, looking through a stack of receipts. She looks so small back there. Just like me, she only stands about five feet tall, but unlike me—or any of her other kids—she has blonde hair and blue eyes.
She glances up at me as I walk toward her.
“Well, hi, Joanna Leigh,” she says, looking back down at what she was doing.
My mother is the only one who doesn’t make me cringe when she uses my full name. I mean, she is the one who gave it to me, so that shouldn’t be surprising.
“Hi, Mom.” I keep walking toward her until I get to the bar. “You don’t look surprised to see me.”
“I’m not.”
“Did Dylan tell you?”
“No, he told Ronnie. Ronnie told Liz. Liz told Michelle, and Michelle told me.”
“Good grief. Communication in this family is like a giant game of telephone.”
“Don’t I know it? I also know that you left your boyfriend and moved in with Dylan.”
“Geez. Do you also know what I ate in the car on my way home?”
“I don’t have firsthand information, but I’m guessing more Red Bull than is medically advised and something that hurt your stomach—probably a gas station burrito.”
“You’re a wizard,” I whisper.
She chuckles. “No, I just know my kids.”
Sliding onto one of the barstools, I ask, “So, did you miss me?”
“Were you gone?” She jokes.
I reach over the bar to boop her on the nose. “Why does Mommy hurt me? Admit it. You missed your favorite child.”
“Favorite is a bit of a stretch. Top five for sure.”
“Mom, you only have five kids.”
She smirks. “I know.”
“Well, despite your hurtful words, I missed you.”
She stops looking at the receipts and looks at me instead. “I missed you too, kid.”
Our mother has never been the most overly-affectionate one. She is like a pit-bull you’d get to protect your junkyard. She would go up against anyone to defend the ones she loves.
“So, where’s Dad?” I ask.
“At the dentist,” she replies. “What are your plans for the day?”
“I need to go to the store, and I might take a nap. Then, who knows?”
“You’re coming for family dinner tonight.”
She doesn’t ask it like a question but rather states it like it’s pure fact. I could argue, but I know better. The only way out of family dinner is loss of limb, and even then, it would depend on the limb.
“Okay,” I say. “I’ll be there.”
“Don’t be late.” She points her finger at me. “Now, get out of here. Go be productive.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
We say our goodbyes, and I head out. My plan was to go to the store, but I think I’ll go take my nap first. Lord knows I’m going to need my rest to deal with my family tonight.