Chapter 1 #2
He had moved into his house two weeks ago and was still unpacking boxes.
He’d had his furniture delivered the day that he took possession, and he’d been moving things around to suit himself.
So far, the only room that looked good was his bedroom, as he spent the most time in there while he was sleeping.
The living room was next on his list of rooms to be done.
He’d been spending a little bit of time in there in the evening before he was so exhausted that he had to go to bed.
He thought it was the stress of having to move that was making him so tired, and he would be over it soon.
But it was fun having his own things around him after living in a condo for so long.
It was also fun to be able to spread out.
His house was perfect for him. His phone started ringing as soon as he sat down to have leftovers.
“I was wondering if you have time to take me over to the lumber store.” He asked his grandda, Sharps, when he wanted to go.
“Tomorrow, after you get off work. You have that nice-sized truck that we can use, and I can get me some supplies. I’d forgotten how much fun it is to be able to work in my workshop again. ”
“I can take you. It’ll have to be after the thing with Aaron is finished, but sure, I’ll take you.
Do you want me to pick you up, or do you want to come to the clinic and meet me there?
Either way is fine with me.” He asked if he could pick him up.
“No problem, Grandda. Maybe while we’re in town, we can pick up some dinner just you and me. ”
“I’d surely like that. I would. I’ll tell your grandma so she don’t fix me anything to eat.
That’ll be a fun time with just the two of us.
We ain’t done that in a good long time.” He said that was what he’d been thinking too.
“All right then. You pick me up, and we’ll have us a couple of big subs for dinner and then go to the lumber store.
I’ve been making some chairs for the little ones that come along.
I don’t want to miss out on them because I might be gone. ”
“Don’t talk like that. I’m glad that you’re thinking ahead, but I don’t want to think about the two of you dying right now.
” He could almost see his grandda with his handkerchief out, wiping his face down from the tears.
“I love you, Grandda. You and Grandma are the glue that sticks us all together.”
“Now don’t be making me bawl like a little baby.” He blew his nose and said something about dust in his eyes. “I’ll see you tomorrow evening. You be on time now. I don’t want to have to wait on you unless you’re talking to a pretty girl. Then you bring her along with you.”
“No pretty girls just yet, Grandda. My heart is still crushed because Harri said she’d not grow up and marry me someday.” She was Zeno’s stepdaughter and was the brightest four-year-old that he’d ever met. “I’ll see you tomorrow evening.”
He loved having plans with his grandparents and parents.
Just a week ago, he and Dad had had dinner out when talking about him turning over the last of his patients to him.
It was going to make his practice a little bit busier, but it would all be good in the long run.
He loved being a doctor and was glad that he’d followed in his dad’s footsteps.
The rest of the evening, he moved furniture around.
The living room was finally working for him, and he was glad that, taking the advice from his brother Aaron, he got three couches instead of just one and a chair.
It made for more room in his house, and when the games came on in the fall, he’d have enough seating area for everyone to sit.
And his kitchen was large enough for everyone to snack on food, too.
He thought that he had the perfect house.
With five bedrooms, he could live there with his mate and any children they might have forever.
He’d had it in his head that his mate would like the same things that he did, and that’s why he didn’t feel bad for buying such a big home.
Just knowing that maybe someday he’d be able to have someone in his life and children made his day go better and his life just about as bright as could be.
He just hoped that she wasn’t a ballbuster like his brothers’ wives and got along great with him.
Laughing to himself, he wondered what would happen if she didn’t like him overly much at all.
He’d just have to be more charming, he supposed.
~*~
“Blake, you have a phone call. It’s your sister.” Of course it was. When she was having a good day, her sister would call and fuck it all up. “She said to tell you that if you don’t come to the phone, she’s going to come to your house. Why is that a threat? I thought that you liked your sister.”
“I do. Just in small doses.” She picked up the phone and punched in the number to bring her call to her. “Whatcha doing, sis? I’m at work, so I can’t talk too long.”
“I’m depressed today.” She told her that she was sorry and asked her what she wanted to do. “I want you to come and get me and take me out to lunch today. You can do that, can’t you? Don’t they have some kind of depression shit going on there that says you can take time off?”
“Yes, they do. For the employees, not family members.” She rolled her eyes when she asked her what she wanted for lunch.
While she was trying to decide, Blake had a few ideas of her own.
She’d like to have a large chocolate cake with a chocolate milkshake.
Then a candy bar for dessert. Smiling, she thought that it would go a long way in her depression as well.
But she couldn’t be depressed when her sister was.
It was some unwritten rule that Robin had.
“How about we try that new place on Main Street. They’re supposed to have these really great tacos.” She said that sounded good, but she’d have to meet her there. “Oh, why? I told you that I’m depressed and I don’t want to have to drive anywhere.”
“I don’t have a car today, Robin, and besides that, it’ll take me longer to find us a parking place than I have time to eat and get back to work on time.
” She looked at the time clock that was next to where she was standing.
“I have an hour. That’s it. I can meet you there, we can have a good lunch, and then I have to come back to work. I need my job.”
“You’re not any fun.” She wanted to tell her that it wasn’t any fun being around her either, but didn’t say that.
That would make the tears come down, and she didn’t have the wherewithal to mess with her today.
She was depressed as well. “All right. I’ll meet you there at noon.
But I’m going to order before you get there so that we can have more time together. ”
“All right, but you know to order spicy tacos. If I’m having a messy lunch, I want it to burn my mouth off.
” After they hung up, she went back to her desk.
She was just about finished with the drawings that she had to get finished when the call came in.
Now all she had to do was clock out, go to the restaurant, and eat with her sister.
“I’ll be back at one, James. If you need me, don’t call.
I’ll be back in plenty of time to take care of anything that comes up. ”
“All right. Tell your sister hi for me.” Blake said that she would and decided to hurry her sister along so that she could get her a large coffee on the way back from the taco place. “Have fun.”
She wouldn’t, but she’d be there for her.
Her sister of late had been acting out when she was depressed, and she didn’t like it.
Of course, too, Robin thought that she was the only one who knew what real depression was like and that no one in the world had it as badly as she did.
She would tell you that too if you asked her.
“You’re late.” She said that she wasn’t, as it was only three minutes after noon. “I thought you’d be here before noon. That’s why I ordered for us.”
“I have a job, Robin. I have to work until my time is up before I can just leave. What did you order for me?” Changing the subject was the only way that she could deal with Robin today, and it worked for a while. “This isn’t terribly hot. Did you tell them that you wanted it really hot?”
“No one wants things that hot, Blake. You’re just showing off today because I’m depressed.
I told you what I was dealing with today.
” She said that she’d not and that she did like her food super-hot.
“Whatever. Why did you want to meet today anyway? I want to go home and have myself a pity party and cry myself to sleep.”
“You called me and invited me.” She ate what she wanted of the three tacos, disappointed that they weren’t hot on fire.
“I could have had what I wanted if you hadn’t called me.
Now eat up before it gets cold and try very hard not to glare at anyone.
They’re just doing their jobs and aren’t out to get you. ”
The entire lunch was like that. Robin taking snips at her, and Blake trying very hard not to get upset herself. Blake asked her sister if she’d been taking her meds. That was the only thing that she could think of that would have her so off today.
“I don’t like how they make me feel.” She told her that she didn’t either, but took them.
“You don’t take what I take. I have to take the most powerful stuff in the world so that I can have a functioning day.
And even that isn’t enough. Did I tell you that I’m seeing my therapist three times a week?
He said it’s not necessary, but I feel so much better when I go in to see him. No one else sees him as much as I do.”