Four | Cole
Four
Cole
I hadn’t been prepared to see Lyric fall apart like that.
Maybe it was because I hadn’t seen her much since she left six years ago, but she seemed different.
I couldn’t put my finger on what it was, but something about her had changed, and I felt like I didn’t know her anymore.
Deep down, I knew that it was the grief of losing her entire family over a few years that had changed her, but I wasn’t willing to accept that the soft girl I had once loved was gone.
While she went to the bathroom to freshen up, I took the time to bring in the rest of the stuff I had brought over in my truck.
There was very little that Clay had been able to save from the fire, but thankfully, after getting the kids out, he was able to grab a box that contained family photos, including some of their mom before she died.
“Thank you for helping bring stuff over,” Lyric said as she returned, her eyes red and slightly puffy.
The house was large, with an open concept that combined the kitchen and living room into one space.
Clay had slowly been purchasing new furniture for the house before he passed, so I took it upon myself to grab the rest of the things he hadn’t gotten.
I knew how important it was for him to have a fresh start in the house and for the kids to have their own space.
I also knew what he wanted it to look like and the comfort and warmth he wanted to create for his family.
“Of course. There’s some stuff that needs to be assembled. If you don’t mind me sticking around for a bit, I can get started on it now.”
“What all did you bring?” she asked as she walked into the kitchen and grabbed two bottles of water before handing one to me.
I shoved my hand through my hair because I knew she was going to be mad with how much had been spent, but I didn’t care. My best friend wanted this life for his kids, and I was damn sure going to make it happen.
“I have new beds for the kids,” I said, keeping my tone level and my shoulders pulled down. The last thing I wanted right now was a fight with Lyric. “I can get those built today, and then we can try to get the mattresses delivered tomorrow.”
“I was wondering why I got a call earlier about setting up a delivery time,” she mused.
I didn’t bother to tell her that the phone call was for the delivery of the other furniture I had ordered and that I had already picked up everything Clay had ordered before he died.
It had all been in a storage unit where he was keeping it until the house was ready to move into.
I had given them her phone number for the stuff I ordered because I didn’t want to risk her not being home when they tried to deliver it.
Over the past two weeks, I’ve spent most of my time with a handful of people around town, cleaning the house and getting it ready for Lyric to move in.
Months’ worth of work was completed in a week, with everyone working tirelessly to finish.
Fresh paint coated the walls, and plush carpet had been installed throughout the house, minus the kitchen and bathrooms. I had made sure to check all the electrical stuff, even calling in help from the local fire department to make sure the house was safe before Lyric and the kids moved in.
I had lost enough in my life as it was; I wasn’t about to risk losing anyone else.
“I don’t want to step on your toes,” I said cautiously, watching her as I spoke. “But I know Clay had a plan for who got which bedroom. I can set the beds up according to his plan, unless you want to change it.”
She shook her head and pressed her lips together.
“My brother knew his children better than anyone. I want to go with whatever plans he had for this house. He would be the best to know what would make them comfortable, and that’s my only mission right now.
Things are going to be hard enough as it is for them, so let’s do what we can to make things easier. ”
I nodded, feeling the lump in my throat again. I hadn’t stopped crying since the day Clay died, but seeing Lyric mourn her brother was a new kind of pain that I couldn’t handle. I needed to be there for her, not falling apart in front of her.
“I’m going to get started, but let me know if you need anything,” I said before rushing out the door to bring the boxes with the bed frames inside so I could get them assembled.
*************************
An hour later, I had all three bed frames set up. I texted my friend to see if he could deliver the mattresses today instead of tomorrow. I wasn’t sure when Lyric would be ready for the kids to come stay with her, but I wanted to make sure they had everything they needed when the time came.
After Clay died, I had singlehandedly taken over caring for the kids.
They were currently living with me, and when I was busy, my mom would step in and watch them for me.
It seemed to be the easiest transition for them, given that I had been there their entire lives and had basically helped their dad raise them after their mom died.
I had no idea how the kids or I were going to adjust to them living here instead.
Maybe if I asked, Lyric would allow me to stay with them for a few weeks.
That way, the kids would be in a new house, but would still have me with them for comfort.
When I headed back to the living room, I found Lyric on the couch, frowning at her phone.
I cleared my throat softly to let her know I was there before I headed to the fridge.
I pulled it open, stopping abruptly when I realized that this wasn’t my house and that I couldn’t just help myself to stuff anymore.
This wasn’t like how things were with Clay and me.
Things were different now. Lyric was still my wife, but we didn’t have a relationship anymore.
“Help yourself to whatever you want,” she called over her shoulder, seeming to realize my discomfort.
I opened the fridge and took out a bottle of water.
“Do you know who I should reach out to about the air conditioner?” she asked, setting her phone down as she turned to face me.
“I know that my parents always used to have a hard time getting it started every year, but I don’t remember who my dad used to call.
I wanted to get a head start on it before it gets too hot. ”
“Clay had it replaced a few months ago, so you have a brand new one. I’ll help get it running and show you how to work it.”
“Thank you. You don’t have to do all of this, but I truly appreciate your help.”
I nodded, not trusting myself to speak because things were too complicated between us for me to navigate anything without screwing it up somehow.
“How did it go with the beds?” she asked as I walked into the living room.
“Good. The frames are built, and my friend is going to deliver the mattresses in an hour or so. I thought I could work on building some of the furniture for their rooms while I wait, if that’s okay?”
“That’s fine. I get the feeling that you and Clay had several plans, so I don’t want to mess anything up. I will say, I’m surprised by how much stuff he had taken care of before he passed.”
I read the question in her tone, without her needing to ask it. Lyric had always been smart, but where she really excelled was at reading people. She could sit and observe something for a few minutes and know everything there was to know about it.
“Clay had a vision for what he wanted this house to be,” I answered honestly.
“There was a lot he wanted for the kids, but he knew that he would have to make do with what he could afford. He bought what he could and kept it in a storage unit. I was there every step of the way, Lyric. I heard him talk about what he hoped to accomplish someday. I knew the life he dreamed of for his kids. So, yeah, after he died, I made it my mission to make those dreams come true because his kids now have to live in a world without either of their parents, and that breaks my heart. This is the least I could do for him.”
“My brother was always very lucky to have a best friend like you.”
Lyric smiled, but I could see the pain on her face because it mirrored what I felt inside.