Chapter 11
Chapter Eleven
Sophie
I merged onto I-84 then glanced at the clock. My original plan was to write until mid-afternoon, but instead, I ended up hitting the road shortly after I woke up, so if I don’t hit traffic, I’ll be home by noon.
Since I barely got any words written, I should have stayed and spent time at the keyboard, but I just wasn’t feeling it. The apartment seemed so empty without Jamie, I couldn’t wait to pack up and leave.
As promised, he’d left before I woke. Even though it’s what I requested, I was still sad to wake to an empty bed. But I know it’s for the best.
Reaching out, I turned off the podcast I hadn’t been focusing on and switched to my 80’s playlist. Normally “hair bands” have me singing to the steering wheel, but even the songs of my youth couldn’t distract me from my mental highlight reel of my time with Jamie. Most of which is X-rated.
Images of every deep kiss, lingering caress, and all that followed played on a loop in my mind like my own personal porno. By the time I turned into my driveway, part of me wished I hadn’t asked him to leave and we were wrapped in each other’s arms right now.
But I did and we’re not. So back to reality it is.
I pulled into the garage and grabbed my backpack and suitcase from the back seat as the door closed behind me. The sounds of Courtney and Emily’s bickering greeted me as I entered the kitchen. Courtney paused mid-sentence when she saw me.
“I thought you weren’t going to be home until tonight,” she said.
“I decided to leave early.”
“Good, then you can settle the great lunch debate,” Emily said with a cheeky smile.
“Welcome home to me,” I muttered.
“That’s what we were talking about when you came in,” Courtney said. “I want sushi, but Emily is craving hot roast beef from the Glider Diner.”
“And I’m sure Tyler wants something totally different.”
“He said he’d eat whatever,” Emily said.
I rubbed my forehead, hoping it would help switch my brain back into mom mode.
“Just get both,” I said.
“Can you pick them up?” Courtney asked.
“Just DoorDash.”
“The Glider doesn’t do DoorDash.”
“Of course they don’t,” I muttered under my breath. “Can you pick up?”
“Dad and I dropped my car off at the garage about an hour ago.” Her mouth curled into a big smile. “But I’ll run if I can take your car.”
After an incident where she knocked the side mirror off my car three days after I bought it last year, I banned Courtney from driving it. But after driving home from Brooklyn on little sleep, the last thing I want to do is go pick up food. Desperate times call for desperate measures.
“Fine.” That single syllable came out as more a huff of breath than a word. “But be careful .”
“I know.”
“ Especially in parking lots. My car is bigger than yours, so give yourself extra room.”
“I know, Mom . I’ve had my license for almost six years now. I know how to drive.” I raised my brow at her eyeroll. “Is there a statute of limitations for how long I’ll have to hear about the incident ?”
She used air quotes on the last word.
“I’m not sure, but I do know it’s not one year.”
“Whatever.” She picked up her phone. “Do you want anything?”
“Get me a tuna avocado roll.”
“Just one roll?”
“Yes. Thank you.” She grunted a response. “I’m going to throw my clothes in the wash.”
I lifted the handle of my suitcase and rolled it to the laundry room. When I heard Emily right outside the door ordering from the Glider Diner, I suddenly got a craving for comfort food. I peeked my head out and asked her to order me a cheeseburger and fries with gravy too.
As I tossed my clothes into the washer, I heard the kids talking in the kitchen. It’s a sound I miss when they’re all out and I’m alone in the quiet house.
I have a deadline looming at the end of the week, but with three-quarters of my offspring home for the night, I’m going to suggest a movie night. We haven’t done that in a while. There’ll be plenty of time to write when they’re not home.
Jamie
I grabbed a piece of garlic bread from the basket in front of me and dredged it through the
remaining sauce on my plate. After popping it into my mouth, I once again focused on the conversation taking place around the table. As has been the case for the past year, Eileen’s wedding is one of the main topics. I’ve learned more about planning a wedding during family dinners than I ever wanted or expected to.
“What’s going on with you?” Elliott asked, pulling my attention from a discussion of seating charts.
“Nothing, why?”
“You disappeared all last week and now you’ve barely said two words.”
I’m lucky Josh is here, otherwise I’m sure he would have been grilling me earlier. I decided to ignore his former comment and address the latter.
“I was eating.”
“All last week?”
“I went to White Plains to check out those houses again.”
That just happened yesterday, but he doesn’t need to know that.
He opened his mouth to speak, but Ed beat him to it.
“Are you definitely putting in an offer?” he asked.
“I think so. On the one anyway.” I picked up my napkin and wiped my hands. “It’s in a nice neighborhood and just needs cosmetic work.”
“I’d be happy to go up and take a look at it with you. It’s always good to get a second set of eyes on things.”
Ed Booth taught me everything I know about construction and carpentry. He does amazing work, but unfortunately back and knee issues have forced him into retirement. Well, semi-retirement at any rate. And I know he’s bored as hell. Throughout my entire childhood, he got me out of my house when I needed it. The least I can do is return the favor.
“I’d appreciate that. Just let me know when you’re available this week and I’ll set it up.”
At his booming laugh, the conversation at the other end of the table came to a halt. Maggie looked at her husband, brows raised.
“Jamie just told me to let him know when I’m available this week. I’m always available these days.”
“Available for what?”
“Ed’s going to come check out the house in White Plains that I’m thinking about buying.”
She offered me a smile of thanks before looking at Ed.
“And you’re not always available. You’re always helping someone out with something,”
“Those tiny jobs don’t count.”
“Did he ask you to help him with the kitchen project for Mrs. Guzman?” I shook my head and she rolled her eyes. “Don’t think you’re doing that on your own, Edwin Booth.”
Ed held up his hands in mock surrender.
“I was gonna ask, but then Jamie mentioned the house and we talked about that instead.”
“Well tell him about it now, and if he’s not available to help, you’re going to have to tell Janet Guzman to find someone else.”
Maggie barely raised her voice, but her words were spoken with a firm sincerity that let Ed know the matter wasn’t up for debate. She stood and started clearing the table. Eileen, Elliott, and Josh helped while Eddie excused himself to take a phone call.
“She worries for nothing.”
I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye and tipped my head.
“Does she really?”
Ed took in a deep breath and let it out on a sigh.
“I know my limits.”
“But do you stick within them?”
“Stepping over the line once in a while won’t kill me.”
For the past year, I’ve witnessed the push and pull between Maggie and Ed about him working and respect both sides. His work isn’t work to him and what he loves most about it is that he helps people. But years of physical labor have taken a toll on his body, and his knees and back pay the price every time he pushes them to do too much. Maggie just wants him to take it easy so he doesn’t cause any more damage. But he knows that. So instead of talking in circles about it, I asked about the project at hand.
“What needs to be done at Mrs. Guzman’s?” I asked.
“Her bottom kitchen cabinets are rotting at the base and need to be replaced.”
“I can definitely help out.”
“Won’t you be busy if you buy a new house to flip?”
After all he’s done for me through the years, I’d make myself available no matter what else I had going on.
“You know how long it takes to close on a house. I’ll have time.”
He explained how some rotted boards led to what’s basically an entire kitchen remodel. And depending on what we find when we tear down the cabinets, we may need to gut the walls and put up new sheetrock. No wonder Maggie didn’t want him doing it on his own.
“If you’re free tomorrow afternoon, maybe we can go let Janet know we can do this? It will give you a chance to look at the space, too.”
“Sounds like a plan,” I said. “And maybe we can head to White Plains Thursday or Friday.”
“Perfect.” Ed slowly stood and stretched. “Now I better go and make nice with missus.”
I’d hoped Elliott forgot about what he’d asked me before Ed interrupted our conversation. But of course, he didn’t. After we all said our goodbyes and filed out the door, he followed me to my truck.
I opened my door and glanced over at Josh in their car before looking at Elliott.
“Don’t you want to drive home with your boyfriend?”
“I want to know what’s up with you.”
“Nothing is up with me.”
“So where were you last week? You basically ghosted me.”
“I didn’t ghost you.”
“You didn’t answer me.”
“Yes, I did.”
“You answered once,” he said. “I called and texted a hundred times.”
“That’s an exaggeration.”
He studied my face and the scrutiny made me uneasy. Elliott knows me way too well and sees way too much.
“Something’s different.”
I shook my head and stepped into the truck.
“I’ll see you later, Elliott.”
As I went to close the door, he grabbed it, eyes wide.
“Oh. Em. Gee.”
“What?”
“You had sex.”