48. Natalie
Natalie
You know that feeling you get when you sense that you’ve seen the current scene of your life played out before?
You’re standing somewhere you’ve never stood or saying something to someone you know you’ve never said, but it all feels so …
familiar? Like it’s just a repeat of this very same scene happening after it’s already happened to you in some other life?
That’s the feeling I get now as I stare at my amazing family.
The boys are, as usual, throwing pillows at one another in the living room like little shirtless gremlins.
I’m not really sure they know what a shirt is at this point.
Dax barks playfully, ears perked, as he joins in on the rambunctious chaos of it all, bopping the boys with his nose and crouching to stick his wagging tail in the air where it waves like a hairy white flag.
Mom and Dad are sitting with Juliet on the L-sectional couch, while Cam makes grilled cheese sandwiches in the kitchen for lunch.
My phone chirps in my pocket, and I pull it out.
Luke: I made it! Getting the rental car now and then meeting my dad. Miss and love you.
I smile down at my phone, sending a quick text back.
Me: Love you too. Drive safe and call me when you can. *kissing emoji*
I join Cam in the kitchen, letting the laughter in the living room fade to the background. “Can I help you?”
He looks up from the pan on the stove. “Sure. Thanks.”
“What can I do?” I ask as I wash my hands in the sink.
“Can you get more cheese slices from the fridge?”
He flips a sandwich in the pan, and I search the bottom drawer in the refrigerator for the cheese. “This one?” I hold up individually wrapped slices of white cheddar.
His brown hair sticks up in every direction like he’s just woken up, even though it’s noon. It’s kind of endearing. “Yeah, those are great. Thanks, Natalie.” I toss a few wrapped slices on the counter beside him. “Did Luke make it to Florida?” he asks.
“Yeah, he just texted me. He’s on his way to meet his dad.”
“He’s got a lot going on with that property, huh?” Cam asks.
I sigh. “Did he tell you about it?”
“Only a little. Just that it’s more work than he expected.” He flips another sandwich.
“He calls it the Bat Cavity.” Cam chuckles under his breath, but I screw up my face in return.
I hate that stupid place. “I’m serious, he really calls it that.
And there’s a good reason. It’s literally so disastrous that he and his dad are filling it with more work and money than it’s worth.
A lot like a filling. It’s like a never-ending well of disasters,” I mumble.
“Not every disaster should be tossed to the wayside. I’m sure it will turn out better than expected.”
“Such sage words from my snake-wrangling, grilled cheese-making brother-in-law,” I quip, shooting him an amused smile.
His hands lift in surrender. “I’m just saying, you should know firsthand what a little TLC can do. Look how you and Jules turned out when you didn’t give up.”
My eyes land on the floor. “I almost did.”
He watches me. “But you didn’t. And I can’t thank you enough for that. Jules has been different since you talked with her.”
“I just wanted to make things right, you know? I missed my family, and I didn’t want to lose them. I couldn’t make that mistake again.” I chew my lip. “Thank you, by the way,” I add.
He removes the last grilled cheese sandwich from the pan and adds it to the pile he’s created on a plate. “You’re thanking me? For what?”
“For being what Juliet needed when I wasn’t. For helping her.”
He takes this in, pausing, and then says, “You’re welcome. I’m glad I was here when she needed me; otherwise I wouldn’t have all this.” He looks around at his kitchen, his house, the family photos on the wall.
I smile, happy to have met Cameron so I can see how good of a man he is for Jules.
“Do you want me to call everyone in?” I offer, pointing toward the squeals of joy that haven’t let up in the living room.
He nods. “Thanks.” He grabs more plates from a cabinet above, and I walk back to the living room.
“Time to eat, everyone! Levi, Archie, your dad made grilled cheese!”