With each glass of wine, Mal and Sue’s conversation grows more animated, their smiles widening. Laughter fills the room as the two recount their youthful escapades. I have a feeling the detailsare getting embellished with each retelling. A small, round cake, adorned with flickering candles, is brought out for dessert, filling the room with a sweet vanilla scent. Zander and I sing "Happy Birthday" to both of them before we dig in.
Both ladies are tipsy by the time Zander pays the cheque. I take Sue’s arm while Zander escorts Mal outside. When we get back to the facility, Zander helps Mal upstairs to her apartment. He presents her with the colorful bouquet he ordered, and I hand her the gift bag with my presents. She loves everything and immediately rips open a bag of Benne wafers and starts snacking. I’m chuckling at her non-stop talking.
We eventually get back out the door when she gets distracted by a phone call. “Wow. Mal is always outgoing, but she’s hilarious when she drinks,” I smile.
“That she is, sweetheart,” Sue laughs. “She and I will have to go out again soon.” When we get to Sue’s house, we go inside to give her our gifts. Zander got her a beautiful bouquet of pink roses, which she immediately sets in the middle of the table. I present her with the azalea and book next, promising to come over in the morning to help her plant it. She loves both, telling us she’s going to head to bed to read her new book.
I check in with the guys after taking a shower at our hotel. There’s no response from E, but he had a social event this evening, and everyone else is doing good. Zander comes out of the bathroom freshly showered and turns on the television. “Thanks for this weekend, Zander. I really appreciate it.”
“Of course, darling. I enjoy visiting up here too, especially when it’s not winter,” he smiles.
Chapter 20
Summer
Saturday morning we enjoy waffles at Sue’s house, then find a spot to plant the azalea. Zander and I help her in the yard with mowing, pruning, and weeding until lunch. Despite living here, this is the first time I’ve been in the backyard. It’s a small plot since we're in town, but Sue's made the most of it with flowers and shrubs filling all three sides of the fence and grass. There’s a small bistro set in the middle of the yard under a large maple tree. “Your yard is beautiful, Sue. I wish I helped you with it while I was here.”
“Nonsense sweetheart. You weren’t ready, and that’s okay. I’m glad you get to enjoy it now, though,” she says, giving me a side hug.
We eat at the diner for lunch, then Sue comes with us to see Jake. “Hello everybody,” Mal smiles from the front desk.
“Hi Mal. How are you today?” I ask, signing in.
“Just fine, Sugar. I gave Jake a nice bath this morning, so he’s all ready for y’all. Come on, let’s go back,” she says, ushering us to the hallway.
After Sue and Zander visit Jake, they decide to do some shopping while I stay here. Crawling into bed and wrapping myself around him, I breathe in his familiar scent, my body instantly unwinding. I think he’s gotten taller since I last visited. His dad is a little oversix feet, so it makes sense Jake would still be growing. Slipping my fingers through his, I notice his hand is larger and broader. I lift my head to look closer at him. Yeah, he’s definitely grown. His shoulders seem wider, and his feet reach the end of the bed. A wave of sadness washes over me that I missed these physical changes in person. Video calls only show his face, not his growing body.
He would see changes in me, too. I’ve filled out since the accident. First, I became skin and bones, then my boobs started growing. Add in the regular meals and track, and I look more like a woman now than a girl.
Lying my head on his chest to listen to his heartbeat, I realize my feelings haven’t changed one bit for Jake, despite being with the other guys. I was wondering if I would feel differently once I saw him again, but I don’t. He's my moon and stars. He’s still home, and I still love him. Something inside me has always lightened when I’m with Jake.
Growing up with him, I never noticed how Jake was my lighthouse, since we were always around each other. I noticed I could unwind when I visited Jake before moving to South Carolina, but now that I don’t see him much, I recognize it more easily. He’s part of my very soul.
I tell him about Mal and Sue’s birthday dinner yesterday and how funny they were while drinking. Then I talk about the guys, especially E, and how much I’m struggling with what E's doing.
As is typical, I fall asleep, and Zander has to wake me close to dinnertime. After kissing Jake goodbye, Zander drives us to Sue’s for dinner. We help her make a chicken dish, and she puts brownies in the oven before we sit down to eat. I ask about her health as we dig in.
“No change yet, sweetheart. I visited the doctor at the end of August, and he was pleased that it hadn’t progressed. What I’m doing works so far,” Sue explains.
“You’ll tell me if that changes, right?” The thought of Sue disappearing still freaks me out, despite living states away from her now.
“Yes, I promise. I won’t keep that from you.” She pats my hand with a gentle smile.
“Hey, it’s Saturday, no book club this week?”
“No, Roberta had a stroke a few weeks ago, I’m afraid, so we’ve suspended book club until she can join us. It wasn’t bad, so she will hopefully be ready in another week or two.”
“I’m so sorry. I hope she gets better soon.” Sue squeezes my hand again with a nod as we continue our delicious meal.
I gather the plates as Sue gets the brownies from the oven. She cuts us each a square with ice cream for dessert. Zander and I help clean up before we settle in the living room. “So what did you and Zander accomplish this afternoon?” I ask them.
“Oh, Zander was so thoughtful; he helped me shop, put away groceries, fix the sticky front door, and even replaced a loose board on the steps.”
“I was happy to help Sue,” Zander smiles indulgently at her. “Do you need anything else fixed around here?”
“No, you’ve done more than enough already,” Sue says, waving him off. “You’re here to visit, not to work on this old house.”
“That’s code for there’s more,” I lean over and whisper to Zander.
