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Lexie
Sweatwasbeadingon Lexie’s forehead as she pushed the wheelbarrow across the rugged terrain at the back of Beau Pordeski’s house. She was helping Eagle and Sedona with wedding tasks, busying herself through the summer before classes resumed in the fall.
After ending things with Nav she had tried to keep her distance from her group of friends, not wanting them to feel like they had to pick a side. It was easier to just fully remove herself from the equation than it was to upset the way things worked. She had done a lot of behind-the-scenes stuff with Sedona like dress shopping and packaging up wedding invites, but as the wedding date approached, she knew they needed help ensuring the property was in perfect condition for the ceremony. Sedona and Eagle had decided to get married in an intimate setting at Beau’s house where they got engaged. Sedona had a fairly specific vision and everyone was working round the clock to get it perfect for her.
Lexie knew Nav was working this weekend. Despite wanting nothing to do with him, she remembered the schedule he told her and made sure to check and double-check so she wouldn’t be surprised with a random run-in at the cabin.
The headphones in her ears were blaring her most recent Spotify playlist which consisted of country, acoustic jams, and a little rap. She pushed the wheelbarrow up to the top of the hill and around the front of the house until she landed on the concrete driveway dumping the contents into the massive pile of brush Beau had been collecting from all the trimming and replanting they had been doing over the summer in preparation for the wedding. This was her final load for the day before driving straight to Belle Fleur to meet the girls to help Sedona and Avanna with the place settings and table decor for the reception. She swiped her hands down the front of her pants, hoping to lessen the amount of dirt being transferred back into her car, but realized her efforts were futile as she was covered from head to toe. She plucked the headphones out of her ears and the sounds of nature surrounded her. She enjoyed the calmness that came with being out of town, but it also gave her mind too much room to think, so she preferred the loud music flowing through her Airpods. She lowered herself into the car and backed down the driveway, heading straight to the pottery shop.
After her assault a few years ago, Avanna and Payson had completely renovated the building. Lexie stepped through the front door of the shop as a loud bell echoed around her--another safety precaution they had installed. The bell sounded in each room of the shop, including the back and the upstairs lofted apartment, which was currently vacant.
“Hellooo,” Lexie called out in a sing-song.
“Yeah, hey! Back here!” someone called out. She nodded to herself and pushed the black curtain to the side as she stepped through. Part of the renovation included transforming the back room, which had once just been storage for Avanna’s business. Now, it was a functional hang out spot to include a couch, several chairs, a TV, and lighting above. As she entered the room, Avanna, Sedona, and Kennedy turned to face her with smiles across their faces.
She smiled back and lifted her hand in a wave as she approached the group. Lined up on the table in front of the girls were rows and rows of stemless wine glasses glazed in muted shades of tan, blue, and red, giving homage to the night Sedona and Eagle got engaged.
“Damn, Avanna, these are amazing!” Lexie yelled out as she reached to pick one of the glasses up. Lexie ran her finger down the side of the glass, allowing her fingers to dip in and out of the carvings along the side. “You carved each of these by hand?” She asked.
Avanna beamed with pride. “Yes, each and every one of them was carved with love. All seventy-five! As well as the ten centerpiece vases,” she said as she swung around, picking up a tall vase with just as much detail as the glasses. Lexie couldn’t believe the talent and patience it took to create such masterpieces. Lexie didn’t have the creative gene, and she always wished she did, because being an elementary school teacher meant lots of arts and crafts. She always just borrowed ideas from the internet or her colleagues. Lexie rested the glass back on the table to join the others and then peeled her head up to look at Sedona.
“I got the rest of the brush taken care of at Beau’s. He’ll just have to make sure he does yard work and keeps up on the weeds until the wedding.” Sedona nodded at Lexie and reached in for a hug. Lexie resisted slightly because she was filthy, but Sedona just pulled her closer.
“Thank you so much for all your work out there. I believe Eagle hired someone to maintain the yard for the rest of the summer leading up to the wedding,” Sedona said as she sipped on her wine. “I can’t believe the wedding will be here in just a few short weeks!” she squealed.
Lexie smiled and looked around the room. The back room had kind of turned into Sedona’s wedding space in an effort to keep things out of her house and in one location. She walked away from her friends and toward the table placed behind the couch. There were signs, picture frames, silverware, and lots and lots of shopping bags scattered across the table.
“So what did you need help with today?” she asked.
Sedona walked over beside her and stared at the mess before them. “Yeah, well honestly I don’t know. I’m overwhelmed with everything over here,” she chuckled nervously. “I haven’t gone through any of this in weeks.”
Just as Lexie was about to say she would help Sedona organize everything, a loud crash sounded from the loft, and Lexie’s eyes flung to the now open door with none other than Nav Thomas staring back at her. She was speechless, as was he. Avanna stepped in between them and hollered up the stairs at him.
“Do you need help with something, Nav?”
He shook his head and stuttered his steps as he turned back into the apartment and shut the door behind him. Lexie lowered her eyes to meet the back of Avanna’s head. She could feel the other girls staring at Lexie, waiting for her to say something. Avanna spun slowly on her heels and faced Lexie with a perplexed look.
“Okay, so maybe we should talk up front,” Avanna said as she nodded her head toward the front of the store. Lexie narrowed her eyes and followed behind her. Avanna stepped up front and cleared the curtain for Lexie to walk through. “I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you.”
Lexie narrowed her eyes and leaned against the countertop. “Tell me what, exactly? Please for the love of all that is holy...PLEASE tell me he didn’t move into the loft with Victoria. Please tell me I don’t need to leave Otsego,” she said with a nervous chuckle. While she could laugh at the hilarity of the thought, she did not want to leave Otsego. This was her home and she wasn’t going to be driven out by her asshole ex-boyfriend and his bitch of a girlfriend.
“Oh God no! I guess I kind of assumed you knew what was going on...that is until I saw the look on your face just now. You had no idea he moved back to Otsego?”
Lexie’s mouth dropped open. “I’m sorry... Moved back to Otsego?”
“Yeah... He’s been here for a few weeks.”
“How the hell haven’t I run into him then? We live in the same community and I haven’t seen him?” Lexie shook her head, not believing it.
“Well, he was still working in Etville so he wasn’t really around much. He got a job here in town that he starts next week. You should really just talk to him about everything.”
Lexie shook her head. “Nah, it’s fine. We’re adults. I don’t need to hash anything out.”
“Well, I will tell you that he left Etville to distance himself from Victoria. Everything that happened at the airport... Nav was not a voluntary participant in her crazy antics, and I know you don’t want to talk about it or hear anyone talk about it, but that’s the damn truth and as one of your best friends I really think you need to talk with him. At least clear the air. You guys split off in college and had this huge misunderstanding between one another for years. I know you both regret how things ended the first time. Don’t let them end that way again.”
Lexie dropped her shoulders and stared up at the ceiling, willing herself not to cry. Talking about, thinking about, adreaming about Nav just brought all the emotions back and she didn’t want to work through them. She didn’t want to have to deal with any of it, so she just pushed it all away, secluding herself and avoiding the heartbreak.
