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Epilogue
1 year later… (Summer 2002)
Willow
I wish I could tell you that Russ and I had plans for the summer, but we don’t. We had everything planned out during Spring Break. He was going to pick me up, and we were going to the beach for the summer. Then his boss called…. It was like a cosmic moment where the universe basically gave a giant ‘fuck you’.
“I’m sorry babe. My boss asked me to teach summer school this year. I’ve been saving to buy a house, and I think he knows I need the money. I promise I’ll make it up to you.” After cursing to myself for a few hours, I told myself we’d make it work. We’ve been making it work for the last year, a few months wouldn’t change anything unless we let it.
“I understand,” I’d mumbled into the phone. We sat quiet for a few minutes before Russ broke the silence.
“How’s everything else?”
“School ends next week, and I might do a girls weekend with Aimee since I don’t have summer plans anymore,” I grumbled.
“That sound like fun.” I could tell he was trying to sound positive when all either of us wanted to do in the moment was pout. “I gotta go.” He sighed. “I promised Taco a walk, and he’s pacing by the door.”
“OK, love you,” I murmured.
“Love you, too.” I could tell he was smiling by the tone in his voice.
ooooooooo
“Before we take this trip, I think you should wash your clothes. You’re starting to run out of clean stuff, and no offense, but I don’t want to be stuck in a car for hours with you and your dirty clothes.” Aimee pointed to my pile of laundry on the floor.
I was lying across my bed, flipping through a magazine. “I know. I just haven’t felt like doing anything since Russ’s boss crashed our plans.”
“Well, I for one am looking forward to our road trip, so get on it.” She wagged her finger.
I reluctantly climbed off my bed. I tossed my clothes into a laundry bag, grabbed my basket and my Russ soap, and began the trek down to my car.
“Later.” Aimee waved, almost too happily.
I nodded, and then grumbled to myself for waiting too long and having so much to carry.
The drive wasn’t far, and when I pulled up, the place looked fairly empty. It was odd; most of the time the place was packed on the weekends. It was the first weekend of summer though, and I guess people were already vacationing.
I climbed out, and grabbed everything from the back seat. I had my head down, and wasn’t really paying attention as I flung the door open to go inside. If I’d been watching where I was going, I wouldn’t have crashed into the guy in the doorway.
“Oof! Sorry.” My head snapped up to see who I’d plowed into.
His bright eyes and smiling mouth shone down on me, lighting up my dark mood. “Hey.” He motioned for me to hand over the basket. “Looks like you could use some help. Why did you wait so long to wash these?”
“What are you doing here?” I blinked a few times to make sure this was real. “This was set up.” I came to that conclusion pretty quick.
“I came to see you, and to close on my house.” Russ shrugged. “I thought you might want to come with me to see it; that is, after we’re done here.”
“How far away is it?” I walked over to a washer, dumped some soap in, and was pulling garments from my bag.
“Just a few blocks.” He grinned wider.
“Wait.” I narrowed my eyes at him. “A few blocks? As in this neighborhood?” My head tipped to the side as I watched his expression go from smiling to unsure.
“Yeah. You have no idea how hard it has been to keep this from you.” He rubbed the back of his neck.
“But your job, everything about you is over an hour away.” I was confused.
“It was. Now it’s here.” He grimaced and bit his lip.
