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Her eyes became teary, “Oh God, you’d think after crying for hours, you’d have nothing left to shed.” She grabbed a tissue from the nearby kitchen island. “I’ve talked to his brother, but didn’t have the courage to call his sister after hearing Jack crying on the phone.” She started to sob again, her shoulders jerking with every breath.
I came around the island and wrapped my arms around her in a tight hug, she accepted, putting her hands on my arm and squeezing it gently. This was heartbreaking to watch, and I didn’t know the proper way to behave or what to say. I guessed no one truly knew.
“You know, he really loved you and Hunter. He viewed you both as our bonus babies. After our Alfey passed, you two were the highlight of our summers.” She said while soothing my tears. “He always thought you two would find each other. He even said it when you were kids… a spark is a spark.”
It shocked me to think that Pap thought we would end up together. “Really? He warned me off him a little while back.” I confessed while she held me close.
“Oh, sweetheart… The first rule of parenting is that your child will want to do the exact opposite of what you want them to do.” she chuckled a little before she peered up toward the ceiling, “Malcolm could be a little mischievous at times.” A soft chuckle left her lips before I felt the sleeve of my shirt wet with her tears.
A few moments later, she let me go, “You make the coffee, and I will fire up the stove. It won't be anything special, just some eggs, bacon, and toast.” To her, that didn’t seem like a lot, but for someone who spent her entire life feeling like a burden, it was phenomenal. My life hadn't always been rainbows and sunshine, it was rough, I appreciated having Pap and Mary as a second family. Mary truly was a natural nurturer. It’s so sad that she never got to have the large family that she deserved. I was sure being married to Pap was a big job in itself.
The perking sound of the coffee brewing, the sizzle of the skillet, and the popping of the toaster sounded busy, but Mary made it look effortless. She flowed through the kitchen naturally, like water flowing down a stream. She was in her element, and I was certain it would taste like a dream. She found her sparkle in life.
I felt my sparkle in the garage, with a wrench in my hand and grease on my coveralls, The smell of oil in the air. The power tools revving in the background. However, the best part of it all was when I popped the clutch and listened to the engine roar after I diagnosed and fixed the problem. I’ve rebuilt over thirty bikes on my own for a hefty profit. I made a name for myself back home, but the weasel I allowed between my legs ruined the reputation that took me years to obtain. That won’t ever happen again, well it didn't seem like it when the banker refused to help me out.
My phone lit up on the island counter and a text from Hunt appeared on the screen.
Morning beautiful, did you want to grab coffee?
It’s ridiculous how much that one little sentence sent butterflies to flight in my stomach and made my melancholy mood change to giddy. I couldn’t hide my smile, Mary took notice, while I stared at my phone like it was a treasure.
“Just tell Hunter to get his butt over here. I’ll cook up some more eggs.” She chuckled.
I felt my face flush and I peered at her under my lashes. “How did you know?” I asked, completely embarrassed that it was so obvious.
“I’ve been in love before.” Those words should’ve freaked me out, but oddly enough they didn’t.
Come on over…
Not even ten minutes go by before Hunt entered the house like it was his home. Maybe it was in some way, Pap had told me many stories about how proud he was of Hunt. It was heartwarming to know that Pap was still able to be a father figure to someone like Hunt who didn’t have such a great bond with his own father.
“Smells good in here,” Hunt beamed in our direction.
Mary smiled, “take a seat my handsome man, plenty for all of us.”
It felt good being surrounded by them, it truly felt like home, I wouldn’t trade it for anything else in the world.
Hunter sat next to me, I felt his hand rubbing my back like it was a natural gesture. I watched him interact with Mary and take a few bites in between pauses. This man was truly a work of art to watch. After some inspection, I noticed he had a little freckle on the back of his neck which made me want to kiss it. This one small freckle captivated my attention until I noticed Mary peer back at me. I returned my eyes to my plate and tried not to show my embarrassment, even though I felt my face warm under my blush.
I took a few bites myself and couldn't keep up with their conversation, instead I kept staring at the way he moved, the way he spoke, the way he ate. I was sure people would think I was crazy for even thinking these things. However, I didn’t care, he truly was beautiful.
Once everyone had enjoyed their breakfast, I helped out Mary do the dishes. Surprisingly, Hunt jumped in to help bring the dishes to the sink and wash the counter. Every chance he got, he purposely made sure our arms or hands brushed. The tingles from every touch made me realize how much he meant to me.
No matter how much I admired him, my insecurities decided to creep in and cause me to doubt what I felt. My heart betrayed me before and I was afraid it would again. Would he ever betray me like my ex? What’s in it for him to be with someone like me?
When the kitchen was spotless, Hunt made his way to me, “Is everything all right?” My phone pinged again. It was Kara. I excused myself a moment to call her back.
“Hey, is everything all right?” I asked before even saying hello. Kara sounded frantic and blurted out the one thing I never thought that I would hear from her.
“Gin, I fucked up. I’m sorry. I fucked up really good this time.” Kara was crying over the phone, her voice thick with tears, “Adam found me.”
“My Adam?” I asked not understanding why he found her or why she seemed upset.
A tremble in her voice let me know she was serious, “Yes…we umm…we met at the bar last week and while you were having your fun with Hunt, I was with him. I didn’t know he was…your Adam until afterward. He fed me some sob story that you stole all his money, and he just wanted his share of the money back. He told me that he had fallen in love with me. He said he wanted to run away with me, but he needed his money.” She paused again, catching her breath. “I took your wallet and emptied your account. I tried to return your wallet to the truck, but you would notice, so I put it in the saddlebags of your bike. I’m so sorry Gin. I’m an awful friend, but if it makes you feel any better, the douchebag left me high and dry, not before calling me a stupid whore though.”
I didn’t even know how to respond, this was Kara she deserved a response, “thanks for your honesty, but stay the fuck away from me. Do you understand?”
Her voice was tender, she whispered, “I do.” I hung up the phone on our friendship. I turned around, Hunt looked concerned. He must have noticed my facial expressions. My mood changed throughout cleaning the kitchen. I didn’t need to worry about him with my troubles. They were all mine.
