AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I watch the people around me and finally rejoice, possibly praising Jesus, when it’s finally my turn to check out. The cashier is nice, smiling as she scans each bag. I may have gone overboard. Whatever doesn’t hit the kids’ buckets is going to work with Noah and Abel; this is not staying at my house. If it does…I’ll be in trouble. As it is, I feel like I’ve been doing nothing but eating, eating, and snacking all the time. To the point where I feel gross and pukey every night. Guess that’s my body’s way of saying “Slow ya roll, heffa.”
Noah won’t care if I gain twenty pounds. Thirty, hell, even a hundred. But I will. I am finally in a place where I am comfortable with myself after years of bad thoughts. I love myself fully. I have Noah to thank for scaring away my insecurities. He really is the best.
I love him so much. I love beinghis. Glancing at my ring, I can’t hold back my smile. For the last six months, I have been Mrs. Noah Lawson. Life as a married woman has been great so far. He gave me the dream honeymoon where we christened a lot of places that may never be the same again. Got to explore a country that has always been on my bucket list. I mean, I got to see waterfalls, kiss the Blarney Stone…and let me tell you, hanging upside down, even with people holding my legs, to kiss a rock—it was scary as shit, but I did it.
So far the luck is running pretty green and plentiful here.
Don’t get me wrong, marriage isn't all sunshine and roses. We’ve had a few spats, all of which ended quickly. And let me tell you something; listen good now. They ended as all spats with your significant other should…with hot, sweaty make-up sex.
At least for us because they were just stupid spats. Someone was grumpy, and it came out. It’s allowed and expected. Little things that I got overly emotional about. Him leaving his shoes in the doorway last week so my clumsy ass could trip over them. He’d worked a double shift, was bone tired, and barely made it in the house. I should have been looking where I was going. In hindsight, it wasn’t a big deal. He came home after a shift; that is what is important.
Our fight this week was no better. It was totally my fault as well. I overreacted to a random message I saw pop up on his phone screen. It was from someone named Rose asking him to come over. Yeah, I let my mind play games only to find out it was a message from an eighty-four-year-old neighbor who was hearing weird noises in her attic. She was calling for him to check it out. Something she has done a time or three already.
I felt so bad that I made her two dozen cookies and him a pan of his favorite chocolate chip muffins. Why did I make her cookies? Because I made an ass out of myself and needed to fix it. Even if she didn’t know we’d had a fight. I'm a bit special like that.
I’d gone over to deliver her cookies and found her on her porch, rocking in her chair, a frown on her face. Her husband has been gone for about ten years now. She was understandably upset that she wasn’t able to get up there in the attic herself to see what the noise was. She was too fragile to climb the stairs, and her health wasn’t great.
We’d sat and talked, my heart breaking for her, and yet, I admired the hell out of her. Mrs. Rose was a damn fine woman. And the stories she told, I almost peed myself more than once laughing like a crazy person. Her kids were grown, grandkids were grown, and she was anxiously waiting for a visit to meet her first great-great grandbaby. To know you have had a long, love-filled life is an amazing thought. I can only hope to have half the stories she does at her age.
I also made a mental note to bring Brenna with me next time. She would love her too.
Noah finally found the noise makers in the attic. It was a pair of kittens that were apparently born up there. It seems the mama cat came in an open window. The mama was nowhere to be found now though. There was no sign of her anywhere. God only knew where she went and how long ago it was.
Mrs. Rose was not able to keep them and to be honest, I got it. They would be a lot of work for her. And as she put it, her budget was limited as it was; she didn’t need more mouths to feed.
There was no way I was turning them over to a shelter or being one of those asshole people that just chucks them into a ditch somewhere. Noah too agreed that we would take them. First stop was the vet, and sadly one kitten didn’t make it.
The female, who is a white and gray tabby, is thriving. She enjoys warm baths, so far anyway. Loves warm milk and her daddy. If Noah is home, I mean nothing. It's precious. When he isn’t home, I get her all to myself. She’s a love bug for sure.
Grinning, I grab my bags and head out of the store. And of course, it’s freaking wet outside. Tonight the ghouls, goblins, and vampires will be strolling the streets for their bounties, rain or shine. We will have plenty. Brenna and I will be handing out candy as the guys cook us burgers on the grill out back. There are enough chips, popcorn, and cookies to choke a small town, but this is the best holiday for Brenna and me, next to Christmas. We all know I go hard for that one.
Spooky movies and our very own heroes to save us from the dark. We will be watching Halloween, Halloween 2, Halloween the newest remake, Halloween Kills, and Halloween Ends. It’s the Halloween marathon that started in our childhood. It will never die out either.
I’m so ready. I already know Brenna and Abel are going to do their level best to scare me so bad, I pee myself. If they do, I have my revenge planned already. I bought a can of itching powder, and I’m not afraid to use it.
When I get back to the house, I watch the front door open, and a darting ball of fur comes racing out to greet me, barking. “Hey, buddy.” I scratch behind Hippie’s ears and grin when Brenna comes out.
“What took so long, heffa? I was getting worried.”
“Everybody and their great-grandma was there. I should have gone sooner, but this weekend was too busy.”
“We brought over five big bags. We had it covered.”
“I appreciate that.” I hug her, then we go inside. “I just had to make sure ya know. Last year we missed the opportunity, and I want to make up for it.” I laugh at myself and drop the bags on the counter.
“Where is my little Sammy Bell?” I ask.
“Over there on the dog bed. She has claimed it. Hippie just sits there staring at her then looks at us for help,” Brenna laughs.
“Aw, Hippie, you can share with her. She’s little. She doesn’t take up any room.”
“I’ve never seen a kitten not scared of a dog a thousand times her size.”
I snort. “Me neither, but she seems fearless. She cried the other night because Noah put her out of the bathroom. She kept walking into the shower, and he was afraid he’d squish her.”
“At least she’ll be clean.”
“Right? But she wasn’t getting wet. You know we took that stupid door down so there is just a curtain. She sits right on the edge and watches with her head between the curtain and the wall. Probably judging my cellulite and fat roll.”
