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“Are you sure you want to do this?” West asks from across the table.
I nod down at the Formica, taking a moment before letting my eyes meet his. “Yes. All I care about is that you keep the name, and of course, the integrity.”
“Done,” he assures me, tapping a finger on the stack of papers between us. “It’s all right here in the contract.
“Thanks,” I murmur, trying not to let the sentiments of this moment get the best of me. I was hyper focused on making sure Pops’ shop would be okay, that it would be taken care of. It didn’t occur to me until my most recent talk with my therapist that that didn’t mean it had to be me who did it. It’s enough for me to simply see to it. And I know Pops would be happy with the hands his business is being left in, and how it’s being run. “Are you sure you want to do this?” I cock a brow at West, trying to shake off the heavy emotions.
He nods thoughtfully for a moment before speaking. “Yeah. I never thought I’d find myself in a middle of nowhere town like this, but…” he draws in a breath while looking around the rest of the diner and out the windows to the quiet streets, as if seeing it all for the first time. “But I find myself liking this. The people here, and the work, have made me realize I don’t need to live large to make something of myself.”
The truth of his words settle over me. Pops never left this little town, and all he did was run his auto shop, raise my miserable ass, and volunteer for the fire station on occasion. Yet the way I saw it, he did everything.
“No truer words,” I agree as I take the last cold sip of my coffee and slide out of the booth.
West nods, while following suit. “So… what are you going to do now?” he asks as I fold up his check and secure it in my wallet.
My answer may not be funny, but I can’t help a sheepish chuckle to ward off the nerves and the shame. “I’m going to go try and win my wife back with a rather large present,” I admit, and his head jerks back a little.
“Wow…” His eyebrows go up in a manner that I can’t decide suggests he’s impressed or thinks I’m out of my damn mind. “Well, good luck with that.”
* * *
Luna
A senseof pride and satisfaction beams and pulses through me as I finish the last few strokes of paint on my jewelry dish with my detail brush. I can’t get over the detail it turned out I was capable of.
For the last three months, I’ve been hardcore focused, intent on overcoming this particular Everest in my life, and it’s been therapeutic. Something about conquering pottery has made me feel some kind of freedom.
Straightening up, I take in my new masterpiece which isn’t my first, but I’m just as proud of it as I was the one I handed in last week, where my teacher told me I’d finally gotten it right. This piece is smooth and flawless where it’s supposed to be, and imperfect towards the top of the curve where the oceans wave is cresting, creating a jumble of cascading water with an edge of foam.
A tap at the door makes me turn in that direction. I have a feeling I know who it is, but my past experience won’t let me leave the door unlocked and just holler to whoever to show themselves in. Looking through the peephole, I scoff out a sigh and smile as I unlock the door.
“You have a key, you don’t have to knock,” I say to Cassidy as I stand aside to let her in. “Besides, this is your place,” I point out.
“Not for the last three months, it hasn’t been.” She waves a finger over her shoulder as she strolls in with a bounce in her step.
“Yuh huh,” I throw back as I return the lock and follow her further inside. “Just because I’ve been staying here, doesn’t mean it’s not still yours, plus,” I raise a finger to make a point, “it’s about to be again in a few short days.”
The lease on my old studio – AKA, my personal house of horrors – is finally up, which means Cass can move back in here, but it’s a crowded one-bedroom place, so I’m going to have to find somewhere else. The semester concludes on Friday, and while I qualify for an Associate’s degree, I want to keep going. I feel like I’ve hit my niche here, and I feel like I could take it further.
“Okay, fine,” she agrees. “But I don’t think you should go rushing off to your parents for the summer, just because you don’t have another place lined up. It’s going to be hard to look for apartments from there. You should just stay with me. I know it will be a tight squeeze, but it will just be until you find somewhere.”
“Mmmh,” I grunt, knowing I’ll probably give in eventually. “I’ve put you out enough.”
“Oooh, what’s this?” Cassidy asks with enthusiasm as she finds my new pottery piece, drying on its drop cloth on the table. “Oh my God, you’ve really harnessed the beast here, Loon.” She turns and winks at me.
“Thank you, but please don’t call me Tim Dennings nickname for me in middle school. It burns.”
“I mean it, you’ve mastered it. It’s the perfect, uh… it’s just a beautiful…”
“Jewelry dish,” I fill in for her.
“What a beautiful moon,” she continues, and I feel my brows stitch inward. “Except what’s the bumpy stuff on top of it?”
“It’s not a moon, it’s a wave,” I correct her and I watch her eyes narrow and her lips part as she looks back to examine it again as I start fiddling with my left ring finger. Even though there’s no ring to twist around it now, the habit seems to be dying hard.
“Oh…” Cassidy says flatly. “Oh okay, I see it now.”
“No, Cass, come on…” I start to whine just a little in dismay. “I worked so hard on this and was so happy with how it came out. Do you really see a moon and not a wave?” I ask desperately.
