The Milkman

by Tabatha Kiss

  “And whatever you do… don’t tell Jovie.”

  There’s a long, silent pause.

  “This isn’t going to get me killed, is it?” he finally asks.

  “No.” I chuckle. “I’m pretty sure it’s just my neck on the block.”

  “Okay. In that case, I’m all ears.”

  I take one more long stride away from the bedroom to be safe. “Is Jovie Watch still a thing?”

  Thirty-Nine

  Jovie

  Jovie.

  Wake up, Jovie.

  While I usually don’t take too kindly to those who dare wake me up from pleasant dreams, I’ll make an exception for Will Myers.

  Once or twice.

  “Hmm?” I murmur with eyes closed.

  I feel his hand on my shoulder, fingers soft and warm as they caress down to my wrist.

  “Wake up, please.”

  I force my eyes open to see him sitting on the edge of the bed beside me. He smiles at me with a steaming mug in his other hand.

  “Good morning,” he says.

  I push up onto my elbows and wipe the sleep from my eyelids. “Morning,” I say, yawning and glancing around. “What time is it?”

  He offers me the mug. “Just after eight.”

  I fidget with annoyance. “I told you I don’t have to work today.”

  He nods. “I know.”

  “Then why must you disturb my slumber before the realm of double digit time stamps?”

  Will holds his smirk and offers me the mug again. “I want to take a walk.”

  My gaze falls downward to his clothes. He’s fully dressed in a pair of black pants and a white, button-down shirt. Nice, slicked back hair. Handsome as ever.

  I roll up my nose in suspicion. “A walk?”

  “Yes. A walk,” he says.

  “A walk where?”

  “Okay, Jovie. I’m gonna put it this way.” He abandons the mug on the bedside table. “Get up. Get dressed. Drink all the coffee you need. We are ready for a walk and out the door in twenty minutes.”

  “Twenty minutes?”

  “Twenty minutes.”

  I open my mouth to argue but he’s already gone by the time I can get a word out. My nerves twist as I sit up and throw my feet onto the floor.

  “Uh-oh,” I say to myself.

  I reach for the coffee mug, unable to ignore the pleasant temptation despite the obvious strings attached to it.

  With my eyes closed, I enjoy the warm bliss for several quiet sips while I focus my hearing on Will’s scuttling feet as he wanders throughout the house.

  “Nineteen minutes!” he shouts.

  I flinch but I can’t help but laugh a little. One more big gulp and I’m refreshed enough to stand and make my way into the bathroom down the hall.

  I turn on the light and I pause, noticing the small stack of clothing sitting out on the counter. One of my white blouses lays on top of a black skirt, along with a clean bra and underwear rolled up inside.

  “Will?” I ask. “Did you lay out clothes for me?”

  “Eighteen and a half minutes!”

  Oh, my God.

  My instincts flick toward the bathroom window, desperate to escape from whatever the hell Will has planned but it doesn’t last for more than a second. That’s life with Will for you. I can always trust that he has my best interests at heart — no matter how strange or unusual his methods may be.

  Still a little unsettling, though…

  I give up all of my second thoughts and hop into the shower for a quick rinse off before getting dressed. Naturally, I go over his fixed time limit but he doesn’t seem to mind me taking a few extra minutes to dry and fix my hair.

  I step out into the hallway in my assigned clothes and Will stands there with a pair of my white sandals dangling from his fingers.

  I stare into his wicked eyes. “Are you going to tell me what’s going on?” I ask.

  He nods. “Of course.”

  I wait for him to go on but he says nothing more. “And?”

  He drops the sandals into my open hands. “Time to go.”

  I grab his hand as he twists away. “Wait. Hold on.” He turns back and I pull him down for a kiss. “You look nice,” I tell him as I admire his clothes.

  “So do you,” he says, glancing down to my bare ankles.

  “Why do we look nice?” I ask.

  He pecks my lips once and steps away. “Let’s go. Pip pip.”

  “Pip pip?” I repeat as I lean over to slip my sandals on. “When did you become a tiny, English school boy?”

  “Come on, Jovie.”

  I follow him to the living room where he stands by the door with one hand on the knob. “I’m just saying, I’ve known you since infancy and I’m ninety-nine percent sure I’ve never heard you say pip pip.”

  He sighs with loving impatience. “Jove…”

  I stop in front of him. “What’s really going on?”

  He lays a hand on my hip and drifts forward. “I’ll tell you soon,” he says as he leans over. His lips press harder into mine as he pulls me against him. I let my arms wrap loosely around his neck and he embraces me back for another kiss.

  “Will?” I ask.

  “Yes?”

  “Why do I feel like there’s a nice man outside in a white lab coat ready to take me to my new, padded-walled home?”

  He chuckles and twists the doorknob. “Because you’re crazy.”

  “Oh, right.” I nod.

  He moves to the side to let me walk out first. When I do, my eyes instantly rise to the sky as several white wisps catch my attention above our heads. There must be at least one hundred of them, all dangling from the tall tree branches in both directions up and down the street.

  It’s toilet paper.

  I laugh out loud. “Uh-oh. Someone Jovied First Street.”

  “Looks like.”

  “But what’s the occasion?”

  Will doesn’t answer. He takes my hand and steps off the porch, pulling me along with him in a light, but firm, grip.

  I look upward, watching the long ribbons of tissue sway gently in the wind above our heads. We start on the sidewalk but Will casually guides us into the empty street. I glance over my shoulder to make sure we’re in no danger of being run over while he stares straight ahead without worry as we walk toward the center of town.

  I fill my lungs with the cool breeze, feeling warm tickles trail from our clasped fingers all the way up through my shoulder blades. My lips curl. Who knew a stroll down an empty street surrounded by floating strands of toilet paper could feel so romantic?

  We pass by a house as the front door opens. A couple steps out, immediately followed by two young teenagers. Their mother waves at us with a wide grin on her face. I wave back, thinking nothing of it until I peek back over my shoulder again and notice several others walking along the sidewalks behind us.

  “Uh, Will. Are we being followed?”

  He scans around and shrugs. “Doubt it.”

  More doors open. More people walk out onto the sidewalks to head into town. Not a single one climbs into their cars to invade the empty street laid out in front of us. It’s like our own private, undisturbed walkway.

  “You sure about that?” I ask.

  “My bounty is as boundless as the sea,” he says. “My love is deep. The more I give to thee, the more I have, for both are infinite.”

  I stare hard at him. “What?”

  “You said that to me once.”

  “I did?”

  “Well, you read it out loud as Juliet.”

  “Oh…” The memories come back and I laugh. “Right. Mrs. Carter’s English class.”

  “For some reason,” he says, “out of all the lines in that play, that one still stands out to me the most. I’m pretty sure it’s because of how you said it.”

  “How did I say it?”

  Will pauses our stride and turns to me. “I remember looking over at you. Just by chance. My eyes left the page, fell on you instead,
and it’s like you felt it. Your voice stopped, you quit breathing, and you looked right at me as you read that line. My love is deep. The more I give to thee, the more I have, for both are infinite. Then… we just stared at each other for who knows how long until I realized that it was my line but then…”

  “The bell rang,” I say, reliving the moment with him.

  He smiles, pleased that I remember. “The next day, that moment had passed but I couldn’t get it out of my head. Almost like a part of me knew that it would be important someday.” He gives my hand a stronger squeeze. “My love for you is infinite, Jovie Ross. And that’s how I know you love me back because the more I give you, the more I have. My bounty is boundless.”

  I press my lips together, hoping to stop any of the tears threatening to spill over as even more people wander past us.

  “That’s really sweet, Will,” is all I can say.

  He smirks. “And here I thought you’d scold me for quoting stupid teenagers that got a bunch of people killed over a bout of puppy love.”

  I laugh. “I guess I’m growing soft.”

  He starts us forward again. “Works for me.”

  We round the block, leading directly into the town square and even more confusion sets in.

  First Street isn’t the only place that got hit with a Jovie last night. Toilet paper hangs down from the branches of the dozen trees throughout the square but no one seems to be angry or annoyed by it.

  Several rows of wooden folding chairs sit throughout the grass, hugging an empty aisle where all of the random neighborhood walkers have gathered — and not just from our street. I notice several groups traveling in from all corners with bright and happy smiles. A few look over at us and their smiles shift into knowing grins.

  Lucky’s set up a table for refreshments on the corner by the coffee shop, the only business that seems to be open.

  A group of musicians sit off to the side. I instantly recognize them and their instruments as the swing band we hired for the dance.

  As the crowd quietly settles into their chairs, I catch sight of Natalie and Tucker standing at the end of the aisle beneath a decorated altar. Sara and Andy are there, too, lingering near the front row with Rachel and Dave and…

  My father?

  “Will, what the hell is this?” I ask.

  “Our wedding.”

  My heart stops. “Our what?”

  He shifts around to stand in front of me. “Say what you will about Jovie Watch. They are very, very organized.”

  I blink. “Huh?”

  “Now, it’s not much but it’s actually really great for such short notice. The toilet paper is a nice touch. Not sure whose idea that was—”

  “You did this?”

  He nods. “I made the call. It was mostly Tucker that got the ball rolling but once he recruited Natalie, it was all over.”

  My jaw sags. “You want us to get married?”

  “Yes,” he answers.

  “Today?”

  “Right now.”

  I take a step backward but he counters with a quick forward stride.

  “Hold on, Will,” I say, extending my arms in a panic. “Don’t you think we should talk about this first?”

  “No.”

  Will lunges and takes hold of me, easily raising me off the ground and tossing me over his shoulder.

  “Will! No! Put me down!”

  He carries me down the long aisle. Those still standing there hurriedly bounce out of his path to take their seats. They all fall into gasps and whispers as I kick my legs and my cheeks explode with embarrassed heat.

  “Will!” I punch his back. “Are you crazy?!”

  “You sprang the engagement on me,” he argues. “It’s only fair that I get to spring the wedding on you.”

  “That’s not…” I sigh. “Okay, that’s a fair point, but… Will, come on. A document with an expiration date is one thing. This is something else.”

  “I thought you wanted to stay engaged.”

  “Uh-huh. Exactly. Engaged! Married ain’t engaged!”

  He sets me down beneath the altar and holds my shoulders while I gather my balance but he doesn’t let go.

  “How did you even do this?” I ask.

  “Nothing spreads faster in this town than tales of Will Myers and Jovie Ross,” he says.

  “And how many of them showed up just to see if I’d run away screaming?”

  “Most of them, probably.” His smirk travels up his cheek. “Just prove them wrong, Jove.”

  “So, you arranged a surprise wedding knowing full well how much I desperately want their approval, thus forcing me to go through with it or else tumble right back to square one.”

  “Yep,” he says.

  I shake my head. “Well played, Myers.”

  “And besides…” he gazes down at me with those deep, bright eyes, “if you do this, I might be compelled — as your new husband — to love, honor, and cherish you for as long as we both shall live.”

  My heart swells. “Now you’re just cheating.”

  Will shifts a little closer. “Either you love me enough to spend the rest of your life with me… or you don’t. I know where I stand on that. Where do you?”

  My eyes wander from his face to the crowd. There must be at least a hundred of them filling these chairs. Marv, Mr. and Mrs. Trin, teachers, old classmates, and neighbors. So many people, several of which attended that damn meeting just to vote me out of town, now sit here with smiling, welcoming eyes.

  This is it. This is the moment I always dreaded. Born in Clover, Kansas. Die in Clover, Kansas. Both equally as cringe-inducing before but now… I don’t know anymore. I thought living in Clover, Kansas would be just as awful but maybe not with Will by my side.

  I look at Hank again. He smiles in his own stern, hard-assed way. We still have a long way to go as father and daughter, there’s no denying that. He wasn’t much of a dad but I can’t say being a daughter was my best trait either. We’re willing to try but I can’t do that from anywhere but here.

  I turn back to Will, my eyes slowly trailing up to his loving, victorious eyes.

  Will Myers. My best friend. My oldest habit.

  Of course, I’ll spend the rest of my life with him.

  Natalie stands behind me with a wide grin and two bouquets of red roses. I twist toward her and extend a hand.

  “Just give me the damn flowers,” I say.

  She gleefully tosses me one. I catch it with quivering fingers, just barely hanging on as my nerves kick in and threaten to knock me over. The tension in the crowd shifts as they audibly exhale and sit back in the chairs, almost as if they’d all expected to tackle me as I hurled back down the aisle.

  Will extends his hand to me. I lay my palm in his and every ounce of fear and doubt in me melts away.

  “Dearly beloved.”

  I flinch as Coach Rogers’ voice booms in front of us. He stands at the altar in a black suit with a small notebook in his hands, reading aloud from it with a glorious smile on his face.

  I look at Will with confusion. “He’s ordained?” I whisper.

  He leans in. “Tucker asked Pastor Clark but he wouldn’t do it,” he murmurs. “Apparently, Mrs. Clark is still a little hung up on the whole George Washington thing. We had to improvise.”

  “Okay...”

  “But it’s all right.” He winks. “I had Tuck leave a little… you-know-what on their porch.”

  I bite my cheek to keep my laugh in. “God, you’re perfect.”

  He straightens back up with a deeper smirk.

  “I look at the two of you…” Coach continues, smiling at us, “and I’m reminded of a quote by the great Albert Einstein.”

  Will groans softly.

  Coach doesn’t seem to notice. “Insanity is doing the same thing, over and over again, but expecting different results.”

  The crowd chuckles behind us.

  “Really?” Will asks, his voice deadpan.

  Coach holds up a hand.
“Now, hear me out…” he says, unable to obscure the obvious grin in the corner of his mouth.

  Will rolls his amused eyes at me and I smile.

  “They don’t call this place The Forgotten Paradise for nothing,” Coach says. “Once you’ve achieved true societal bliss as we have, the last thing you want to do is mess it up so we have a certain way of doing things around here but you two know that. You were born here. You grew up here. And you spent countless hours of your youths rebelling against that very fact — Jovie, especially.”

  I scoff. “No, I didn’t.”

  “Yes, you did,” the crowd argues back.

  Will chuckles as I shut my mouth.

  “But…” Coach says, “when I say that the two of you remind me of the definition of insanity, I don’t mean what you think I mean.” He pauses. “I mean that maybe it’s time for Clover to change its ways.”

  I blink, staying silent while Will gives my hand a slight pulse.

  “We were… a tad hasty in our judgment of you, Jovie,” Coach says to me. “And I think I speak for most of us when I say that we’re sorry. We can — and should — do better. Having you back home is a challenge but a little challenge helps us grow, as William here as proven multiple times over. If, even after everything you’ve been through, he’s willing to bind himself to you like this, then… maybe it’s time we stop trying to keep everything the same as its always been and embrace the change a little wild card like you can bring to our community. Otherwise… we’d be living in insanity. Not paradise.”

  I clench my jaw to keep it from dropping, but mostly to stop my bottom lip from quivering. “Thank you,” I say.

  Will nods. “Good save, Coach.”

  Coach stands taller, looking smug as he rolls his shoulders back. “Now, are we exchanging rings?”

  I feel a rush of panic as if I forgot something but Will’s confidence never leaves his face.

  He turns toward the front row and gestures with one hand, prompting Andy to slide off Sara’s lap. He rushes over, nearly tripping on the pant legs of his little suit, but he stays on his feet all the way up to us. Will bends down to his level and several in the crowd audibly gasps and swoons as Andy drops two wedding bands into Will’s open palm.

  I realize my own mouth is wide open and I force it closed.