“Why don’t you sit down and have a cup of tea with me?” I reluctantly follow Laura into the kitchen and grab the tea while she pulls down some coffee mugs. She starts some water on the stove, and I narrow my eyes when I see her hands shake. Has she had a bad day at the ER?
“Laura, what is it?” I put a hand on her shoulder as she stands at the stove, and watch her eyes start to brim. I know I haven’t been home a lot lately, and when I am I’m busy with studying for finals. I can’t imagine what’s making her this upset.
“Let’s have a few cookies with our tea, too.” She ignores my question and struggles to get a package of chocolate chip cookies down from the cupboard. I feel my heart sink. Whenever Laura eats chocolate chip cookies, it’s bad, whatever it is.
When our tea is finally fixed, and we’re both sitting down at the kitchen table, I hear Jim upstairs. I wonder if he’s being inconspicuous for a reason. And then Laura starts in with a forlorn expression on her face.
“You’re going to be eighteen in two weeks, and graduated from high school next Friday. Emily, Jim and I want you to know that you don’t have to move in with someone else! You can stay here. You’re family to us.” She stops on a sniffle, and I blink a few times as I try to comprehend what she’s saying. She thinks I’m moving out?
“What gave you the idea I was moving out? I mean, if you guys didn’t want me here I would leave, but I’m not going anywhere right now.” I reach a hand across the table, and I’m reminded of when Mason took my hand at the diner. Of course! That’s what this is about!
“You’ve been spending so much time with this boy, Mason. And while Jim and I like him very much from what we’ve seen, we feel it’s too soon for you to be thinking about moving in with him. You’re helping him with his house, and I see the way that boy looks at you!” I feel a smile coming over my face as I look Laura’s crow’s feet around her eyes. Her hand is warm in mine, and she squeezes my fingers as she smiles back at me.
“I don’t know what I’ll say when I’m eighteen, but I can tell you that today I’m not moving in with Mason. For all I know, tomorrow we’ll break up and never see each other again.” I don’t feel like it’s a good time to tell her about the fact that I just agreed to go into a business venture with him this summer.
“Good, good.” There’s an air that seems to dissipate around us as we move onto a lighter subject, at least it’s lighter for Laura. “I know you’ve been saving up for college, but Jim and I would like to contribute to your fund.” I’m never good at taking handouts, and this feels too much like one.
“No, that’s alright. I have enough to get started, and the rest of the expenses I can cover with student loans. I’ll be fine.” I tell her this with a smile on my face, all the while thinking about the fact that I’ve just agreed to go into business with Mason. My life is getting more hectic each minute.
“No, we’ve been saving ever since you came to our home. And we’ve agreed that we’ll double whatever you have saved up as long as you promise to use the money for college.” I blow out my cheeks with air as I look down at the table. Laura has withdrawn her hand and sips her tea. I put my hands around my own mug as I stare at the tea.
“I’ve saved a lot,” I tell her hesitantly. Neither one of them know how much is in the account I have. If they knew, I don’t think they would be offering to double it.
“I know, you’re a very responsible young woman Emily. So how much is it?” Laura bites into a cookie and I choose to tell her the number after she’s swallowed. I don’t know how to do the Heimlich maneuver, and I don’t feel like learning now.
“A little over seventeen thousand.” I have to hand it to her, Laura keeps a straight face as she takes that in. She even dips her cookie back into her tea and chews thoughtfully.
“You earned all of that just from doing those gigs online for programming?” I smile at her and keep my mouth shut. I’ve been up late into the wee hours of the morning sometimes doing those gigs, and I’m sure that they wouldn’t approve of me taking so much time to make money. I’m sure that Jim and Laura would have tried to send me to college if I didn’t have any money. “So are you going to college for programming then?” Oh no, here comes the college discussions and the parenting time. As much as I don’t want it to, it hurts that I’m having this talk with Laura and not my own mother.
“No, I think I’m going to try out for being a vet technician.” A knowing look comes over Laura’s face.
“This isn’t about that boy, is it?” I shake my head. Even though Mason has played a large part in my life for the past month, the choice to be a veterinary technician came to me all on its own. “Then we’ll put the money into your account on Monday.” We finish our tea and talk about more mundane things, such as the fact that Mason had his home inspected and that I’ll be helping him out this weekend with the project. Laura doesn’t put in her two cents either way on that, and I can tell that she’s nervous I’m moving too fast with Mason. I’m worried too.
Mason
It’s not the sound of my alarm clock that wakes me up. It’s Baby stuffing her nose in my face to let me know that she has to go out and pee. I roll over and pull a pillow over my head instinctually, and then when she actually starts whining I rise out of bed like a zombie. I know my hair is a disaster, but I stumble down the steps in my boxers anyway to let Baby out so she can do her business. Mr. Yesim waves to me as he walks past my home and I wave back to him. Soon I won’t be seeing anyone’s familiar face in the morning. Perhaps in a few months I’ll get to see the only one that matters next to me in the morning.
As I’m daydreaming about Emily’s face in the morning, Baby brushes past me with dew on her feet and tracks mud through the house. I manage to grab her before she does any damage to the living room carpet, and haul her back out to the kitchen to wipe her paws. Then I spend the next ten minutes scrubbing at the tile in the kitchen and the foyer.
My routine on a Saturday morning used to be waking up and playing a video game just like my brother. Or it would entail studying for college when I was attending. Now it includes me jumping into a cold shower to wake me up, feeding Baby, and getting us both ready to go over and pick up Emily.
She’s not in a sundress today, but there is still the same effect as yesterday. I quirk an eyebrow at the rip in her jeans and wonder just how long she’s had that pair. But I suppose after seeing the house a week ago, she’s now prepared to get dirty today.
“So the hardware store first? I made a list last night.” She pulls a piece of notebook paper from her back pocket, and I stare at the long list. This is going to be more expensive and involved than I thought.
“Please tell me that’s for the entire restoration.” She smiles at me and nudges my shoulder with her fist. My stomach does flip flops, and I’m not sure how to feel.
Apparently the cashier at the hardware store outside of town doesn’t know how to feel about our enormous purchase either. She gives me a pitying look as I stand by and watch her ring up the paint, tape, cleaners, rags, brushes, rolls, and numerous other things I’m not sure why we need them. Then as the bill comes onto the little LCD display, I almost choke. I still hand over my bank card and let her swipe it. The entire experience seems like it’s happening to someone else as I float out to my car. It barely all fits.
That day we manage to get the floors, walls, and ceilings all cleaned. Emily then starts in on the kitchen as I go down into the basement to clean. It takes us ten hours of intense scrubbing to get those two areas done, and Emily is complaining that she’s still not finished by the end of the day. There’s no talk on the way to the diner, and we eat outside because quite frankly, we both smell like mold, dirt, and grime.
On the way home, neither one of us talk. Emily keeps her hand in mine until I need to shift, but her hand is always where it was left. I pull up to her house, and she reaches for her door handle, but I keep my hand in hers. When she turns, I untangle our fingers and put my hands on either side of her face.
“Thank you,” I tell her before I kiss her deeply. I only pull back when I see Laura pull one of the curtains aside in the living room. Emily’s cheeks are thoroughly flushed by the time I let her go.
“You’re welcome. Same time tomorrow?”
“Yeah, same time. Maybe we’ll get the bathroom done tomorrow so we can use it before we come home.” Her cheeks flush even brighter, and I realize what that sounded like. But I don’t take it back. Emily gives Baby a small smile goodbye before she gets out of the car and practically bounces up the sidewalk. I’m glad I can put that lightness in her step with just a kiss. I try not to imagine what it will be like after other things.
“I’m in deep shit,” I whisper to Baby as I watch Emily go inside her home. Then I pull away from the curb and try not to think about the fact that I’ve already given away my heart to a girl that could easily change her mind.
That evening I play video games with my brother. He talks about a new girl he meant in school, and I keep my mouth shut about Emily. When I’m sure that she’s going to stick around, maybe I’ll introduce her to the rest of my family. Until then, I’ll refrain from going any further than kissing with her. She hasn’t mentioned past boyfriends, so I’m assuming that this is the first time she’s been involved with a guy.
The next morning I follow the previous morning’s routine, and smile when Emily walks down her sidewalk towards my car. She has her hair up again and a bag in her hands. I can only assume it’s a change of clothes, and I wonder if she really thinks what I may have implied yesterday will come true. If I have anything to say about it, it won’t. Not today anyway.
We do manage to get the bathroom done, and everything seems to be in working condition. So I let Emily take a shower first and settle myself on the front porch as Baby flounces around with a ball in her mouth. Occasionally she brings it to me so that I can throw it, but mostly she seems content just chewing the thing to bits. I’m going to be spending a fortune on tennis balls.
After I’m done showering, we stop in at the usual spot. Then I take Emily home and tell her to text me about lunch or dinner tomorrow. Laura waits by the front door, so I only give Emily a quick kiss before she goes. I don’t want to embarrass her in front of Laura, and I have a feeling that woman isn’t too fond of me hanging around so much lately.
That evening I go online and look up contractors that might be willing to do some quick work on my mother’s old home before Emily’s birthday. Then I fall into bed like I’ll never rise again, and wonder how work is going to pan out tomorrow if I’m walking around with bags under my eyes. I imagine it’ll be rough, but it’s worth it.
When I get up in the morning, there’s a text from Emily on my phone.
Laura and Jim want to know if you’ll be joining us for dinner Friday. It’s my graduation.
I grin to myself. I’m sure that Laura and Jim did not have that idea in mind, but a certain someone did. I text her back that I’ll be there, and for her to let me know where we’re going. I don’t want to show up at a formal dinner with jeans and a t-shirt on.
That afternoon at lunch, Emily tells me about the five-star restaurant her adopted folks will be taking her to. I almost choke on my half a meatball sub and wonder how far my part of the bill will set me back with my house project. Then I see my girlfriend’s bright smile, and the money is forgotten about. It doesn’t matter, as long as I’m there to celebrate one of the most important days of her life.
Chapter Fifteen
Emily
It’s been two hours since I received the diploma. Walking down an aisle with people I never meant face to face was a little strange, but overall it was a great experience. I still can’t stop touching that piece of paper, and wondering if it’s real. Of course there was an ache in my chest as I accepted my diploma, but it wasn’t anything more than that. I can’t say that I’ve moved past my mother’s death, but I’ve learned to focus on what is going on around me that is positive rather than the negative.
I didn’t go to prom, so this kind of feels like I’m getting ready for a similar event. Laura sits me down in a chair from the kitchen and starts curling my hair gently. There is a lot of primping involved and a few tears as Laura talks about how far I’ve come since they took me in. When she starts to say how proud they are of me, I even feel tears starting to develop in my own eyes.
The doorbell rings just as I’m slipping into the little black dress that Laura helped me pick out yesterday, and I hear Jim answer it. There’s only one person that could be, so I slip on my shoes as fast as I can and hobble down the hallway. Making it down the steps is another ball game entirely, and I almost twist my ankle a few times as I try to catch a glimpse of Mason before he sees me.
He’s wearing an actual suit and tie with his hair up in the usual messy spikes. I’m glad he didn’t compromise on the hair because I really like it that way. As usual, Mason’s green eyes make my stomach do flip flops when he actually looks over at me. I see the appreciation dawn on his face immediately, but he tries to school it so that he’s not provoking Jim. When my adopted father actually turns around to look at me, I see a different appreciation in his eyes. It’s at that moment I realize that Jim and Laura see me as their daughter, and not just some stray they picked up at the orphanage.
“You look beautiful.” Jim keeps me at arm’s length as he looks me up and down, smiling the entire time. Laura is pulling on her heel as she comes down the stairs. I see the same appreciation that Mason had in his eyes in Jim’s eyes when he sees his wife. And that’s when I make my escape to Mason’s side.
“Congratulations,” Mason tells me quietly as he hands over a little gift box. “You should open that later.” I furrow my brows and slip the little box into the tiny purse hanging off my shoulder, and we all agree that Mason and I will ride in the back of the Lexus.
Dinner is a joyous affair with a five course meal and coffee at the end to top it all off. It’s well past eleven at night when we’re finally on our way home. I insisted that Jim and Laura not get me anything for graduation or my birthday since they’ve doubled my college fund. But there’s still a gift card stuffed inside an actual card clutched in my hands.
Mason waits on the porch as my foster parents head inside the house, and then he puts his arm around my waist like always and leans down to give me a kiss. This one lasts much longer than any of the others, and by the time we’re finished I’m more than breathless. I’m actually dizzy.
“Goodnight,” he tells me.
“Goodnight.” I whisper back to him, and then I slip inside. I always thought that the girl leaning against the door after a guy kisses her goodnight was a cliché. And yet here I am with my back against the door as he walks down to the sidewalk to his Camaro and leaves.
I can hear Jim and Laura getting ready for bed upstairs, and the homely sounds comfort me as I pull off my shoes. The steps don’t creak as I walk up them, and I peel off my dress before I collapse into bed. I’ll worry about everything in the morning. Such as the fact that I haven’t applied to any colleges yet, and I’m not sure that I want to go to a brick and mortar college.
If I spend my money wisely and go to an online college, then I can help Mason out more with his rescue. I idly wonder what he’s going to call it as I drift off to sleep. Maybe he’ll call it Barn Rescue or something cute like that, or maybe he’ll call it Mason’s Animal Rescue. I’ll have to ask him tomorrow when he comes to pick me…
The sound of my alarm clock wakes me, except the air in my room is freezing cold, and I can see my breath. I wonder if the heater broke last night and we’ve gotten a freak cold front when I pull the covers off me. It’s been a few weeks since I’ve dreamt about her, but here she is standing in the center of my room.
It’s not a pretty scene. My mother is standing with blood dripping down her front and off her fingertips onto the carpeting in my bedrooms. Tears are streaking down her face as she stares at me with her lifeless eyes, and I suddenly feel like I’m go
ing to be sick.
“Why weren’t you there?” I rage at her. My dead mother takes a step towards me with her hand slowly rising up as if she’s reaching out to me. I watch the blood drip down and feel my throat begin to convulse while I try to swallow. Why did I provoke her?
“Emily,” she whispers my name, and it bounces off the walls of my room. It’s like every surface the word hits pings the sound to my ears a hundred times louder until it’s nothing but her saying my name over and over again. Just as she’s about to touch me, I wake up with a cold sweat all over my body and my bedroom window open.
A cool breeze wafts over me as I look around my room. I’m standing instead of lying in my bed, and there are tears streaking down my face. I wipe at them and stare at the blackness of them. I forgot to take off my makeup last night. Swallowing the agonizing fear, I make my way to the bathroom in just my underwear and immediately turn on a hot shower.
My body shivers and quakes as I get under the water with my underwear still on. I lean my forehead against the tiles and try to keep the sobs from erupting. Managing to keep it quiet enough that Jim and Laura do not hear me, I peel off my wet clothes and finish up my shower. By the time I get out, I feel a little better about the nightmare.
But it’s really not the nightmare that’s killing me. It’s the fact that I woke up in a standing position, and I do not remember my bedroom window being open last night. How could I ever think that I might be able to have a future with Mason if I can’t even stay in bed at night? I pull a towel around myself and slip back into my room. Then I turn off the alarm clock that never had a chance to go off and grudgingly pull on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt.
I won’t go back on my deal with Mason, but it’s going to be awhile before I’m ready to move any further with him personally. Part of my mind worries that he might not wait for me, but who am I to get upset about that? Mason shouldn’t have to spend an undefinable amount of time waiting for me to get my head together.
Rescue (Emily and Mason) Page 12
