It took almost three weeks to get the sign done for Beth’s salon. I propped it against the wall and took several steps back. Yep. It looked good. I was sure Beth would like it. Jack, the guy I hired to hang it, would pick it up on Saturday and hang it on Sunday so it wouldn’t interfere with business hours. I usually left that part totally up to him but planned on being there to make sure it was perfect. I liked Beth. I wanted everything to be just right for her.
“Jodi?” Claire called down the stairs to me.
“Be right up.”
I found Claire in the kitchen pouring coffee into her travel mug. She had several, but this was one that she had purchased on a business trip to California. It was her favorite, and everyone in the house knew the rule was hands off. No one dared to touch it. There were several things in the house that had that rule attached to them. But it was understandable. Claire was six years older than me and had spent the majority of her life living alone. It was an adjustment to have a live-in partner with two kids. In order to preserve her sanity, I think it was important for her to stake her claim to her territory.
She turned toward me, cup in hand, screwing on the top. “I wanted to give you a kiss good-bye before I go to work,” she said.
I wrapped my arms around her and looked up into her eyes. That was the first thing that attracted me to her four years ago. Her eyes. Deep blue with a touch of gray in the middle and green around the edges. She kissed me once on the lips.
“Gotta go, babe,” she said, pulling away. “I’ll be home at the regular time.”
I resisted the urge to grab her ass as she walked toward the door. “Bye, honey. Have a good day.”
She gave a little wave and was gone.
“Bye,” I said to no one.
I proceeded up the stairs to get the kids ready for school. Once they were safely on their way to the bus stop, I went back downstairs. I wanted to check Beth’s sign one more time. I really wanted her to like it and was looking forward to seeing her when it was hung.
* * *
I woke with the sun, way before I really needed to be up. I was anxious to meet up with Jack and watch him hang Beth’s sign. I pulled the covers back gently so that I didn’t wake Claire and climbed out of bed. She lay totally uncovered in her short sleeve pajama top and yoga pants. She liked to keep the air conditioner on during the summer months and I found the nights too cold to sleep uncovered. It was only the beginning of June, so I knew I had many more cool nights ahead of me. I took a quick shower, dressed, and headed downstairs to make coffee. I let Tess out and got the paper from the end of the driveway while I waited for it brew.
I liked the quiet of a Sunday morning. It somehow felt more peaceful than the other days of the week. As a kid I was forced to go to church with my parents, but as an adult I leaned much more toward the spiritual side than the organized religion side. The only time you found me in a church was for a wedding or funeral.
Everyone in the house was still asleep as I put my feet up in the recliner, drinking my coffee and reading the paper. I was just finishing my second cup when Annie came down the stairs, hair a mess, sleep still evident in her voice and eyes.
“Hi, baby,” I said. I moved the paper off my lap and opened my arms.
She was getting a little too big to be doing it, and I knew she wouldn’t be doing it too many more times, but she curled up on my lap and let me wrap my arms around her. I kissed the top of her head and felt the warmth of her in my embrace. My little girl was growing up. The thought made me both proud and a little sad.
When she grew restless, we made our way into the kitchen and ate cereal together. I knew memories were made of the small things in life, and I filed this one away in my mind.
“Want to go with me today?”
“Where?” She poured more Kix into her bowl.
I told her about the sign and Beth’s salon. She thought about it for a minute. “If I don’t go can I have Marcy come over to play?”
“You’ll have to ask Claire when she gets up. If she says yes, then you guys need to play outside. It’s supposed to be a really nice day.”
“Deal.”
“And no fighting with your brother today while I’m gone.” Of all the things the kids did that got to me, fighting was the worst. It drove Claire even crazier than it drove me.
She scrunched up her face.
“Hey,” I said.
“Okay, okay.”
We finished breakfast, I loaded food into the Crock-Pot, and set it so supper would be ready with minimal work when I got home. I went upstairs, kissed a still sleeping Claire good-bye, and headed over to Beth’s salon.
Jack was already there with his nephew when I arrived. He had his ladder propped against the building.
The sun felt warm on my skin, a direct contrast to the air-conditioned temperature in our house. I stayed far enough back to have a full view of them working without risking being hit by something should they drop it from the ladder.
They had it hung and were just securing everything when I heard a soft voice in my ear. It sent a shiver down my spine.
“That looks so good.” It was Beth.
I turned to look at her. I grinned, which she readily returned. “Hey there. You like?”
“I do. You did a wonderful job.”
We stood in silence for a few minutes watching the men complete their work. We simultaneously applauded when they finished.
Jack gathered up his tools and his nephew and loaded them into his truck. Beth thanked them both and he was on his way.
She gave me a hug. “I am really pleased with it. Thank you.”
“My pleasure.” I meant it. I had enjoyed designing and working on this project for her. “Have you had breakfast?”
“I went to the earliest church service this morning so I could get here in time. So, to answer your question, no.”
“My treat if you want to go grab some.”
She shook her head. I thought she was going to say no, and unexpectedly, my heart sank a bit.
“You are not buying me breakfast. You gave me a great price on the sign, and you did a wonderful job. The least I can do is buy you breakfast.”
“Don’t be silly. You don’t have to do that.”
She shook her head again. “Come on. Let’s go eat. We can argue about the bill later.” I thought for a minute she was going to link her arm in mine. When she didn’t, I felt an unreasonable pang of disappointment and laughed at myself for my foolishness.