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“Thank you for today, Billy Lou.” Reesa leaned her head against the leather headrest of Billy Lou’s SUV and closed her eyes. “I feel productive and ambitious.”
“I’m so glad!” Billy Lou smiled as she turned out of the parking lot of the hardware store and out onto the busy street. “That lumber won’t be far behind us, so we better head back to the cabin. I’ll drop you off there. I’ll whip up some supper and bring it over later. That way you’re at home when they deliver the supplies.”
“Did we bite off more than we can chew?” Reesa asked.
“Absolutely not,” Billy Lou assured her. “It’s going to look fabulous. I live for projects, Reesa.”
“Your sketches were beautiful. I hope I can make them come to fruition.”
“You will. Take your time. Don’t be afraid to ask Theo for help.”
“No, I want to do this myself. I don’t want to bother him any more than I already have. Besides, I want him to be surprised by the finished product.”
Billy Lou’s brightly painted lips tilted up at the corners. “Oh, I think he will be. How could he not? Now, is there anything else we need to do on the way out of town?”
“Actually, could you buzz by one of the post office boxes in front of that shopping center?” Reesa pointed to the right and Billy Lou turned into a parking lot and eased to a stop by the familiar blue drop box. Reesa fished in her purse and withdrew the letter to her parents, hesitating a moment as she read their names and address.
“It’s never going to happen if you don’t drop it in there,” Billy Lou whispered, reaching across the center console and squeezing Reesa’s free hand.
Reesa’s throat tightened as her vision blurred. She sniffed back the tears that threatened to come. “It’s a long story, Billy Lou.”
“I didn’t ask.” Billy Lou pointed at the letter. “I’m making assumptions in my head about who that letter is meant for, but even without my assumptions I can see it’s a difficult task for you. And I’m here for you whether you put it in that blue box or not.”
Reesa held up the letter with both hands, studied it a moment longer, and then rolled down her window and slid it into the drop box before she could chicken out. “There. It’s done. The ball is in their court now.” She felt her hands begin to shake and she clasped them tightly together to stop the flood of emotions—the fear—before it could take over. “I did it,” she whispered. “I actually did it.”
Billy Lou patted her thigh. “You’re a brave woman, Reesa. And a lovely one at that. Clare is a gem too. Should nothing come of that letter, I want you to know that you will always have me in your corner. Theo too. Should something wonderful happen because of that letter, I hope you’ll still stick around Piney for a long time, because I’d hate to see you leave.”
Reesa flashed a watery smile. “Thanks, Billy Lou.” She pushed her hair out of her face and rubbed her hands over her face. “Okay, it’s done. We can go now. We have a fun project to look forward to. My parents, should they want to get in touch, now have a way to do so.”
“Ah.” Billy Lou, finally realizing who the letter was intended for, gently patted Reesa’s leg again before shifting into gear and heading towards home. “They’d be right fools to not want to see you girls. Fools.”
Reesa grinned as she grabbed her cell phone out of her purse. “I’m going to text Theo. He’s sort of known that the whole reason I moved to Piney was for this to potentially happen. I want him to know I finally mailed the letter. And should they want to meet, I have a feeling he will have to suffer the emotional disaster I will be leading up to it. Best prepare him now.”
Chuckling, Billy Lou nodded for her to go ahead, and Reesa sent a short message of: “I mailed it. The letter to my parents. I mailed it.”
A few minutes later a simple, “ok”, popped up on her screen, followed by, “And how do you feel?”
“Terrified.” At least she was being honest with him. She was terrified. Nervous. Heartbroken all over again. Flashes of every hardship she’d encountered where she remembered wishing for her parents’ help or presence raced through her mind. Those were a long time ago, though. She didn’t need her parents now. She’d raised Clare to the best of her abilities. She’d provided for her, and even if it took years of struggling, they’d made it together. And now, she had an amazing young woman on her hands that she didn’t want to ever let go of, though she knew eventually that time would come. She still had a few years with Clare at home, thank goodness, but already she grieved the day her chapter of having Clare under her roof would be gone. She wouldn’t just drop her off at college or wherever and leave either. She’d linger. Force herself into her daughter’s life for visits and trips and random shopping sprees. She’d always be there for Clare. There would never be a day that went by that her daughter would feel unwanted, unloved, or abandoned. Ever. Her cell phone rang, and she nervously glanced at Billy Lou.
“Honey, they haven’t gotten that letter yet. Best see who it is.” She smiled tenderly as Reesa scrambled for her phone in the seat.
Relief washed over her as she answered. “Hey.”
Theo’s deep voice carried through the phone. “You alright?” His simple question as to her mental status was appreciated and touched her, as if he’d known she’d need more to calm her down than just a simple text.
“I’m okay, I think. Just nervous.” Reesa fiddled with an unraveling string on her pant leg. “Trying not to turn into a blubbery, sobbing mess in Billy Lou’s nice car.”
“She wouldn’t care,” Theo assured her.
“I know, but I’d rather not. I already feel better hearing your voice. Thanks for calling me.” Silence hung on the phone, and she hoped she hadn’t scared him off with her last comment.
“Just wanted to make sure you were okay.”
“Thanks. You’re coming over for supper, right? Billy Lou is dropping me off at the house because we bought the wood needed to build the deck and they’re delivering like, right behind us. But she’s going to bring supper over to my place.”
“I’ll be there. I might be a bit late today. I’m still working on a couple of things here.” She could hear the sounds of metal clanging and a tool being jostled amongst its comrades.
“Whenever is fine. We’ll have to show you our plans.”
“I imagine they are over the top considering my grandmother is helping you.”
Reesa grinned into the phone. “Sort of. I think Billy Lou overestimates my building capabilities.”
“Not true!” Billy Lou called out to be heard through the line.
“Jamie coming over too?” Theo asked.
“You know, I didn’t ask her. But I will. That’s a good idea. She’ll be excited about the project too. And she’ll want to know I mailed the letter. She’s been after me to do so.”
“She could probably bring Clare home too. I saw her and her friends walk to the coffee shop a while ago. They might still be there.”
“Are you keeping tabs on my unruly teenager for me, Theo?”
“Just happened to look up.”
“Right. Well, I appreciate it, nonetheless. I’ll text Jamie and Clare and share the plan. And again, thanks for calling me. You’ve settled me a bit.” A long, awkward silence. “Theo?”
“Yep. I’m here. I, um, will see you in a bit.”
“In case I don’t see ya, good afternoon, good evening, and goodnight.”
Sighing, Theo replied, “Let me guess... that’s from a movie?”
Laughing, Reesa leaned comfortably back in her seat. “You’re starting to get me, Theodore Whitley.”
“Yeah, well, I’m trying. I have no idea where it’s from, I could just tell. See you later.”
“Bye. The Truman Show. Okay, bye!” She hurried to add before hearing him hang up. She smiled at her phone as she quickly shot a text to Jamie and Clare, filling them in on the plans for the evening. “Theo will be a little late, but he’s coming. I am inviting Jamie too, if that’s alright?”
“Of course. The more the merrier.” Billy Lou exited towards Piney and decreased her speed to accommodate the slight turn that pointed them away from town and towards the cabin. “You’ve been good for him, you know.”
“Hm?” Reesa looked up from her phone and noticed Billy Lou quickly glance her direction and then back to the road. “For Theo. He’s come out of his shell the last couple of weeks, and I know it is because of you. It makes me happy to see him interacting with people again.”
“Well, I haven’t really given him much of a choice.” Reesa chuckled. “I’m pretty sure I tread his last nerve every time he’s around me. But I can tell he likes us. He’s kind to Clare, and I appreciate that more than anything.”
“She’s a lovely girl. Beautiful, smart, funny, and has your charm. You’ve done a wonderful job with her, honey. I’m sure it hasn’t been easy being a single mother, but you two are peas in a pod, and she’s happy. And that says a lot about your parenting right there. If your baby is happy, then you must be doing something right.” Billy Lou nodded with gumption and flicked her blinker to turn.
“Thanks.” Reesa sighed in relief as she saw the cabin come into view. The little run-down house already tugged at her heart and had become special to her. She noticed two new brightly colored flowerpots on the front steps and knew Clare must have found them somewhere and brought them home. The vivid flowers in them told her Billy Lou had filled them with cuttings from her own house. Slowly, they were turning the little house into their home, and deep in her heart Reesa could feel that comfortable pull that came from knowing you were finally home. She’d only ever had that feeling once when she was young, before life carried her in a different direction. But to feel that soothing peace fill her heart again confirmed even more that she was in the right spot at the right time and with the right people. Whether her parents answered her letter or not didn’t matter. She and Clare had found a place to call home and Reesa envisioned the move to Piney being long-term regardless of her parents. When Billy Lou shifted into park outside the cabin, Reesa shouldered her purse. “Thank you again, Billy Lou. I had fun today.”
“Oh, me too, honey.” She smiled. “I’ll be back here in a bit with a warm supper. You just have some tea made.”
“Will do.” Reesa slid out of the SUV and waved as Billy Lou hightailed it down the bumpy dirt driveway. The wind picked up and Reesa tilted her face up towards the sunshine and closed her eyes as she listened to the leaves and pine needles of the trees shift and blow. Creaks of limbs and rustles of squirrels in the undergrowth calmed the last remaining bit of her frazzled nerves. “Yes,” she said aloud. “Yes, this is home.” She patted the wooden banister of the porch on her way up the steps, and when she opened the creaky door to the cabin, comfort and peace enveloped her like a warm embrace.
~
Theo pulled up outside of Reesa’s cabin and stumbled upon an entire flock of hysterical females as they all laughed, tears pouring out of their eyes as Jamie tried to finish whatever story she’d been telling. His grandmother, Reesa, Clare, and Jamie sat along the front porch, each holding a cold beverage of some sort, which he thought he’d take a peek at here soon to see what had them in such a fit. It innocently looked like tea, but he wasn’t certain with the way they laughed even harder when they saw his reaction to their behavior.
“Ol’ fuddy duddy is here now,” Jamie guffawed. “Hey, T.J.”
“Dare I even come up there?” he asked.
“Yes, yes, yes.” Reesa waved him forward and hopped to her feet from one of the wooden rocking chairs. “I’ll get you a glass of tea. And perfect timing.” She darted inside and came out a few minutes later with a glass for him. “Billy Lou hired a man to help me build the deck. I was going to try myself, but she found someone who is willing to teach me and help me.”
Theo’s eyes narrowed on his grandmother. “And who is that?”
Billy Lou sipped her tea, avoiding his gaze.
“Jason Wright.” Theo knew immediately, and he didn’t like it. His jaw clenched as he held back his argument against his grandmother’s idea.
“Can’t complain about Mr. Wright,” Jamie sassed, fanning her face from a pretend blush. “That gorgeous specimen is coming over tomorrow morning, bright and early, to help Reesa get started. I’m going to bring them coffee.” She grinned.
“Jason Wright,” Theo stated again in confirmation.
Billy Lou waved her hand. “He’s a sweet boy, Theo. Don’t give me that look.”
“Boy? He’s a grown man, Grandma, and he’s been divorced twice.”
“Oh, those girls weren’t right for him, and you know it. Besides, I’m hiring him to help Reesa, not marry her.”
“Right...” Theo trailed off.
“Mr. Wright,” Jamie corrected with a wicked gleam in her eye. Theo huffed his disapproval and sat on the steps next to Clare.
“You don’t like him?” Clare asked.
“He’s fine,” Theo replied. “We just have history.”
“History, meaning being the two biggest heartthrobs in Piney!” Jamie giggled. “Only, Jason took full advantage of all the female attention. Ol’ T.J. over here played hard to get.”
“I didn’t play anything. I had other things on my mind besides girls.”
“Oh, come on now, that is not true. Sophomore year I caught you and Sarah Schaffer kissing under the bleachers,” Jamie challenged, pointing her finger at him.
His face turned crimson as the other women laughed, Clare giving him a playful shove in the shoulder that had him laughing and slowly relaxing. “That was one time. A lapse in judgment.”
“Sarah walked out with stars in her eyes.” Jamie blinked heavenward in dramatic fashion.
“And then wouldn’t leave me alone for the next six weeks,” Theo reminded her.
“That was so funny too,” Jamie chuckled.
His eyes danced with humor as he studied his old friend before looking at Reesa. Her face was lit with glee at listening to their banter and when she caught him staring at her, she wriggled her eyebrows in jest. “Avoid under the bleachers on game nights,” he told Clare. “Otherwise, twenty years from now you’ll be teased.”
“I don’t think I have to worry about that.” Clare laughed. “Especially after today.”
“Why? What happened today?” Reesa asked.
“Oh, Teddy mentioned he’s not able to give me a ride to school anymore, at least for a little while.”
“What? Why?” Reesa asked. “And how am I just now hearing about this?”
“It’s no big deal, Mom.” Clare shrugged her shoulders, though all of them could see her feelings were slightly hurt. “He’s got a girlfriend now, and she doesn’t really like me riding with him every day. I get it.”
“Seriously? A girlfriend whined about you?” Reesa asked, her defenses rising. “Who is this girl?”
“Mom, chill.” Clare held up her hand and laughed. “It’s okay. Teddy may be experiencing one of those lapses in judgments Theo was talking about, but he’s a smart guy. I don’t think it will last long. In the meantime, I’m going to be cool about it, because he’s my friend and I don’t want to cause any unnecessary drama for him.” She took a sip of her drink. “Oh, and I’ll need you to take me to school in the morning.” She flashed a chummy smile at her mother.
“I guess I will,” Reesa sighed. “Totally ruins my luxurious lifestyle of sleeping in until ten, but I’ll sacrifice my ways for you, dear daughter.”
“You’ve never slept in a day in your life,” Clare countered.
Reesa winked at her daughter as a car drove up the driveway, the local pizza shop’s logo resting on top of a beat-up car. Theo turned to his grandmother in surprise. “What? Can’t a woman take a night off every once in a while? Reesa and I thought it best since we had a long day.” Billy Lou nodded for Theo to stand and take care of paying for the pizza, which he didn’t mind doing, so that none of the women had to get up from where they were sitting. A young man emerged with glasses and a red baseball cap slung over his head, his face showing full-on anxiety when Theo walked towards him. His eyes flashed to behind Theo and landed on Clare. “Hey, Clare.”
“Hey, Charlie.” She waved, stood, and walked over towards him and Theo. “I didn’t know you worked for Jerry’s Pizza.”
“Yeah, just a couple nights a week. The rest of the time, I’m at the sub sandwich place.”
“Two jobs? That’s a lot,” Clare acknowledged.
The boy shrugged as he handed Theo the pizza and accepted the cash. He began fishing around in a black folder for change.
“Keep the rest as the tip,” Theo stated, seeing the surprise cross the boy’s face at receiving a twenty-dollar tip from him.
“Thank you, Mr. Whitley. I appreciate that.” The nervous boy stashed the cash back into the folder. “I hope you guys enjoy.” His nervous gaze flashed towards Clare again.
She smiled in a friendly manner and waved. “See you tomorrow at school.”
“See ya.” The boy hurried back to his car and drove away.
“He was cute,” Reesa called to her daughter. “Who is he?”
“Just a boy, Mom.”
“I believe he thinks she’s cute,” Jamie chimed in. “Did you see the way he kicked the dirt with his shoe when Clare talked to him? He was shy.”
“Okay, let’s not make it weird,” Clare warned, and Theo turned to her in amusement.
“Do you even realize who you just said that too?” Theo asked, sitting beside her on the steps.
Reesa nudged his back with her shoe as she sat behind him in the rocking chair. “Hey now, Whitley. A little weird is a good thing.”
“A lot of weird is not, Mom.” Clare pointed to the pizza box. “We opening that or what?”
Theo handed her a box as Reesa walked inside the house to grab paper plates and napkins for everyone and handed them out, grabbing the box from Clare and walking to each person so they could help themselves to the pizza inside.
“Honey, you keep your eyes open. Even a shy, sweet boy like Charlie has potential. He works hard, bless his heart, but I hear he is one of the smartest kids at that school.”
“That is definitely true,” Clare reported. “He’s in my chemistry class and everyone wants to be his partner in lab. We were partners the other day; that’s how I’ve gotten to know him. He’s nice, but of course high school diplomacy dictates that you can only talk to him under such circumstances, or you will be labeled and branded as a nerd too.”
“Good thing you hate labels, right?” Reesa asked.
“Ugh, they’re so stupid,” Clare agreed. “The great thing about being the new kid is that I can pretty much talk to anyone, and no one really says anything because they give you that ‘she needs to find her clique’ time. Now, once I actually choose my friends, I’m sure I will be labeled, but I’m hoping I can keep people guessing and just have friends from all the cliques. Everyone knows I’m friends with Teddy, but I don’t think they’ve really figured me out yet.” Clare pointed at her mom, “But I have yet to win the favor of the cheerleaders. Sorry, Mom.”
“You were a cheerleader?” Jamie asked in surprise as Reesa rolled her eyes.
“Only for a couple of years.”
“Yeah, until she got pregnant with me,” Clare clarified. “I threw off her cute little cheer body.”
Reesa laughed. “Hey, I still looked cute, just in a different way.”
Theo liked that Clare and Reesa could openly talk about Reesa’s youth and pregnancy days without Clare feeling as if her mother regretted the situation. There was equal respect between the two as they bantered back and forth.
“Did you fall for the star football player?” Jamie asked.
Reesa shook her head. “Absolutely not. I have my pride.” She laughed as she nodded towards the empty driveway. “It was the local boy who worked multiple jobs. The smart boy who would go on to become a pediatrician of all things.”
“My dad’s a doctor?” Clare asked, the news hitting her with surprise.
“Last I heard,” Reesa explained.
“Very cool.”
“Do you want to be a doctor one day, Clare?” Jamie asked.
“Absolutely not.” Clare shook her head. “I just like the idea that I might have good science genes in here.” She tapped her brain. “Because chemistry is hard, but maybe I’ll be great at Biology or Anatomy next year.”
Reesa smiled as Clare draped her arm around Theo’s shoulders, surprising him as she gave him a squeeze. “So, big guy, what do you say about being my ride tomorrow morning?”
“Clare!” Reesa’s lyrical laugh made him smirk. “I said I would take you.”
“Yeah, but you’re working on uploading your newest pattern, and you have the hot carpenter coming over, and it’s sort of on Theo’s way to work in the morning...” Clare waited for his response and Theo nodded.
“I guess I can do that.”
“Great.” Clare went back to her pizza. “At least with you I won’t be late.” Reesa tossed her last piece of crust at her daughter, pelting her in the back as Billy Lou and Jamie laughed.
“Watch it, teenager.” Reesa tapped her toe against Theo’s back until he turned to face her. “Thank you, though. I do have to upload that pattern in the morning before the deck guy—”
“Mr. Wright!” Jamie interrupted.
“Jason Wright,” Reesa added for her friend’s amusement. “Gets here.”
“It’s not a problem,” Theo assured her. “I can bring her home too, if she doesn’t mind hanging out at the garage for an hour or so.” He looked at Clare and she shrugged.
“I can do my homework there,” she told her mom, and Reesa nodded that she was fine with that.
“If you’re okay with that, I’m okay with it.” Reesa looked to Theo again.
“It’s fine,” Theo assured her. “She’s not as annoying as some people.”
“I’ll pretend not to be offended.” Reesa’s lips tilted upward as she handed him the sketch book of Billy Lou’s deck design. “Here’s our project.”
“Our?” he asked.
Reesa motioned a thumb between herself and Billy Lou. “I did not realize how talented this lovely lady is.”
Billy Lou waved away the compliment with a slight blush. “I just adore design in all aspects of life. Clothes, crafts, lawns, gardens...”
“This looks like a bit more than just a deck.” Theo looked up at his grandmother. “A pergola too?”
“Well, yes. You know as well as I do that in the summer that sun just beats down back there. This way, Reesa and Clare can have a nice place to sit outside even when it’s hot. And they’ll have the partial shade needed to grow some pretty flowers. Otherwise, not one pot will bloom on that porch back there.”
He grunted that he understood as he flipped the page to look at the drafted construction plans his grandmother had put together as well. It’d been years since she’d gotten to draw up a building project, the last being the outdoor entertainment area at her own house. She and his grandfather had just completed the project when he passed, and the space had only been used once since then. “Looks good.”
“I’m going to learn how to build a deck,” Reesa reminded everyone. “I can’t wait. I’ve built furniture before.” Clare snorted and Reesa feigned offense. “Hey now, it was good.”
“Not the first piece. She made me a bed frame when I was like eight. The first night, my mattress fell through the frame onto the floor.”
“I didn’t quite have my measurements right,” Reesa admitted. “But I learned my lesson.”
“You did get better,” Clare encouraged. “The bottom drawer on my dresser is only slightly crooked.”
Reesa motioned as if that was proof enough that she’d improved.
“Well, now you will learn from Jason.” Billy Lou patted Reesa’s knee. “He’s a nice man and should be rather patient with you. He knows I’ve hired him to help you learn as well as help get the structure up. But his first priority is to teach you. He seemed open to the idea.”
“I bet he did,” Theo mumbled, Jamie giving a quiet snicker in agreement.
“Theodore James, now stop that now,” Billy Lou warned. “I’m not playing matchmaker for Reesa. I hired the man to do a job.” Theo opened his mouth to speak but his grandmother cut him off. “And I would have asked you to do it, but you’re too busy at the garage to have this project on your plate too.”
“And you’re carting my daughter to school,” Reesa pointed out. “I think you’re helping enough already.”
“I’m not that difficult,” Clare teased. “Or am I?” She raised a mischievous eyebrow at him and grinned.
“Now that is Inconceivable!” Theo’s voice hitched into a different tone as he tugged on Clare’s ponytail before he stood, smiling down at their baffled faces.
“He did it!” Clare hollered on a laugh. “He actually did it!”
Theo shook his head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said, pretending nonchalance. “I’ll swing by in the morning to pick you up for school.”
“Don’t you even think about it.” Clare motioned towards her mother. “You just—”
Reesa stood and walked down the front steps with him, linking her arm through his. He didn’t tug away, he didn’t flinch, he didn’t even turn at the sound of Clare blubbering in stunned surprise at him actually quoting a movie in conversation. “I’m impressed, Theo.” Reesa lightly leaned her temple against his arm as they walked. “You’ve completely shocked my teenager. I wasn’t sure anyone could do that other than myself.”
“I’m just full of surprises.” Theo’s sarcasm had her laughing as they reached his truck and she relinquished her hold on his arm and instead slid her arm around his waist for a light squeeze, tucking herself against him.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He looked down at her, her face upturned to his, the witching hour settling upon her creamy skin and highlighting her dark hair with a golden sheen. He hesitated a moment, liking the way she fit against him and how easy it seemed to have her there. “Have fun with your new project tomorrow.”
“I will.” Her eyes searched his and she lifted onto her tiptoes and grazed a light kiss on his jawline beneath his cheek. His grip around her body tightened a moment as he debated whether or not to dive headfirst into testing the waters. But then he remembered the audience on the porch, and he reminded himself he barely knew her, and he thought about how he’d sworn he didn’t want any sort of romantic relationship at the moment. But all of those thoughts seemed to fall flat when staring down at her. “See you tomorrow morning.”
“But for now, rest well and dream of large women.” Reesa patted a hand against his chest as she stepped away. His shock at her statement made her laugh. “Look, Theo, if you’re going to quote The Princess Bride, you better know it all.” She winked at him as he slid behind the wheel of his truck. “See ya tomorrow.” Tapping his window seal, she backed away from his truck as he shifted toward home.
