Filed to story: Breathe Story (Sadie White & Jax Stone)
Marcus turned to me. “Did I hurt your feelings? I didn’t mean to if I did. It was a compliment, really. I get tired of the silliness and shallowness of girls. You’re like a breath of fresh air.”
I turned my head back in his direction and smiled. He really was a nice guy. I wished my insides got all warm and tingly when he stared at me, but apparently my body only reserved that response for teen rock stars, and the thought I might be shallow made me feel sick inside.
“Thank you, I have never been complimented on my strange personality before.”
He frowned and shook his head. “I wouldn’t call you strange…more refreshingly unique.”
I laughed at his attempt to make it sound better. “Thanks. Refreshingly unique sounds much more appealing. Turn right at the next light, and it’s two houses down on the left.”
We remained silent the rest of the way to the apartment.
“Pull over to the side. We are not allowed to use the owner’s drive. They own the house. We rent the small apartment below.”
Marcus pulled up at the door.
“Thank you again for bringing me home.”
He opened his door, jumped out, and got my bike from the bed of his truck.
I watched as he got it down and leaned it against the side of the house by the door.
“Anytime, if you leave the same time I do, I can always give you a lift.”
I thanked him again.
He shuffled his feet and glanced up at me. “Since you’re new here, and we are working together this summer, why don’t I take you out one night after work, or on Sunday during the day when we are both off? I can show you what’s fun around here and introduce you to some people. You know, just as friends.”
It sounded like fun, but I was a little surprised about the Sunday comment. “Sunday?” I asked.
He frowned. “You didn’t know we are all off on Sundays, even Ms. Mary.”
I shook my head. “No, I didn’t know. But, yes, I would love to go enjoy this area with someone who knows where to go.”
He grinned and ran his hand through his blond hair. “Great. I’ll make plans this week and let you know what we are doing.”
We said our goodbyes, and I watched him get back into his truck. I waved and turned to go face Jessica and her doubtless twenty questions as to what took me so long.
The apartment was silent and dark. I peeked into Jessica’s room and found her asleep on top of the covers with the window unit cranking nonstop. I grabbed a quilt and covered her up before going back to my room and getting ready for my shower. She’d gone to sleep early. No twenty questions, and no having to cook dinner. I smiled and headed toward the bathroom. I needed to be clean and needed sleep. Today I managed to get past my biggest hurdle. Tomorrow should be easier. No more encounters with Jax. Having a friend would make things even more enjoyable.
The next week fell into a routine. I arrived at work and went straight to the kitchen with Ms Mary. She talked much more than Fran, and her stories were entertaining. She told me all about her two daughters and seven grandchildren. One daughter lived in Michigan with five daughters of her own. The other daughter lived in Georgia, and she had a girl age nine and one little boy who was loved immensely by a family full of girls. Her life raising her daughters made me realize just how dysfunctional my life with Jessica would sound. I imagined my life being as full and normal as Ms. Mary’s. I knew I could one day make a life just as full of family and love as she seemed to have. I often daydreamed of a life like the one she told me about.
My first afternoons with Mr. Greg began a little tense since he wasn’t real fond of having a teenage girl helping him, but after a day of not having to get on his arthritic knees he seemed to appreciate my being there. After my fourth day, Mr. Greg and I sat and played chess out in the gazebo when our workdays ended. He beat me each time, but I picked up on it and promised him my skills would improve, and one day I would beat him. I saw Marcus in the evenings when we all sat around the table and enjoyed a bowl of soup and salad. Ms. Mary always sent a plate of food home for Jessica, and I suspected she sent it for my sake. Somehow without my telling her, she seemed to understand how my life at home functioned. After Marcus got off work, he always drove me and my bike home. Ms. Mary hired another server Marcus suggested. He was working out well, and things seemed to run smooth with the staff and family. Sunday morning arrived before I knew it.
I lay in bed, covering my face from the bright sunlight streaming in the windows. It was good to not have to jump up and get ready. I enjoyed my job, but I also enjoyed sleeping late. I yawned and stretched. Today, I would be going out with a friend. I was more excited than the normal person would be, but I couldn’t help it. I sat up and rubbed my face, trying to wake up enough to go eat breakfast. It was still really quiet in the house, but Jessica normally slept till eleven every day. I went to the kitchen and fixed myself a bowl of Peanut Butter Crunch, and then went to sit on the piece of slab outside our back door. The sun glistened off the water, and it warmed me as I enjoyed my bowl of cereal. Today felt like my first real day of summer. Today, I would be able to go do something a seventeen year old would do.
“What are you eating?” Jessica asked as she walked out the door, or more like waddled out the door.
“Peanut Butter Crunch cereal,” I replied and took another bite.
She sank down in the lawn chair beside me and sighed. “Do you love me?”