A Simple Life: Chapter 180

I roll off the highway and climb the approach to the garage and quickly giggle as I spot both Winona’s and Amos’ butts pointed back at me. They had brought the project car out from the back and into one of the bays where they were both bent over looking under the hood where they appeared to be having a lively debate about something within. Whatever it was about I already knew Winona was going to win. When they hear the SUV approach they move in a hilariously similar manner, like mismatched mirror images, as they turn and rise to see who it was. Making it even funnier was that I could now see that Brutus was happily perched on Amos’ shoulder and looking my way too like one of the family.

As I pull to a stop along the side the pair is already rounding the corner to come greet me.

“There’s my Sprout.” I’d barely hit the ground before I find myself in a big, strong hug. With a big smile I lay my head on her shoulder and accept her love. I would have hugged her back had my arms not been pinned to my sides.

“I missed you too.” I giggle.

She kisses me. “Mom’s expecting you down at the house.”

“Oh, yeah.” I say. “I k-kinda just…did the laundry at the apartment.”

“Why’d you do that? You could have done it for free.”

“Honestly?” I say. “I’m k-kinda scared of her.”

“Smart man!” Amos quips before bellowing. “Hey! What is this?” He opens the rear door of his SUV. “A brand new grill?”

“Huh?” Winona turns and goes to see what her dad was talking about, thankfully missing the smile disappear from my face.

Amos pulls the box out of the back, handing with greater ease than my brother and I put together, and the pair ogle over the specs of the propane barbecue. Meanwhile I quietly walk around to grab my backpack and a basket of laundry.

“Avery! This is great!” Amos says excitedly. “Hey, you mind if I fire this bad boy up for the grand opening?”

“Sure Amos.” I say, keeping careful control of my emotions. “In f-fact…it’s yours. I brought it for you. I’m g-glad you l-l-like it.”

From the corner of my eye I catch Amos and Winona look at each other then back to me. “Mine? You got this for me!?”

“Mm hm.”

“Nice! Ha ha ha!”

Not waiting for anymore questions I carry the first load into the suite. Though I couldn’t see it I could definitely feel Winona’s eyes following me as I went. Once inside I put the laundry by the dresser and toss my backpack onto the bed.

I hadn’t been there a minute before Winona was at the door. “Avery?”

“Hey.” I flash her a smile. “I…I wore the d-dress for Grandpa. I showed him m-m-my girl side. He was so…cool. As I knew he would be. He’s the b-best.”

“The very best.” Kicking off her work boots she approaches me and slides a hand onto my shoulder once near.

“I wore the sun dress. Out on d-deck. He called me Althea.” My smile grows again. “It was wonderful. He showed me to Grandma. He was so p-proud. He w-was so happy.”

“He loves you so much.”

“Yeah. Oh! He also loved my p-present. That fish thing.” I laugh. “He put it r-right above the wheel!”

“Aw.”

“Oh yeah, before I forget, Brayden and Onyx are g-going to be watching the game tonight. If that’s c-cool with you.”

“Onyx?”

“B-Brayden’s new…um…girlfriend? The woman from the p-pet store.”

“He actually found a female that likes him!? Crazy.”

“Hey!” I giggle. “Be nice. Is it cool if they w-watch? They know it’s costume night. He said they’d dress up.”

“Yeah. It’s his place. He can do what he likes.”

“Cool.”

Softly she rubs my shoulder. “What’s up with the barbecue, Avery?”

“It’s n-n-nothin. It’s just…nothing.” I shrug. “Oh yeah! Do you remember the Jacksons? G-Grandpa’s old neighbors?”

“Winsome Winona.” She chuckles. “How could I forget.”

“I met their nephew.” I say with an impish grin. “Althea did anyway.”

“Oh?”

“He c-came aboard when I was in my dress! Eek!” She laughs at my surprised expression. “But you know wh-what?”

“What?”

“He didn’t even r-realize that Althea might be an Avery too!”

“Truthfully I’m not surprised. You’re hot, babe!”

“He he he!” With mischief in my voice I coo. “He w-was hitting on me.”

Winona’s face goes dead serious. “Oh?”

“It’s true. He had the hots f-for me. He wanted to ask me out!” I tease. “I s-said I was unavailable of course.” I show my ring. “Off the market.”

“You better have!”

“He he he he!” I titter. “N-Nice to know I’ve got options though.”

“I’m gonna whoop that little white ass of yours.”

“Eeee! Ha ha ha!”

Winona laughs with me, though her heart wasn’t truly in it. After a moment she says softly. “Baby.” She grips my shoulder a little firmer. “The barbecue?”

I take a slow breath. Try as I might I wasn’t going to be able to squirm out of this one.

“I g-g-got given it.” I say. “B-But I don’t want it. Amos sure l-likes it, huh?”

“Dad can well enough get his own.” She says. “In fact it’s near the top of his shopping list since we got rid of ours in the move.”

“Perfect.”

“Avery…”

“It’s okay. I d-didn’t spend any money on it.”

“I don’t give a damn about the money, Sprout.” Leaning down she gazes deep into my eyes. “Talk to me.”

“I, um, I…um…” I sniffle and wipe the tears that suddenly blurred my vision. “It’s stupid.”

“What’s stupid, baby?” She says, her voice low and gentle.

I sniffle harder and wipe my eyes more angrily. I’d been denying it and holding it back all day, but the emotions connected to that stupid grill had to come out at some point. “I d-d-don’t even c-care about him anymore. What’s w-wrong with me?”

“Nothin’s wrong with you, Avery.”

“Why am I l-letting him g-g-get to me like this?”

“Because he’s your brother.” She says, putting the pieces together all on her own. “Family bonds don’t break easy.”

“Half-b-brother! At b-best.”

“What happened?”

I nod. “He w-w-was waiting for me…at the apartment.” I swallow and wipe away more tears. “He c-c-cornered me…against the car. I was so scared.”

Her grip tightens just a little as her tone sharpens. “Did he hurt you?”

“Mmm.” I shake my head.

“Tell me what happened.”

“He s-s-said we had to make up. F-For Mom’s sake.” I say. “He s-s-said we were g-gonna smooth things over. Then he g-gave me that stupid…thing! To s-say sorry about hitting me.” I look up into her eyes. “I d-d-didn’t wanna take it. I d-didn’t want to! But…but…he…”

“It’s okay.” She pulls me into an all encompassing hug.

“I’m sorry.”

“Baby, you got nothin to be sorry about.”

I take a long, fortifying breath. Her arms around me do wonders to soothe my spirit. “Hahhh. I’m okay.” I whisper. “It just…c-came out there.”

“You never have to hide your feelings from me.” She pets my hair and kisses me tenderly. “I’m glad to have you home again.”

“Me too.” I smile.

“On the bright s-side I think he’ll leave me alone for awhile.”

“Mm.”

After another rejuvenating breath I say. “I really did have a good day though. Besides that I mean. Everything else w-was great.”

“That’s good.” She hugs me again and I hug her back. We chat a bit more before Winona says. “I’m going to go get the rest of your stuff.” With a nod to the dresser she says. “Unpack. Move in! Make this place home.”

“Home.” I smile.

***

It took me all of half an hour to ‘move in’ this first small load of stuff. With just what I brought the closet and dresser were full to bursting and the shelves were already looking crowded. Most of the rest of my stuff was going to have to go into storage, there was just no way around it. The one item I accept no compromise on though was my framed photo of Grandpa and I. At first I hang it above the television but after looking over the room and realizing the picture would have a clear view of both love seat and bed from there I change my mind and move it over to hang beside Johnny. I loved him right down to my toes but the last thing I wanted was to see him while Winona and I were getting frisky. When Winona sees it it bring a big smile to her face.

As I moved in I could hear Amos outside the window cheerfully puttering away at putting the grill together. It made me happy that somebody would be able to get some joy out of it.

I was just checking my email to see if Sandra had some edits for me, sadly she didn’t, when the door suddenly opens and Winona sticks her head through.

“Busy, Sprout?”

“No. Sandra hasn’t g-gotten back to me.”

She chuckles. “You did too good a job the first time. Pops wants to talk with you.”

“Oh?”

She waves me to follow and disappears. I hurry along, slipping into my shoes along the way, and head out back to where I knew he was working.

There in the midday sun, all new and shiny, stands Jack’s propane grill all put together. I had to confess that it was a nice looking grill. Jack might be a lousy brother but he knew his barbecues. Beside it stands Amos facing me and Winona comes in to stand at my side.

“Wh-What’s up?”

“Bad news, Avery.” Amos says as he pats the gleaming black top of the gift. “I can’t accept this after all.”

“What? Why?”

“It’s nice and all, and I appreciate it, but I really had my heart set on a Weber.”

“Oh. Um…”

“Could you do me a favor?”

“Wh-What’s that?”

“You mind takin it apart for me?”

“B-But you just…?”

“I’d do it myself but I’m clocking out early today.” With that he reaches behind the item to pull out a crowbar and sledgehammer. These he places to the front of it and lightly leans them back against the steel front. As I stand there staring at the tools in confusion he steps forward and pats my shoulder. “Let it out, Avery. You’ll feel better for it.” He then looks to Winona. “I’ll see ya Sunday?”

“As soon as we get back. I’ll call if something changes.”

He gives his daughter a hug and a kiss. “Enjoy your game and have a fun trip.”

“We will.”

He gives me another look and a smile before walking away. A moment later I hear the SUV start up and pull away. Winona gives me a long, hard hug and a kiss to the cheek. “I’ll be right in here if you need me.”

The next thing I knew I was standing alone at the back of the garage with just a crowbar, a sledgehammer, and brand spanking new barbecue.

Chapter 181