Sweet Little Thing

“I’m the boss. I can do whatever I want. And I want to fix you breakfast.”

The soft smile on her face should have scared me. It should have been a warning. But I wanted it. I wanted her. I didn’t give a fuck about our impossible situation. “Fine then. I’m starving,” she said as she walked over and sat on one of the stools at the bar.

“Did you sleep good?” I asked.

I wasn’t sure what she liked to eat. So I made her a plate of everything I put on mine.

“Yes. Thank you. For the shoes and socks. I should have bought some before now.”

The uniform was Portia’s doing, so she should have supplied shoes that fit correctly. I didn’t point that out though. I didn’t want to talk about Portia. She wasn’t here and for once I was at peace being home.

“How’s Heidi?” I asked instead.

“Better! I talked to her yesterday. She feels good and was cleared to go to the crafts room yesterday. That’s all she could talk about. Well that, and she asked if I could bring cupcakes today. I have them tucked away in the fridge.”

“You should take her some of the sweets that are left from the party.”

“Thank you. She’d like that.”

The love in her voice was real. That was what I imagined families should be like. I was an only child and my parents were never around when I was growing up. My friends all had similar lives. But what Beulah had was what I wanted as a kid. I wanted that unconditional love. I bet her mother was everything to her. I knew Heidi was. She had unconditional love from Heidi, and she gave in return.

“What was your mother like?” I asked before I thought that through. She may not be ready to talk about her mother. I didn’t look up as I back pedaled. “I’m sorry, I didn’t think before I spoke. You’re . . . I just thought . . . I was wondering if she looked like you.” I almost said she was the most unique female I’d ever met. That had to be something her mother gave her.

Beulah smiled. It was a sad smile. Her eyes held memories I would never be privy to. They were good ones and I was envious of that. Even if she’d had to suffer the pain of that loss, she had memories that I never would have.

“She was amazing. I’m not saying that because she’s gone either. If she were still here I’d say the same. She worked so hard all day long our entire lives, but somehow managed to cook family dinners we ate together. When we were old enough to stand in chairs, she let us cook with her. Heidi helped too. She would wash vegetables or put the noodles in water to boil. Mom never acted like she was different. I don’t think Heidi knew she was until she started school. Even though she had to take care of Heidi she always made me feel just as special. I don’t know how she managed it. Doing it all alone, she gave us memories of lemonade popsicles on hot summer days outside, running through the sprinkler. I don’t think she ever got any sleep, but she always had time. Always had a smile. I never once saw her sad. She cried at my high school graduation, but they were happy tears she said. I think she was the most perfect human on this earth.”

Beulah’s eyes literally glowed with love when she spoke. I was almost jealous of her life and of a mom like that. But it was Beulah. I liked knowing she and Heidi had grown up like that. It explained a lot about her. I’d never met a girl like her because I didn’t know one with a life like hers.

“She sounds perfect.”

“She was . . . and thanks for asking. I miss talking about her. I think about her all the time. But I never get to talk about her. I’m afraid it will upset Heidi. She doesn’t understand completely, and she misses her too. So it’s . . . nice. Great actually. That felt good. She needs to be remembered.”

The tears that hadn’t fallen collected in her eyes and she gave me a wobbly smile. Again, I didn’t think. I found myself not thinking with her a lot, I just acted. Reaching over I pulled her into my arms and held her. She came willingly. Her arms wrapped around my neck and she laid her head on my shoulder. Nothing had ever felt this right. The missing piece I was always searching for clicked into place. And I was terrified.

Beulah

SOMETHING HAD HAPPENED. IT WAS different. Jasper had let me go, moved back and said he need to be somewhere and left. Was I not supposed to hug him back? I wasn’t sure. But talking to him about Mom had made me feel vulnerable. Open. I’d shared with him not only Heidi, but now my mom. It had felt good to be held and not feel alone

But he’d all but ran from me.

I had stood there unsure what to think or do for a few minutes, then I’d gone to work cleaning up our breakfast plates.

Putting on my new shoes, I sighed at how good they felt. It was time to leave to see Heidi. I had her to look forward to today. Thinking about Jasper was pointless.

When I was unlocking my car to get inside, Stone pulled into the drive. His black Range Rover was dangerous and expensive—just like him, I assumed. I didn’t wait around to speak to him since he wasn’t one to converse with me. Unless he needed me to do something. Or to warn me to stay in my place.

I quickly put the cupcakes and other treats I’d chosen for Heidi and May in the back seat. Before I could climb inside my car, he was out of his and he stopped me. “Not working today?”

I sighed. As if this was his business. “It’s Sunday. My day off.”

“You got last night off.”

My hand tightened its grip on the door frame. He was so frustrating. He also had to be the angriest most unhappy human I knew. “I didn’t ask for that. I need Sundays though. I visit my sister.”

Stone didn’t seem to care or understand. I wondered if he was this cold with the world. Or was it just me that he hated?

“I’m not your boss.”

“We agree on something,” I replied before I could bite my tongue.

I winced and a tug on the corner of his mouth caused me to pause. In shock. Had he been on the verge of a smile? The scowl he always had was back, and I figured I must have confused his facial expression. I didn’t wait around for more small talk. I got into the car and closed the door. He stood there in his jeans, black T-shirt and sunglasses with his arms crossed over his chest looking like some dark sexy god. That was annoying.

The drive to Among the Spanish Moss was easy. There was never much traffic on Sunday mornings. Walking into the building, I took the plate I had made for the staff there and dropped it off at the front desk.

“Good morning, Beulah. I’ve been looking forward to your visit all morning. We love these treats.” Tammy was about fifty, had three grandchildren, and moved here from Nebraska ten years ago to be near her youngest daughter. She was also one of Heidi’s favorites.

“I added a little extra in there with the cupcakes. Y’all enjoy them,” I told her. “Better go find my girl. She’s ready for cupcakes too I imagine.”

Tammy laughed. “Oh, yes. She’s come by three times already this morning to tell me you were coming with cupcakes.”

“Beulah!” Heidi’s voice rang down the hall.

“Guess she was headed back for her fourth visit,” I said, then waved goodbye to Tammy and headed to meet my sister. Her smile always cheered me up.

“May is in the activity room. We got to get her,” Heidi told me as I reached her. She clapped her hands when she saw the treats I was carrying. “Oh boy! May’s gonna be so happy.”

“Then let’s get her and find a spot for a picnic. We will eat dessert first.”

Heidi giggled with delight. “I love you, Beulah.”

“I love you more.”

She didn’t argue. She was too excited about the picnic and desserts. We collected May from the activity room and made our way outside. Heidi told me all about the game of soccer they played yesterday and how May scored the winning goal. May blushed a lot and then gave me a bashful hug once I put the treats down on the grassy spot under the tree they picked out.

“I missed you,” May said sweetly.

“I missed you too,” I assured her.

May and Heidi both took a cupcake. The cupcakes were pink today, sprinkled with Skittles. Heidi loved Skittles and squealed when she saw them. “It’s like my birthday. But it’s really Vern’s birthday. I should save him a cupcake.”