Brooke
It’s finally here. Moving day. I spent most of last night packing up the last bits of my room and talking with Vaughn. We’ve been sending each other text messages since he went to the doctor over a week ago. I begged Remy to tell me how things went when he got to Vaughn’s on that Sunday morning, but he wouldn’t spill. He said it’s Vaughn’s story to tell, and he’ll tell it when he’s ready. I got the first text from him around lunchtime the next day. It was short and simple.
Vaughn: I’m sorry. I hope you can someday forgive me. I’m trying to get better.
I cried so hard after reading that text. Part of me wanted to stay silent, but I couldn’t, not after I ran from him the first time.
Brooke: I love you and I’ll be here when you’re ready.
He thanked me and then went quiet for a few days. I could tell he was doing better each day because his text messages started to change, but now I haven’t heard from in him in almost two days and I’m trying not to panic.
I shake my thoughts of him and take one last glance around my room. It’s completely empty except for my furniture and the bedding. I throw my bag over my shoulder and run down to my waiting parents.
“Ready?”
I nod and run out to put my bag in the car.
When we pull up to my new place. Remy and Keaton are sitting on the front step and Kenzie is in between them. “Hey guys, sorry I’m late.”
“Everything all right? You’re never late.”
“Yeah, I just took an extra moment to look around before I left.” They all gave me a knowing smile and followed me into my home. This is the first time Remy and Kenzie are seeing it, and I can tell from their reaction they like it. “Feel free to walk around and check the place out. The furniture will be here any minute.” I drop my bag in my walk-in closet. I need to wash all the towels my mom bought me. I run to the laundry closet and get a load going. I’m glad I ran to the store yesterday and did some shopping. There’s a huge supercenter up the street from my house with everything I’ll ever need. After I brought the food home and got it all put away, I washed all the dishes and cups. I was definitely smart enough to run some through my dishwasher, otherwise it would have taken me forever.
“Mama, what do you think of how I set up the cabinets?”
She starts opening them up. “I was wondering where everything was.” She has pride in her voice. “You did a good job, but you’ll probably move things fifty times. It takes a while before you figure out what works for you.”
The doorbell rings and I clap with excitement, thinking my furniture is here, but when I open the door there’s a delivery man holding two boxes. “Can I help you?”
“Brooke Bennett?” he questions.
“Yes, sir.”
“I have a delivery for you.” I open the door, sign for the packages, and thank him. Excited, I rip open the package to find a dozen long stem roses with a card.
Brooke,
I’m really sorry I’m not there with you on this important day, but I want you to know I’ve never once stopped thinking about you or loving you. I’m working hard and getting stronger and stronger each day, and I promise you I will explain everything to you soon. Please, I beg you, do not give up on me. I need you in my life, like I need air to breathe.
Love,
Vaughn
Tears well in my eyes. “He’s so sweet. Even with all he’s going through he thinks of me.” I wipe away my tears and open the other box. When I see the contents, I crack up laughing.
“What is it?”
“Peach cobbler.” I laugh through my tears.
My brothers are looking at me like I have ten heads. “Why is that funny?”
“Because we shared a peach cobbler together after we came to look at this house.” I put it in the fridge to save for later. I can only imagine what he had to do to get a florist to deliver peach cobbler. I shake my head and grab my phone to thank him.
Brooke: I got my flowers and peach cobbler, thank you so much. I love you and have not given up on you. I can’t wait for you to be better so we can share cobbler again.
Vaughn: I promise you I’m working on it. I can’t wait to have you back in my arms.
I send him an emoji blowing him a kiss and put my phone away to get ready for the delivery guys to get here. Mama keeps busy grabbing my duster and dusts all around the living room and bedrooms once again. We did it not too long ago, but since the house is all closed up and empty, it needs it again. When she’s done, she grabs the vacuum and starts vacuuming while I switch the load of towels to the dryer and put in another load.
The doorbell rings again and this time it’s the furniture. I jump up and down, clapping with excitement. “Ms. Bennett?” the delivery man questions.
“That’s me.”
“We’re bringing in the bedroom set first. Can you show me where it’s going?”
“Sure, right this way.” I lead him to my room and point out how I want the set put together. He agrees and they get busy unloading the bedroom set. That’s when I realize I messed up. I never washed my bedding. It’s all still sitting in the bag. I’ll have to wash it next. When I get back to the living room, Kenzie is cleaning all of the windows around the living room and opening blinds to let sunlight in.
“You have a great yard,” She says, excited.
“I know I can’t wait to see Brody running free back there.” I know he’ll be here soon.
She wraps an arm around me in silent support. “The landlord good with the dog?”
“Yup. He figured since I’m a vet, I know how to handle them.”
“Brooke,” Mama calls from the kitchen. We both turn. “Do you know how you’re setting up the living room? They’re almost done in the bedroom.”
“No, but I figured that’s why I have these muscle men here.” I wiggle my brows at my brothers, who both roll their eyes.
Courtney comes running through the door. “Hey, sorry I’m late.”
“It’s all good. There’s not much to do. We’re all sitting around waiting for furniture to come in, and since I forgot to wash my sheets, I can’t make my bed until the load in the washer finishes.”
“Okay.” She gives Mama and my dad each a hug, and then comes to give me one. “The place looks great!”
“Thanks. All I have left to do is open and wash the pots, pans, and utensils.”
“Well, I guess I have something to do.”
“The boxes are in the spare room.” She runs off to grab the boxes and begins opening them while the movers bring in my couch. It’s bigger than I thought, but I like it. They place it down against the wall where the TV is going to go and then head off to grab the two chairs I ordered, as well as a coffee table and two end tables. After this, all they’ll have left to do is the kitchen set and they’re done.
I exhale a deep breath. It’s coming together, but there’s still so much I need. I haven’t gotten a coffee pot, I need a toaster or toaster oven, oven mitts, kitchen towels, and some sort of Tupperware containers for leftovers. I shake my head. Moving out on your own is exhausting, but I’m excited and nervous at the same time. This place is going to get really quiet later. I really wish Vaughn was here to spend the night with me. I shake off my thoughts and grab my phone to make note of the things I need to get tomorrow from the super center. I want to try and be as settled as possible before I go back to work on Monday. “Are you okay, sweetie? You look deep in thought.”
“Yeah, Dad. I just realized I need to get some things from the store tomorrow. I was starting a list, that way I won’t forget anything.”
“I thought you got everything? What did you forget?”
I go over my list with him and he laughs. “It’s funny how you forget something like a coffee pot until you go to make coffee and you don’t have it.”
“Yeah, it’d be hard to make the English muffins I bought without a toaster.”
The movers have now finished moving my living room set in, and as soon as they leave I’m going to move it around. I don’t like how it’s set up, and apparently neither do my brothers, because they’re already discussing it. My father stands beside me. We both watch my brothers animatedly discuss how the living room should be set up, and as with most things in life, they disagree. Their conversation turns into an argument. Keaton tries to punch Remy in the arm, but misses because Remy steps out of the way. Now Remy’s laughing his ass off at Keaton, pissing him off more. I find this all quite funny, but my father doesn’t. “Cut the crap, you two. Your sister doesn’t need you guys breaking her stuff before she even gets to use it.”
The tables and chairs for the dining room don’t take them long to unload. They had to put the table together, but the six chairs they simply carried in. “Okay, ma’am. You’re all set. I just need you to sign here.” I scribble my name on the line. “Here is your warranty information.” He hands me an envelope with papers in it. “Have a great night.” They leave, and instantly Remy and Keaton start rearranging the living room furniture.
“Hey, sis. What are you doing about a TV?”
They delivered the stand for a TV but I haven’t bought one for the living room yet. I have a TV in my bedroom and it was hooked up earlier this week, along with the Wi-Fi. “I don’t have one yet.”
Remy and Keaton each look at one another and then back at me, and at the same exact time they say. “We’ll be back.” They both run out the door.
“Where you going?” I shout to them, but they don’t answer, they just continue on their way. I turn back to everyone else. “Shall I order pizza?”
Everyone nods, agreeing they are hungry. I grab my phone to order, Mama changes my laundry, and Kenzie grabs my sheets from the spare room to put into the washer. Once I’m done, I take a seat on my new couch, put my head back, and close my eyes. It’s been a tiring few days, and I want nothing more than to sit and relax. I exhale and jump up to keep going. I realize I still haven’t set up the bathrooms.
“Courtney, want to help me with the bathrooms?”
“Of course.” We go into the spare room to find the bags with the bathroom stuff. The bags are all mixed, so we sort through them. She takes the main bathroom and I take the stuff for mine. I’m glad it doesn’t take much to put down some bathmats and hang a shower curtain because I’m seriously spent. Mama peeks her head in to see if I need any help but I’m almost done. When I walk out, I admire my furniture for the first time. It fits nicely in my room and I love it.
A short time later, the pizza has arrived. I grab plates, cups, and napkins. As we’re digging in, Keaton and Remy come walking through the door carrying a huge TV. “Are you two crazy?”
They both shrug their shoulders and continue carrying the TV into the living room. “Consider it an early birthday/Christmas present, if that makes you feel better.”
I laugh. “I can’t believe you guys bought me a forty-six inch TV.”
“Listen, if we’re going to have movie nights, we need a TV. Without one, you can’t force me to watch this.” Remy pulls my favorite movie from his coat pocket and I can’t help but burst into laughter.
“I can’t believe you bought me Twister. I thought you would be thrilled I didn’t have access to it anymore.”
He kisses me on the head. “A girl has to have her favorite movie on hand.”
“You’re the best, Rem.” The guys lean the TV against the stand and then grab some pizza. “Now I have to work on getting a DVD player and a surround sound system.”
“Let me know when you’re ready and I can help you pick one, but for now at least you can get cable.”
Mama smiles at my brothers with a look of pure pride. As soon as they’ve scarfed down two slices, they get busy opening the box and carefully putting the huge TV on its stand. Remy grabs the remote, turns the TV on, and scrolls through the smart TV options. “Sis, I need your Wi-Fi password.” I run to the drawer I have it written down in and hand him the slip of paper. Once he has it plugged into the TV, he shows me how to watch Netflix and then shows me how I can play music.
“You guys are the best. I’ll have to call the company and get another cable box, but this will be great for now.” In true Keaton and Remy fashion, they both wrap me in a hug, squeezing me between them. It’s something they used to do to me all the time. “You guys are going to break me,” I whine.
“Never.” Keaton kisses my head and then gives me a noogie.
“Really. You done messed up my hair.” I smack him playfully.
“On that note, I’m out of here. See ya, sis.” Keaton kisses my mother goodbye and shakes hands with my father on his way out the door.
Next thing I know, it’s just Courtney and I. She helps me set my bed up and then hangs with me for a bit. We chill on my new living room furniture, making plans for a movie night and dinner later this week. “Do you need help with anything else before I go?”
“No, I think I’m good. I’m going to take a shower and read for a bit. Thank you so much for all of your help.”
I walk her to the door, she gives me a quick hug, and then runs down the walkway to her car. I lock the house and shut the lights on my way to my room. I grab my phone to check for messages before I hit the shower. It’s so quiet in the house. I put on the TV to a music channel and lower the volume. I have no messages, but I’m hoping Vaughn will answer a text from me.
Brooke: Thank you again for the flowers. I love them and they look gorgeous on my kitchen island. I miss you and wish you were here with me.
Vaughn: I’m sorry, Angel. Why don’t we get together for dinner this week and we can talk?
Brooke: That would be awesome. Why don’t you come to my place and I’ll cook. How’s Tuesday?
Vaughn: Tuesday works. See you soon, Angel. I love you!
Brooke: Love you too!
I put my phone down feeling so much better that I at least know I’m going to be seeing him soon. I gather what I need for the shower so I can get some sleep, I’m exhausted from the busy day.