Chapter 20

 

It had been too long since their first official date and that night spent in Sam's room. Wyatt wanted to smile every time he thought of it, but then he remembered how he had barely seen Sam since that day at the café when he got mad at him.

Sam didn't want to meet up, and Wyatt got too busy to go and see him and have it out. The whole time he was apart from him, Wyatt pictured him hanging out with Rico. Sure Sam got mad when he accused him of wanting to spend time with Rico instead of him, but what if he was right?

That thought just wouldn't leave him alone. He had to straighten this out or he would lose his mind.

 

Today bright and early Wyatt was taking the kids into town so he could do some volunteer work for the Peach Blossom Festival. Sam was going to be there a little later, and Wyatt couldn't wait to see him so they could talk.

The kids were supposed to be getting ready to go, but Wyatt could hear their hushed voices out in the hallway. A quick search and Wyatt found them huddled together by the open door of the coat closet.

"We can't keep it. We have to give it to Uncle Wyatt," DJ was saying.

Then Wyatt heard Riley pleading, "Just for a little bit."

Going over to see what had caused all this urgent whispering, Wyatt asked them, "What's going on, guys?"

In answer, DJ held out a fairly nondescript, gray jacket. Was that what they were talking about just now? DJ explained. "It's Mom's gardening jacket. It was in there," he said pointing at the hall closet.

Wyatt realized that it must have been overlooked when all the other stuff got cleared out.

"It was Dad's jacket first," Riley said.

"It got ripped right here," DJ said and pointed to a patched spot on the shoulder. "Mom fixed it then she said, 'I'm keeping it for gardening. And Dad said, 'It looks cuter on you anyway.'" DJ said it like he had carefully memorized every word that his parents said to each other.

"It smells like Mom's lotion, but DJ said we can't keep it," Riley said and both boys looked incredibly sad as tears filled their eyes.

Now that Wyatt understood how precious it was to them, there was no way he was going to make them give it up.

"You can keep it. Where do you want to put it?" he asked them and they sniffled with both profound sadness and relief.

The boys thought about it for a minute then DJ said, "Can we keep it in our room?"

Wyatt agreed, and they all went over there. After looking around for the right place to put it, he asked, "Do you want to hang it in your closet?"

DJ nodded and Riley declared, "Mom and Dad's jacket is gonna be friends with our jackets."

 

As he went back to the kitchen to finish his coffee, Wyatt thought about his own mother. She was only a shadow to him -- a wisp of blond hair, a flash of blue eyes.

After she left them, Wyatt remembered finding odds and ends that belonged to her. He used to keep whatever he found, hiding the bits and pieces stashed in a shoebox under his bed. One day he discovered that the box was gone. Either Lloyd or his dad must have found it and got rid of it. They did it without a word. Everything that once belonged to his mother was just gone.

That was so like them. Neither their father or Lloyd talked about her, so she kept fading from Wyatt's memory. By the time he was a teenager and he heard that she died, Wyatt had nothing left of her, just a painful longing inside him.

Now that he thought about it, Lloyd must have missed her too, but he didn't like talking about her. When he was explaining to Wyatt why she left, all he told him was that she said, "I can't do this any more."

Wyatt didn't understand. "Couldn't do what?" he asked his older brother.

"She couldn't be our mom any more."

Later on, when Wyatt left for Europe, he remembered what Lloyd had said to him. "I guess you turned out just like Mom. You ran off just like she did."

That hurt. The thought that he could have caused that kind of pain to anyone would always haunt Wyatt.

He couldn't dwell on that now. None of it could be changed. Wyatt made sure the kids were ready to go, the dogs had what they needed to stay behind, and they all headed into town for a morning of volunteer work. Some hard work should help clear his head.

 

The volunteers were organizing at Peach Tree Elementary, and DJ wasn't happy about that. "Why at the school?" DJ said and made a face that Wyatt caught in the rear view mirror as he drove.

"You don't like school?" Wyatt said.

"I don't know," DJ said and it seemed like he was worried about it maybe because he was starting first grade in the fall.

"It won't be that different. All the kids you know from kindergarten will be there. It will be fun," Wyatt told him.

DJ still looked unsure, but he seemed willing to give it a chance especially once they arrived and he saw other kids there and they waved to him and Riley. Gloria was there too, and Lara seemed to be in charge of telling people where to go. She held a clipboard in front of her and pointed to different groups. She wasn't a volunteer though, she worked for city hall. "Only chumps work for free," she had told him.

Already at work, some of the people were outside in a clearing behind the school next to the playing fields. There were tables being set up and planks of wood were being carried around. From what Wyatt heard, that must have been for some kind of raised platform or maybe one of the floats they were building for the parade.

Wyatt was ready to get to work too. Too bad Sam wasn’t there yet to sweat alongside him. After the breakfast shift at the café was over, Sam would be free to come and lend a hand.

While DJ and Riley went off to join the kids, Wyatt went to get his assignment from Lara who stood with a group of volunteers and consulted that clipboard of hers. After a bit, she had assigned everyone to different groups and only Wyatt was left. He tried not to take that personally. They just didn't know how awesome he was.

Seeing him standing there, Lara looked around then came up with an assignment for him. "You can work with Noreen. There she is with her gallon of coffee." Lara pointed her out coming over with a big mug of coffee in her hand. "There are some supplies to be carried into that shed. Noreen will tell you where it goes."

"And good morning to you too," Noreen said.

"Get to work, you two," Lara said and gave Noreen a mean smile as she left.

"Listen to her ordering me around. She's enjoying that way too much," Noreen complained.

 

After she was done glaring after Lara, Noreen took Wyatt out to the parking lot. She pointed out a white van. The back of it was open with boxes stacked inside. Noreen leaned in so she could read some labels.

"I guess spring is a busy time around here," Wyatt said as she tapped a box and he picked it up.

Noreen picked up another box and put it on top of that one, then grabbed one for herself. "This is not so bad, not like in the summer when the peaches are ripe and we have the Peach Pie Festival. And people also come here in the fall for the changing of the leaves. That's when they have the Golden Leaf Festival," Noreen said. She was leading the way to a shed.

"Another festival?" Wyatt said as he pushed the shed door open with his back and set the boxes on a shelf Noreen pointed out.

"Sure, one for every season. The winter festival was the last one," she told him. "And yes, you'll have to volunteer for all of them to set a good example for the kids."

As they went to get more boxes, Wyatt grumbled, but he was thinking that he wouldn't mind if he got to work with Sam in every festival for every season. Not that he minded working with Noreen either. He was just really looking forward to seeing Sam again.

Wyatt couldn't get enough of him. Anxious to see him, he was keeping an eye out for him, glancing toward the parking lot every few seconds.

"I wonder who you're looking for every time you crane your neck to look over there?" Noreen asked and raised an eyebrow at him.

"Sam is supposed to show up," Wyatt told her.

"Who is he again?" she pretended to try and remember. "Oh, just your friendly cooking teacher. Is that right?"

"I need all the cooking help I can get," Wyatt said so he wouldn't have to say too much about what was going on between him and Sam, especially right now.

"Sure. Cooking help," she said and rolled her eyes. "Don't get me wrong. If I was in your shoes, I might be all, woe is me these cooking instructions are just too darn complicated for my poor brain to comprehend. Is there no gorgeous, young man around who could assist me?"

"Is that supposed to be an impression of me?" Wyatt asked as they went back for more stuff to carry to the shed.

"Pretty good, am I right? You thought you were looking at yourself in the mirror," she taunted him.

"I'm going to have to feed you sometime then you'll see what kind of cook I am," Wyatt threatened as he hefted another pair of boxes.

"You can't just watch a video online and follow along like the rest of us?" she said.

"Where's the fun in that?" Wyatt asked with a grin.

"I see what you mean. Why should you when you have a real, live, hot guy coming over to cook for you and cater to your every whim? You're determined not to learn how to cook so you can hold poor Sam captive," she accused him.

"Don't make me sounds so creepy when all I'm doing is dragging my feet a little. I like him and I like his cooking. Where's the crime in that?" Wyatt said though he felt a stab of misery when he thought about not seeing Sam lately.

"You have your fun. Don't listen to me. I'm probably just jealous," she told him. "And it's not like Sam is voicing any objections about being in your manly clutches. I bet that little hottie is exactly where he wants to be."

Wyatt hoped that was true. He wanted Sam to miss him just as much as Wyatt missed him.

After a few trips to the parking lot, he and Noreen had brought in all the boxes and were just coming out of the shed when Wyatt saw Sam and Lara coming over.

"And look who's here," Lara said.

"Hi. Do you know Noreen?" Wyatt asked as he beamed at Sam, but only got a pained smile in return.

"Nice to meet you outside the cafe," Noreen said and they shook hands, but she didn't leave it at that. "Wyatt was telling me all about you."

"I have been gentlemanly and discreet," Wyatt said to defend himself.

"So there is something juicy to tell," Lara said.

"No," Wyatt said but between her and Noreen, he knew he couldn't dig himself out.

"So then I shouldn't have you work together?" Lara teased them. Wyatt gave her a panicked look, and she laughed before her attitude became more businesslike as she gave them their marching orders. "OK. Looks like you two are done here. Noreen, you're on painting duty with Beth. I'm teaming up you two guys. You can thank me later."

As she led the way to where they would be working, Wyatt kept glancing at Sam, trying to catch his eye. At first Sam wouldn't meet his eyes, then he finally gave Wyatt such a mournful look that it made his heart hurt. He had to sort this out and soon.

Lara led them to a makeshift worktable behind the shed. She pointed to some stacked pieces of plywood with flowers painted on them.

"These are from the last few years. Scrape off loose paint and sand them down, then lean them against the shed and Noreen and Beth will prime them. Beth is already working on the first one," Lara said.

"What are the boys up to?" Sam asked.

"We have the kids busy making paper flowers, paper garlands and confetti," Lara said. "They are making a mess, of course."

Once the guys were all set to go to work, she and Noreen went to an area where a whole bunch of painting was being done. That left Wyatt and Sam as close to alone as they were going to get.

 

Before they could get to work though, Wyatt wanted to talk to Sam. "I'm so happy you came. I was afraid you might not want to work with me."

In answer Sam only glared at him steadily.

"Come on. Let me have it." When Sam didn't speak up, Wyatt prompted him, "Is this about what I said about Mrs. Del Rio's grandson?"

Sam wouldn't confirm it but he looked even angrier now, so Wyatt knew he was on the right track. "I didn't mean it."

"Then why did you say it?" Sam said through gritted teeth. Wyatt could tell it really hurt him. It was a big deal to him, but Wyatt had just blurted it out on impulse.

"I got jealous when I saw you together. You looked chummy, but..."

"And what if we were chummy?" His eyes flashing, Sam snapped at him, "If I want to hang out with Rico, I will."

"Of course you will. Why wouldn't you?" Wyatt said, ready to take it all back.

"You said..."

Not wanting to be reminded of it, Wyatt hurried to say, "I didn't mean it. I might feel some pangs of jealousy, but..."

"When have I given you a reason to be jealous?" Sam asked, angry and hurt, his voice breaking.

Wyatt hated that he hurt him like this. "I wasn't accusing you of anything. I just got worried that I could lose you. You're both cute. You're the same age. I bet you would hit it off. I just got insane with jealousy. I never meant to hurt you. I know you didn't do anything wrong. This is all me. I'm sorry."

"So are you the jealous type?" Sam asked, and Wyatt could tell that it wasn't a casual question. His brow was furrowed and his voice was rough.

"Not usually," Wyatt said. "Rico is just a little too cute for my liking and he gets to spend time with you at the cafe. But I know I'm being unreasonable wanting to keep you all to myself. I never meant for you to take it seriously."

"I did. It reminded me of how Brian used to get. I couldn't be friends with anyone or he would accuse me of betraying him and beat me. Nothing would convince him I wasn't guilty. But I think he just used that to prove I deserved to get hit," Sam said and his whole demeanor was pure pain.

Wyatt felt wretched. He went over to Sam and offered him his hand. After looking into his eyes for what seemed like forever, Sam took it. As he resolved not to act like a jealous idiot ever again, Wyatt told him, "I'm so sorry. I would never want to remind you of him. I..."

"You're nothing like him. And anyway, I was jealous too when I saw how you smiled at Rico when Mrs. Del Rio was introducing you. I could tell you thought he was cute," Sam said and now he glowered at Wyatt accusingly.

"Oh, did I say he was cute? I meant he's nothing special. I didn't even notice him. The only man I see is you," Wyatt told him with an apologetic smile.

Sam rolled his eyes. "It's not like you're not allowed to smile at anyone but me. That would be insane."

"It's an insane feeling," Wyatt said. Right then he was experiencing the insanity of being happy that Sam was jealous too and that he might forgive him.

"Do you think you can give me another chance?" Wyatt asked with a lump in his throat.

Sam smiled sweetly at him, melting his heart, and said, "Yes."

Wyatt kissed his hand about a dozen times before Sam pulled it away. "Stop that. We need to do some work."