Wesley

“Wesley! Get over here and give me a hug!” Mrs. Bellamy demands, her eyes shining with tears as she smothers me in a huge hug.

I allow myself to sink into her embrace. She’s always given the best hugs.

“Hi, Mrs. Bellamy.”

“Irene, let the poor man breathe. I think he’s turning purple,” Mr. Bellamy’s deep voice rumbles.

She pulls back, still not letting go of me, and smiles. “Oh, hush. You just want your turn next.” She hugs me once more, squeezing me tight, and then lets go.

He quickly trades places with her, shaking my hand and pulling me in for a half-hug. “God, it’s good to see you,” he murmurs in my ear.

When I look up at him, his eyes seem a little too shiny. Emotion squeezes my chest at the warm reception they’ve given me. These two people treated me with more kindness than any other adults my whole life. They never judged me because of my background. And, even now that I’m an ex-convict, having served a decade in prison, they’re welcoming me into their home with open arms and acceptance. Gratitude isn’t a big enough word to encompass what I feel for them.

“Good to see you, too, Mr. Bellamy.”

I see Anna standing behind her parents, grinning fondly at the fuss they’re making.

“Anna.” I nod in greeting, feeling a bit awkward. Should I hug her, too?

Scary movies and sobbing meltdowns aside, Anna and I didn’t used to hug each other in greeting when we were younger. My arms itch to wrap around her like last night. She felt incredible in my arms. Her peach scent familiar, soothing and arousing all at the same time. I couldn’t help but breathe her in and pull her close, savoring the feel of a woman in my arms. Because that’s what Anna is now. A woman. All grown-up, tall and willowy, slender with curves in all the right places. Though her chocolate-brown eyes are sad, she’s absolutely stunning. She fits perfectly against my body, too. So perfect that my poor, neglected cock became a rod of steel in my pants. Luckily, she pulled away before she could feel me hard against her.

I wondered if time apart would dampen my feelings for Anna.

The answer is a resounding no.

Then, I saw the necklace I had given her so long ago. The one she had taken off when I broke her heart. I loved seeing it on her neck, like a little piece of me had been with her all these years.

She’s wearing it today, too. I see the sparkle of the chain even if the pendant is tucked beneath her shirt.

Lucky pendant.

She nods back, taking me in like she did last night.

“Okay, Mom, Dad, you’re not keeping your cool like you promised,” John interjects.

“Someone sounds jealous.” Mrs. Bellamy shoots John a sideways glance. “I’m going to smother you next.”

She stretches out her arms and lunges toward him. He laughs, catching her and kissing the top of her head as he hugs her close.

“Shall we eat?” Mr. Bellamy asks, heading into the dining room.

We all follow him in and take our seats, just like the old days. I’m hit with a wave of nostalgia as I take in all of the familiar knickknacks around the house. Some things are new—pictures on the walls, countertops in the kitchen, a couch in the living room. But the Bellamys’ house has always felt warm and inviting, just like a home should feel.

“This is delicious. Thank you.” I’ve missed home cooked meals.

“So, tell me what you’ve been up to since you got back.” Mrs. Bellamy watches me devour the lasagna she made.

“Just starting with the basics, I guess.”

“What can we help with?” Mrs. Bellamy beams at me as I go back for seconds.

Her question catches me off guard, though I should’ve been expecting it. “Uh, I don’t really know. I’m waiting to hear back from the job applications I filled out. Can you tell them to hire me?” I joke. I need to keep this light or else I’m bound to depress everyone with the sad state of my life.

Mr. Bellamy smiles. “Where did you apply?”

“My probation officer gave me a list, so I started there.” I don’t dare mention the carpentry jobs I also applied for. I want them too much, and I can’t bear the thought of anyone asking me about them.

“Did you like any of them?” he asks.

I sigh. “Honestly, no. But I need a job. I’ll like whichever one hires me.”

“What’s your goal? I know you must want to get back to carpentry, right?” Mrs. Bellamy asks, collecting the empty plates from the table.

I nod, trying to catch Anna’s eye. She’s been so quiet. When we were younger, she’d tell everyone at the dinner table about every single thing that happened in her day, giving so many details that John would get annoyed and tune her out. Now, it seems like everyone is just talking around her, as if they’re used to her silence.

She must feel me looking at her, as she looks up and gives me a small smile.

Rescue me, Anna. I try to signal her for help.

She raises her shoulders, as if to say, You’re on your own.

“That’s what you’ve always wanted to do. And I know nothing will keep you away once you get your hands on some tools, isn’t that right?” Mrs. Bellamy says knowingly.

“Lord knows my meager stash of tools isn’t enough for this guy.” John chuckles.

“Wesley, can you help me with something?” Mrs. Bellamy asks me, a twinkle in her eye.

“Of course.” I follow her, slightly confused when she leads me out of the house and into the garage.

It’s a spacious three-car garage with a built-in table in the far left corner. Anticipation turns into excitement as I scan the garage to see what she needs help with. A broken table? A picture frame? A bookshelf?

She brings me to the table that has a drape over the top of it. When she turns to face me, she looks strangely excited. That’s when I notice everyone else has followed us into the garage. I turn around to see them behind me, watching expectantly. Something is up.

My eyes narrow at them. “What’s going on?”

“I have a bit of a problem,” she starts, grabbing the drape and pulling it to reveal a table full of tools. “I have all these tools but no idea what to do with them. And no room to keep them. Think you can take them off our hands?”

I scan the contents. A power drill, table saw, circular saw, miter saw, reciprocating saw, electric sander, carpentry square, and my old toolbox greet me. Some of the power tools are brand-new, still in the box. And on top of the toolbox is what looks like a gift card to Home Depot.

The lump in the back of my throat and burning behind my eyes make it difficult to talk.

“I hope we chose the right tools. Randall—do you remember him? Our handyman? He told us the tools he couldn’t live without, so we figured, it’s a good start. And we weren’t sure what kind of wood or stain you might need, so use the gift card to get the rest”

I will not cry. I will not cry.

My face is hot when I turn to face them. Mr. and Mrs. Bellamy have clasped hands, and they have hopeful smiles, though Mrs. Bellamy’s is a bit watery. John has his arm around Anna. His smile so big it shows off his perfectly white teeth. And Anna’s eyes are soft, as she knows how much this means to me. These people are my family.

“Thank you” I force the words through the lump in my throat. “Everything is perfect.”

“One last thing.” Mr. Bellamy steps forward with a small rectangular box in his hands. “We figured you could use this, too.”

I open the box and reveal the latest Samsung smartphone, all shiny and sleek. “I can’t take this. Honestly, it’s all way too much. I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you.”

“It’s nothing. We just want to help you get back on your feet. How can you get a job and start a business if you don’t have a phone?” He smiles kindly.

“The real reason is because Mom wants to keep tabs on you. Wouldn’t put it past her to have installed the tracker app,” John quips.

“I did not. Though, now that I think about it, that’s a pretty good idea. Wesley, dear, can I borrow your phone real quick?” She smiles innocently.

We all chuckle.

Mr. Bellamy clears his throat. “Do me a favor though.”

“Anything.” I’m already planning to pay them back once I have the money. That will take forever.

“Take pictures of the pieces you make, so we can put together a portfolio.”

A portfolio? That’s not what I expected him to say at all. “Uh, okay. I can do that.”

“You can keep the tools at my place for now. I made some room in the garage.” John stands next to me and bumps my shoulder with his.

I nod, bumping his shoulder back.