“THE PARTY CAN START NOW!” I hear my best friend, Josh, announce as he comes barreling in through the front door. “Where’s my princess?!”
Josh is an amazing man who I absolutely adore. I met him through Lysee and we clicked instantly. He’s sweet and silly, strong, loving, and kind. He’s also gorgeous with wavy dark hair and eyes that remind me of the Caribbean Sea; water so clear you can see both the sand and the rocks. His ever-present smile is the only thing that rivals his eyes. It’s wide and bright and bracketed by two dimples so deep you want to bury yourself in them.
Josh’s story blew me away when I first got to know him. He grew up in a rural town in Georgia and had a very hard childhood. Being gay and the son of a Baptist minister was not a good combination. He lived in the closet but was still attacked by a bunch of homophobes in his teens and left to die. When he was in the hospital, he turned to his father for help, revealing his true self, and was immediately disowned. With nothing and nobody to turn to, once he recovered, he hopped on a Greyhound and headed to Southern California where he knew he’d be accepted for who he chose to love.
He was knee-deep in a trash bin at an auto body shop in search of scrap metal to sell so he could eat, when he found himself face-to-face with the owner of the shop that’s now his. George Mitchell took him in, fed him, sheltered him, and taught him the trade. When George retired, he gave Josh the business since he had no family of his own and considered Josh his son. Josh proudly kept the original name, Mitchell’s Automotive, in honor of the man who saved his life.
Lysee also suffered greatly as a child and I really think that’s why they’re so close. I met Lysee when Scott and I were having lunch at The Spot and she was our server. We had an instant connection. Kindred spirits, soulmates, whatever you want to call it, we had it. And just like with Josh, I immediately knew she was my person.
Lysee is absolutely beautiful, with long, golden blond hair that cascades down her back, and a round face with full lips, shaped like a Cupid’s bow. And, just like Josh, it’s her eyes that make her. They’re such a light shade of blue they’re almost translucent.
While Lysee is beautiful on the outside, it’s what’s inside that makes her truly shine. She’s bold and brash, hysterical and unfiltered, sweet and caring. With her history, she should be guarded and on edge. She was the daughter of a captain in the army who, after her mom died, moved her from post to post, sexually abusing her until she had no choice but to run away. She has never and will never let her history dictate who she is and for that I truly respect her.
The world is a better place with them in it and I’m a better person for having them in my life. They survived the un-survivable and I know I can too.
With E, I can.
Chloe charges out of her bedroom at the sound of his voice. “Uncle Josh! Uncle Josh!” she squeals as she races towards him.
“There’s my baby girl!” he cheers as he squats down to her level, making an exaggerated “ooof” sound when she crashes into him, while telling her how big she got and how strong she is. “Guess what? Auntie Lysee and I have a special surprise for you—but you have to close your eyes.”
“What did you do?” I ask skeptically.
Josh is wearing his “I’m up to no good” smile. “Relax, gumbo!” he drawls.
“You’re using one of your special Southern food nicknames, Josh, and your accent is out in full force. That does not make me feel relaxed.”
I seriously need another glass of wine. Or maybe the whole bottle.
“No need to worry,” Lysee chimes in as she enters the house carrying a small white file folder box.
Yep! Definitely worried and definitely in need of more wine.
“A PRESENT!” Chloe squeals, her eyes wide and focused on the box. “Can I open it? PLEASE?!” Her arms are in front of her, palms facing each other as if she’s praying, while drawing out the word in her adorable little voice. She then looks around the room silently asking for permission, her little body trembling with anticipation. Everybody turns their attention to me and I have to wonder how I’ve suddenly become the voice of reason.
“Like I have a choice,” I say in a resigned voice, and gesture to the box now sitting on the floor in front of a very excited Chloe.
“YAY!” Chloe drops down to her knees, throws the lid off the box and stops breathing.
“Meow…”
“A KITTY!” Chloe screams flying up to a standing position and starts jumping up and down, barely able to contain herself.
A cat? They bought her a…cat?!
“It’s Olaf…” Chloe breathes, and immediately goes back to jumping up and down, her body vibrating with even more excitement, if that’s at all possible.
“Oh God!” I groan.
“That’s right, biscuit! Princess Elsa needs her Olaf,” Josh drawls, also beaming with excitement. He takes Olaf from the box and hands him to Chloe, who plops herself down on her little bottom to cuddle the kitten.
“Who do we have here?” Rodger asks with a shit-eating grin as he enters from the bedroom. They’ve been asking me if they could get Chloe a pet for a while now.
“Looks like Chloe just got a new kitten,” Beverly laughs in response.
“Really!” I groan once again.
“Darn tootin’, darlin’,” Josh drawls, laughing at my reaction.
“A KITTY! A KITTY!” Chloe cheers, jumping back up to show Rodger, her little finger pointing directly at the cat at her feet. “Look, Papa, look. A KITTY!”
“It is,” Rodger says, still wearing the shit-eating grin that hasn’t left his face. He knows I didn’t want a pet and he’s loving every second of this.
“Let’s take Olaf into your room so Mommy can talk to Uncle Josh and Auntie Lysee,” Beverly tells Chloe as she picks the little white kitten up off the floor.
When they’re out of earshot, I turn to Josh and Lysee. “Really?!” I groan, yet again, now sounding like a broken record.
Josh just shrugs and Lysee says, “We missed her.”
“Yeah, but a cat?!”
“Dani, Dani, Dani,” Josh says as he puts his arm around my shoulders, bringing me in close to his body.
“Joshie, Joshie, Joshie,” I say back to him. I know the kitten is now a permanent fixture so I just say, “Wine?” as I move out of his embrace and head to the kitchen.
They nod, follow me, and Josh hoists himself onto the breakfast bar, making himself right at home.
Scott redid our kitchen right before the accident. He painted the walls a light green and installed white cabinets with silver pulls, a black granite countertop, a subway-tiled backsplash, and high-end appliances. Scott went all out because he knew I love to cook. I love my kitchen and I’m with him every time I’m in here.
I hand them each a glass of wine and we clink glasses.
“To Olaf!” Lysee cheers.
“To Olaf!” we repeat.
“Welcome home,” Lysee says as she hugs me. Josh winks and I pat his leg.
“I’ve missed you two,” I tell them. The three of us catch up. I really have missed them and it feels good being back.
“So, Monday you’re coming to meet Tonya?” Tonya is the owner of The Spot, the restaurant where Lysee works.
Sandi’s disapproving face and condescending words flash in my mind. Am I making a mistake?
Lysee senses my apprehension and goes for the jugular. “You know you need to find something. So unless you’re planning on getting back into design…” She trails off.
Gah! She knows I’m not about to go back into design and that I really don’t have any other choice. “What time?” I concede.
“Yes!” Lysee cheers.
“Did you really think you were going to win that one?” Josh chuckles.
“Nope,” I reluctantly reply, letting the sound of the “P” resonate in the otherwise quiet room.
“Ten thirty,” Lysee says smiling. “The breakfast rush will be done by then and Tonya can meet with you.”
After Chloe is asleep, Rodger and Beverly join us and we head into the living room where I tell Josh and Lysee about my new car and Lysee tells Rodger and Beverly about my new job. After I show my friends my new Subaru Crosstrek, which I absolutely love, we spend the rest of the evening enjoying each other’s company.
And for the second time today, I realize how happy I am to be home.