Hank Ross’ house is like a time capsule.

Not that I spent much time here to begin with. Jovie always insisted on meeting me outside instead of me coming to the door. Hank’s hatred of me aside, I think she was just embarrassed about where she came from. I honestly never asked.

It’s a small house, about twice as small as mine and I live by myself. The cramped living room is barely large enough for the couch and chair that sits inside. The kitchen hasn’t been upgraded in at least two decades. An entire house locked in time.

I follow Jovie to her bedroom, my eyes instantly rising to the set of photos lining the short hallway wall. Newborn baby Jovie. Teething Jovie. Second birthday Jovie. Dimpled cheeks and little brown eyes.

I pause on the last one. Toddler Jovie sitting on her mother’s lap in what’s obviously a hospital bed.

Joanne. I stare at her cheekbones and the way her smile curls to one side, just like Jovie’s does. She holds a picture book with cartoon dinosaurs in front of them, keeping little Jovie occupied. IV tubes stick out the back of her hand and a red bandanna sits loosely on her head.

“Will.”

I pull my eyes away to glance at Jovie, admiring the similar structure and beauty in their faces.

“Come on.” She taps her nail against the door. “I don’t have much. It won’t take long.”

I point to the picture. “You look just like her.”

“So I hear.”

She ducks back inside her room and I know not to bring it up again.

As I enter the room, Jovie yanks two old suitcases out from under the bed and lays them open on top. “Okay, so, it’s mostly just clothing,” she says.

I scan the walls. They’re a faded pink color, no doubt left over from when this was her nursery. It’s covered up now by various posters and photos of cities and places around the world Jovie always talked about going to.

Jovie retreats into her closet and starts sifting through the hangers.

I walk to the dresser in the corner. “Anything from here?” I ask.

“Everything in the top drawer.”

I slide it open and smirk at the multi-colored delicates hidden inside. “Oh, yeah.”

“Stop it.” She chuckles. “Don’t even know if it all fits anymore.”

“Well, can I watch you test them out?” I joke.

“Sure.”

I snatch up as many panties and bras as I can in my hands and drop them into an open suitcase.

“You know,” I say, “I’d be more than happy to lend you some money to—”

“No.”

“—buy some new clothes.”

Jovie exhales as she carries out a stack of shirts. “I don’t want to rely on anybody for this. I’ll save up and buy them myself.”

“It’s not a problem.”

“You’ve done enough, Will. I’ve already compromised my morals on my car repairs and the rent situation.”

“Jove—”

“Just let me have this.” She pushes her hands downward with flat palms as if to put an end to the conversation.

I nod. “Okay. I respect your boundaries.”

“Thank you.”

“What about the books?” I ask, pointing to the shelf.

Jovie pauses and bites her lip. “No.”

“CDs?”

“No.”

“Okay, maybe point out the stuff you do want, then.”

She glances around and shrugs. “It’s weird.”

“What is?”

“I don’t know. Spend a few years without it and you realize just how much you don’t need it.”

I smirk. “You talking about the stuff or me?”

She blinks. “The stuff.”

“I know. I was just kidding.” I grab another fistful of underwear to toss inside the case, slowly realizing that Jovie hasn’t stop staring at me. “What?” I ask.

She drifts closer, never once taking her eyes off mine. “Will, I don’t want you to ever think that I don’t need you. That might sound strange, given the circumstances, but…” she shakes her head, “there wasn’t a day that went by when I didn’t think…”

Her voice fades and her face falls as she takes a step back.

“We should hurry,” she says, turning toward the closet again.

I stand still, immersed in the moment with her. One brick from a great wall just crumbled to pieces in front of me and it was more beautiful than I could have imagined.

Jovie’s blank slate is starting to fill in. If I don’t encourage it, she may erase it and I’ll never see that look in her eyes again.

I move silently toward her and she slouches in shame but I nudge her chin up to make her look at me. I hold her close, gently wrapping my arms around her and staring down into the same little, brown eyes as those photos.

Jovie smiles, so subtle and quick that it’s barely even there at all. But I saw it. It was meant for me, after all.

I lay a kiss on the tip of her nose and she rests her head on my chest. Her hair tickles my senses and I inhale a deep breath as her hands latch together behind my back.

After a few seconds, she squeezes tighter and buries her face in me a little bit more.

Given the circumstances, it does sound strange. I spent years thinking that Jovie was done with me. That she didn’t need me. But I was wrong.

Jovie turns her head up and I kiss her.

“Let’s go home,” I say.

She smiles again and nods as she releases her hold on me. “I’ll come back some other time for the rest of it,” she says. “Fill a few boxes and sell it off. Or give it away. Good karma can only help me right now…”

I step back to give her space.

She carries another stack of clothes from the closet and dumps it into the overflowing cases.

“I think that’s it for these,” I say. I fold it closed, fighting with a few long sleeves poking out the sides before latching it.

Jovie zips the other one closed. “I’ll take another quick look around and meet you outside.”

I nod and grab both by the handles. “All right.”

“Will…”

I pause by the door as she walks over to me. She cups my face, drawing me down for another soft and slow kiss.

“Thank you,” she tells me.

My heart skips against my ribs. I say nothing, flashing only the quick smirk that I know she loves, as I step out to head for the front door.

I walk out to her car, letting the grin take over my face, as the dull roar of a pick-up truck rolls into the driveway beside me.

Hank’s black pick-up truck.

I straighten up and drop the smile as I pop the trunk to set the suitcases inside.

He parks and hops down with a six-pack of beer in one hand, sneering at me beneath his trimmed mustache. “William,” he says.

I close the trunk. “Hey, Hank.”

“What are you doing here?”

“Just helping Jovie pack some things.”

He scoffs. “Yeah, I heard my daughter got engaged… from a stranger at the gas station.”

Dammit, Jove.

“Yeah, sorry about that,” I say. “It was a pretty sudden thing.”

“What’d you do? Knock her up again?”

I blink. “No…”

He grunts as he continues toward the front door. “Well, either way, she’s your problem now. Good luck to ya.”

“Yeah.” I stare past him. “Later, Hank.”

His feet stomp up the porch and I watch the awkward moment as Jovie passes by him through the front door.

“Hey…” she says with a few pairs of old shoes dangling from her fingertips.

Hank says nothing. He gives her a nod and closes the door behind him.

Jovie picks up her pace toward me. “Yikes. Did you talk to him?” she asks, wincing.

“Yeah.”

“What’d he say?”

I force a breath as I realize I stopped breathing. “Not much.”

She pauses on my face. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” I clear my throat, “I’m fine.”

Her smile returns and she kisses my cheek. “Then, let’s go home.”

I look into those little, brown eyes again as a chill creeps up my spine.

I nod. “Let’s go home.”