Chapter Twenty-One
Alicia
“It is with great honor that I proclaim this establishment and once home to a dear resident of our community a recognized landmark to the township of Mayfield, Kansas, always to be seen as and will be from this day forward.”
The mayor of Mayfield cut the ribbon in front of my aunt’s home, a stout man I’d come to see around town on more than one occasion. One saw everyone here. They only had to be a part of it all and as I had been for the past six months I saw it all. I was a part of everything.
Grinning, I couldn’t hide the expression, the mayor placing his hand behind my back and presenting me, as well as the home that’d be cemented in time now. I still owned my aunt’s house for the time being and what an honor with the home turning out as beautiful as it did.
A flourishing display with new siding and a fresh coat of paint, my aunt’s home had a transformation, now powder-blue in tone instead of the faded green color of before. The roof ripped off and replaced, the shingles shined bright in the afternoon sun and with the flower arrangements planted throughout the landscape a wonderland was created, the outdoors just as magnificent if not more than the internal house revisions. Those had been in influx, everything replaced and shined for the day, this day.
I hope it makes you proud.
I actually talked to my aunt a lot since I visited her, found her, or I guess since she found me. She’d always been here it was just now I could actually visit her, which I did every week. I brought pictures and even flowers from the garden, her beautiful lake just as picturesque. We hadn’t gotten too much work done out there and frankly it hadn’t been needed. Trees trimmed and brush managed, an environment had been created that this town could be proud of, a bright star in a sea of country land.
Squeezing my shoulder, the mayor handed me a plaque, which he instructed to the press would be placed inside the home for all to see. The photographers in bounds, they took pictures with the two of us, the plaque the forefront. The sun high today, half the town was here, many people I got to call friends amongst those pleasant faces. They whistled for me, throwing their hands up and clapping. All this meant something to them.
I knew the feeling.
Laughing, the glee overwhelming, I stepped back, taking it all in. After a pat, the mayor left me and I was on my own for the questions about the property and my plans for it. They came in droves, but I answered every one. I told them I was still in talks, which was true, but in the end, the home and my aunt’s land would be priority.
After they were done with me, I was rightly out of breath, and then came Ava, her arms thrown around me.
“Oh my gosh, how are you dealing?” she asked, laughing a little. She brought a few of our friends with her, local guys. I’d come to know Ava definitely as a tomboy. I seemed to be the only one she made an exception for.
I shook my head. “It’s a lot,” I told her, placing the plaque under my arm. She wanted to see it, so I pulled it out for her.
Her expression changed after seeing it, softening before staring up at me.
“She’d be proud,” she said. She said that a lot. I knew my aunt Jo would be. I hoped I could do something for her and this amazing town I suddenly saw myself a part of. It was the least I could do after she gave me such a gift.
Squeezing my arm, Ava stood back.
“So now that’s done, we drink,” she said, conferring with her friends. “We’re going to Brown & Hobs and I’m buying.”
Brown & Hobs was the town’s hotspot outside of the bar Ava worked at, a place where drinking, eating, and dancing were the standard fare. But it hadn’t just been any drinking and dancing.
This girl—i.e. me—had actually added line dancing to her arsenal and no one had been more surprised than myself. It wasn’t my favorite pastime, something I’d only done a handful of times in the past few months, but I always enjoyed myself when there.
I told her no problem, but I had to ask Gray first. I lost him sometime between the beginning of the speech and the end, not surprised. He was a pretty good sport when it came to being around people. He often joined me in my ventures out with Ava and friends, but literally half the town and more had been here today, something I knew would put him completely out of his element.
I was coming to learn a lot about him, how he flowed and how he worked. He was different, but then again, maybe everyone else was. He had a good heart, a good soul, and his kindness battled the unusual. He was an amazing human being, man or otherwise.
I could go on about him all day.
And would most days if he let me, if Ava let me. As it turned out Ava knew exactly where Gray had escaped to, on the other side of the house with the rest of the wallflowers I imagined.
I went over after hugging Ava goodbye, figuring he wouldn’t be hard to find with his size. I knew exactly who I was looking for, his distressed jeans and crisp white t-shirt the standard with him. He dressed up a little today by wearing a collared shirt and I looked for that toward the front of the house. I found a few friends, more smiling faces of the city. They’d been enjoying the refreshment table in the front, but no Gray.
Hands coming down my shoulders told of his location, his thick fingers embedding deeply into my skin. A daisy pushing in front of my eyes, he used a free arm to crane around me, his lips pushing a smile into my neck.
“Congratulations,” he said, pulling away and I got that daisy in my face when he presented it with a bow of his head.
I took it like it was the most valued treasure, smiling as I kissed it against my lips before bringing an arm around his broad frame.
He didn’t have to say anything about where he’d been or why he’d gone. It didn’t matter. He was here now.
After pinching my lips between his, he pulled back at the call of his name, but it hadn’t been me who said, “Dad.”
A light shown around a perfect ponytail drawn back with a few braids decorating the sides. She’d let me do her hair today. I’d do it every day if the girl calmed down enough to do such a thing. She was always running around.
She was always laughing.
An excited and jubilant, “Dad!” Laura tossed in her father’s direction once more, pressing her face into his side before throwing an arm around me too. I’d never get enough of this girl’s hugs.
I used to wish, once upon a time, that I’d been there the very first time. I wanted to enjoy the moment of hearing her voice, but that hadn’t been for me. The moment had been between a father and daughter, a long time coming for them, and me, I got the best of both worlds. I got the glee and excitement of it all after.
Her joy heavily displayed today. She let go of me and tugged on her dad’s t-shirt.
“Slow down,” Gray said, his child literally lunging at him. It made him smile, smile in the most desperately handsome way. His hand on the back of her head, he dipped a chin down at her, his kid’s words a mile a minute now that she’d found them. I deciphered her asking to go to her friend’s house, a lot of friends she’d made over these past few months since attending school. It was slow at first and only one friend at a time. It took some time for her to brave and no one rushed her.
Gray’s Laura wasn’t to be rushed.
She was like her father in that way, comfortable with change if only not pushed. I learned so much since being around both of them, blessed to be able to.
Laura went on about going to her friend’s house and eventually, Gray’s lips turned down at her.
“And what does Jasmine’s mom have to say about that?” he asked her, rubbing the back of her head. He’d referred to her friend who’d come to be her best friend over time. She also happened to be Jolene’s niece, the first one she initially shared her beautiful spirit with.
“She, she, she, her mom said she didn’t care,” she spouted, jumping and tugging on his shirt still. Again, she had so many words and excitement bubbled up within her she couldn’t seem to express them fast enough for her newfound voice to catch up with. She grinned. “She said she didn’t care even though it was a school night.”
“I highly doubt that,” Gray exclaimed, tugging on one of her braids. He smiled. “She really didn’t care?”
“No, no. She didn’t. Can I go, please? I’ll be back before dinner.”
“Oh, I know you’ll be,” he said, coming down to her. He grabbed her shoulders, shaking her playfully and I knew his answer. They’d been the same answer every time she asked something from him, every time she needed something.
And I think it made him just as happy to say yes as it did for her to hear it.