Page 4 of Paper Hearts & Plot Twists

Emily trailed her finger along one of the large leaves as she meandered through the green aisles. She stepped through the gated opening of the chain link fence and hurried to her car, near the back of the lot. Workers were required to park in the back three rows so they didn’t take valuable parking from paying customers. Just another opportunity to get a little exercise in, she told herself, though she couldn’t help but resent Jeff having a parking space in the front row of the parking lot or the fact that there were always at least twelve empty rows between her car and the actual spaces where customers parked.

Driving home after a long day at work was an autopilot event. At times, how little thought she put into the whole experience scared her. She pulled into her space at home.

Leo, Joel, and Emily lived in a small single-story house on the outskirts of Portland. The house wasn’t in the best condition, with peeling paint and a moss-covered roof, but it was home.

Emily smiled when she realized that both Uncle Joel’s and Uncle Leo’s cars were already there. She was just in time for a family dinner with her favorite people, and she had quite the story to tell them today. At least her suffering led to some level of entertainment.

“Leo? Joel?” Emily shouted as she entered through the front door.

“Em! We’re in the kitchen,” Joel shouted. Emily smiled and hurried around the corner to the small cooking space. Joel was at the stove stirring something, while Leo was chopping a salad. They made quite the domestic sight, and Emily loved it.

“You’re just in time for dinner,” Leo said. “Would you set the table while we finish?”

“Of course,” Emily responded. She moved to the cupboards to grab several plates, silverware, napkins, and glasses. It was simple work getting the space arranged for the three of them. Moments later her uncles joined her at the table with food in hand.

“This looks delicious,” Emily said as she scooped a portion onto her plate.

“Leo wanted to try a new recipe,” Joel replied. “You’ll have to let us know if it’s worth keeping.”

“All of your recipes are worth keeping,” Emily said, directing her comment toward Leo. He grinned in response, but didn’t say anything.

“That’s what I always say, but Leo needs to hear it from multiple people,” Joel said with a grin. “Now tell me about your day at work.”

Emily told them about her crazy customers, ranting and raving about the way some people felt it was okay to treat others. Joel hemmed and hawed at all the right places, while Leo casually cussed out the man who’d made Emily feel uncomfortable.

“I’m so dang sick of this deadbeat job,” Emily whined. She put her head down on the table in her folded arms and let out a huff. “The crazy customers are never-ending, while my patience gets thinner by the hour. I’m going to snap and end up TikTok-famous for all the wrong reasons.”

Leo chuckled while Joel nodded his head in understanding and said, “Maybe you could use your newfound fame to garner some excitement for a poetry book launch?”

“Of course you’d say that,” Emily said. She lifted her head and shook it. “I have to finish the poetry book, find an agent, then find a publisher before a poetry book even falls onto the radar.”

“Well I can’t help finish your poetry book, though I’m always happy to read and give input, but I can help on the agent and publisher front.”

“What do you mean?” Emily asked. She pushed her plate to the side, ignoring the pile of carrots that were now mush after she’d smashed and swirled them more times than she could count.

“Leo and I spent the last month making some lists for you,” Joel said. He hurried to his desk in the living room, pulled a folder from the right side, strode back to the table, and sat again before he slid the manila file folder across the smooth wooden surface.

Emily picked it up, flipping it open to reveal neatly typed pages of names with email and mailing addresses, as well as information required for submissions. “W-when did you have time to do this?” she asked, her voice wavering.

“We made time while you were at work. That’s why it took so long. We had to do it around our work schedules and yours so we could surprise you,” Leo explained with a shrug. He stood and gathered the dishes, carrying them to the sink. Leo didn’t like to be around when people started to get emotional, so he tended to keep busy during such moments.

Joel and Emily shared a fond smile as Leo left them. Emily turned back to her uncle and said, “Thank you both for such a priceless gift.” She reached across the table and grasped his hand. “I don’t know if my writing is good enough for any of this, but I love that you both believe in me enough to go to all this effort.”

“Let us have enough confidence in your abilities to make up for your lack of faith in yourself.”

“I suppose you won’t give me another choice,” Emily said with a smile. She’d always adored their enduring belief in her. She walked over to her uncle Joel and bent down to wrap her arms around his shoulders, pressing her cheek to his in a hug that had become all too familiar over the years.

“Of course not,” Joel said. “It’s our job as your stand-in parents to believe in you at every opportunity.”

Leo bent over the sink and scrubbed the dishes, carefully placing each one in the drying rack on the counter. Leo was particular and didn’t think a dishwasher could possibly do a good enough job, hence the hand-washing. He glanced over at the hugging duo and said, “You should share the other news with Emily.” He then bent his head back down, focusing on the few remaining dishes.

“Other news?” Emily asked, pulling away from the hug and looking at Joel’s face, trying to discern any clues. Her task wasn’t successful.

“I was going to tell you on your birthday,” Joel said, sending an annoyed glare toward Leo, “but since you now know there’s a surprise, I might as well give it to you early.”

“Her birthday is way too close to the date of the event anyway,” Leo said pragmatically. He grabbed a towel and dried his hands. “Emily flies by the seat of her pants at times, but that would stress her out.”

“I suppose,” Joel reluctantly admitted, glaring at Leo’s back as he passed them and headed into the living room.

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