Page 8 of Revived

Cash chuckles as he opens the fridge, peering inside. “Wouldn’t be the first time I’ve been hit upside the head, or smacked across the face.. right, babe?”

“I’m not even sorry. You deserve every smack and slap thrown your way, Cash Williams,” she replies with an amused grin as he turns to her slowly.

“I’ll remember that the next time you’re bent over in front of me,” he challenges with a lift of his brow.

“And… I’m out of here,” I say, grabbing my water and making my way back to the guest room in Cash’s house, throwing myself onto the bed so I can stare up at the ceiling while I contemplate how to move forward from here.

When Pfeiffer came back out here, she moved in with Cash immediately. He owns this beautiful home in a small neighborhood in the town, perfect for when they have a family one day, which might be soon, given they are planning on getting married in April. That detail just further reminds me that I need to find my own place. I know my father told me he would pay my way, and I appreciate that so much. But I kind of want to see if I can make it on my own.

Growing up, my family didn’t have money. I was actually raised in a rundown house in the Bronx. My father worked for a construction company that his father worked for, barely making enough to survive some months while my mother stayed home with me and my three older brothers. But our lack of money was never a concern for me because I came from a family that valued love and good character over everything else. I never felt like we went without because we had each other, and my grandfather was always around to help as well. My father taught us the value of hard work and how to survive on next to nothing, so even when the owner of the company he worked for died and left it to my dad, we never forgot where we came from. Overnight, my father inherited a multi-million dollar business since the owner had no children and never married. He had dedicated his life to his work and his employees and rewarded my father for his loyalty and dedication by handing him the company upon his death.

It was a whirlwind of a change, transforming our lives from next to nothing to extravagance in the blink of an eye. We moved to a better part of town and started living differently, but always gave back to those less fortunate. I insisted on volunteering back in the neighborhood I grew up in, assisting in food banks and the schools that my family once used and attended.

If there was one thing that stood out to me from our life there, it was my teachers—the unsung heroes of a young child’s life. There were days when I went to school and didn’t know if the lights would be on at home that night, yet my teachers always made me feel safe. They provided a consistency that young children like myself needed, something to expect and count on when so many other aspects of their lives were uncertain. Those women and a handful of men made me feel safe and seen when sometimes it was easy to feel trivial. And they are the reason that I want to be that for my own group of students one day.

“Rach?” Pfeiffer knocks on my door, pulling me from my thoughts. Stepping into the guest room I’ve made my own in the last few weeks, she stands there waiting for me to notice her.

“Yeah?”

“Wanna meet Cash’s friend tomorrow? Seems something happened and he needs help sooner rather than later…”

That bit of information makes me snap up. “Yes!”

“I’m really excited for you! I think this could be perfect! Grayson is the sweetest boy…”

Tilting my head to the side, I contemplate whether I heard her correctly. “Grayson? Did you say the kid’s name was Grayson?”

“Uh, yeah? Is that a problem?” She watches me intently, surely concerned at how fast my mouth tips up in a smile.

“No! Oh my gosh, Pfeiffer. I think I met that little boy today!”

She shakes her head, clearly confused. “What? How?” I usher her inside as she takes a seat next to me, and then I fill her in on my afternoon.

“Yup. That’s Luke, Cash’s friend. He used to be a sheriff with Cash, but left the department to teach.”

“Wow. That sure is a career change.”

“Yeah, but he seems to love it.”

“What time are we meeting them tomorrow?”

She looks up at the ceiling for a moment before focusing back on me. “I believe Cash said ten. We’re going to meet at Skye’s Creations…”

“Is that the coffee shop you’re addicted to?”

“Yup. And that’s all Cash’s fault.”

“There are a lot of things that are Cash’s fault, apparently,” I joke, and Pfeiffer just blushes.

“Yeah, but you can’t stay mad at him for too long.”

Reaching for Pfeiffer’s hand, I rub my thumb back and forth along her skin. “I’m so happy for you, girl. I can tell how much you love him and vice versa. And I know I’ve already told you this, but thank you for taking me in. Thank you for supporting me when I said I was moving out here. I don’t want you to feel like I’m following you….”

Pfeiffer cuts me off. “Not at all, Rach! I’m so glad you’re here! Not only do I think you’re going to love this place as much as I do, but now I get to be with the love of my life and my best friend… it’s everything I could have asked for. This move will be good for you. You know how exhausting those people are back home. The people I’ve met here are so genuine and real. I finally feel like I belong, and I know you will too.” Her smile is so infectious, my cheeks start to sting from my own.

“Thank you. So, are you and Cash done boning for the night?”

Pfeiffer bites her lip and then looks away from me. “Probably not. But I’ll try to keep it down for you, okay? It’s just… when he gets going… my God…” She closes her eyes, her entire body shuddering from her dirty thoughts. Lucky bitch.

I can’t stifle my laugh, but she doesn’t notice. “I’m happy for you. But until I’m getting it regularly, I’m just going to be insanely jealous, okay?”

“That’s fair. Let’s go get some dinner. There’s so many great restaurants to try here. You’ve barely scratched the surface.”

We both stand as she turns to leave. “Sounds good. Be out in a few.”

Once Pfeiffer shuts my door, I change my outfit, knowing the one I have on probably smells like bird and is muddy from running around with Grayson. The thought of being that little boy’s nanny squeezes my heart in my chest and ignites this sense of importance, the same feeling I get when I think about being a teacher one day.

I wonder if Luke knows that I am the person Cash suggested and he’ll put two and two together that we’ve already met? Either way, I have a feeling this job could potentially change my life—which is exactly why I came here in the first place.

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