Page 11 of Adventures in Spring

“I’m picking up my mom’s prescriptions.”

“Okay, one sec.”

I go to the wall and find her mom’s meds. Times like these makes it hard to live in a small town. Anyone you decide to date is always going to be here. I’ve dated a few other women since Sabrina. It’s just never felt right. But Emiko? I can feel it every time I look at her…she’s the one I’ve been waiting for.

I hand Sabrina the meds.

“Have you ever thought of trying again with us?” she asks.

I look at her and choose my words carefully.

“We had our chance before. I can’t keep saying how sorry I am for not living up to your expectations.”

“It’s not that you didn’t live up to what I wanted. You gave up before we really had a chance.”

“We were together for two years, Sabrina.”

“That was high school. We’re adults now. What if we tried again?”

“I’m sorry?—”

“You’re an asshole.” She frowns as she stomps off.

“Wow,” Paxton says as he comes over to my area. “I guess she’s never going to let it go? What about Emiko? You think she’d make trouble for you two?”

I sigh at my brother. “I don’t know. I keep hoping that Sabrina will find the one for her.”

Felicity bounces back over with a wicker picnic basket and plops it on my counter.

“I got you sandwiches, some fruit cups, chips, sodas and water. Oh! And some desserts. I also washed everything in the basket so you don’t have to worry. I added a cute little table cloth for you to use too.”

“Emiko’s going to know that I didn’t do all this.” I laugh.

Felicity shrugs. “Sometimes you need a little help. That’s where I come in.”

I have a feeling Felicity’s planning something. She’s sneaky like that.

* * *

It’s finally time for me to leave and I’m suddenly nervous. What if she thinks this picnic idea is dumb? I grab the basket and a blanket in case she wants to sit outside.

“Good luck, big brother!”

I laugh as I walk to my car. The drive to the high school is only ten minutes. But in that ten minutes I’ve almost talked myself out of it. Maybe I should just drop off the food and leave. When I get to the school, the lot is half full. I wave at the people I know. I bet they’re wondering why I’m here.

I get to Emiko’s room and watch her for a minute. She’s perfect. I knock on the wall and she spins around to face me.

“Hi.” She smiles. “Come on in. I’m trying to make my room feel inviting. What do you think about the tables being in a square shape? So no one is looking at anyone else’s back?”

“I like that idea. I always thought it was weird to have to stare at the back of the person in front of me.”

Emiko smiles. “Me too.”

“I’ll help you move the furniture around and then we can eat if you’re hungry.”

“Thank you. That’s a nice picnic basket. I don’t think I’ve ever gone on a picnic.”

“I thought we could either eat in your room or out on the grass.”

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