Page 52 of Shake the Habit

Also, the cheese straws were amazing. They’d taken him a long time but everyone agreed that they were delicious, especially Aria’s son. His father caught him sharing one with Sir, the two of them alternating bites—but it was a party, and things happened. We also had the party punch, a big bowl of it with matching cups (Aunt Paula had come through with that, too). I made a point to offer some to my mama, so that everyone would be aware that there was absolutely no booze at all, none, not in this house. It was going very, very well.

Then the bell rang again, and Caleb looked at me. “Do you want to get that?”

“Ok,” I agreed, and went across the wide foyer to open the front door. “Cassidy?” I said when I saw the two people waiting on the porch.

“Surprise!” she told me, and then we were mostly laughing but also crying a little as we hugged.

She and Jack had flown in for the weekend, but they’d be around more soon, anyway. The tour was finally winding down and I was so glad for her. She seemed pretty tired and now she could sit in one of the new chairs as my dad fixed her a plate.

“You made all this? I’m so impressed, KayKay!” she told me.

“It was mostly Caleb. He’s been cooking with Aunt Paula,” I explained, and she was shocked. Cass, Aria, and I ate and talked just like we used to, laughing and completing each other’s sentences, nodding before someone spoke because she didn’teven have to say it—we already knew what was going to come out of her mouth, and we already agreed.

They enjoyed everything and especially the cake, which I had made by following my mother’s recipe. The “Congrats Sir” I’d piped on the top had come out mostly legible, and it did taste very good. Sir got his own, non-cake treat and we all settled back in the living room to talk more. Marc and Caleb discussed construction again while Cassidy’s husband Jack tried to seem like he was interested.

“JT told me that he’s just about done here with the electrical work,” Marc noted, looking at the ceiling where all the fixtures were properly illuminated.

“His last day here should be Monday,” Caleb agreed. He looked over at me. “I gave him a check,” he mentioned casually.

“I was going to do that,” I protested, but he shook his head.

“No, I’ve got it.”

“Marc, you aren’t really going to start working on this house too, are you?” Taygen asked. She sounded nervous. “We still have a lot to do for the wedding. Tomorrow afternoon, we’re meeting with my parents to figure out what’s left on the list.”

He glanced over at her and frowned. “I’m not involved in that,” he said. “Y’all don’t listen to a word I say, anyway. Why should I bother to come?”

“Weddings are stressful,” Aria said before his fiancée could respond. “Remember when Aubree married Clayton? I thought we were going to have to medicate her.”

She’d made a good effort to stop their argument, but it didn’t work. “There’s not enough time in the day,” Taygen continued. “You told me that you’ll be renovating that farmhouse, too, but you never asked me if—”

“I’m supposed to ask you how to run my business?” Marc interrupted. “I guess that makes sense, since you don’t even trust me to choose the right color for the gutters on my house.”

“Let’s not talk about this now,” I said. “Ok? Can y’all just table it until the party is over?”

“I’m sorry,” Marc said, and Taygen was red in the face but she apologized, too. She went to the kitchen, and in a moment she came out and said that she needed to leave, and a car was going to pick her up.

“Thank you so much,” she told me and Caleb. “Congratulations, Sir.” She smiled as they shook hands but she looked like she was holding back tears.

“Honey, wait,” Marc said, and followed her out the front door.

We all looked at each other when it closed behind him. “They’re very young,” I commented, and Aria laughed.

“KayKay, they’re both older than you are!”

“I feel like I’m their big sister, though,” I tried to explain.

“You’re more mature,” she agreed, and I looked at her in shock. No one, ever, had said that about me.

“Do you really think so?” I asked her.

“Sure,” she said, serious now. “Both of us did a lot of growing up in the last few years. Maybe Taygen needs that, too, and maybe Marc as well.”

“I still think they’re good for each other,” I said. “We can all help them figure it out.”

“Jill, you did a good job with this girl,” Aunt Paula told my mama, who lit up like my birthday cake with the million and two candles burning on it.

“We’re very proud,” she answered, and her lips trembled. So did mine, because I couldn’t really remember giving them a reason to feel that way before. I decided that I was going to have a party every week.

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