Page 87 of Falling for You Again

Emi gives me a warm smile. Today is bittersweet. Mom rubs my back, but as much as I relish her reassurance and am thrilled she’s here and finally taking some interest in me, I tell her that I’ll be okay. If she shows me any more affection, I’ll burst into tears and not get any work done.

“Thank you for coming today,” I tell everyone. “I couldn’t do this without you.”

Emmett smirks. “No, you couldn’t. I’d like to see you move that table saw on your own.”

“Har-har. Seriously, thank you. So ...” I look at each of their expectant faces. “Who’s ready to get to work?”

Emi whoops, and Vincent claps his big hands, saying, “Let’s do this.”

I bring up the playlist I created specifically for today and plug it into the shop’s stereo system. Chappell Roan’s campy synth-pop gets us started. We load equipment onto the truck and pack the tools, labeling the boxes. Everything goes into storage since, technically, everything still belongs to Uncle Bear. What he does with this stuff is up to him.

Several hours later when we’re well into the shop’s cleanup, I’m ready to order us pizzas. Mom is standing at her desk, staring off into space. She’s spent the morning organizing years’ worth of paperwork, shredding some files and packing others.

“Everything all right, Mom?” I ask.

Mom snaps out of her zone and smiles at me. “Oh yes. I was just thinking. This building was such a big part of our lives.”

“It was.” I look up at the cobwebs in the rafters and water stains on the metal roof. “I wish Dad and Uncle Bear were here. They need to say goodbye too.”

“We wouldn’t get any work done with those lazy asses hanging around.”

I laugh. She speaks the truth. Uncle Bear would question how everything was being packed, slowing our progress. Dad would excuse himself every half hour to take a smoke break.

“Where’s your husband?”

Mom’s question startles me. I blink. “My ... husband?”

“Yes. Aaron. Aren’t you two married? I thought he’d be here helping. I wanted to meet him.”

“You did?”

“Doesn’t every mom want to meet their son-in-law?”

“Oh. Well ... we’re divorced.” Mom’s eyes widen. “It’s not final yet, but it will be,” I say, a little glum.

Mom frowns. “Do you want the divorce?”

“I did ask for it. But at this point, it might not matter what I want,” I say, thinking of how abruptly I’d left him.

Mom touches my arm, and I’m reminded of how affectionate she once was toward me. “Of course it matters.”

I attempt to smile. “We’ll see.” For now I need to focus on clearing the shop. With such big changes ahead for me, I can take this only one step at a time.

It’s almost the evening when we’ve boxed the last of the tools and loaded the lumber supply onto the truck. The only thing left is Dad’s unfinished desk. And the dirt and trash on the floor from our flurry of activity. Vincent and Emmett leave for the storage unit. I’ll meet them there later since I need to wait for my dad before locking up. Tam takes out the trash, and after hugging me goodbye, Mom leaves. She wants to visit the library before it closes and be gone before Dad arrives. I also don’t think she wants to be the last one here at the shop. She’s seen enough. And when I notice her choke up, I let her go, tellingher I’ll check in with her when I get home. Maybe we can go for a walk tonight. I think we’ll both be in the mood for some fresh air.

Shae wraps up filming and packs her camera equipment. “Well, Meli, it’s been fun.”

“Actually, today was sort of fun.” Surprisingly uplifting, albeit bittersweet. A burden I didn’t realize had been one has lifted. I feel like I can now fully focus on this new phase of my life.

“Incoming!” Emi flies in to deliver a big hug. “Proud of you, girl.”

“Thank you.”

She leans back to look at me. “I know you. Today wasn’t as easy as you’re letting on.”

I grab the broom and start sweeping.

“You don’t need to sweep the floor. Nobody is moving in.”

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