Page 37 of Mixed Connection
“You are a treasure, Alma, I don’t know what I would do without you,” I say, truly appreciating the friendship we’ve grown. The senior-only neighborhood she lives in reminds me of high school but with walkers.
“I can’t wait to rip them a new one. I’ve been working out, using those two-pound weights. I’m going to slaughter them!” Her war voice is scary, even with the quiver of old age. “Are you still coming up for my surgery?”
“Alma, you gotta lay off the true crime shows.” I chuckle. “Heck yes, I’m coming. I’m not letting you go through surgery by yourself. The next time we talk, I’ll be up there and you can tell me how you took down Janice and her team. They never stood a chance!”
“Well, alright.” I can hear the joy in her voice, she’s going to give them hell. “I love ya,” I say my goodbyes and shut the truck door, having arrived at my destination.
This is one of the few places that carries the wine I love so much; I want to get a bottle for Cassidy. She loved the taste of it and I’m addicted to how she tastes when she drinks it—she’s my new favorite flavor.
Walking quickly to the pick-up counter line, I wait for the attendant to finish up with the person ahead of me when I feel a small thump at my side.
“Oh my God, I’m so sorry.” She looks at me for a moment before she starts to squint. I’m not sure if she can’t see or if she’s stuck in a memory. “You’re Jameson, right?”
“I am. We’ve met before.” Not quite a question, not quite a statement. I recognize this woman, but placing her is a fog to me. She can’t be any taller than five feet, her deep-magenta hair falls in loose waves, cut sharply just above her shoulders. That’s when it hits me. “You’re Paloma. Cassidy’s best friend.”
She laughs off my aha moment which I’m thankful for and asks, “So where have you been? I haven’t seen you around Shaken Tropes lately?”
“You both have a great thing going at the bar, I planned on stopping by later tonight. I’ve actually been working on the flip I bought prior to the reunion,” I reply.
“You flip houses?” Paloma’s voice perks up at that. Anytime someone is interested in flipping I get excited.
“I do. Actually, my buddy did the remodel for Shaken Tropes. I’m part owner of Crews Construction and Consult. It’s a small world,” I explain. Her eyes widen in surprise and I continue, “Truthfully, I’m kinda in love with this house I’m working on. I’m considering listing it as a short-term rental since there’s that golf tournament happening, I think it’ll bring in good, short-term tenants.”
“That’s a really great idea but, um, you know mentioning the tournament reminds me I need to go check on our golf cart.” She seems to clam up just a bit, and her eyes snap away to look at anything but me.
“You know what, I’m running late to meet a friend, so I’ll see you around?” I say, the syllables falling around me lamely as I give her an easy out. She nods her head and scurries away like she can’t move fast enough. I never really know what someone is going through and I don’t know her well enough to ask.
I move towards the back of the truck so I can stash my goods. Pulling open the lower level compartment, the floor of the trunk slides open to reveal a secret opening. Sometimes I’m too busy between errands to run home to drop off things, but this truck has this secret stash area. It is completely hidden and puts my mind at ease that I don’t have to worry about anything going missing. Watching the rear lights blink as I click the lock button on my key fob, I turn and begin jogging towards Wings’n Tings, the pizza and wings spot where I’m meeting Anders.
The door swings open as I grab the knob, and a few guys walk out clapping each other on the back.I make my way in and spot Anders in the back booth. He throws his hand up in a wave, ushering me over.
“Hey man, how’s my niece?” I ask, squeezing his shoulder before sitting down across from him.
“She’s great, bro.” He huffs a small laugh. “I almost didn’t leave her.”
I smile at the thought of Anders and Pepper snuggled up at his house in that oversized couch of his. Maybe I need to order Pepper a dog bed and a few new toys. What kind of dog uncle would I be if I didn’t? She is the greatest gift I have ever given him. I remember he told me he was thinking of getting a dog but he was holding back, not sure he wanted to take on that level of responsibility while running a company.
I got Pepper for him a few weeks later, knowing if I took some things off his plate he’d have more time for a pet; I’m glad I did. He takes her everywhere, including projects, when she’s not at doggy daycare.
“My niece needs a mama, Big Dog,” I jest.
“Yeah, I just don’t see the point J. I don’t want to be bothered with a relationship.” He smirks then, peering over his shoulder at what I assume is his next victim. “Not yet anyway.”
I shake my head at his thinking. “One day the perfect woman is going to spring up on you, then what will you do?”
“I’ll believe it when I see it. How are you feeling about the design plans for the house?”
“I like it a lot, man! You really helped me create the vision I wanted. Moving on to the remaining rooms in the house makes more sense now from an aesthetic perspective, then we can get the backyard fixed up.”
Since my side of Crews is spanned across three different states, I travel a lot. Between connecting clients with potential properties or paying subcontractors to complete remodels, I’m always on the go. It’s great to be in Cypress Lake for an extended period of time working on this project together. It makes me realize that I wouldn’t be moving here just for Cassidy, for Anders too.
My eyebrows raise nearly to my hairline as I tilt my head to the side in a joking manner. “I don’t know if I want to give it up though. Maybe I should just keep it for myself.”
“You can have another house, J. Not one this good! This one is in a prime area where we could really make a lot of money.” He stops for a minute, shaking his head before taking a sip of his water. “What do you mean keep it for yourself? Are you thinking of moving back home?”
“Back home." I know he meant it as being back in our childhood home town, but it does feels like home again, not just a place for a quick visit. Cassidy is here and she is what makes this place feel like home for me. I didn’t realize it until this very moment, how much more Cypress Lake feels like home, more than any other place I’ve lived in the last ten years, even more than when I was a kid.
That’s not because it was terrible living here either. My parents are amazing. From game nights with aunts and uncles, who later on in life I found out weren’t blood related, but weremy mom and dad’s closest friends. Sleepovers where my friends and I stayed up way too fucking late playing Donkey Kong. Or the last weekend of every summer break when we would have the family over. Every single time my dad would burn the burgers on the grill, before he awakened into the grill master he is now. He would complain his way into the kitchen for the back-up burger patties Mama made him buy,just in case.There were two too many times for him to burn the burgers before Mama decided enough was enough.
