Page 5 of Glass & Groundwork
He tucked his napkin under his plate and took my hand to stand beside me. The scent of a spicy citrusy cologne hit my nose, and I had to resist inhaling deeper to draw the enticing aroma in. I shook it off, blaming the kids for getting in my head with their earlier teasing.
“Come on, it’s just out back.” Whispers twittered around the table as a few of them rose to follow us, and I shot them all a look. “You lot can stay here. I think Jasper and I can handle things on our own.”
“Yeah, you can,” Yahir teased.
With a roll of my eyes, and a little leap in my chest, I led Jasper out the back door.
Jasper
Iwasn’t sure what to expect when Gio led me away from the table. Though, this evening had gone so differently than anything I could have expected so far. Gio's family was a diverse bunch with a variety of body types, skin tones, hair color. None of themlookedlike Gio, so it was hard to know how they were all related, but the few times I heard the others call Gio,Papa, it stirred something inside me. There was clear affection and adoration on both sides of the table, and they all talked and teased, with the exception of the quiet Noah. The easy camaraderie was enviable; a far cry from any dinner I’d ever attended with my family.
Walking beyond the house, Gio led me through a large flower field. “It’s just over here, about a hundred yards from the main house. With the sun setting, we shouldn’t see any bees at thispoint, but if you do, just remember to stay calm and don’t panic. They really don’t want anything to do with you, though they might be attracted to the bright colors of your clothing.”
“Right, probably not the best outfit to wear to a beekeeper’s house.”
“I think you look great.” Gio's dark brown eyes flicked to mine before darting away. He coughed lightly and pressed on. “The barn is right over here.”
I thought I caught a glimpse of color on his cheeks, but with the setting sun, I couldn't be sure. His kids seemed to have an opinion about us, though, which was charming, and I certainly wouldn't be opposed to anything. Gio had short trimmed gray and black hair, more gray than black. He wore it parted on the side and combed neatly. The hair paired with the adorable silver-framed glasses gave him Daddy vibes for sure. Or…Papa. “So they're your kids, huh?”
“Well, yes, but not officially. We're family by choice, even if there's no paperwork to show it. My door has always been open to anyone who needs it, and these kids… they found me in different ways, but were all needing some sort of support. Some came looking for work, others needed an ear, a refuge, or a place to land. Whether they stay for good or only for a while, they all know my door is open anytime.”
I stared at him in awe. The dynamic he presented was so vastly different from what I'd known growing up where playdates were arranged and everything had to be scheduled. There was no dropping in unannounced, even now, as an adult.
“Anyway, here we are.” Gio brought me to a large wooden barn, which was exactly that: a barn. He lifted the latch that secured the two big doors and swung one open. It was dark inside, and in any other situation, approaching a dark barn in the middle of nowhere would feel like a scene from a horrormovie. With Gio's calm demeanor and comforting presence, my curiosity won out over my flight response.
He reached inside, hand sliding along the wall until I heard him turn a dial, and a long fluorescent bar light illuminated the space. Aside from a few tools leaning against the wall, and some old stalls that might have been used for animals, the space was empty.
Gio spread his arms out and turned to face me. “Well, what do you think?”
“It's pretty cool, I suppose, but I guess I'm a little confused why you're showing it to me.”
“There's no plumbing, but there's a water pump outside, and as you can see, it has electricity. As far as ventilation, there aren't any windows, but there are vent screens near the roof and the doors open.” Gio quirked his mouth to the side and scanned the area. “I'm not sure about gas, though.”
I walked further into the structure, trying to see what he was looking at. “I'm sorry, but I'm not sure we're on the same page. Can you break it down for me?”
Gio gave me a crooked smile and a slight nod as he stepped closer to me. His arm hooked over my shoulder and he held the other hand out toward the empty space. “Your shop, Jasper. Will it work?”
“My shop?” It took a moment for his meaning to hit me and I whirled towards him. “My shop! Youcan'tbe serious.Areyou serious?”
The man chuckled and his eyes glimmered behind his glasses. “Yes, I'm serious. It's been sitting vacant for a long time. I never really knew what to do with the space except to use it for storage. Even then, most of the equipment I need for processing the honey and byproducts are used frequently, so I keep them more accessible in the temperature-controlled garage-turned-factory. There's no A/C out here and it gets wickedly hot.”
“Oh, heat isn't a problem. I'm used to standing in front of a blazing glory hole.”
Gio coughed and sputtered in surprise. “A what?”
I let out a laugh. Okay, I could admit I loved the term and it was fun to say, especially around non-glass people. “Glory hole. It's part of the burner unit, like a furnace with an opening that lets you work your piece in the fire.”
“Ah. I see. Would your, um,glory holework here?”
Hearing the phrase from this sweet man’s lips had me wanting to giggle, until the reality of what he was offering set in. I walked the space, imagining all of my equipment here. It was a big building and was bare enough to be a blank canvas, which, unless I'd been able to find a shop no longer in use, I would have had to start from scratch anyway. My head bobbed slowly.
“Yeah, I think it could. This is a great space. Almost perfect, actually. I mean, it's going to take a little makeover to turn it into a functioning hot shop, but, yeah… it could definitely work.”
Staring at the space, I imagined it would cost tens of thousands of dollars, if not more, to create a shop that fit my vision exactly. Which, honestly, was cheap in the long run. Once it was set and ready, my only costs would be rent, upkeep, and of course, paying for the materials. Glass was an expensive venture, but the pay-off made it all worth it.
Gio clapped his hands together, pulling my attention away from the shop I could practically picture. “Well, it's settled then.”
I turned to find him watching me with a look of admiration. “It is?”
