Page 49 of Memories of the Past

Eight Weeks Later

The past few weeks were busy and filled with many nights of sorting through all the Jenkins’ household goods. We had donated a lot of items, while we sold much more, and once the ranch had changed hands, we drove down the driveway of Jenkins Ranch for the last time.

Thomas and I had talked in great deal about him buying his own place or moving in with me. We’d also looked at the option of us buying a place together and making it our own, but soon came to realize that there was no reason for either option. Instead, he moved in with me. We’d rearranged the small apartment over the bookstore, gave it an overhaul, and purchased some new furniture and appliances and were now comfortably set up.

“Oh, I ordered those new shelves for the store,” Thomas said over breakfast one morning.

“Great, when will they be in?” I questioned as I scooped another spoon of oatmeal into my bowl.

“The delivery notice said two weeks from today. I’d imagine I’ll only need a few hours to get them set up. The store may be a mess for a day or so.”

I smiled. “That’s not a problem. We can do one shelf at a time. It will help once the addition is finished. We will have more space,” I said, excited about the expansion.

It had been something Aunt Vi and I had always talked about, expanding the store. Thomas had finally talked me into it, and we’d hired a contractor to put an addition on the side of the building. While that was going on, Thomas had been working diligently on the list I’d given him when he’d returned to Willow Valley. He’d crossed off almost everything and was now focused on the inside of the store. So far, he’d planned on helping set up the new addition and making me a new counter. Turned out that plan had led to a new venture for Thomas. He had a knack for woodworking and had set up a small shop out in the garage behind the house.

“When do you plan on opening up Jenkins Woodworks?”

Thomas shrugged. “I still have a bunch of things to do to have a successful opening, so I figure that I’ll get you all set up first, and then work on everything over the winter. To get the word out, perhaps, we could set up a single shelf in the store to hold some of my things until I am fully open.”

“I think we can do that.” I smiled, taking a sip of my coffee, excited for the future. When Thomas had approached me with the idea, we talked a great deal about his woodworking shop idea, and I promised I would help him with the business side of it. He’d been hard at work making items over the past couple of weeks, and I knew that with hard work over the coming months, he should have a fully stocked storefront in no time. I couldn’t see what was really holding him up.

“What else do you need to do to get ready?” I questioned. “We really should have some sort of a date set aside, that way we can put a notice out in the local paper. You know, once the sign arrives.”

Thomas buried his spoon in his oatmeal and leaned back against the chair, meeting my eyes. I had a feeling there was something he wasn’t telling me. “I suppose that sounds fine.”

I studied his face, the lines of worry carved there. “What is it? Something’s got you worried?”

“Nope, it’s nothing,” he said, placing his hand on mine. “It will be fine. Now about Sunday…”

* * *

Sunday morning, Thomas and I drove out to get Aunt Vi and Jed from the home. Then we headed into the city. Aunt Vi and Jed wanted to go to a new restaurant that had opened up—Oceanside Steak House, on the outskirts of Willow Valley.

We’d been seated about half an hour, appetizers sat in the center of the table, and our order had been placed. Aunt Vi had been asking questions about the bookstore, while Thomas and Jed talked about Thomas’s woodworking.

I placed my hand on Thomas’s and smiled as I listened to him as he agonized over an opening date.

“Trinity thinks I should have a solid date in place. I, on the other hand, want to get everything lined up first.”

“I just don’t understand why. It’s a date. It can always be moved if something goes wrong. It’s just more of something to work towards.”

“I agree with Trinity,” Aunt Vi said, nodding her head. “You need something to work toward.”

Instead of saying anything, Thomas let out a breath.

“Thomas, what is it?” I asked, looking at Aunt Vi and Jed as both of them looked over at me and then over to Thomas, each of them wearing a small smile on their face. “What is it?”

“I wasn’t going to say anything,” Thomas said, grabbing my hand. “I promised Vi and Jed that we’d make it through the meal first, but what the hell... Besides, they are practically giving it away.”

I looked to them both, completely confused about what was going on. “Giving away what?”

Thomas let out a breath and then turned to me. “I was thinking, I don’t want to open the business until after February.”

“February? Why then? It’s so far away.”

“Well, we have so much to do over the coming months.”

“What do we have to do over the coming months?” I questioned, looking at Thomas and frowning. The remodel on the store was almost finished. All we would have left to do is the counter, and he had just stained that. He said it would go in next week, along with most of the shelves. Plus, the apartment had already been updated. There was nothing left, so I seriously had no idea what it was he was speaking of.

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