Page 3 of Feel It All

“You have so much on your plate; what does your therapist say? You know Dad and I can help you out, so you don’t have to work so hard all the time.”

“Mom, really, I am fine. My therapist has been impressed with my progress over these past few months. Can we please just eat?”

“Okay but promise you will tell us if you need help. Please.”

“I promise, Mom,” my mental stability has always been a tough subject. Hell, it’s a tough subject for anyone. I know my family wants to ask more about why I take the medications, see a therapist at least once a month if not twice, and always stick to my routine. I have always been the dependent one and always appeared happy. I got the superlative “most bubbly” every year in high school. Mom knew I worried, but it has always been more than just worrying. My family didn’t need the burdens of my mind, which is what therapy is for.

After dinner, my sisters and I start on our pile of blankets, pillows, and stuffed animals—anything remotely comfortable goes straight into the pile. “I cannot believe you foundAquamarine,Wyla. I am so pumped.” Waverley says, popping the DVD in.

“I am just glad Mom and Dad are still old school and had a DVD player.” We are all about halfway through the cookie dough and bottles of wine, and we haven’t even started it yet.

“Okay, hush, it’s starting,” Waverley snaps. We cuddle together watching our favorite childhood movie, and it is blissful. Maybe it’s the wine, but I feel at peace in this moment, and that’s not something I feel often. Wyla and Waverley pass out right before it ends, so I turn it off and drift off soon after with a smile on my face.

Chapter 2

Graham

Movingisthebiggestpain in the ass, but it’s long overdue. My mom would have trapped me in Rosewood if she could. I stayed long enough, and it was time for me to do something for me. So when my buddy from the police academy told me about an opening in his town, I took it—no questions, no hesitation.

Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing outright bad about my mom, but she can be overbearing and controlling to say the least. And for me to be a police officer was a nightmare for her. She never understood my career choice; my father was a police officer too and they divorced when I was about six. I wouldn’t say it ended amicably, but they did their best—well, semi-best—to hide it from me. Again, nothing bad about either of them, but I wouldn’t use the words “big, happy family” to describe mine.

Mom made it her personal mission to make sure I did not turn into my dad. Dad’s mission was that I never get married. Neither of my parents re-married after the divorce. They dated, but it never worked out. I know that the fact that it did not work for them does not mean that it won’t work for me, but relationships required work, and I just never felt the need to put forth the effort. I have a few exes but never really made it past a couple months. They would always end it because I was “emotionally unavailable.” Oh well, maybe I am, or maybe I am just an ass, but either way I was not heartbroken by any of the relationships ending.

“Where do you want these boxes, Taylor?” Owen hollers from the living room of my new apartment. I found this place at a total steal, and considering I’m now on a police salary, I’ll take what I can get. It’s a small loft with the living room to the left and stairs to the bedroom and main bathroom to the right of the door. The kitchen and half bath are toward the back, and two sliding doors open to a covered porch.

“Just in the living room for now. I want to get everything in first; it’s starting to look like a storm is rolling in.”

“Sure thing.”

I met Owen West in the academy. He is one the of best guys I know. He is a good cop, tough but fair. He also could make light of any situation, which can come in handy in this line of work. You would never think it by his appearance and jokes, but he was the top of our class in the academy. I was a close second though.

We carried in all the furniture and boxes in a couple of hours. I didn’t have much, just the essentials. While I work on getting stuff separated, Owen perks up, “Oh, I forgot to tell you about your new neighbor. I didn’t realize this was going to be your place or I would have warned you.” He says this all with the biggest smile on his face—that’s how I know I really am not going to like this.

“Great, haven’t even unboxed all my stuff yet and I am already wanting to pack it back up. What about my neighbor? Are they annoying or something?” I pause looking through boxes.

“Oh, you wish. Your new neighbor is none other than your new boss’s daughter, Winry Bennett. She is just a couple years younger than us, but she’s pretty cool. Although, last night I got a call to her place, and oh you’ll love this—I got called because she was being too loud with her loser boyfriend. She threatened to feed me my balls if I told her dad about it.”

“I’m sorry, she got called for what?” I must have misheard.

“You heard right, my friend. Our boss’s daughter, and your new neighbor, is a freak. I can’t wait for you to meet her. She is just your type too. I would describe her, but it wouldn’t do her justice.” Owen starts shuffling through some boxes.

“Hey, if Chief Bennett hears you talking about his daughter this way, I think he really will feed you your balls.” Chief was an intimidating guy. I interviewed with him, and I had never been more stressed in my life. He was tough, asked hard questions, and gave hard situational ones too. He wasn’t doing it to be an ass though. You could tell he took every single aspect of being a cop seriously and he did not have room for anyone who did not do the same.

“Winry would too—I am more scared of her. Chief maybe a hard-ass at work, but he melts when his daughters are around. He would commit murder if someone hurt his girls.”

“Well, it’s a good thing she is just my neighbor.” I can feel Owen smiling at me like I have just said something humorous.

We move and unbox things for a few hours, then Owen leaves before the rain starts. I continue to unpack some things but decide to take a break and have one of the beers that Owen brought on the covered porch around midnight. Every cop in Aster Creek starts on night shift, so I am having to stay up all night to prepare.

The rain is beating down on the covered porch and thunder rolls in the distance. I take a look around; I will have to remember to get some chairs to put out here. It is a decent-size porch, and I could get some good outdoor furniture and a grill out here. As I take a swig of my beer, I look over at the neighboring porch. She’s not home—hasn’t been all day. Not that I am looking for her. I just want to know who I am living next to, that’s all. Her porch looks homey and makes mine feel even more empty. She has a couple of plants spread out in different places, an outdoor couch, and in one corner it looks like workout stuff. Hmm, wonder if she works out on her porch often.

Nope, not entertaining that thought.

I quickly finish my beer and head back inside to finish unpacking. I have nothing better to do and I have to stay up for a few more hours so back to it I go. Around eight in the morning I finally have every single thing I own unpacked and in its place. Just as I crash on the bed, I hear someone knocking at the front door.

Chapter 3

Winry

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