Page 50 of Spotlight on Poppy

Josh just nodded. If he had to say actual words, he would not be able to hold it together. This kind of family is all he had ever wanted. The thought that he could get it by proxy kind of terrified him, but it was also something he wanted so badly. The desperation began creeping in, that people pleaser inside that said if he was perfect and took care of everyone around him, he would be worthy of love and would not be tossed aside. He didn't feel that way when he and Poppy were together, then he just felt lucky and in love, but here with her gran looking at the life they’d lived put everything in perspective.

She had lived this life full of heartbreak, same as him, but she had been able to fill it with so much else. So much love and family, the happiness had outweighed the sadness. Josh had the same heartbreak, but he longed for the happiness, because for him it never had outweighed the sadness.

He heard Poppy at the stairs. Gran squeezed his hand. "I’ll get back to work, you two have a fun day, and don't be a stranger, Josh, you hear me?"

"Yes, ma'am," he said with a genuine smile.

He turned to see Poppy heading down the stairs. Her long dark hair was down and still wet from her shower. She had on a pair of jeans, a vintage band t-shirt with a sweater and some chuck taylors. She looked almost like she did when they were in high school, but they hadn't been in high school for a long time now. They had both lived lives parallel to one another but never crossing like they were now. He was overcome with emotion.

She smiled that kilowatt smile at him, shining the full light of Poppy on to him and he could feel it. The warmth that emanated from her was enough to make him feel it in his very soul. She cocked her head to the side. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"I'm perfect, should we get out of here?"

"Let's go."

CHAPTER23

Poppy

"Where to first?" she asked.

"I thought we might take the table back to Bridget’s, then we can swing by the theater and pick up the props that need to be returned."

"Sounds good, let's do this," she said and looked over at him with a big smile. He was pulling out of the driveway, turning around to head back past the orchard to get out to the main road. He seemed off though. She didn't really know how to describe it. He just seemed a little far away. On the surface he was happy Josh, but she couldn’t help but realize that his smile didn't seem to quite reach his eyes.

"Hey, are you sure you're okay? You seem like something might be bothering you."

He looked at her and smiled a genuine smile. "No, I'm fine. Just kind of lost in my own thoughts, but I'm here." He gave her leg a quick squeeze and then returned his hands to the wheel.

"Not thoughts about how to get out of this are they? Because I hate to tell you this, but you’re stuck with me."

He looked back at her, his eyes filled with earnestness. "I assure you, that thought has not crossed my mind, quite the opposite in fact," he said. Something about the pointedness of the way he spoke and the way his eyes held her in place without a word took her by surprise. Although she was quickly learning everything she found out about this man was a constant surprise.

They pulled up to Bridget's little shop and Josh popped the back gate and got the table out. Poppy shut the gate and they made their way to her shop. The little bell tinkled over their heads as they entered. Bridget stepped out from the back.

"Oh, hello dears," she said.

"I have your table fixed. I put a new leg on and put some screws in to steady the others," he said as he put the table down in the middle of the room. The store had really come together in the month or so Bridget had been renting the space. On one side of the room there were shelves filled with baskets of little crystals, little baggies of dried herbs, candles, teas, books, tarot cards, even a crystal ball. On the other side was a counter and behind the counter were shelves full with hundreds of dried herbs and oils and all kinds of little goodies Poppy would love to know more about. This place fascinated her.

"Oh good," she said. "I'm glad to have my table back, it's hard to read tarot without a table." She brought over chairs and set them around the table. She flicked a purple tablecloth with gold celestial art over the table.

"You read tarot?" Poppy asked.

"Of course, I do, lass. I'll give ye both a reading on the house since ye fixed my table."

Poppy's eyes lit up and she smiled up at Josh. "What do you say? Should we have her read our tarot cards?"

"Why not?" he said with an amiable smile.

"Ye'll not regret it, that I can promise." she said.

They all sat around the table as she shuffled her cards. "Alright let's see what the cards hold for ye."

Bridget sat down at the table with some well-worn card and gestured for Poppy and Josh to join her. Josh pulled out the chair for Poppy to sit on and then sat next to her.

“All right my dears, now clear yer mind.”

Poppy closed her eyes and took a deep breath and tried to clear her mind. Having a quiet mind was never really something Poppy had ever achieved, but she tried from time to time. When she opened them, Bridget was smiling warmly at them.

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