Page 45 of Organized Chaos

Sarah did as he directed, too confused to consider anything else. “What’s going on?”

“You’ll see.” Phillip jogged toward the van and spoke to the driver.

Sarah tried to see past the tinted windows, but it was impossible.

Phillip nodded once and rushed back to her side. He sat beside her in his matching camp chair. His expression looked strained, and he kept glancing at her like he expected her to get up and run away at any second.

“Phillip, what did you do?”

Before he could answer her, the van doors burst open, and five figures spilled out. They all wore black clothes, with their faces painted white as new fallen snow and white gloves. Mimes, she realized.

They tumbled over each other and fell into a heap. One leaped up and raised a fist at the others. Three of them scattered behind the van, leaving a man and a woman.

The woman clapped both hands over her mouth and widened her eyes while the man waved his hands and hopped from foot to foot. They threw their arms around each other and collapsed onto the pavement. The longer they performed, the more Sarah realized they were acting out hers and Phillip’s meeting. Everything from her running away to him boosting her out of the cellar. It was all there, shown in intricate detail. How had he conveyed everything to them so clearly?

Sarah watched the show unravel with rapt attention.

When the pair reached the part where Sarah and Phillip worked to organize her garage, the other three returned. They became the furniture, the paint cans, and everything in between.

Sarah laughed when they tossed one of the “paint cans” toward the van and then brushed their hands together like they’d made great progress.

“I thought for sure that you’d never keep the garage organized.” Phillip leaned in close.

Sarah placed her hand on his knee. “I can’t tell you how many times I thought the same thing.” She nodded toward the shelves. “But I learned that some of your ideas work for me.”

“I don’t like being fuddy-duddy Phillip.” He winced like the words tasted sour. “I like schedules. I’ll probably always want to know what’s happening tomorrow, but that doesn’t mean I’m against surprises. Or being spontaneous. Meeting you happened because of a spontaneous decision. I could’ve left you to wander around, but I chose to explore.”

“I’m glad you did.” She pulled in a breath and held it as the improv actors found her toy box. One hopped inside and closed the lid. The other four surrounded the box, prowling around it with looks of confusion.

The one inside burst up, arms held straight up and a look of glee on his face. The other four fell backward like they’d been scared to death. The one in the box held both hands over their stomach and their shoulders shook with silent laughter.

Sarah giggled and turned to meet Phillip’s gaze. “This means a lot.”

“I’m sorry for making you feel like I was making fun of you.” His concern radiated from him. “I never want you to think that I’m laughing at you.” He paused. “And I was the one who lost the files in the barn. It wasn’t you. Even if it was,” he continued without pausing, “I never should have acted the way I did.”

“We’ve both said and done some things that we regret.” She cupped his cheek. “And you’re not fuddy-duddy Phillip. Look what you did.” She turned his face toward the comedy troupe. “No one has ever understood me the way you do. You get my humor, and you find ways to make me laugh.”

“You think we can learn what to do with this thing between us?” His lips hitched up in a smile.

Sarah returned the grin. “Yeah, I think we might be able to figure it out. Might take a while. I’ll try not to fall through any more floors in the meantime.”

“Not without me around to plan our escape.” He flexed his arms. “You need me to boost you through the floor.”

The actors finished their skit with a flourish of tumbling that ended with the five of them standing in a pyramid.

Sarah clapped and stood. “You’re all wonderful. Thank you.”

Once they were all safely on the ground, they bowed at the waist then raced back to the van and climbed inside.

Phillip’s creativity and the effort he’d put into this apology floored Sarah. She’d never expected him to pull something like this together, much less overnight.

They were both changing. For the better.

She had always craved excitement and adventure. What better thrill and challenge than that of falling in love? Phillip had made an effort to show how much he cared about her. What they had was the kind of thing worth fighting for. They’d still have rough patches; she knew that. They were different enough that life would bring challenges.

She wanted to face them with Phillip at her side.

“Do you have a lot you need to do today?” Phillip’s eager expression had her mentally clearing her calendar.

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