Reading Online Novel

Sweet Little Thing(23)



Beulah smiled. It was a sad smile. Her eyes held memories I would never  be privy to. They were good ones and I was envious of that. Even if  she'd had to suffer the pain of that loss, she had memories that I never  would have.

"She was amazing. I'm not saying that because she's gone either. If she  were still here I'd say the same. She worked so hard all day long our  entire lives, but somehow managed to cook family dinners we ate  together. When we were old enough to stand in chairs, she let us cook  with her. Heidi helped too. She would wash vegetables or put the noodles  in water to boil. Mom never acted like she was different. I don't think  Heidi knew she was until she started school. Even though she had to  take care of Heidi she always made me feel just as special. I don't know  how she managed it. Doing it all alone, she gave us memories of  lemonade popsicles on hot summer days outside, running through the  sprinkler. I don't think she ever got any sleep, but she always had  time. Always had a smile. I never once saw her sad. She cried at my high  school graduation, but they were happy tears she said. I think she was  the most perfect human on this earth."

Beulah's eyes literally glowed with love when she spoke. I was almost  jealous of her life and of a mom like that. But it was Beulah. I liked  knowing she and Heidi had grown up like that. It explained a lot about  her. I'd never met a girl like her because I didn't know one with a life  like hers.

"She sounds perfect."

"She was . . . and thanks for asking. I miss talking about her. I think  about her all the time. But I never get to talk about her. I'm afraid it  will upset Heidi. She doesn't understand completely, and she misses her  too. So it's . . . nice. Great actually. That felt good. She needs to  be remembered."

The tears that hadn't fallen collected in her eyes and she gave me a  wobbly smile. Again, I didn't think. I found myself not thinking with  her a lot, I just acted. Reaching over I pulled her into my arms and  held her. She came willingly. Her arms wrapped around my neck and she  laid her head on my shoulder. Nothing had ever felt this right. The  missing piece I was always searching for clicked into place. And I was  terrified.





Beulah

SOMETHING HAD HAPPENED. IT WAS different. Jasper had let me go, moved  back and said he need to be somewhere and left. Was I not supposed to  hug him back? I wasn't sure. But talking to him about Mom had made me  feel vulnerable. Open. I'd shared with him not only Heidi, but now my  mom. It had felt good to be held and not feel alone

But he'd all but ran from me.

I had stood there unsure what to think or do for a few minutes, then I'd gone to work cleaning up our breakfast plates.                       
       
           



       

Putting on my new shoes, I sighed at how good they felt. It was time to  leave to see Heidi. I had her to look forward to today. Thinking about  Jasper was pointless.

When I was unlocking my car to get inside, Stone pulled into the drive.  His black Range Rover was dangerous and expensive-just like him, I  assumed. I didn't wait around to speak to him since he wasn't one to  converse with me. Unless he needed me to do something. Or to warn me to  stay in my place.

I quickly put the cupcakes and other treats I'd chosen for Heidi and May  in the back seat. Before I could climb inside my car, he was out of his  and he stopped me. "Not working today?"

I sighed. As if this was his business. "It's Sunday. My day off."

"You got last night off."

My hand tightened its grip on the door frame. He was so frustrating. He  also had to be the angriest most unhappy human I knew. "I didn't ask for  that. I need Sundays though. I visit my sister."

Stone didn't seem to care or understand. I wondered if he was this cold with the world. Or was it just me that he hated?

"I'm not your boss."

"We agree on something," I replied before I could bite my tongue.

I winced and a tug on the corner of his mouth caused me to pause. In  shock. Had he been on the verge of a smile? The scowl he always had was  back, and I figured I must have confused his facial expression. I didn't  wait around for more small talk. I got into the car and closed the  door. He stood there in his jeans, black T-shirt and sunglasses with his  arms crossed over his chest looking like some dark sexy god. That was  annoying.

The drive to Among the Spanish Moss was easy. There was never much  traffic on Sunday mornings. Walking into the building, I took the plate I  had made for the staff there and dropped it off at the front desk.

"Good morning, Beulah. I've been looking forward to your visit all  morning. We love these treats." Tammy was about fifty, had three  grandchildren, and moved here from Nebraska ten years ago to be near her  youngest daughter. She was also one of Heidi's favorites.

"I added a little extra in there with the cupcakes. Y'all enjoy them," I  told her. "Better go find my girl. She's ready for cupcakes too I  imagine."

Tammy laughed. "Oh, yes. She's come by three times already this morning to tell me you were coming with cupcakes."

"Beulah!" Heidi's voice rang down the hall.

"Guess she was headed back for her fourth visit," I said, then waved  goodbye to Tammy and headed to meet my sister. Her smile always cheered  me up.

"May is in the activity room. We got to get her," Heidi told me as I  reached her. She clapped her hands when she saw the treats I was  carrying. "Oh boy! May's gonna be so happy."

"Then let's get her and find a spot for a picnic. We will eat dessert first."

Heidi giggled with delight. "I love you, Beulah."

"I love you more."

She didn't argue. She was too excited about the picnic and desserts. We  collected May from the activity room and made our way outside. Heidi  told me all about the game of soccer they played yesterday and how May  scored the winning goal. May blushed a lot and then gave me a bashful  hug once I put the treats down on the grassy spot under the tree they  picked out.

"I missed you," May said sweetly.

"I missed you too," I assured her.

May and Heidi both took a cupcake. The cupcakes were pink today,  sprinkled with Skittles. Heidi loved Skittles and squealed when she saw  them. "It's like my birthday. But it's really Vern's birthday. I should  save him a cupcake."

I didn't know Vern, but I nodded in agreement.

"You have new shoes," May noticed. "They're pretty."

"Yes, I do. My others were too small."

May frowned. "My feet stopped growing."

"They're supposed to. Mine did too. Those shoes were too little all along."

She nodded but she didn't seem convinced.

"Can we play soccer today?" Heidi asked.

"Of course. I want to see May show us some of her fancy footwork."

May lit up. She was proud of herself.

"Yeah!" Heidi agreed happy to cheer her friend on. "Where is your boyfriend?"

Her question startled me. "My who?"

"Your boyfriend that came this week when I was sick."

Jasper. "Oh, that's my boss. Remember? He's not my boyfriend. I don't have a boyfriend."

Heidi grinned. "He is too. He's handsome. He smiles at you a lot and he likes to look at you."                       
       
           



       

I didn't know what to say to that. "He does?" I asked.

Heidi nodded, and then she and May giggled. "Beulah has a boyfriend," they began to sing over and over.

I wouldn't be able to ever bring Jasper back. Heidi would be sure to  mention this to him. I just laughed at their silliness and ate another  cupcake. The warm sunshine had a cool breeze that made it a perfect day  to enjoy outdoors.

Momma would have loved today. She always took us outside to spend our  Sundays. Picnics and treats. She'd be happy Heidi lived here, and that  Heidi had a place where she fit. Where she had friends. I was thankful I  was going to be able to keep her here. This was a life for Heidi. One  where she fit in and she had security.

"I wish you were here, Momma," I whispered before getting up and  following the girls out to the open field where the soccer nets were.  They were inviting others to play and the excitement of the game was  obvious.

My weirdness with Jasper was soon forgotten.





Jasper

THE WHISKEY BOTTLE IN FRONT of me had started out as a way to get my  mind off Beulah, and with each glass things became clearer. Now I'd  almost had a fifth of whiskey and I knew I was drunk. I should go to my  bedroom to sleep it off, but I didn't. I waited for her. I had to see  her and explain about this morning. About how fucking scared I'd been.

Stone had left after we argued again. He said he'd be back in a week and  that he had his own shit to deal with. Which I understood. He was  running from his father and the Richmond department stores and malls all  over the goddamn country that would one day be his. I didn't know why,  but Stone hated the man who would give him his fortune. Just last month,  he talked about running off and joining the rodeo circuit, which was a  crock of shit. Hilarious, and a crock of shit. He'd grown up much the  same way I had, and neither of us was getting on some crazy as hell  bull.