"Guys Dinner" She called
The three of them yelled "coming". Then there was a knock on the door.
"Hey Sam could you get that?" Kyle asked
Willa tensed up today was her 17th birthday and last year Timo promised to take her out "shopping". All Willa could do was hope that nobody from her past was on the other side of that door. Sam opened the door Willa couldn't see who it was because she was going from the kitchen to the dining room but she could hear the conversation.
"Who are you and what can I do for " Sam asked the person at the door
"I'm Walter Sherman and this is my associate Timo Proud we are looking for a girl named Willa Monday and we know that she has been living here and going to school with you were you both are on the track team and who are you exactly?" she heard Walters voice say
"I'm Sam Jasper and why are you looking for Willa and how do you know her?" Sam asked them
"Sam dinner" Jimmy said as he grabbed his brothers hand trying to pull him toward the table," Willa made grilled cheese with potato soup!"
"So Willa is here," Walter said
"Boys dinner get in here before I lock you out" Willa said as she emergered from her room in her pajamas consisting of black basketball shorts and a white shirt that was one that Timo had thought he lost when Willa left.
"Willa Lynn Monday, get over here right now" Timo said his voice not hard but in a soft friendly tone.
"Timo James Proud, go away now" Willa said as she grabbed the back of Sam and Jimmy's shirts pulling them away from the door and trying to wedge the door shut with her foot. Timo stuck his hand out to catch the door.
"Sam who's at the door" Kyle said as he entered the room
"Hi sir my name is Walter Sherman and this is my associate Timo Proud we came here to see Willa Monday and at least tell her Happy Birthday" Walter said taking a step forward into the house and holding out his hand for Kyle to shake. Kyle shook it.
"And how do you two know Willa?" Jimmy asked
"Well Willa worked for me at the Ends Of The Earth, it is a drinking establishment" Walter said as he looked around the room.
"Willa do you know these people?" Sam asked
"I know them but don't want them here," Willa stated shoving Sam and Jimmy into the dining room.
"You made grilled cheese with potato soup on your birthday didn't you?" Timo asked
"How did you know?" Willa asked
"You used to make me make it for you and we would sit in the living room and watch that old TV show called Hustle and say what the mistakes are till you would lay down in my lap and fall asleep but we started doing it the birthday your mom left you."
"Come on I made extra" Willa said after receiving a questioning glance from Kyle." If that's ok?" Kyle nodded his head
"Come on we can eat in the living room," Sam said
Willa grabbed the bowls from the cabinet and dished up the soup, then pulled the grilled cheese from out of the oven were it was staying warm.
"Jimmy, here you go be careful it's hot." Willa said as she passed him a plate with a grilled cheese and a bowl of soup. "Hey Sam will you grab spoons?"
"Sure, here you go Jimmy"
"Kyle" She said as she passed the plate to him.
"Sam" passing the plate to him
"Timo" passing his to him
"Walter" she said
Taking her plate she walked into the living room Kyle, Sam, and Jimmy had taken the couch as usual, Walter took her normal chair, and Timo was sitting on the floor his legs spread wide open as he leaned back into the couch. She walked over to Timo plate in hand.
"Scoot over" Willa told him
"Sit here" Timo said patting the place in front of him
"Fine" Willa said making a face but then sitting in between his legs and leaning into his chest. Not seeing the glare that Sam shot at Timo and the concerned look that Kyle sent her way.
After they finished dinner and put all the dishes into the dishwasher. Timo pulled a package out of his back pocket.
"Willa happy birthday" He said as he passed the package over to her.
"Hey Willa why didn't you tell us it was your birthday" Jimmy asked in the cute way that a 2 year old can.
"Because I didn't want anything" Willa said as she opened the package
"Oh My God Timo, why?" Willa pulled the necklace out; it had her favorite stone aquamarine.
"Because its your birthday and if you remember two years ago I gave you a bracelet and last year I got you the earrings to match now here's the necklace and…" pulling something else from his other pocket and handing it to her" here"
Willa carefully opened it, a scrapbook of her and Timo since they were two years old, Timo's arm draped across her small shoulders. Willa flipped to the back of the book the last page was she, Timo, Walter, Isabelle, and Leo standing around and laughing.
"Damn, dumb-dumb your gonna make me cry" Willa said wiping tears from her eyes, causing Timo to wrap his arms around her and Jimmy to come down to the floor and curl up in her lap, Sam looked like he would rather change spots with Timo.
"Why are you crying Willa are you sad?" Jimmy asked
" No there not tears of sadness, Jimmy I'm happy" Willa replied shrugging Timo's hold on her and picking up Jimmy. She sat down in the spot that Jimmy had recently vacated still holding him in her lap next to Sam.
" Hey Timo" Willa asked once she stopped crying and they were watching TV, her hand absently stroking Jimmy's hair.
"Yeah baby doll," Timo said using his nickname for her
"Why hasn't Uncle Shad called you, he normally calls every 5 minutes" Willa said
"I was kick out of the family when you left" Timo said his back against her legs
"Sorry" Willa said
"What do you have to be sorry about" Timo asked
"You know I didn't want to get married and you wanted to be with Magdalena, so sorry I left town and didn't think twice about it" Willa said resting her head against Sam's shoulder
"What?" Sam said jumping slightly. Willa just gave him a puzzled look.
"What?" Timo asked looking up at Willa who was resting her head on Sam.
"You two were gonna get married" Sam asked
"Yeah but we think of each other like siblings, and it was Shads idea" Willa said taking her head off of Sam. Sam decided it was a good idea to shut up. When the movie had finished Walter was asleep in the armchair, Jimmy was asleep in Willa's lap and the rest were up.
"Hey Kyle is it ok if they stay the night?" Willa asked as she got off the couch still holding onto Jimmy.
"Yeah sure see you guys in the morning" Kyle said with a yawn as he walked to his bedroom.
"Sam will you pull out an extra blanket" Willa asked as she carried Jimmy to his room, with Timo right behind her
"Sure thing" Sam said as he pulled out the extra blanket out of the hall closet.
Willa carefully laid Jimmy in his bed, Timo pulling up the covers
"Here" Sam said as he threw the blanket at Timo. Willa grabbed the blanket out of Timo's hands and carefully laid it down on Walter who was fast asleep.
" Where should I go?" Timo asked
"Come on" Willa said as she dragged him into her room, not caring the about the glare that Sam was giving them
They laid side by side his arm wrapped around her waist.