It did rain on Monday, which was nice, sometimes you just want to spend the day inside. I helped Thomas finish all the chores and we spent time reading in the living room, then we played an old board game I had before watching one of my favorite movies. It's called Flatliners, Thomas had never seen it but at the end he had a new appreciation for the sci-fi category.
Tuesday we finally broke ground on the garden, Thomas and I mapped it out so we had rows of vegetables and then fruits. It took a majority of the day to get it all ready and all the seeds planted. The garden turned out bigger than I thought, I bought more seeds that I intended to plant but then I just decided to do them all. It looked nice, I liked the smell of the soil and the feeling of accomplishment. We had to put a tarp over it because then it rained all day on Wednesday too, that day Tommy brought one of his favorite books for me to read called Jonathan Livingston Seagul. He was surprised I never heard of it or read since it was the number one book for 2 years in the '70s. It was really good, I did enjoy it.
Then Thursday came and I had forgotten all about the date I had with Jeremy. I had been out back with Thomas, he was helping me decide what I wanted to do about the fence when I heard him shouting my name.
"Who is that?," Thomas turned to see a man standing by the house.
"Oh shit...," I slapped my forehead. "Is today Thursday?"
"Yeah? Why? Who is that?"
"Shit shit shit," I groaned. "It's Jeremy."
"Jeremy Lewis?," Thomas questioned as we made our way to the house.
"Yes... I totally forgot."
"Forgot what?"
I sighed," We saw him at the bar on Friday. He asked me on a date."
"And you said yes?"
"Hey," I jabbed my finger into Thomas' chest. "That was a rough night for me."
"Touche," he responded.
"Hey Caroline," Jeremy smiled as we got closer.
"Hey," I smiled. "Uh, let me just change really quick," I excused myself into the house.
He said bowling... what do you even wear to that. Not a dress. I put on some shorts and a striped top before washing my hands and face and heading back outside. Thomas and Jeremy were facing one another. There was thick tension I could feel between them.
"Ready to go," Jeremy asked with a smile, ignoring the awkward atmosphere
"Yeah," I looked to Thomas. "How late are you staying, Thomas?"
He shrugged, sticking his hands in his pockets," I can stay until you get back," he said softly.
"That's alright," Jeremy stepped in. "Don't want to keep you up past your bedtime," he slapped his back. Thomas jumped away and Jeremy chuckled," Sorry, I forgot about the whole touch thing."
Touch thing?
"We might be back late."
"How late does bowling usually go?," I asked bewildered.
Jeremy smirked," It all depends."
I nodded," Okay, well I'll see you when I get back. If you get bored there's a copy of Dragons in the Stars on the living room bookshelf," I told him as I waved goodbye.
We walked towards he front of the house," Dragons in the Stars?"
"Oh, it's a really good book set in the future where this girl pilots a spaceship but they run into dragons in-..."
"A book? Like one with pictures and stuff?"
I laughed," No, it's not a picture book."
"Well... uh, then... can Tommy really read it?"
"Of course he can, Thomas reads all the time."
"Oh...," Jeremy reaches onto his bike and hands me a helmet.
"Oh," I took it. "I... I've never been on a motorcycle before."
Jeremy put on his own helmet," Don't worry, I'll keep ya safe," he arched his leg around to sit on the seat.
I don't like this, I told myself as I put the helmet on. I got on the back behind Jeremy, the only real option was to lean into him. Jeremy took my hand and wrapped them around him, Oh dear god...
Jeremy turned on the ignition and backed up from the driveway, I looked up to he house and saw Thomas watching us leave. I un-clenched myself from Jeremy and waved to him, he raised a hand back as we got to the street and sped away.
"Hang on," Jeremy told me and I did because I hated it. The wind whipped past my face and the green from the trees beside the road blending into a haze, underneath me I could feel the wheels sway as Jeremy went side to side keeping the bike straight. The whole feeling made me want to throw up, I hated it all so much, it made it seem like we were driving forever. I clenched my eyes until I felt us slow and then stop completely.
"We made it," Jeremy told me. I opened my eyes and I felt dizzy, Jeremy got off the bike and then helped me. "you okay?"
"Uh...," I moaned and took off the helmet. "Oh... I just need a minute," I told him taking a deep breath.
Jeremy chuckled," You know, I was the same way when I first road a bike. I threw up all over my dad," he laughed.
"Janna doesn't seem like the motorcycle type," I focused on not vomiting.
He laughed," She isn't, she hated it so much."
I opened my eyes," I think I'm good," I kept a steady grip on my stomach in hopes the pressure would keep food from exploding upwards.
"Nice," he put his helmet on the bike and I put mine next to him. "This place has great cheese fries," he told me.
"Maybe I should eat later."
"Oh yeah, I understand," he said as we walked into the alley. "You look great, did I tell you that?"
"Thanks," I went up to the counter. "Size 6."
"Size 14," Jeremy picked up the shoes and we went to lane 3 after paying. "What name do you want? I'm gonna be Lewister."
I shrugged," I don't know, it can just be Caroline."
"No, no, you have to make it something fun. Part of the rules."
"Bowling rules? I thought you only had to hit the pins."
"It's the unwritten rule."
I chuckled," I guess I have a lot to learn about bowling. Uh... I can be Sunflower."
"Sunflower it is," he typed it in. "Do you like sunflowers."
"Yeah, they're one of my favorites."
Jeremy picked up a large green ball, "Ready for this?," he looked over his shoulder and winked before rolling the ball down the lane and hitting a strike.
"Oh wow...," I was surprised. "Is that why you wanted to go bowling?"
He stuck his hands in his pockets," Well, in a small town, only so much to go and do," he sat next to me.
"Well prepare for my disappointing flop," I picked up a orange bowling ball, but it was too heavy so I chose the blue one. I went to the lane and swung the ball and it went straight into the gutter.
I turned around and bowed while Jeremy applauded," Wow! That was amazing, I've actually never seen the ball go into the gutter that quickly."
"I told you I'm a flop."
"No, it just takes practice," he smiled then jumped up. "I'm gonna grab a beer. Want anything?"
"I'm okay," I told him and sat back down.
I watched him go up to the counter to order, this place was starting to get busy. I didn't expect people to like bowling so much but then I realized there isn't much else to do for fun around here. It's kind of boring though... I thought to myself. I would rather be at home, working on my garden or tearing down the fence, maybe riding the horses with Thomas. I guess I'm not really being fair to Jeremy, but I'm not looking for a boyfriend.
"Here, I got us some fries and I got you a coke," he set down the food.
"Oh, thanks," I smiled even though it's not what I wanted. "Your turn."
Jeremy took a large swig and then went up, hitting another strike with a confident grin.
"So", he sat back down," Impressed?"
I threw my head back and laughed," Is that why we came here? So you could impress me with bowling?"
"Why, is it working?," he winked.
"I think this plan will backfire on you," I couldn't stop laughing as I found my blue ball and swung it, again it ran into the gutter.
"So Caroline, tell me about yourself."
"Uhm, what do you want to know?"
"Well, I want to know about you. What do you like? Hate?"
"Uh... I like to read, it's one of my favorite pass times, but I haven't been reading as much since I moved here."
"Why?"
"Oh just the house. I've redone most of the inside and now we're working on the rest of the farm."
"Who's we?"
"Thomas and I, he's been great."
Jeremy was silent as he sipped his beer," So Tommy comes by and helps you huh? Must take a while."
I shook my head," No, actually we are getting things done pretty fast. I thought my house would take most of the summer."
"I just wouldn't let 'em have any tools, Tommy can be a klutz."
I felt a little unnerved by his, I didn't want to listen to him harp on Thomas.
"Thomas is great, he's never had any accidents."
Jeremy shrugged and stood up," Maybe he's growin' up," he muttered before going up and hitting only 9 pins.
"Can't win them all," I told him, a little happy he didn't strike again. He rolled his ball and got the spare, which did not surprise me, I ate some of the fries, they were greasy and under cooked. Jeremy came and sat back down.
"I guess what I hate is small minds," I told him.
"What?"
"You asked me what I liked and hated. I like books and I hate small minds," I got up and rolled again, it went further down the lane than before but right before the pins it dived into the gutter.
"Yeah me too," Jeremy told me. "I hate people who gossip and spread rumors, 'specially when most of thems lies. You mighta came to the wrong place if you don't like it," he eyes me as he sipped his beer.
"Well, if you hate it so much," I turned to him. "Why don't you leave?"
Jeremy contemplated his answer before responding," My family's here, my friends, this life's the only one I've ever known."
I nodded," I can understand that."
"How did you jump down here with no friend or family so easy?"
"Well... I, I knew Delilah when she was alive," I lied. "So I've known Kurtis and Savannah, but I guess I don't really go into town much, I stay at the farm."
Jeremy chuckled," Just like Del in that way."
"I guess," I got up and rolled right into the gutter again. "What do you like?"
"I like music, beer, my hog... and the company of one beautiful woman," he winked to me.
"You must be quite the charmer around here with all those fancy pick up lines."
Jeremy shrugged," Not so much."
He rolled another strike and as I got up, he coached me through how to throw the ball.
"I've noticed you ball goes left, so you need to try and through more to the right to give it time to hit the balls. Aim for the little triangle there, yeah that looks good," he straightened my arm and stood behind me. I could smell the beer on him, like it was part of scent and a hint of some evergreen aftershave mixed with cigarettes. I felt boxed in with him being so close to me, so I panicked and swung the ball like he told me to and it rolled down hitting 3 pins.
"YEAH!," Jeremy cheered for me," Look at you, a pro."
I tucked some hair behind my ear," Yeah... thanks. I... I'm gonna head to the ladies' room," I told him and went off in that direction.
So far... not a fan, I thought to myself. Jeremy is okay, but something about him, something about him doesn't sit right. He's nice and charming but it doesn't feel real, like he's lying to me about it all. I gave him a chance but there's no spark between us, I'm ready to go home.
I went back to the table," I think it's fair to say you've won," I looked up to the scoreboard.
"Hey, you have 3, you could still make a comeback," he laughed at his own joke.
"I doubt it," I saw he went, so I picked up my ball and chucked it right into the gutter.
"You didn't aim for he triangle like I told you."
I shrugged," It's just a silly game, besides I kind of just threw up," I lied. "I think the ride here really did me in."
"Oh... Caroline, I'm sorry. Oh god, how can I make it up to you?," Jeremy was very apologetic.
"Do you think you could call me a cab? I don't think I can ride back on it."
"Yeah, of course, Caroline, I really am sorry... that's never happened before."
"It's fine," I grabbed my stomach for effect," It's not your fault."
Jeremy went up to call me a cab and I patted myself on the back for my amazing acting skills. My cab came and I said goodbye to Jeremy, shutting the door before he could ask me on another date. I got home while the sun was still up and went into my house with a sigh of relief.
"Caroline?," Thomas was sitting on the couch. "You're back!," he looked behind him to the clock. "...really early?"
I let out a deep sigh," Which is for the better," I rubbed my eyes. I heard Thomas laughing and I opened my eyes to see him trying to hide it. "What's so funny?"
"I didn't expect you to make a run for it that quickly."
I let myself smile," Oh, I had to, Thomas. It was awful... well, maybe I'm being dramatic."
"I'm sure you're not," he told me setting his book on the table. There was a whistle of the kettle and I looked to Thomas with a questioning look. "Oh, sorry, I.. I made some lemon tea. I saw it in the cupboard and I just... Caroline, I'm sorry. I know I should-.."
I stopped him," No, it's great. I really could use some tea too, besides you know that you can have whatever you want here," I told him as I went into the kitchen, pulling the kettle off the stove and filling two mugs. "I would have pegged you as more of a chamomile tea kind of guy," I told him handing him his mug.
"Honestly, I've never had it. Mama only has green tea in the house."
"Well, you're missing out. I used to buy this amazing raspberry tea, and it was to die for," I sipped on the lemon. "But I don't think Baxter carries it."
"So tell me about what happened?," Thomas asked.
I groaned," Well, first off: bowling?"
Thomas laughed," That doesn't surprise me at all."
"And he just... just didn't seem genuine at all with anything he said."
"And that made you come running?"
"Part of it," I admitted. "I just needed to get out of there, definitely not the best date I've been on."
"What is the best date you've been on," Thomas asked curiously.
I sat back on the couch," Well... my ex-boyfriend, his name was Mark, he took me sailing on one of our first dates. I really liked it, the bay was very beautiful. We drank champagne and ate caviar... he was a very rich guy," I added. "Not really what I was used to, but it was nice."
"Why did you break up?"
"Well, we just weren't right for each other. I was focused on school and my future and he was focused on... sticking his dick in anything that had tits" I took a small sip of tea.
Thomas laughed," Wow... I'm sorry, that just wasn't what I was expecting you to say."
I chuckled," Well, it's true."
"That sucks, I'm sorry."
I shook it off," It was a while ago, it was worse when after my parents died he tried to get back together."
"Oh.. I'm sorry Caroline."
"Don't be, men can be idiots."
"No, not that. I didn't know your parents. I didn't know that had passed."
"Oh," I gripped my mug a little tighter. "Yeah it was... it was a few years a go when I was 25."
"That must've been hard," Thomas emphasized.
"It was," I nodded. "It made it harder to accept that I had been adopted, you know? I couldn't even ask them questions or hear there explanations of why they never told me."
"And then you found Del?"
"Yeah," I took another drink. "And she didn't want anything to do with me, never called me back, never wrote, nothing. And then... this," I looked around the living room.
"I will say Del was a woman of few words, if she didn't want to talk about something she wouldn't, it was almost like she could lock her jaw. I swear there were days when I never heard her say a word."
"The more I learn about her, the more I think I would have liked her," I smiled.
"I think you would have too," Thomas took a sip of tea.
I sat up and set my tea on the table," What about you, Thomas? What was you're best date?"
He laughed, almost spitting out his drink," Sorry," he set the mug down beside me as he laughed.
"What's so funny?"
"I've... I've never been on a date," he told me. "Who wants to date the 'special kid'," he said with air quotes.
"Really? I think you'd be a catch, Thomas. Have you ever asked a girl out?"
"Nope," he popped his lips.
"Well, maybe's that's why you haven't had any luck."
"To ask a girl out, I would need to talk to a girl," he sounded uninterested. "And they would have treat me like a normal person, not talk to me like a puppy."
I sighed," Sorry Thomas... it's just... people..."
"People suck," he said flatly.
"Exactly. People suck."
"Cheers to that," he held out his mug and I lifted mine to clink them together.
