Just Turn Left

Chapter 2

All of these Moments

Tall, lush green beautiful trees surrounded the biking path. Trees of various sizes lined her sight as she took another curve. She grinned as she heard whooping from her right. She glanced back at her godson. He was excited, it was his first long bike ride since his training wheels had been taken off. She had been hesitant, he was only 7 years old. However, after he managed to beat her in a race around their basketball court, she took the training wheels off.

"Hey Aunt Reggie, how long until we can eat something?" Teddy asked. A quick glance at her watch told her it was lunch time. She looked around and spotted a good spot for them to eat.

"Let's stop and we'll eat over here," she said. Both slowed their bikes and stopped them next to an open piece of grass. She pulled a blue blanket out of the basket on the front of her bike. Teddy opened the ice container that was in his basket and put it on the blanket. He was pulling out a couple of sodas for them when she heard a familiar voice.

"Don't tell me, you made the soda at your diner," Joe said amused as he walked up to them. Teddy snorted, spilling soda all over the blanket. Absentmindly she handed napkins to Teddy and watched as he dabbed at the mess he had made.

"No, it's this newfangled thing called going to the store," she teased. "I don't make everything I eat or drink." Joe rolled his eyes and without asking his permission plopped right down next to her while grabbing a sandwich from the basket. RJ scowled at him, he returned with a grin as he began eating the sandwich. Teddy starred at them in bewilderment.

"Who are you?" Teddy asked curiously. RJ raised an eyebrow at him to see how he would respond.

"I'm Joe, Joe Reagan," he told Teddy. "I'm a friend of RJ. What is your name?"

"I'm Teddy, Aunt Reggie is my godmother," Teddy said as he grabbed a sandwich and a bag of chips. "Do you have a godmother? What about a godfather?" Joe chuckled. RJ watched them amused.

"Teddy take a breath and eat," RJ reminded him. Teddy turned pink before he returned to his food. Before Joe could even protest she shoved a piece of cheesecake in front of him. While he stared at the cheesecake in awe, RJ handed Teddy a slice as well. Shaking himself out of his shock, he pulled out his phone and took a picture. With a mischievous look, he attached the picture in a message and sent a copy to his siblings with the caption – "homemade and it tastes sooooo good!" He jumped slightly when he heard RJ giggling. He almost fell into her when he realized how close she was.

"What is so funny?" he wondered as he grabbed a fork.

"Your text, it reminds me of Fred and George," she said between bites of cheesecake.

"Who is Fred and George?"

"Older brothers of one of my friends from growing up," she explained. "Although I became friends with them when we were on the same house team."

"How do I remind you of them?" he asked.

"They are mischievous to the hilt," she said. "They own a chain of joke shops." Joe turned to her with wide eyes.

"I love pranks," he told her, eyes blown up wide. She smiled.

"You'll fit right in," she told him as they began packing away the picnic.

When he arrived after his tour, the diner was buzzing with people. Thankfully he was able to snatch a chair up front. For hours, he watched her race around. Employees danced around each other with practiced ease. Delicious aromas filed the area plates, bowls, and cups came from the kitchen. It was just beginning to slow down in the diner when his phone rang.

"Reagan," he answered the phone. By the time, RJ was standing in front of him, all he could think was "it can't be, no it can't be."

"Joe, what's wrong?" she asked softly.

"My mom, my mom passed away," Joe managed to get out. He felt like he couldn't breathe. The world seemed to be closing in on him. A cup filled with something sweet smelling appeared in front of him. Without thought, he drank it all. Slowly he could feel himself calming down. "I-I should get home."

"I'll take you," RJ said as she grabbed her keys and purse. Joe shook his head.

"No," he refused. "No I just-I just can't. I need to be with my family." Nearly already out the door he missed how her face fell. She slumped down in a barstool in front of the counter and watched as he got into his car before disappearing out of sight. One of her employees removed the glass Joe had drank from before handing her a mug of her favorite hot chocolate. She barely noted his presence before he headed into the back. As she wrapped her hand around the mug of hot chocolate, the heat reminded her that life continued.

The house was solemn, dark. The death of his mother seemed to remove all of the light. People milled around the home in black clothing quietly talking or getting more food. He spotted his younger brother with his fiancé in the corner, heads leaning in. He headed over to them, grabbing a plate and putting food on it blindly. When he sat in front of them, he noticed the amused look on his brother's face.

"What?"

"You grabbed asparagus, you hate asparagus," Jamie pointed out. A quick look at his plate told him his brother wasn't messing with him.

"I guess I should have paid attention to what I put on my plate," Joe realized. Jamie snickered. He shrugged and ate what was on his plate. Jamie stared at him wide-eyed when he polished off the last of the asparagus.

"You hate asparagus and you just ate it," Jamie said astonished.

"RJ only takes into account my allergies," Joe commented. "She says you can't truly hate something unless you've had it so often you gag at the sight of it."

"Who is RJ?" Joe opened his mouth to respond when his father appeared by his side.

"Hey dad, how are you?"