1/3/2017 This will probably be posted just after midnight for the 4th, got carried away with other things I'm working on and didn't remember that I still had to go through editing for this chapter until 11:30. Still determined to stick as close to my schedule as possible.
Chapter Three
By one in the afternon I was back in town at the autoshop that Richard, aka Rick, aka my new boss, owned. Like he told me he would do that morning, he spent some time walking me through the few forms that I would have to fill out and have people sign. It was all fairly logical to do so I spent the next three hours going through their filing systems and making sure it was organized, because "it's been hectic without having someone working the desk." ThaThis was more overwhelming than being briefed on the forms. There were paper everywhere, most not even in kept together. Luckily, I found an unopened packet of folders hidden in the back of the top section of the two deawer filing cabinet behind my desk.
"Look at what we have here," a familiar voice spoke behind from behind me and my desk.
Sitting up straight, I spun in my chair to face my desk and the rolled my chair to the right spot. There a quiet squeak in one of the wheels of my chair as I shifted to smile up at anight almost bashful Tyler and grinning Reid. Without any hesitation, Reid was leaning on my desk with an even wider grin.
"Here I thought Pogue was lying to us about you working here."
"How can I help you boys?" My smile was stiff aso I went from eyeing Reid to Tyler.
Tyler smiled and faint tint of pink dusted his cheeks as he brought his right hand up to rub the back of his neck. After a moment he finally opened his mouth.
"You can start by cheering for me at the swim meet Friday," Reid spoke with a wink.
"I don't like to waste my energy on trivial things Reid."
"Neither do I," Tyler shoved Reid to the side. "Picking up."
"RICK! SIMMS IS HERE FOR A PICK UP!" I yelled turning my chair to face his office door behind me.
Paul and Toby had already left, both within the last hour. From the relieved look of Rick face when he walked out of his office, Tyler seemed to be the last person for the day. Which may mean that I'll be able to leave probably as soon as Reid and Tyler leave. Which may mean that I'll be able to pick up Tatum before she walks from the theater down the street.
"Tyler," Rick started, "whatever you're doing to your hummer, you got to stop it man."
Rick pulled Tyler toward the black hummer in the closest spot near us. I could just make out the fatherly tone and warnings to be careful of using the breaks to hard. From the sound of it, it seemed liked Tyler was getting a lecture of how to properly handle breaking.
"So you work here?" Reid asked, bringing my attention back to him.
"I'm sitting here aren't I?"
"That is some luck you got there, Avery."
"Honey, with a face and talents like mine, luck has nothing to do with it," I said playfully with an exaggerated eyebrow wink.
An eyebrow arched, "Talents?"
I rolled my eyes, "You're a perv. You know that right?"
He laughed, "But seriously, you work here now?"
"Yup, part time, after school."
"Yeah? Congratulations, I had no idea you were interested in cars."
"Thank you, and it's more like I have a generally understanding of what's under the hood."
"I admire that in a woman," the flirty look in his eyes showed his intent of how he thought this conversation would go. "Maybe you could teach me a few things."
"You know Pogue was in here earlier. Any chance Caleb is going to make an appearance as well?"
"You know he's dating Sarah."
"Well aware of that fact. I was just asking because I'm three for four, and I like to keep things balanced."
"Is that right?" He sounded playful.
"Nature will always balance itself."
I couldn't stop the lilt in my voice as I thought millions of thoughts about the curse and Kasper flashed threw my mind. It was easy to feel him watching me as I looked away. It was obvious that he and his brothers knew nothing about their ancestral past.
"Are you talking from experience?" He sounded serious.
Looking back up at him I smiled. It didn't reach my eyes. From the slight tick to his left eyebrow, it looked like he was worried, and probably curious.
Tyler and Rick made their way back to my little desk to make a quick signature. Reid's eyes were still watching me as I patiently watched the exchange between Rick and Tyler.
"Avery, I'm closing up shop, go on and head home," Rick said with a squeeze to my shoulder.
"Sure thing Bossman," I said even as I grabbed my bag from next to the desk.
He shuggered me off. "Go, pick up your cousin. Have dinner with your family and I'll see you here tomorrowe when you get out of school."
"This yours?" Reid's voice asked from behind me as he and Tyler walked out of the building behind me.
"Yeah. Bought it and fixed it up about a year and a half ago," I opened the door and threw my bag to the passenger seat.
Still feeling him standing close to me, I straightened up to look up at him.
"You didn't answer me back there," he said.
"About nature and balance?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. "Nature doesn't always have answers, you just accept and adjusts."
My phone soon buzzed in my bag and I reached in to grab it. Tatum was calling. when I answered, it was a basic summons of being too tired to walk anymore. Which, considering she works at a movie theater and is standing probably one hundred percent of the time, I wouldn't want to walk if I knew someone close by had a car.
""I am being summoned," I jumped into the drivers seat. "I'll see you around Reid."
With that, he nodded and stepped back as I drove away. In my review mirror I watched Reid walk over and talk to Tyler before I turned out of the parking lot and onto the main road.
I only had to drive to the corner because Tatum was standing right there. She was giving me 'the hell was that' look as she got into the truck.
"I'm sorry," I whispered as I continued to drive. "I didn't realize I was projecting."
"What the hell was happening anyways? One minute everything is fine and then the next I feel like I'm a mouse and a cats chasing after me."
"Reid and Tyler showed up at the shop. And I said something to Reid that may have got him asking questions."
When she asked what I said to him, I asked if she wanted to get a milk shake or something. To talk, just the two of us without having to bring my words to our family. There was a quick suggestions of the little dinner on the opposite end of main street.
When we were settled in a booth five minutes later, our orders quickly placed, I told her about the conversation at the mechanic shop.
"I thought we agreed it is because we are going to be the ones to break the curse? That's why Sage brought us back here," Tatum said after our milkshakes were brought over.
Leaning back in my seat, I took another deep breath and focus on my breathing. In... Out... In... someone just pulled into the parking lot.
Another deep breath in. Now is not the time for this conversation.
"Balance," I said sitting up straight again and opening my eyes.
Behind me, the bell above the door chimed. Two people walked into the dinner.
"It's freaky when you do that sometimes," Tatum said as she looked over my shoulder at Caleb Danvers and Sarah Wenham.
I shrugged back at her taking a mouthful of my chocolate milkshake.
"So what about balance?" Tatum asked getting comfortable to drink her milkshake.
"All I'm saying that if we don't break these curses, Kasper is carrying along their fifth, and you guys will each have your own. Balance. If we can't do it, they're will be all the makings of future generations to do so."
"You don't think we'll be able to do it?"
I starred at her. I can't tell her what I think. That even if we can break our curse, break all our curses, I will still be condemned to an unchanged fate. That one of us, either Rosemary or I, we're not meant to be born. That I've had my child. A son. And she will raise her daughter to the age that she, herself, should have died at. And I will get will get five more years before my fate.
"I have my fears," I spoke softly before taking another mouthful of chocolate goodness.
Ten minutes later we said hello and goodbye to Sarah and Caleb as we left the little diner. Because balance is desired in more aspects of our lives than we care to realize.