by Box Set
I dared to look up at Mandy. Her emerald greens danced with warmth I hadn’t seen in a long time.
Annie cleared her throat, which ended our private moment. “I have to drive to Denver the day after tomorrow. The orthopedic doctor called and wants to discuss my MRI. Oh, and Alliance called and said your car is ready. It was a loose battery cable. No charge.”
“Wow, I would have sworn it was the starter by the clunking sound. Do you need a ride to Denver?” I offered.
“Oh, goodness no, your mom and I are going to go together. We thought we’d take Tommy with us so we can do some last minute Christmas shopping.”
“I have five dollars to buy presents.” Tommy whipped the wrinkled bill from the front pocket of his jeans and waved it around. “Is it enough to buy Mommy a diamond?”
“Mommy never asked for a diamond. She doesn’t need one,” Mandy said.
“Grandma’s song says diamonds are a girl’s best friend.” He swirled spaghetti on his fork and continued. “Mommy doesn’t have any friends. I want her to have a best friend.”
“Mom, must you play all those old songs for him? Before you know it, he’ll be wanting Santa baby to hurry down my chimney tonight.” Mandy closed her eyes and rubbed above the bridge of her nose while we all cracked up. She tapped the table to quiet the raucous. “Tommy, look at me. Things can’t be friends. You can appreciate and desire things, but they can never take the place of a friend.” She looked around the table; her eyes stopped at me. “Good friends are with you for life.”
“Okay,” he said with a pout to his voice. “But you’d like a diamond if I bought you one, right?”
“Yes, Tommy, I like diamonds, but you’ll need more than five dollars to buy a diamond. Why don’t you make me something instead?”
He slumped back in his chair and crossed his arms in a mood. “I should have charged the Grandmas to cook.”
“Tell you what, buddy, you and I will figure something out for your mom, okay?”
The Grandmas’ heads bounced as they looked between Mandy, Tommy, and me.
“Oh no, you don’t,” Mandy scowled at me. “He has to earn his money just like everyone else.”
“He tried, but you wouldn’t let him charge the grannies.” She knew I had a point because her head fell forward in defeat.
“Tommy, Grandma Sarah and I will pay you five dollars to help us clean up the mess.” Annie looked at my mom and nodded toward the kitchen. “Let them straighten out their family matters alone.”
Tommy cleared off his classic car placemat and skipped into the kitchen behind our meddlesome mothers.
“You better watch out or those two will have us married and living next door.” She cupped her hand to her mouth like she was trying to spoon back the words.
“There are worse fates than marrying me, Mandy.”
“Really?” she teased, “tell me one.”
“You could marry old Tom from the drugstore?” By the horror on her face, I hit my mark.
“Eww, how could you even say that? Yuck. He used to leer at me when I bought condoms. I went on the pill because of him.”
“I thought you went on the pill because of me.”
“You know what I mean.” She leaned in and whispered, “the man eye-sexed me each time I went in there.” She squirmed in her seat like she had ants in her pants.
“The term is,” I glanced around to make sure Tommy wasn’t in hearing distance, “eye-fucked and just about everyone did that to you in high school. How do you think I got all those bloody knuckles and so many guys had black eyes?”
Recognition dawned on her face. “I thought it was from football practice.”
“You don’t understand the allure of your beauty. It’s inside and out, Mandy. I loved the way you looked, but I loved the sweetness and innocence that was your soul.”
“And now?” She drew her thumb to her mouth and bit at her fingernail.
“I’m going to love you all over again if you’d just give me a chance.”
“But I’m jaded and frayed around the edges.”
I wanted to rush to her side and pull her into my arms. “You’re like an apple in its prime. You’ve matured and ripened, not rotted. You’re still sweet but just a little bruised.” I could see the doubt on her face, and I knew that I could kiss it away, but I promised myself the next time I tasted her lips would be on her terms.
“I’ve been called a lot of things, but never an apple.” She pushed away from the table and turned to walk toward the living room. My name was emblazoned on her back. By Christmas, it would be embedded in her heart. That was the promise I made to myself.
Seconds later, three troublemakers walked out of the kitchen. The plate of cookies and the tray of hot cocoa my mom held gave me an idea.
“Tommy, I know of a perfect way you can earn money.” Every eye snapped in my direction. Annie and my mom took the single seats, forcing Mandy, Tommy, and I to share the couch.
“How much do you think I can earn?” He sat up straight. “Enough to buy a diamond?”
Mandy let out an exasperated groan. “Enough about the diamond.”
“This will take the help of everyone, so here’s my thought. Can Tommy and I have the corner table of the Sweet Shop tomorrow from three to five?”
All three women passed looks of puzzlement between them, but it was Mandy who answered. “Sure, what do you need it for?”
Mimicking Tommy’s stature, I sat tall and presented my business plan. “BT’s…Beau and Tommy’s hot cocoa stand. I figured if Mom made the cocoa, and Tommy and I sold it in the corner, all you would need to do is make more cookies because you can’t buy hot chocolate and not match it up with a cookie. Now, it may cut into your cocoa sales, but it’s for a good cause, and half of what Tommy takes in will be donated to a charity of his choice.”
“Half?” Tommy looked appalled. He already had a head for business. Half was ridiculous, but I’d always made it a point to give half of everything I earned to charity. You could only use so much money, but gratitude was something worth more than the dollars that would collect in my bank account.
“Yes, half is a lot, but think about all the people you could help with your donation. What do you really like, Tommy?”
He sat in contemplation for under a minute. “I like music.”
“Okay, so you can donate half to the music program at the high school, and I’ll match whatever you donate. Those programs struggle to survive, especially in small towns. You can make a difference.”
His grin grew from a crack to a crater. He tossed out his hand to shake. “Deal.”
“Not so fast, buddy, we need help from these fine women. Grandma Sarah needs to make her special hot cocoa, and Grandma Annie needs to give her okay since the shop belongs to her. Then, you need the most important yes to come from your mother.” Tommy and I put our puppy dog expressions on and waited.
“I’ll be happy to make the cocoa and donate the ingredients.” I hadn’t seen my mom so happy in years. Sure, she was always overjoyed to see me when she visited, but this was different. This felt like family, which was something none of us had really embraced for years. I’d wasted so much time.
Annie donated the cups and gave us her full support. Mandy, on the other hand, looked at us in the same way a librarian did when you made noise. She pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes.
Tommy began to tap his foot in impatience, but he never said a word.
“I have a few conditions before I give my approval.”
I leaned toward Tommy, “This is called a negotiation, buddy. Your mom will ask for concessions and then we’ll counter with our demands. This goes back and forth until someone comes out the victor.” The poor kid looked at me like he’d lost me at the word “your.” “Can I negotiate on your behalf?”
Tommy gave an enthusiastic nod.
“Name your demands, Ms. Sawyer.”
She adjusted herself so she was facing us directly.
“Number one, Tom
my has to do the work. Number two, he has to help with the cleanup. Number three, at five o’clock, we close up shop and go out to Big Jim’s for barbecue. My treat.”
“Yes. Yes. Yes,” Tommy repeated.
“Tommy, you can’t give in on the first round. We had an opportunity to negotiate.”
Tommy sat his hand on my knee. “We got everything we wanted and dinner out.”
I shook my head at the precocious young man next to me. “I have one demand. I pay.”
“Deal,” Tommy shouted.
“Now you’re negotiating for me?” Mandy shook her head. “Go get that guitar, young man. I want to hear about those peppermint kisses.”
Chapter 13
Mandy
Corralling an excited six year old was like trying to catch a slippery fish. The hot cocoa brigade arrived just before three with Tommy about to jump out of his skin. The only good thing about his excess energy was that he’d sleep well tonight.
Misty and I had set up the corner with cups and a cash box. We had prepared the boys for success. A huge silver coffee urn filled with warm cocoa sat in the corner waiting for Tommy to serve. All that was missing were his customers. I hoped this wouldn’t be a big disappointment for my son, but if it were, it would be a learning opportunity.
“Let’s take our picture, and let people know we’re here.” Beau raised his phone and shot a picture of Tommy and him scrunched together in the corner. Then, he posted it to every social media site known to man. “See here, Tommy,” he held up the selfie. “It says, Help Tommy’s stocking fund, come for the cocoa, and stay for the music. Half of the donations will be donated to the Bell Mountain High School music department.” He pulled his guitar from the corner and began to strum some Christmas tunes starting with “Peppermint Kisses.” I leaned on the counter and stared at him like a star struck fan. Sweet as candy but not as sweet as Mandy, his silly lyrics made me smile. I’d missed his music. I’d missed his company. I’d just plain missed him.
By three thirty, the shop was swarming with screaming girls and a few boys, too. Tommy poured cocoa while Beau smiled and played for his adoring fans. Sarah was in the back making her second batch of hot chocolate, while Mom tried to snap pictures one-handed. Her poor wrist was in worse shape than I thought. She’d become quite an accomplished left-hander since her accident. Mom was a survivor.
After Misty and I had been relieved of duty by the two teens pulling the closing shift, we stood against the wall and watched the chaos unfold. Each time an overzealous fan got too friendly, I tensed, and if Theresa Platt didn’t stop bending over Beau to push her boobs into his face, she’d have a black eye, and I’d have the bruised and bloody knuckles. I saw the way she was looking at him, and that couldn’t be construed as anything but eye-fucking.
Five o’clock took forever to get here, but when it did, I slammed the front doors shut and locked the fans outside. Still, their noses pressed to the windows to get a last glimpse at my boys.
Tommy made six hundred and forty three dollars in donations, half of which would go to the school, and the remaining half would be split between opening a savings account for him and his Christmas shopping fund. It was so cute that he wanted to give me a diamond, but in all honesty, I wasn’t the kind of girl who needed jewels to feel rich. I’d found immense wealth in the love and affection of a six-year-old boy.
Tommy and Beau cleaned up their corner. They both looked exhausted. Tommy was worn threadbare by the experience, whereas the crowds seemed to suck the energy right out of Beau. I’d never considered his job to be taxing, he was always doing what he loved, but there was so much more than playing a guitar and singing pretty words to be a superstar. Everyone wanted a piece of him, including me.
We evaded the lurking fans and snuck through the back door to slip into Big Jim’s Barbecue across the street. Once inside, I insisted we sit in the dark corner so no one would notice Beau and interrupt our dinner. Our chatty mothers weren’t paying any attention to us. They were planning their trip to Denver tomorrow. They were Thelma and Louise without the cliff.
“How do you do it?” I lifted my hand to his face and rubbed at the dark circles under his eyes. He leaned into my palm. The heat between us rushed through my body.
Tommy had squeezed in the center, creating an unwelcome but lovable barrier. His head leaned into Beau as his little eyes bobbed up and down until they gave up and closed.
“It’s part of the gig. I don’t love the crowds, but without the fans, I have no one to play for.” Beau cradled Tommy’s head into his chest as if it were the most natural action to take. Each time I saw them together, my heart softened and took in the love around me. I feared by the end of the week, it might burst having grown too big for my chest cavity.
“You can play for me.” I thought of all the private concerts Beau had given me. Most nights, he had climbed the tree outside my room and slid into my unlocked window. I always knew when he was coming because he’d leave that old stickered guitar in my room. It was a giddy feeling, knowing he was on his way, but never knowing when he’d show.
“I will play for you.” He looked at me with heat in his eyes—the kind of heat that boiled from my heart to my pink parts.
“Can I get you something to drink?” A look of recognition crossed our waitress’ face when she looked at Beau.
I waved her in close. “Can you not tell anyone he’s here? I promise you a big tip, and I’m pretty sure he’ll autograph anything you want.”
Her brows lifted to her blunt cut bangs. “Anything?” I nodded and shooed her away.
Beau covered Tommy’s exposed ear with his palm. “You realize I’m going to be signing her ass or her boobs, right?”
I sucked in the air around me. “No way. Who does that?” We both turned to look at the waitress who, at that moment, was adjusting her cleavage. In unison we said, “her.”
“How many people ask you to sign their boobs?” At the word “boobs,” both of our moms stopped talking and stared.
“Yes, Beau,” Sarah said. “How many do you sign?”
“I’m not talking about this here.” All three of us drilled him with questioning gazes. The poor man was stuck in the corner and pinned by our eyes. “All right, lots, but I don’t enjoy it.” That little twitch to his lip gave him away.
“Right, it’s like a candy store at every concert, and you don’t enjoy the sweets?” I rolled my eyes at him and hid my jealousy behind the menu.
“At first, it was mind-blowing, but then, not so much.”
“Hmm, I bet more than your mind got blown,” I mumbled, hoping our mothers didn’t hear me.
He pulled the menu down to look at me. Our mothers looked on like smiling loons.
“Jealous?” I watched his mouth form the word, and when he got to the “L” and his tongue nestled between his teeth, I was captivated by how wet, and red, and suckaliscious it was. He leaned in and pulled the menu up to shelter us. “Mandy, your lips are the only ones that can blow me…away.”
A whisper of air flushed over my skin, causing goosebumps to rise on my flesh. Everything in my body screamed yes, from the heat between my legs to my painfully-pebbled nipples, but I said no. “No, not here.”
“When…where?” Desperation rasped his voice.
Just to get him off my back, or at least, that’s what I told myself, I pecked him on the lips real quick. A tremor rushed through me. It felt like a tiny little orgasm, gone too quick and not enough to satisfy my craving for this man.
“Is that all I get?”
“Yes.” We were still behind the menu, but I could feel our mothers’ eyes on us. I never inherited the x-ray vision that most mothers seemed to possess, but I knew both of our mothers had it. They always knew what we were up to. I widened my eyes and tossed my head in their direction as if to say, “They’re staring at us.”
He leaned in closer, his whiskers rubbed against my neck, “I don’t care. What you gave me was like a single sprinkle when I’m craving the
whole decorated cookie.”
“Overindulging is not good for anyone,” I tossed back.
“Neither is starving for ten years.”
“You’re crushing me,” Tommy whined. “I’m hungry.” He wormed his way into a sitting position and pulled the menu down, which confirmed my suspicions. The moms were all ears and grins.
“Hey champ, your mom and me were just deciding what we wanted for dessert.” Beau gave me that I-want-you look he had perfected long ago. “Sometimes, it’s better to choose your dessert first, that way, you can make smart choices beforehand. Why would you eat big if what you really want is the cookie?”
“With sprinkles,” my mother shouted while Sarah laughed. “Kids…they think they invented menus for privacy. These two have a lot to learn.”
I wanted to kick them under the table, but in all honesty, it felt like old times when Beau and I would sneak kisses and share words of affection. Our mothers knew and supported our relationship. It broke their hearts, the way things had gone, but here we were, back at the beginning—again. No, I corrected my thoughts. This wasn’t the beginning, but maybe a new chapter of a follow-on book.
“I want a hot dog and a hot fudge sundae.” Tommy snuggled against my arm, and I embraced him.
“Let’s order, then.” Glad to change the subject from sexual innuendo to food, I raised my hand to get the attention of our waitress. She bounced over to our table and took our order.
“I got my pen ready.” She looked over the group then zeroed in on Beau. “Is this your sister?”
“No, sweetheart,” he leaned toward her, grabbed the pen from her hand, and scribbled his name across her palm, “this woman’s my everything.” He held up his near-empty glass of water. “I’d love a refill, please.” His eyes turned toward me, and I knew tonight, he’d get whatever he wanted. I’d never been claimed like that before in my life. If our moms weren’t here and Tommy wasn’t sitting between us, I would have pulled him from the booth and dragged him home. Hunger be damned.