The Knock

by Emme Burton

  “He got hurt,” he interrupts, “because his parents are loudmouthed idiots who don’t know kids pick up on things. Meanness is learned at home. Bullying is learned at home.”

  I rush to him and he enfolds me in his arms. He kisses my forehead and then tips my tear-stained, puffy, exhausted face up and kisses me so softly, so full of care.

  “I thought you might not come back,” I croak, my voice rough from crying.

  “Of course I came back. I just needed a minute. I needed to think about a few things. I’m here for you, Posey. For you and the boys. I love you. I love those boys.”

  “Oh my God, I love you. How did we get so lucky to have you in our lives?”

  “And Pose, I’m going with you to meet with the school and Rafe Walters’s parents tomorrow.”

  “How did you know about that?”

  “I just know.”

  “O-OK.”

  Mitch cocks his head and smirks, “Can we go inside now?”

  I realize we are still lingering in the open doorway. I step back and tug him into the house by his shirt.

  Mitch slides his hand down my arm and threads his fingers between mine. He brings my hand up to his lips and kisses my knuckles one by one.

  “You look exhausted and I know I am. Let’s go to bed.”

  We walk to my bedroom, hand in hand. Halfway there, I rest my head on his shoulder. I’m more tired than I realized.

  Mitch and I quietly change into our nightclothes quietly. We slide under the covers. Mitch spoons with me.

  “Good night, my Posey. I’m right here. I’m never leaving again.” The feel of his lips delivering sweet, tiny kisses on my neck and the low timbre of his voice soothe me. I sigh with relief and contentment and drift off.

  ***

  Knock! Knock! Knock!

  I sit straight up in bed.

  Knock! Knock! Knock!

  What now? I rub my eyes and twist to plant my feet on the floor.

  Knock! Knock! Knock!

  I don’t turn on any lights as I make my way down the hall. There’s just enough light to find the way with the light coming in the windows from the streetlights and the few night-lights I keep in case the boys wake up.

  Knock! Knock! Knock!

  Whoever is at the door is going to wake everyone up. I open the front door a crack. There’s someone backed away from the door, but there’s a bright, white light behind them so I can only see the outline of his body.

  “Posey,” a deep, dreamy, so-familiar-to-me voice says.

  “Donnie?” But how can that be? I step forward, shielding my eyes against the light to see him more clearly.

  He moves, as if on a conveyor belt or flying just above the ground, and suddenly, the face I’ve loved for so long is right in front of me. But different than I remember. Smoother, shinier, completely free of pain or anxiety.

  “Posey, you are going to be OK.”

  “But, how are you here?”

  He doesn’t answer my question but continues, “I’m sorry I left you. I didn’t want to.”

  I reach out for Donnie, but he’s just far enough away that I can’t touch him.

  He smiles, the smile where his eyes crinkle, but they don’t crinkle as much now. He looks almost… angelic. “I want to touch you, too, sweetheart, but I can’t. Posey, I want you to know something. You deserve to have someone who loves you as much as I did. I think you’ve found him.”

  Mitch!

  Donnie kisses his fingers and blows me a kiss. “I just want you to be happy, Posey. I will always love you. Tomorrow starts a whole new life.”

  I can’t stand it. I want to hold him. I walk forward with my arms out, but instead of waiting for my embrace, Donnie turns, floats down the sidewalk and fades, dissolving before my eyes and washing away like a beautiful chalk drawing in the rain.

  “Don’t go,” I plead, my voice thin and tight. “Donnie!” I’m losing him again and letting him go all at once.

  My heart squeezes. I close my eyes tight and consciously acknowledge that I must be dreaming. This can’t be happening.

  When I open my eyes, I’m no longer standing at the front door. I’m in my bed, lying next to Mitch. Crying. Gentle tears. Happy Tears. I was dreaming. The best dream.

  I turn over in bed to face him. “Mitch, Mitch, wake up!”

  Yawning and blinking awake, Mitch reaches out and pulls me close. “What’s wrong, Pose. Baby? Why are you crying?”

  “I saw him. Donnie. In a dream.” I tell Mitch about my dream, every second of it. “Mitch, it’s all going to be OK. I finally felt Donnie and he wants me to move on.”

  “Oh, my Posey.” My new love holds me close, kisses all my tears away and breathes in rhythm with me.

  “Mitch, I didn’t think I could ever feel… feel like this again. Feel completely free to love anyone but Donnie. But us?” I pull back so I can look into Mitch’s green eyes. “This is real, isn’t it?”

  “Yes, it’s absolutely real.”

  Even though we are both physically and emotionally drained, Mitch makes love to me. Slow, deliberate love. Full of a connection that’s so much more than physical.

  Chapter 17

  Sitting in my car in my driveway Wednesday night after work, I process the last twenty-four hours. It was a very long emotional night that was followed by a very long day.

  I finally get out after staying in my car long enough to hear Tom Petty’s “Breakdown” all the way through. I think about the words of the song as I exit the car.

  Valley barrels across the street just as I reach my door, still caught up in my thoughts.

  She’s out of breath and at my side in no time. “So, Mitch, he really went with you to the meeting with Emily and Gary Walters?”

  I wave her into the house. “Come. Come in. And yes. How did you know about that?”

  “Mitch texted me after he went over to the Walters’s last night.” Valley explains as if I already know this.

  I stop just inside the doorway, completely at a loss. “He went over to the Walters’s house? Last night?”

  Valley grimaces with her teeth together, sucking in air through them. “Shiiiit! I wasn’t supposed to tell you that.”

  I direct us to the dining room table, throwing all my stuff, my purse and laptop case on top of it, and motion to Valley to sit.

  “Well, you’re already wet, so you might as well go swimming. Spill. What happened last night that I don’t know?”

  Valley shakes her head. “Man, he’s going to kill me.”

  “Valley!” I admonish.

  “So, Mitch came over to my house last night, and he was fucking bawling like a baby. Said you were so mad at him. That you thought Shane got hurt because of him.”

  I correct her. “Not him, us. I just said the meanest, stupidest things.”

  “Well, it gutted him.”

  A sob catches in my throat. I’ll be making all that up to him for quite a while.

  “He knew you were just scared and upset. He knew you’d calm down, but he didn’t know what to do.”

  “Jesus, I’m a bitch.”

  “No, you’re a mom and someone who’s been hurt.”

  The sob escapes as a squeaky gulp.

  “Anyway,” Valley continues, “Mitch wanted to do something to make it better. He got the Walters’s phone number and address from me. That’s why I didn’t share it with you. I thought he was giving it to you, but he didn’t. He left my house and I thought he was coming back here.”

  “He did.”

  “Yes, but not before paying a visit to the Walters family.”

  “What?”

  “Yeah, he left my house and went over there. I don’t know what he said to Emily and Gary, but he seemed satisfied when he texted me back. He said you had a meeting with them today and he was going.”

  It strikes me that Mitch must have gotten to the Walters’s just after the school called to inform them of the meeting. “Come to think of it, Emily was super apologetic and Gary just
kept his head down and his sunglasses on the whole time. I couldn’t tell if he was sorry or being an asshole. I wonder what he said to them.”

  Valley laughs. “Gary was wearing sunglasses because Mitch punched him in the fucking eye.”

  “No! Really?”

  “Yeah, he didn’t want you or Shane to know, but he wanted Gary to feel some of the pain Shane did. Mitch felt bad about it because he knew you’d think violence was not the answer. He just couldn’t help himself.”

  I love Mitch even more. In theory, I don’t approve of what he did, but personally, I feel so loved and protected. That my boys are loved and protected.

  “Yes, Mitch was at the meeting. He was amazing. He didn’t say anything. He just stood by my side and agreed with me. Supported me.”

  Valley reaches over and pats my hand. “Looks like you guys are back on track. Listen to me. Hold onto this guy. He loves the fuck out of you. You won’t find another one like him.”

  “But he’s so young.”

  “So what? Good for you.”

  “What if I’m not enough for him? Not young enough, pretty enough? I’ll look older sooner than he will. And what if he needs more? More kids?”

  Valley shakes her head. “Posey, stop worrying. About what others think. About how you look. You look fucking awesome and will for years. You’re more than enough for him. I can tell by the way he talks about you. Trust Mitch. I have a feeling he’s never leaving your side ever again.”

  Chapter 18

  Mitch and Van took their guitars and mini amps and left Shane and me in the audience. It’s the night of the all-district school concert. Van and some of the other kids Mitch teaches privately have been invited to play a couple of numbers after the school bands. This is due to all of Mitch’s subbing and networking with the music teachers. He even told me he interviewed for a full-time job at Sunview Middle School.

  I sit patiently through one number after another until, at last, the curtains open to Van. Up on the stage, alone, his guitar in front of him. A single spotlight on him.

  “This song is for the four people who always have my back. You know who you are.” He points up to the sky for Donovan, out to the audience for me and Shane and then looks offstage to his right. I may be the only one who knows it, but I know he’s looking at Mitch.

  Van sings the first few lines of “Our House,” the Crosby, Stills and Nash song, not the one by Madness. I never knew his voice was so good. How did I not hear him practice this? I can tell he means every word. When he gets to the line about how life used to be so hard, but now everything is easy because of you, I know he means it for Mitch.

  The “aws” in the crowd are audible. I can hear several moms near me sniffling. I catch a glimpse of Emily Walters. Even she has tears in her eyes. I lift my chin. She reciprocates. We’ve reached a silent agreement, it seems. She’ll be a kinder person and encourage her kid to do the same. I’ll keep my boyfriend from pummeling her husband. Actually, I think there will be no need now that Mitch is Rafe’s guitar teacher, too. Only he could turn a confrontation into a new opportunity.

  Mitch and four of his other guitar students come out and join Van on the chorus of the song.

  “La, la, la la la, la!” the audience sings along. Mitch stands next to Van and shares the microphone.

  As the song comes to an end, another guitar comes through, louder over all the others. The tune morphs and I recognize the first few chords. This song isn’t out in the world yet. It’s a secret. The one I’ve been listening to on repeat for months.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, as a special surprise, we have for you… Sid Cooper from #coolNerd,” Mitch announces over all the music.

  The audience is on their feet the moment he steps on the stage.

  And there he is, the man I’ve been most focused on lately, other than Mitch. Sid Cooper, here, in the Sunview Middle School Auditorium. Redheaded, nerdy, tattooed and playing the guitar like an angel plays a harp. What a surprise for the school district, but really for me.

  I look down at Shane. He’s smiling but unfazed. He looks up at me and winks.

  I mouth, “Did you know?”

  Shane nods vigorously.

  “Sneaky. All of you.”

  “How did this happen?”

  “Mom, Mitch is really good friends with Sid. They went to school together in Illinois.”

  There are still things I don’t know about Mitch that, evidently, my kids do. This must be the friend he was talking about. The one who was trying to get him to go on the road.

  Mitch moves aside to give Sid the place in front of the microphone.

  “Hello, everyone! I’m Sid. My friend Mitch here gave me a call and said there was a big concert here at Sunview. I hope you don’t mind me crashing.”

  The crowd whistles and cheers amid those yelling, “No!” and “We don’t mind!”

  “I thought I’d sing you my newest song. It’s not even on the radio yet, but coming out soon. I wrote it for my sister and brother-in-law, Minnie and Snack, but tonight it goes out to another couple. Posey and Mitch, this one’s for you.”

  My mouth drops open. Sid Cooper just outed my relationship to the entire school community. Basically, the entire town. I feel every single set of eyes on me. I look at Mitch grinning at me like a maniac. He stops playing long enough to make a heart over his heart with two hands and then points at me. It’s one of those things, one of the ways Mitch shows he loves me. I would have thought it was completely dorky until I fell for him. Now I know, it’s just Mitch.

  “So, I’m going to play ‘You Are My New Home’ from my album coming out real soon. By the way, thank you, Posey, for the great work on the cover art.”

  Shane hugs my legs. Van beams from his spot onstage right next to Sid.

  I’m congratulated and hugged and high-fived from all sides by parents and kids.

  I’ve spent a lot of time looking for signs from Donovan since he died. I’d never felt his presence until the dream, and I don’t really believe in signs. This night, right now, feels like a sign.

  When I look up to the stage again, Mitch is not there. He’s walking down to me in the audience. I wiggle out of the row to get to him, meeting him halfway.

  “I love you.”

  “I love you.”

  The words are in stereo as we both, very publicly, profess our feelings and announce our relationship status.

  More “aws.” Even one from Sid onstage.

  Mitch kisses me, picks me up and spins me around. He stops and slowly places me on the ground. In this moment, we are all alone. Sid, Van, Shane, everyone in the audience, everyone in the world are gone. It’s just him. Just me.

  “Posey, I know this is all new. All I need in this world to be happy is you, and wherever you want this to go, that’s what I want, too. Tell me you feel the same. Because if you say you do, that you’ll be with me officially, and well… then tomorrow starts a whole new life.”

  Tomorrow starts a whole new life. The last words Donovan said to me.

  I don’t know if I want marriage or more kids. Right now, I just want Mitch.

  “Yes, we’re official.”

  Mitch says “Yes!” loudly and throws his arms out to his sides before placing his forehead against mine.

  “Breathe, Posey. Breathe out and I promise I’ll always be here to breathe you in.”

  I let go of the breath I didn’t know I was holding.

  Maybe I’ve been holding it for three years.

  And I breathe in my new life.

  THE END

  About the Author

  Emme Burton is the author of the award-winning, Top 50 Rom-Com, SNACK; the Better Than Series: Better Than Me, Fix It For Us, and Still Into You; and AwKwaRD, Victoria. She was a contributing author to the bestselling anthologies, Hook & Ladder 69 and Bleed Blue 69. She lives in St. Louis, Missouri with her amazing husband and sons. Emme has never, ever been lost in a mall either as a child or an adult. Her mother, and now her family, have always k
nown where to find her. At the bookstore.

  Like Emme’s Facebook Page: Author Emme Burton

  Follow her on Twitter: @EmmeBurton

  Add her books to your TBR on GoodReads.

  Emme’s Website: www.emmeburton.com

  Other Books in the Juniper Court Series

  Project Paradise - 6 Juniper Court

  The New Neighbor - 14 Juniper Court

  Then Again - 22 Juniper Court

  Power Play - 39 Juniper Court

  Relationship Resuscitation - 43 Juniper Court

  The Knock - 57 Juniper Court

  Unexpected Love - 61 Juniper Court

  You’ll also find teasers, deleted scenes, and more on the website:

  www.junipercourtseries.com

  More Books by Emme Burton:

  Better Than Me (Book 1, Better Than Series)

  Fix It For Us (Book 2, Better Than Series)

  Still Into You (Book 3, Better Than Series)

  Snack

  AwKwaRd, Victoria

  Hook & Ladder 69, 18 Authors, 1 Hot Firehouse (An Anthology)

  Bleed Blue 69, 25 Authors, 1 Hot Precinct (An Anthology)

  Inside info: The Knock features Donovan and Posey Garrett from The Better Than Series and Sid Cooper from Snack.