“Whatever, Trey, I give it a month tops.” She yells out, and I raise my hand as I continue to walk away and flip her off.
Sadie and Brady are watching a movie. Dex is most likely out. I grab a beer and join them, but it’s another fucking eighties movie. Does Brady have any balls? He’s so damn whipped. Not able to take another love story, I catch the light on in the detached garage. Rob’s in there, working on his Mustang. Figuring at least he’ll give me a fight that might release some of this aggression that’s overflowing in me I head that way.
His long legs lay out from under the car and the cranking of a wrench can be heard from below. “Hey, dipshit, what are you working on?” I announce my presence. Gotta say, I’m surprised he’s not next door at the party.
“What the hell do you want?” He rolls himself out and the grease along his fingers tells me something’s not working right.
I take a long pull of my beer. “Need to work off some steam. Either we fight, or I’ll help you.”
He shuffles over and grabs his own beer, staring at me for a few beats of a second, almost contemplating if he wants my help or not. “I’m getting it ready to race, changing out a few things, so it runs smoother and faster.” He tosses me a wrench, and I take his spot, lying down and sliding under the car.
This is an area Rob and I have always seen eye to eye. He helped me restore my pride and joy, and I’ve given him a hand on his. “I’m still surprised, you bought a new car,” I yell up through the insides of the car.
“Yeah, I think I was just caught up in that instant mediocre fame and the little amount of money I was making on my own. Should’ve bought something to fix-up, make it my own,” he admits. Once I get the new high-torque mini starter tightened, I slide back out.
“It will be your own, but it’s a shame you’ll put so much more money into it.” I toss my empty beer in the trashcan and grab another from his cooler.
“It is what it is.”
“Where you racing?”
“There’s an open track up at Speed Chasers in two weeks. You should do it too. It’s nothing crazy, I think cash prize is only like a thousand, but it’s a huge event.” I have to admit, it’s tempting, but there’s no way I’m doing it. As much as I don’t want to sound like some fucking middle aged man, it’s too dangerous.
“We’ll see,” I tell him, but he knows that’s my decline. “Let’s get this thing going then,” I say, not wanting to allow my thoughts to drift to Kailey and the kids.
Rob and I stay out there in the garage for another three hours. By the time we’re heading back in the house, my forearms are tight and biceps sore from all the back and forth with socket wrenches and screwdrivers. Sadie and Brady must have already gone to bed, and Dex hasn’t returned home, leaving the kitchen dark when we enter. Rob goes to the fridge and offers me another beer, but I’m finished for the night.
“I heard about your girlfriend’s sister and brother-in-law. I’m sorry,” Rob expresses his sympathies, and I’m almost struck with shock. “Let me know if you need anything,” he continues, and I’m thinking someone else has invaded his body.
“I’ve got it handled, but thanks,” I say, leaving the room. “The funerals tomorrow if you want to come.” I begin to tell him the details, but he stops me.
“Sorry, man, I don’t do funerals. But—,” he trails off because it’s Rob. He doesn’t wear his heart on his sleeve and since tonight was our first conversation in the past months that didn’t include fists clenched or thrown, I’ll leave it as it is. We all know Rob has a past he doesn’t share, and I’m not about to try to figure him out.
“If you need help with the car, just yell,” I tell him and jog up the stairs.
It’s eight-thirty when I arrive at the funeral home the next morning. I could have been here at four this morning, since I didn’t sleep worth a shit. Sixty hours without Kailey snuggled up in my side, but who’s counting. Last night, I even stole the body pillow Jessa left behind, but it doesn’t slightly blow hot breath on my neck or sandwich its leg between mine. My hand can’t tangle through long stands of dark hair or feel its breasts up against my bare chest. So the attempt to sleep with the body pillow was useless for me.
The director, Mr. Greyson meets me outside the office and shakes my hand. I stare at the two caskets and tears pool in my eyes for them and what they’ve left behind. It’s eerie and slightly uncomfortable with the death that encompasses the room. I’m suddenly thrown into a conversation I had with Jen a month or so ago.
“Do you love her?” She asks me point blank.
“Of course,” I answer honestly. A little offended she asked the question.
“How much?” She’s sitting up in her bed eating fries. I just snuck in McDonalds for her while Kailey was picking Chloe up from pre-school. Kailey is strict with Jen’s diet, making sure everything had nutritional value. Jen had secretly sent me a text requesting I pick it up on my way over and the times Kailey wouldn’t be home.
“With every fiber in my body,” I tell her. She pops a fry in her mouth.
“Not good enough.” She washes the fry down with a sip of Diet Coke.
“What do you want me to say?”
“I can’t tell you what to say. That would be an unfair advantage.”
“It’s not a game, Jen,” I add while sitting on the footstool at the end of their bed.
“That’s good to hear. I need to know, Trey. Tell me what I want to hear, put my fears at rest before I leave her.”
“Jesus, Jen, I love her. She’s all I think about, when I’m not with her. I count down the minutes until I see her again. She’s everything to me,” I start, but she still seems unsatisfied. Not sure what she’s looking for me to say. Hell, I feel sorry for Caden. I can’t imagine what he had to prove.
“That’s a good start, but what else?”
Standing up out of pure frustration. I throw both my hands over my head. “There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for her happiness. I’ll protect her with every inch of my skin.”
“She’ll fight you,” she reminds me. “She’ll push.”
“And I’ll fight right back and pull her back to me,” I say, and a smile spread across her face.
“She’s stubborn.”
“I’m persistent and tenacious.”
“She’ll shut down.”
“I’ll find my way in.”
“She’ll use the kids.”
“So will I.” She quirks her eyebrow my way. “For good, of course.”
“She’ll eventually relent. When you least expect it.”
“That’s why I’ll stay determined until she surrenders.”
“To the love you share.”
“Yes, to our love for one another. It will be my biggest selling tool.”
“Your body will help too,” she laughs clearly satisfied with our conversation.
“Take care of my baby sister, Trey.”
“With my life and heart.”
In just the short time I knew her, she wormed her way into my heart. Her perseverance for her sister’s happiness was strong and unwavering. Walking along the wall, the pictures on top of Caden’s casket have me choking back tears. A father taken unexpectedly. He sits on the couch with all three kids around him, and I remember when Kailey took the picture. She had been trying to get more with Jen, but Jen was tired and fell asleep upstairs. Not wanting to ruin all their nice outfits, she had them pose with Caden. It’s almost fitting in a way, now they’ll have these to share.