Beau: I was just texting to see how you were.
Beau: And wondering if you had dinner plans tonight?
Rebekah: I’m okay! Been spending a lot of time outside today.
Rebekah: Uh… I don’t have much planned. will probably eat a turkey sandwich and some chips. I need to go grocery shopping.
Beau: How about I bring over some dinner and you save your turkey sandwich for a different night?
I had no clue what possessed me to ask that question, but I couldn’t take it back now. Not that I wanted to. Any reason I could find to spend time with Rebekah outside of work, I was willing to take. Fuck boundaries at this point.
It felt like an eternity had passed before my phone buzzed again, showing that she had finally texted me back.
Rebekah: No need to do that! Really… A sandwich is okay with me.
Beau: What did I tell you about things I didn’t need but want to do?
Rebekah: That you don’t do anything you don’t want to.
Beau: Exactly, so please. Let me.
Rebekah: Okay, sure. I would like that.
Beau: I’ll see you soon then.
Rebekah: See you soon
I resisted the urge to celebrate, barely. Spinning around, I looked to see what Gloria had packed into my freezer for this week. Finding a pan of chicken alfredo, I grabbed it and a box of garlic bread before locking my house up and walking across the street to Rebekah’s.
Juggling stuff around, I rang the doorbell. I waited to hear the chime play, but it never came.Guess her doorbell doesn’t work.Lifting my hand, I knocked once before the door opened, revealing my Little girl.
I might have had doubts that Rebekah might be a Little, but those all vanished. Though I guess the right term to describe her would be Middle. She stood before me wearing yoga pants decorated with some kind of swirly pattern and a tie-dyed hoodie. Her hair was pulled into two space-bun-looking things on the top of her head, and she had bows that matched the colors of her hoodie.
“Did you check to see who was standing at your door before you opened it?”
I watched her eyes widen. “I knew that it was you. We were just texting, so I knew you would be here soon.”
“That doesn’t matter. What if I had been someone who was trying to harm you? You should always look before you open the door to someone.”
“Are you going to hurt me?”
“What?” I asked. Why would she think I was going to hurt her?
“I asked if you were going to hurt me? Cause if not, then I think I’m in the clear and was safe to open the door.”
“Little girl,” I growled out.
“I’m kidding! I’ll remember to check before I open the door next time.”
I knew that she was only saying that to appease me, but I’d accept it for now. Moving inside, I placed everything on the counter before turning and taking in what she’d done to the place. It looked a lot better, considering the last time I was inside here, I felt like I’d walked away with seven different diseases.
A surge of pride bubbled inside me, knowing that she had done most of this work herself, but I was also pissed that she’d had to. Rebekah should have had someone bending over backward to take care of her, and thinking that someone should be me was wishful thinking.
I turned on the oven to preheat and started unwrapping the food. Rebekah had slipped out of my line of sight, and I didn’t even notice. Looking everywhere, I took my time admiring her space before I found her in the backyard.
Rebekah looked adorable, elbow deep in the dirty digging and planting flowers. I stood just inside the door and watched her carefree and in her own world. She looked so much younger right now, and it was tugging at my heartstrings to take care of her.
Hearing the beeping of the oven, I went back and put the food in, setting a timer on my watch. When I returned, I dragged over a chair from her table to sit just outside the door and pulled out my phone to check my emails.
