We stop at a hardware store next, where Zander tells me I can wait in the truck if I want, as he’ll be quick. I choose to wait in the truck with the windows down. The humidity doesn’t seem as stifling this morning, perhaps because it’s early in the day. The store is busy, as I notice many more flowering trees and shrubs dotted around. It’s such a juxtaposition with barren trees and shrubs alongside ones in full bloom. It’s like winter and summer are competing in the same space.
Fifteen minutes later, Zander comes back with a big bag and a smile. After getting in, he hands it to me. “For you,” he says.
I open it to find a small pink orchid plant and carefully pull it out. “I figured since you enjoy plants, you should have some in the house. This will be your first.”
This man is so thoughtful. “Thank you, Zander.”
He waves me off and hands me a leather keychain with 3 keys on it. “These are for the front door, garage, and this truck. Wait, do you have your license?”
“No, I never got it.” I didn’t turn 16 until the summer after the accident and had zero interest in taking the driver’s test. There were too many other, more important things to handle, like surviving.
“That’s no problem. Would you like to get one now?” I open my mouth to answer, but he holds up his hand. “Before you say you don’t need your license, remember this place isn’t walkable like your town in Virginia.”
Darn, he’s right. There will be no walking to school here. It’s something I need to take care of. “Okay, I’ll get my license.”
“Perfect. Let’s stop and grab a driver’s manual for you.” Zander drives to the local motor vehicle branch and quickly grabs a manual for me. Then we’re off to a large warehouse store. Zander says he shops here every few months and stocks up. We stop at the desk so he can get me a membership card and asks me to grab a second cart as we head into the store.
It’s busier here, but I’ve gotten good at avoiding contact with others over the past year. The cart helps as well. He grabs toilet paper, paper towels, soap, and detergent. He asks what detergent I prefer, but I tell him I don’t have one, and he lets it go. When we get to the pantry items, he asks me to choose the brands of flour, baking powder, and other items. I reluctantly agree because he hasn’t baked before, simply picking the brands Sue always bought. He calls out items on his phone and checks them off as I put them in the cart. Once the baking supplies are done, I follow him into the middle of the store.
“I always check this area before getting the cold items. You can find some pretty cool stuff.” We wander around the rows as Zander grabs a folding knife, socks, and a pair of shorts. He keeps looking back at me, but I follow quietly. We grab some meat and frozen items next. As Zander peruses the ice cream, I see a tub of death by chocolate. I hesitate for a minute before opening the door to grab one. I place it in the cart and glance up to see Zander smiling at me. He puts two more of the same into his cart. I grumble and keep moving down the aisle as I hear him chuckle and follow. When he’s got everything on his list, we check out and head home.
As we’re putting everything away in the kitchen, I turn to Zander. “I know what you were doing at the stores.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he replies with a blank look on his face, although there’s a gleam in his eyes.
“Expressing opinions and making decisions kind of went away when I got depressed, Zander. I didn’t realize I hadn’t been doing those things until Sarah pointed it out last week. Be patient with me.”
“Always Summer,” he nods. “I was trying to gently coax you with simple choices today to get you back in the swing of it.”
“The lime-green kids' hamper and tiny toy mixer weren’t obvious at all,” I deadpan.
He laughs. “Well, it worked. You made a choice, didn’t you? And you grabbed that chocolate ice cream with no prompting, so I’d say my method is genius.”
I shake my head at him with a smile. We enjoy lunch at the island, and afterward, Zander takes me to Rainbow Row in Charleston. It’s actually very pretty, with the colorful houses lined up together. I don’t think I could live in them with it being a busy tourist trap and the fact that they are touching each other on the left and right sides, like townhouses. They are apparently very expensive, too. We walk around The Battery next for an hour, and I watch small waves crashon the seawall. The breeze off the water is refreshing with the warm temperatures today. It’s like summer weather in Virginia, except for the humidity. The sea breeze actually makes the humidity feel less, which is strange if you think about it.
We get back in time for me to call Jake. One good thing about the move is that I don’t have to worry about a time difference. I thank Zander for showing me around and make a beeline for my room, kick off my sneakers and get comfortable on the bed to dial Mal.
“Sugar!” Mal exclaims. I can see a yellow bandana on her head with a white star pattern. “It’s good to see your face. How was your trip to Charleston?”
“It was actually okay, Mal. How are you?”
“I’m doing fine. Are you all settled in already?”
“I think so, yeah. Zander had my room ready for me, and we went shopping this morning for stuff.”
“Good. I’m heading down the hallway now to Jake,” she says, as the phone swings around and I have to look away so I don’t get dizzy. “Jake, honey, Summer is calling for your visit. I’m gonna clip on the phone so you two can chat.” There’s a rustling as the phone swings down until I see Jake’s face. “Ok Sugar. I’m leaving now. I’ll come back in half an hour to check on you,” Mal calls.
I wait until her footsteps disappear before I talk. “Hi Jake. I’m calling from outside Charleston. I can’t believe I’m here. It seems way longer than yesterday when I left.” I fill him in on the flight, the flowers, and my new house. I hug the pillow I sprayed last night with his cologne as I talk to him. I’m a little emotional as we visit, and it’s not the same as being able to snuggle with him or hold his hand. By the time the half hour is up, I’ve shed a few tears.
I lie on the bed, letting myself feel sad for a while after I hang up. I miss his heartbeat so much. Zander pops his head in, asking about supper. He sees my red, puffy eyes and offers a hug, which I accept. It’s still uncomfortable to let him hug me, but that will improve with time. I help him makespaghetti and salad for supper. He asks if I’d be interested in watching the Marvel movies with him in order. Apparently, he's seen none of them. Since I’ve only seen a couple myself, I agree. Zander is good at finding things for us to enjoy together. We settle on the couch to watch the first one.
Chapter 18
Zander requests his first baking lesson on Saturday morning. He likes old-fashioned chocolate chip cookies, so I instruct him on how to properly mix them in the new mixer. The process goes well until he adds the flour. “Ahhh, help Summer!” Zander yells.
I turn around from grabbing the chocolate chips in the pantry to see flour everywhere, including covering Zander. There’s an expression of shock and disbelief on his face as the mixer continues to spin. I start to giggle, and soon I’m outright laughing at him. “Turn it off,” I manage to get out between chuckles.
He turns the mixer off and points to me. “You told me to leave the mixer on when adding the ingredients.”
