When the work week was over and Saturday finally rolled around, I decided to wake up a little early. Even though it was my day off, I still had a lot of things to do. My parents, who lived on the other side of town from me, were having a BBQ. It was always a huge event and it only seemed to grow every year. Half the town would end up making an appearance. Some I'm pretty sure only came for the free food, but others were genuinely interested in keeping in touch with my parents.
My dad was an active member of the town's Gentleman's Poker Society and my mother went to every Ladies' Bridge Club meeting. The poker games were real, but the bridge games were just a means to gossip and plan out the lives of everyone else in the town. All the important people in town were members, which meant that despite having a strange daughter, my parents were pillars of the community and that everyone knew who they were.
The thought crossed my mind that this might be my dad's last BBQ and my ribs tightened around my heart. I shook my head, trying not to be negative. If this was his last BBQ, I was going to make sure it was a good one and not bring gloomy thoughts with me.
I rolled out of bed and looked out my window at the morning sunshine. The view that sprawled in front of me was like something out of a farmer's magazine. My house was on the outside of town, which meant that my backyard consisted of nothing but miles and miles of corn fields. I found it beautiful and incredibly peaceful, especially in the early summer, when the corn stalks were still dark green. It looked like an ocean of lush foliage against a bright blue sky, laid out in front of me as far as the eye could see.
In the distance, a lonely red tractor puttered across my view. The sound of the motor combined with the sweet smell of summer grass triggered childhood memories. I opened the window and drew in a long breath, sucking up the humid air.
There are things I love about this place, I thought. It's worth it to be back here.
Shutting the window, I wrapped myself in my robe and went downstairs to start a pot of coffee. While it heated up, I glanced around my little house. Fifty years ago, it had been my grandparent's farm house. When my grandparents passed years ago, they'd left it to my parents and they'd used it as a second home for guests. When we got my dad's diagnosis, they were happy to give it to me so I could be close.
I smiled as I looked around the cheerful yellow kitchen with an old avocado colored stove and worn cabinets. I had so many happy childhood memories in this place. My mother and I would spend summer afternoons in this kitchen, chatting with my grandmother as she baked cookies. My mother taught me how to make a casserole in this kitchen when I was sixteen.
My phone rang and I walked across the small living room to answer it. The caller ID said it was Karina, my oldest friend.
“Hello,” I said warmly into the phone, expecting to hear my friend's voice.
“Aunt Hannah!” a small girl squealed instead. It was Leigh Ann, Karina's six year old daughter.
“Well, good morning,” I said, a smile filling my face. “How's my favorite goddaughter doing today?”
“I'm good,” she replied. “I wanted to make sure you were coming to the BBQ today.
Mom said she wasn't sure.”“Of course I'll be there,” I promised. “I wouldn't miss it.”
“Good, because I miss you, Aunt Hannah,” Leigh Ann said. “I want to see you.”
My heart melted and it was all I could do to not tear up. “I miss you, too. I'm looking forward to seeing you today. Maybe we can play horseshoes.”
“Yay! Horseshoes!” Leigh Ann squealed. “Mom! Aunt Hannah said she'll play horseshoes with me.”
“That's great, honey.” I heard Leigh Ann's mom, Karina, in the background. We'd been best friends since the third grade when we snuck frogs into Mrs. Stone's lunchbox.
“Can I talk to your mom real quick?” I asked Leigh Ann.
“Yeah, here she is,” Leigh Ann said.
A moment later, Karina came on the line.
“Hey,” she greeted me. “I hear your in town, but I haven't seen you for more than five minutes.”
I chuckled, knowing that we'd stayed so long in a restaurant we were kicked out just a week before. Still, for being in town, I hadn't seen my friend as much as I would have liked.
“I know, and I'm sorry. I'm still getting settled,” I said. “I think I'm finally settled in at work. We'll do something soon. Promise.”
“Good. I need some more wine time,” Karina replied. “Leigh Ann, do not climb on the counter tops. If you need to climb something, you can go outside.”
From the background I heard a “but, Mo-om,” followed by a brief pause and then the sound of the backdoor opening and shutting.
“How long until summer is over?” Karina asked. “I don't know if I'm going to make it.”
“It's barely June,” I replied with a chuckle. “She driving you crazy already?”
“Yes. Her kindergarten teacher was a saint. I can't wait for her to start school again.”
“She's going to be in first grade this year, right?” I asked, shaking my head. I couldn't believe my little goddaughter was already in first grade. It felt like just yesterday that she was born. I was one of the few people that Karina had wanted in the delivery room, and thus was one of the first to meet Leigh Ann.
“Yup. She's so excited for the full day, but I'm thinking I'm looking forward to it more,” Karina joked.
“You realize in two years, Leigh Ann will be the same age that we were when we met?”
“My God, that's scary to think about,” she said, laughing. “I really hope she doesn't pull the frog stunt. I was grounded for a month after that.”
“Yeah, me too,” I said. “Worth it though.”
“Definitely. Seeing that mean old teacher scream was awesome.” She laughed and let out a nostalgic sigh. “Anyway, do you want me to bring anything specific to the BBQ today?”
“I can ask my parents, but I'm guessing that you don't need to worry about it,” I said. “They'll probably have tons of food and drinks. Maybe bring some chips and salsa if you have some.”
“I can do that,” she said. “Well, I don't need to keep you on the phone since I'll being seeing you in a couple of hours. Just wanted to hear your voice since I've almost forgotten what it sounded like.”
“Very funny. We both know you couldn't ever forget my voice,” I said. “But yes, I'm looking forward to seeing you guys today.”
“Me too,” she replied. “And I know Leigh Ann is. All she has been talking about all week is how excited she is to see her Aunt Hannah.”
“Aw, that's sweet,” I said. “Tell her I can't wait to see her, too.”
“Will do,” Karina said. “Oh, hey. I heard Dr. Mathews might come. Is that true?”
My heart skipped a beat at his name. “I haven't heard, but I did invite him.”
“I wanted him to check this bug bite on Leigh Ann,” Karina explained. “It's just so red.”
“I'll make sure to take a look at it,” I promised. “If it's bad, I'll let you know.”
“You can do that?” Karina asked.
“I'm a nurse, so yes.” I shrugged.
“I didn't know you knew stuff like that,” Karina replied.
“Why do you think I went to school for four years?” I asked, rolling my eyes. “I don't just wear a short skirt and say 'thank you, doctor' in a breathy voice all day. I actually know medical things.”
“Whoa, sorry.” I could hear Karina take a step back. “I didn't mean to insult you.”
I sighed. “No, I'm sorry. It's just that everybody in town thinks I don't do anything. That I didn't get a crap ton of training and experience.”
“We've just never had a real nurse like you before,” Karina explained. “Dr. Mathews is lucky to have you. We all are.”
“Thanks.” I sighed again. “We good?”
“We're always good,” Karina assured me. “Hey, is it weird to work with Dr. Mathews? I mean, you tutored him in high school and now he's your boss.”
“He's changed since high school,” I told her. “He's not a punk kid anymore.”
“Thank heaven. Remember when he punched out Aiden for drinking all his booze at that after party?”
“Yeah.” I shook my head. It seemed like Jacob Mathews was always in trouble when we were in school. If you wanted booze or a party, he was the guy to go to. He had been trouble back then.
“He's a lot better now. There's no way I'd let him touch my kid otherwise,” Karina agreed. “Okay, I'll see you in a couple hours. Thanks for looking at the bite. ”
“Anytime.”
She hung up the phone and I did the same. I walked over to the kitchen and poured myself a cup of coffee. It was good and warm in my hands as I took a sip.
I looked out my window and toward town. My thoughts went to Dr. Mathews and how much he'd changed since high school. How much we'd both changed.
I wasn't quite such an ugly duckling. He wasn't the bad boy. I let my thoughts drift to the first day that we really talked. The first day that my crush went into overdrive.
Fifteen Years Ago: Riversville High School “You're late, Mr. Mathews.” I peeked over the top of my book to see Jacob Mathews saunter into Mr. Elway's classroom. He had on a black leather jacket, tight jeans, and a careless grin. “So, add it on to my time,” he replied nonchalantly, spinning a chair to sit backwards at one of the classroom tables. Mr. Elway sighed. “You have no idea how much I'm bending the rules for you. I don't allow students to retake the exams, but your parents...” “Yeah, yeah. My parents.” Jacob rolled his eyes. “My mom is on city council and my dad's the police chief. They get what they want.” “Yes.” Mr. Elway adjusted his tie. He always wore a dress shirt and tie to teach class. No other teacher dressed up like he did. They didn't need to in a small town, but Mr. Elway wanted the best for his students. “Your parents have convinced me to make a special case for you.” Jacob shrugged and looked bored. My book lowered slightly as I tried to get a good look at
After taking the five minute drive across town, I pulled through the gate and down the paved driveway that led to my parent's house. Their land was immaculate. My father maintained every square inch of the acre around his house with amazing diligence. The grass on either side of the driveway was trimmed better than a soldier's haircut and the fence the surrounded the home was spotlessly white. My dad took pride in a well-maintained home. He always said that “Your home is the best representation of yourself.” If that saying were true, then I wondered if I actually was a small and rickety old woman whose hinges creaked when the wind blew, just like my house did. I was surprised to see how many cars were parked around the house. I knew there were going to be a fair amount of people, since these gatherings grew every single year. However, I didn't expect this many. There must have been thirty cars on either side of the driveway, which had become overflow parking because the spots around
I nearly dropped my ear of corn onto the plate when I saw the most handsome man I knew walking around the corner and into the back yard. Sure enough, the kids were right. The good doctor had shown up to the party. He strolled across the grass, waving at the kids as he moved. I didn't get to see him in regular clothes very often, but when I did, I was always reminded of how good he looked.He was wearing a simple red polo shirt with dark jean shorts and flip flops. The outline of his muscular chest was easily visible and the sleeves of his shirt were short enough so that his biceps were exposed. The kids all got up from their picnic table and swarmed around him, hugging his legs and squealing with joy.“Hey, kids,” he said, ruffling up their hair with his hands. “Are you guys having fun?”“Yes!” they shouted in unison. It was almost as if they'd choreographed the whole thing. It was so damn cute.“Good!” he said. “I'm so happy to see you guys.”After saying a few more words to the kids
The weekend went by far too quickly and Monday morning was there before I knew it. Luckily, I loved my job, so it wasn't like it was the worst thing in the world to have to get up and go to work. I just wished I could have slept in a tiny bit longer, that's all.When I got to the office, I parked in my usual spot, right next to Donna's big red farm truck. I got out and then glanced at my reflection in the window of my car, making sure that I looked okay before heading in.I looked pretty good today. My curly hair wasn't frizzing too badly this morning despite the humidity, and it was mostly contained by my ponytail. I had light eyeliner and mascara on so that my blue eyes actually looked like eyes rather than getting lost in my face.“Oh good Hannah, you're here,” Donna said, as I stepped in through the front doors. The waiting room was empty, which never boded well. Empty waiting rooms meant that fate was going to give us emergencies.“Good morning.” I smiled a little apprehensively
Katie's Bakery was the best place in town to get sandwiches. And donuts. And cake. And really anything delicious. Katie had taken over the place after her father retired. She'd won a baking show on the Cooking Network last year, which was as close to famous as anyone in Riversville was ever going to get. She was now the town celebrity.The bakery was also the only real place to get a take-out lunch that wasn't a burger or fast-food taco.As I pulled open the door to the bakery, a familiar voice called out my name.“Aunt Hannah!”I turned to see little Leigh Ann and her mom, Karina, seated at a table outside. They were eating lunch on the patio right out in front of the Bakery.“Leigh Ann!” I said. “What are you doing here?”“Eating lunch with Mom,” she said, matter of factly.“Hey, Karina.” I waived and Karina's eyes lit up when she saw me.“Come sit with us after you order,” she said.“Yeah, definitely. Be right there.” I ran in and ordered two turkey sandwiches on Katie's famous bak
That night, I found myself completely exhausted. I ate a bowl of soup with some homemade banana bread and attempted to stay awake to watch my favorite reality show. Within minutes, though, my eyelids became heavy. I could hardly keep them open long enough to get up and turn off the television. I somehow managed to find the remote, and once the television was off, I sat back down on the couch. I wrapped myself in a blanket that my grandmother had knitted for me as a graduation gift for getting through nursing school. My tiredness, combined with the warmth of the blanket, made me even more drowsy. As soon as I closed my eyes, I was asleep.I had no clue how long I'd been out before a knocking came on the front door of my house. It was loud and sounded urgent, echoing off the walls. It caused me to wake up and wearily look around. When I glanced over, I noticed that the moon was shining its pale light through my windows.It must be at least midnight, I thought. Who could that be?After w
When I woke up the next morning, the vivid images from my dream of Dr. Matthews were still fresh on my mind. I could practically feel his kisses and the heat of his skin, even though it had never really happened. I got ready for work and noticed that I was in a surprisingly good mood. Even though it was the middle of the week and the weekend was still a few days away, I was humming to myself with glee.If my city friends could see me, they would tell me I needed to get laid. If I was feeling this good off a dream, imagine what the real thing could do to me.I spent the day feeling wonderful. The patients were happy, or as happy as they could be about being at the doctor's office, and I managed not to blush too hard around Dr. Mathews. The first encounter of the morning with him definitely threw me off my game, but I managed to not embarrass myself too badly.The shadows in the office grew longer and the steady stream of patients trickled to an empty office. I sat at my computer charti
“You sure you want to know about my whole life?” he asked.“Sure. Especially since I already know the first eighteen years of it,” I said.I thought of all our lab time together as I taught him biology. He was so quick to learn. It had started out with awkward silences, but with every class spent together we talked more.I'd learned about how his parents had grand plans for him, but had never bothered to ask him what he wanted. He wasn't sure himself back then, but he knew he wanted out from under them. It was a big part of why he was always getting into trouble.Dr. Mathews smiled and for a moment I caught a glimpse of the Jacob I once knew.“Let's see. I got into a community college just outside of Des Moines and earned my associates there. Transferred to Iowa State, and got my bachelors in biology.”“Biology?”“You inspired me,” he replied. His blue eyes crinkled in a smile. “So, thanks for that. Anyway, I went to Medical School. Did my residency in Denver. Got a job there. And I a