More Than This (More Than, #1)(39)

After an hour of ‘garage band’, which Kayla rocks, by the way, Mom calls us for dinner.

We eat dinner, answering questions about our weekend and the wedding. Julie, apparently did really well at her dance recital. Mom spent a bit of time at Kayla’s house, well, her old house, gathering her personal things.

Once dinner is done, Mom gets up and plops an entire apple pie in front of me, the whole thing. I stare at her curiously, but she continues to dish out other items around the table. Kayla has a bunch of desert bowls, Julie has napkins, Dad has silverware and Mom has a gigantic tub of ice cream.

What the hell?

“We’re going to have a picnic, kids.” Dad says standing up. I look around me. Julie is beaming and Kayla just shrugs.

They stand and start walking out of the dining room, carrying their items, so I follow. We get outside, and by this point I’m in complete wtf mode. Kayla comes up next to me and murmurs, “Hey, they’re your family.”

We make our way to the stairs next to the garage that leads to the storage room above. They must have finished fumigating or whatever. When we get to the top of the stairs, Mom holds the door open for us. Once we step in, I freeze, shocked, then look down at Kayla.


Mikayla


I’m frozen in my spot and I’m pretty positive my body has forgotten how to breath, or function at all.

I feel something wet on my arm and look down. Tears. I’m crying and I didn’t know. I look up at Jake and he smiles.

I look at Mandy and Nathan, they’re watching me, hopeful. I hand the plates to Jake and walk over to Mandy, pulling her into a tight hug before moving to Nathan and doing the same. Then I move over to my bed. My bed. From home. The same cast iron white frame that squeaks when you sit on it, with the same comforter and pillows and baby blanket my mom knitted when she was pregnant with me.

“How did you… ?” I look at Mandy.

“I had a lot of help,” Mandy shrugs. “Actually, Logan and the guys helped move the stuff in with Dylan's truck. The girls did the painting and decorating. Dad was busy with Julie's recital and work so…”

I look at Jake, he puts his hands up in surrender, “I had no idea.”

“You guys…” I say, my voice breaking. I look at each of them, pleading with me eyes that they understand what my brain can’t voice.

“Let’s eat!” Nathan announces.

And we do.

On the floor of my bedroom, my new bedroom, which is exactly the same as my old one. I even have my own bathroom. They placed everything where it was in my old room, dresser, nightstand, lamps. Even my desk and macbook are here.

We’re scoffing down the apple pie and ice cream when I notice a photo frame on my nightstand. I stand up mid chew and walk over to it. There’s space for four photos in the frame but only three are filled. One is a family portrait, one of those lame posed ones with the standard blue watercolor style back drop. The other is a candid shot of Mom, Emily and I laughing. It was taken at one of Dad’s little league games, when one of his players accidentally junk shot him with a bat. It was cruel to laugh but his reaction was hilarious. One of the Moms caught it on camera and gave it to us. The other, my favorite, is a picture of Jake and I at my graduation. I don’t remember it being taken. It must have been when I ran up to him after it was over. He wrapped me in his arms and lifted my off the ground, spinning me around. His arms are wrapped around my waist and my hands are around his neck, his cap on backwards. I’m looking down at him beaming and he’s smiling back up at me.

I remember wanting to kiss him so bad at that moment.

I tear my eyes away from the frame and look at Mandy. Tears are falling from my face as I tell her “Thank you.”

I can see she’s holding back her own tears. “I just thought…” She has to stop to clear her throat, and take in a deep breath. She holds up a camera and motions around the room. “Maybe you might want a photo with umm…?”

“With my family?” I beam through my tears. “I definitely need one.”

Her sob breaks through, along with a laugh as she sets up the camera and I get a new family portrait to last a lifetime.



“I’m thinking that maybe I’m really far from more than a lot liking you, Mikayla Jones.” Jake says, as the flash on the camera goes off.


***


Jake


I always knew my mom was an amazing women, but never more so than now.


We all head back into the house after desert. I shower while Kayla insists on cleaning up after dinner. I’m glad to have my own bed back, but I don’t like that she’s so far away either.

I must have been in the shower for a long time, because by the time I get downstairs she’s all done. Mom tells me she’s in her ‘room’. I open the door to head out just as she yells out my name.

“We don’t need to have a talk about this stuff, do we?” she asks from her sitting position on the sofa.

“What stuff?” I ask, hoping they elaborate, because as much as my parents are awesome, talking about sex makes them so uncomfortable.

I see Mom start to blush. Dad mutes the T.V and looks over at me.

“Just remember that Julie lives here too, and umm… wrap it before you tap it.” Dad chuckles.

“Nathan!” Mom screeches as she slaps him on the chest.