Page 59 of Do It Yourself
Ruth Jensen
Leeson would like you home before lunch, please make sure you and your friend arrive before 11 on Sunday.
Ah, hell. Talking with Lola has given me a break from thinking about this weekend, and what it’s going to mean once it’s over. I type out a quick response to let my mother know we’ll be there before I return to my list of messages. A small part of me wishes this get together was after the wedding, not the weekend before.
I need to text Mabel and let her know the time now that I have it but my thumb hovers over our text thread. I don’t want to read the messages between us.
There’s not much in each message. A place and a time is about it but it’s a reminder.
I silently scold myself for being so dramatic. Mabel never made me any promises, it’s my own fault for turning it into more than it ever was. With a small scoff, I click on our message thread and quickly type out the message, doing my best to make it sound nothing like our previous conversation, if you could even call it that.
Me
Need to be at my mother’s place by 11. Would need to leave by 10:30 at the latest.
Trouble
Okay. Can I bring anything?
Seeing the name I have her listed as is a stab in the heart that only serves to make me more upset with myself for being so delusional. Before I can respond, I get into her contact information and update her name.
Me
No. Leeson doesn’t allow guests to bring anything, he provides it all.
Mabel Warren
Okay, see you this weekend.
Giving her message a thumbs up is all I can offer in response. I’m shoving my phone back into my pocket, slightly more aggressively than is totally necessary, when Lola starts our conversation back up. “Speaking of hiring. An old employee reached out to me to see if we had any openings.”
Were we talking about hiring? “Oh, yeah? Good worker?”
Lola hums in response, taking time to choose the right words. “Good enough. She worked part-time helping Mabel out for a while. Left to go to school and now she’s back in town. Looking for something permanent, says she always loved working at the Farm”
“We could always use more employees who want to actually work here.” I offer. The conversation moving to Mabel is the opposite of what I need right now.
“Very true. I told her to give me some time to see what we might have.” Lola’s never been one to make decisions without thoroughly thinking them through, maybe my report can offer her some help in the decision-making process.
I was going to suggest hiring more staff, hiring someone who already knows the basics could be just what the Farm is looking for. This former employee and Mabel could finish out the warmer months, work to refine the process for expanding and make a plan once the weather cools down to get started with a renewed sense of preparedness.
“I’ll get you my report before the end of the week, maybe it can help you make up your mind.” With that decided, I return my focus to my computer. Lola focuses back on her own and we work in comfortable silence for the rest of the day.
Chapter Forty-Nine
MABEL
Ihave no idea what to wear. The petty side of me wants to wear something that will make Jude go crazy but this is a family event. I know nothing about Jude’s family, and there’s no way in hell I can reach out to Mama or Lola to ask them. I’m flying blind. I’m so irritated about it that I almost text him to tell him I’m not going.
I don’t even know why he still wants me to come to this thing if he’s decided he’s done with me. I let out a groan, stomping my foot in frustration. No, I’m going to this thing and I’m going to charm the pants off his family like I promised I would.
I don’t go back on my promises.
Except for the promise I made to myself to always hate Jude. All the fucking good breaking that promise has done me.
I’m thinking too much about this. I yank on a pair of jean shorts and a plain green t-shirt. It’s still hot as balls, so I tie my hair up into a high ponytail to keep it off my neck, and for a silent ‘fuck you’ to Jude, I slip on my well-loved sandals to complete the look.
Checking the time, I curse. I only have about five minutes to meet Jude at his truck. I shove my phone into my back pocket, grab my keys and rush out of my house.
