Shattered Dreams (13 page)

Brooke sniffles and I look away. I wipe away
the tears on my cheek.  

“
I didn’t know he wrote
this. I’m sorry, Emma.” 

“
Don’t be sorry, it’s very
sweet.” I sniffle. “It feels good to know that Max loved me and
James as much as he did. Even in death, I am reminded of how much
he loved us.” 

“
What’s that saying? Better
to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all,” Brooke
says, folding up the letter. 

“
Words have never been
truer,” I say. 

“
What are your plans for
tomorrow?” Brooke asks. 

“
I don’t have any. I think
after today James is going to want to have a lazy day at home. Did
you want to do something?” 

“
I saw some open houses in
your neighborhood for houses for sale. How about for the fun of it,
we go to some of those?” 

“
Looking to buy a house in
my neighborhood, are ya?” I joke. 

Brooke gets up from the bed and walks towards
the door, “You just never know. Good night, Boo, I love
you.” 

I laugh, “I love you, too, forever and
always.” 

The next morning after
breakfast, we load up the
wagon and walk
through the neighborhood pulling James. I am surprised to see the
homes that are up for sale. There are five open houses in our
subdivision and we walk through all of them. I tag behind Brooke
and watch her as she talks about prices, property lines, taxes, and
warrantees.  

“
You act like you are really
shopping for a house,” I say, not taking my eyes off
hers. 

“
Well, you just never know
when the right house will show up.” 

We walk by the beach, pulling the wagon with
James in it. After we stop and have ice cream, we walk the short
distance home. I am surprised to see my neighbor hammering a for
sale sign in his yard that reads, ‘For Sale by Owner.’ 

“
Your neighbors are moving?”
Brooke asks. 

“
It looks like it. I don’t
know them since we just moved in last week.” 

“
I wonder if they’ll care if
I look inside.” 

“
Only one way to find
out.” 

Brooke steps up her pace, leaving James and
me behind her. I watch as she smiles and talks to the elderly man.
When James and I get up to her, she is walking towards the front
porch as she talks away. James and I walk in with her and Brooke
smiles immediately. She asks all kinds of questions as she walks
room to room.  

“
Momma, I’m
thirsty.” 

“
Ok,
James.” 

“
Brooke, we’ll meet you at
home. James is thirsty.” 

“
Ok, I’ll be right
there.” 

The next few days we spend visiting Max’s mom
and dad and my parents. Brooke knew them from Fort Drum, New York.
While James is at school, Brooke and I have lunch outside at Marina
Jacks. We watch the boats and even a few dolphins feeding near
shore. Once we leave, Brooke points out the kissing statue down by
the road. “Is that the statue that Max was talking about seeing if
she is wearing panties?” 

I laugh, “It sure is.” 

“
Do you have your camera?”
Brooke asks, walking over to the larger-than-life-size couple
kissing. The statue is very well known. It’s called
Unconditional Surrender
.
It is a US sailor kissing a nurse in New York’s Times Square
because the USA was in jubilation over then-President Harry S.
Truman’s announcement of the end of the war on Japan. It was a
spontaneous kiss between a Navy sailor and a
nurse.  

“
I have my phone,” I say,
following her down the sidewalk. As we approach the statue, I can’t
help but smile. “I am really going to look up her dress to see if
she is wearing panties.” 

“
You’re not the only one,
look at all those people. They’re looking up her dress, too,”
Brooke says, as she continues to smile.  

Once we get closer to the statue, Brooke
pulls out her phone from her purse. “I have to get a picture of my
freaky friend taking a picture of some statue’s panties,” she says,
laughing.  

I laugh, too. “Shut up.”  

I walk up to the statue and finally look up.
I am relieved to see that you can’t see up her dress. I smile and
take a few pictures before walking over to Brooke. 

“
Well?” she
asks. 

“
What?” I
reply. 

“
Is she or isn’t she wearing
any panties?” 

“
If you want to know, you’ll
have to go look.” I smile. 

“
Fine, but unlike you, I
won’t be snapping any pictures of her privates,” she says as she
walks towards the base of the statue. She looks up the dress of the
statue as she gets closer to it, then she looks back at me and
smiles.  

“
Can you believe Max has us
looking up this statue’s dress?” she says with her face red from
embarrassment.  

“
I can, and he is probably
cracking up at us. Even in heaven, he makes me
laugh.” 

Over the next few days, we take a picnic
lunch to Myakka Park and watch the alligators in the water. James
is excited since this is the first time he actually gets to watch
them. We usually just see them as we are out driving, but today, we
are taking the time to enjoy them in their own habitat while
keeping a safe distance away from them. 

“
I can’t believe you go home
tomorrow.” 

“
Me, either, this week has
flown by.” 

“
Promise me you’ll come back
and bring Brice and the boys.” 

Brooke smiles, “I promise, but you may not be
thrilled about that once we are here.” 

“
I doubt that; besides, I
have missed them.” 

“
We’ll definitely be back.
The boys would love it here.” 

Once Brooke leaves to return home and James
is at school, I begin my search for a job. The house is paid for,
but I still have bills. I do some online searching and put my
résumé in at some places that interest me. James and I sort through
the letters from Max, and I cry when I read them. Max’s death will
be always be hard on us, but together we are making it. 

James takes his letters and places them
neatly in his top drawer with the other letters from Max. 

A few weeks later I interview and am offered
the job at R.K. Insurance on the spot. I interviewed with the two
owners, Brea and Sara, and the girl I am replacing also sits in.
They are very sweet, and I am looking forward to this new chapter
in my life.  

I call my parents and Max’s
parents and invite them to dinner.
This is
a reason to celebrate.
 

“
So what’s the special
occasion?” my dad asks as he takes a drink of his
beer. 

“
I got a job today, plus
James and I became home owners last month. Life is good,” I say,
smiling and looking around the round table at
everyone. 

“
Congratulations,” Danny
says, raising his beer for a toast. I raise my wineglass and James
also raises his plastic cup with the red straw in it. I look around
the table at all the smiling faces. “To living the American
dream.”  

We all clink our glasses and take a
drink.  

“
Where will you be working,
Emma?” Cheryl asks. 

“
Over on Stickney Point at
R.K. Insurance. I’ll start Monday as soon as I take James to
school. They know I have a son and they are willing to work around
my schedule.” 

“
Is that owned by Sara
Roberts?” my dad asks. 

“
She’s actually one of the
owners. She co-owns it with her friend, Brea Kinsley. I don’t think
they are from around here, though.” 

“
I think you’re right, they
moved down here a few years ago. Sara dates Donovan Martin, the
corporate attorney. He’s one heck of a nice guy. My company has
used him in the past; he is one heck of an attorney,” Danny adds.
Danny and Cheryl are the owners of D&C Floor and
Tile.  

I reach into my purse and hand James some
crayons and a small tablet to color on. “They were very nice; I
think I’ll like working for them.” 

“
If you ever need any help
with James or need someone to pick him up from school, just let us
know,” Cheryl says.  

“
I will, thank
you.” 

 
After dinner I have to
argue with everyone to pay the bill. I invited them out to
celebrate and I want to pick up the check. Dad and Danny both are
hard to argue with, but today, they understand this is something I
want to do. I know it’s hard for them to let me pay for dinner and
I am proud of them for letting me.  

Bright and early Monday morning, I kiss James
and drop him off at school. I park in back of the insurance company
in the designated area and cautiously walk into work. It’s my first
day and I am a bit nervous. I hear laughter and look around and see
Sara, Brea, and Angel standing at the coffee maker.  

“
Good morning,” I say,
smiling.  

“
Good morning, Emma,” they
say in unison.  

The day goes by as though I am among friends.
I share a desk with Angel, who is leaving and her last day is
Friday. I learn the proper way to answer the phones and where to
find resources for answers. I have gone to school for insurance, so
I already know the Florida laws about various kinds of insurance
and Florida requirements.  

I leave on time to pick up James from
school.  

“
How was your day at work,
momma?” 

“
My day was great; how was
your day?” 

“
Good, I find another rock
today.” 

“
You
found
another rock today?” I say
clearly so he knows the proper word is “found.” 

“
Yep, and it’s a good-luck
rock.” 

James and I take a walk from our house to the
beach and have dinner at a local pizza place on Siesta Key. We walk
home before it gets dark and as we get closer to our house, I see
our neighbor is removing his ‘For Sale by Owner’ sign from his
yard. I wave to him and smile. I haven’t lived here long, and I
have spoken to him only a few times. 

“
James, it looks like we’ll
be getting new neighbors soon.” 

“
Momma, will they have
kids?” 

“
James, I don’t
know.” 

“
I hope they have little
kids I can play with.” 

“
Me, too, James. We’ll have
to wait and see.” 

After I bathe James and put him to bed, I
then soak in a hot bubble bath. My mind reflects on my day: my job,
James finding a lucky rock, our walk, and new neighbors. It would
be nice to have small kids living next door for James to play
with. 

Before going to bed, I text Brooke. 

Emma: Are you
up?
 

Brooke: Yup, fighting with
the hubby.
 

Emma:
Who won?
 

Brooke: Me, of
course.
 

Emma: Be nice, he worked
hard today.
 

Brooke: I know, story of my
life. What’s up?
 

Emma: No need to pack, your
house just sold.
 

Brooke: What? The house
next to you?
 

Emma: Yep, that’s the
one.
 

Brooke: Just my luck. Let
me know when the other neighbor’s house goes up for
sale.
 

Emma: Will do.
Sorry.
 

Brooke: That’s ok, Brice
wasn’t ready to move to Florida yet anyway. Good night, Boo, I love
you.”
 

I laugh; this will never get
old.  

Emma: I love you, always
and forever.
 

The next few months go by
quickly. James and I are all settled into our quaint little home. I
have adjusted to working again and love my job. Our neighbors have
moved out, but their house remains empty. I talk to Brooke once a
week and learned that Brice is opening a franchise of his dad’s
business: Jamison Heating and Cooling. His father is excited that
his business will be carried on by his son and that he can finally
retire and his business will grow.
The
oldest employee will take over the business in their state of
Oklahoma, and Brice will — or is considering — moving to another
state and expanding the franchise there
.
Brea, Sara, and Angel have included
me in their clique and I am falling into an easy routine with them.
Angel has been filling in some since Brea is in her final month of
pregnancy. I like them and I am excited to have friends in the area
again. Tonight Angel invited me to meet Sara and her at Gecko’s for
dinner and drinks. Mom and dad are taking James to see the
movie
Toy Story
,
and then he is staying the night with them.  

I sit in the parking lot of Gecko’s and
decide if I want to go in. I decided to dress down in a pair of
jeans, a tee shirt, and sandals. Sara and Angel will be here with
their boyfriends, and I’ll be alone. I check myself in the mirror,
add a little more lip gloss, and take a deep breath before stepping
out of my car.