Saving Easton by Kaci Rose
It's been a month, since I have last seen or talked to Paisley. A whole month, where I felt like a huge piece of me was missing. Noah has checked on me daily, and every now and then fills me in on what she’s doing, and I cling to that information like it's the only thing grounding me to this Earth.
It had to be this way though, because her brother was right. Paisley did deserve more, and I was determined to be the one to give her more. But if I had her here with me every day, it was easier to just stay in this place. To only work at the slow pace, I was.
I needed to push harder, faster, longer, and I did. Now, it's time to get Paisley back. First, I need to make peace with Leeland, and then Paisley. Lee and I haven't talked, since that day at Paisley's house, and I know him and Paisley still aren't talking thanks to Noah, so I'm not sure how this meeting is going to go.
Right now, I’m sitting in his apartment parking lot in my car that I just bought yesterday. Noah and Lexi have been amazing, helping me and keeping it quiet. I don't want Paisley to know what’s going on, until I have all my ducks in a row, as my mom would say.
After finding Leeland's apartment on the second floor, I knock on his door. Thankfully, I hear some shuffling inside, so I know he's home, even if it takes him a while to open the door.
"Man, you look like hell," I say, when he opens the door with stains on his shirt, his hair a mess, and a five o’clock shadow at nine a.m.
His eyes go wide, as he looks me over. I decided for this visit I wasn't covering my scars, so I'm in jeans and a short sleeve shirt that shows off the tattoos, as well as the scars. A side of me Leeland hasn't seen yet. I also kept the beard, because Paisley loves it.
"What..." He clears his throat. "What are you doing here?"
"I'd like to talk.”
He opens the door and steps back, so I can enter the apartment. It looks exactly how I'd have expected a frat house to look. Empty beer bottles, discarded pizza boxes, and clothes everywhere. Allie looks up at me, as if to say she wants to leave.
"Haven't been able to leave your frat boy days behind, huh?"
He shrugs, "Barbie used to do the cleaning."
"That was over a month ago.”
"Well, sit down."
I eye the couch and decide to remain standing, and Allie agrees, even she won't sit on the floor. There are cleaner couches at the dump.
"I've been doing a lot of thinking about what you said that day at Paisley's. You were right about one thing and wrong about another."
"Oh, yeah?" He eyes me, sitting back on the couch.
"You were right that she deserved better. The last month I pushed and completed my treatment at Oakside, and I’m now standing on my own two feet with a job and place of my own. I’m better, and it's all thanks to her."
"Good for you. Now, we need to give you a proper housewarming party."
"I’ll pass. See, you were wrong about something, too. I didn't have to go to you, and I didn't owe you anything. We were friends once, but one lunch, doesn't make us friends again. All this," I wave my hand around his apartment. "The partying is more important to you, but that's not me, or the lifestyle I want. I'm here to tell you I’m fixing things with Paisley, and if by the grace of God she takes me back, I'm not ever leaving her side. I'm not asking for your permission, because it doesn't matter if you agree. It won't change my course of action."
"Then, why are you here?"
"Because you’re Paisley's brother, and you were my best friend at one point. So, my advice to you is to get your shit together, because this road you’re on, isn't a good one. There’s so much more to life than this. Fix things with Paisley, with your parents, and make things right. You don't know what it's like to wish you would die to just end the torture. Then, be on this side of it and grateful for every day and every minute you have. I'd give anything to go back and have a college experience, knowing what I know now. I didn't get to, but you did, and you’re wasting it. Don't let my dark year be in vain."
With that, I turn around and walk out without another word, in hopes that maybe I got through to him.
I'm already tired from today, but I have one more even more important stop. Paisley's parents. They know I'm coming, and her mom insisted on making me brunch, so I'm looking forward to the visit just as much as I'm dreading it.
I pull up at the familiar two-story home. I spent so much time here growing up, and often I’d be here more than at my own house. All my memories of Paisley that I clung to happened here. The talks with her dad on the front porch, the time on the back porch playing with Leeland, and pretending not to watch Paisley.
Allie whines, because she wants to get out, so I stop the trip down memory lane and get her out and head up to the front door. They had to have been watching for me out of the window because they open the door to greet me, before I even take two steps on the porch.
Mrs. Sutton goes to hug me, but then stops herself, probably remembering Paisley’s warnings of me not liking to be touched. I smile at her and pull her in for a hug, while she holds me tight and gives me a hug only mothers can do.
Mr. Sutton shakes my hand, and that’s when they both see my arms. Mrs. Sutton gently touches my arm, and then clears her throat.
"Well, that's nothing some biscuits and gravy can't cure. Get in here, boy. You’re letting the flies in." She turns on her heel and goes inside.
"Alright, we better not keep her waiting. Glad you’re here, son." Mr. Sutton says, and I follow him into the house, making sure to wipe my feet and close the door behind me.
Mrs. Sutton watches me from the kitchen and nods her head in approval. She was always yelling at us growing up about wiping the mud off our shoes.
"There are treats for Allie in the cookie jar in the living room. They’re Molly's favorite, but I doubt Allie will mind."
"This place hasn’t changed one bit," I say, looking around the room. Everything is in the same place, and it still smells like their home. Like the apple cinnamon potpourri you see in stores in the fall, only I've never seen potpourri in this house, not once.
"Oh, bite your tongue! That’s a brand new couch," Mrs. Sutton says.
I smile and don't say that it looks exactly the same. It's even the same gray color as the last one.
"And I upgraded the TV. It's one of those smart TVs that I guess I'm not smart enough to work," Mr. Sutton grumbles.
The TV is bigger, but it's still in the same place to the right of the fireplace.
"Well, it looks great. Still feels like home." I smile at them.
"Oh, the biscuits are done perfectly. Come on over and sit down. We’re ready to eat!" Mrs. Sutton says, and we file to the kitchen and help her carry the food to the table.
Biscuits, sausage gravy, orange juice, and bacon. It's never brunch in this house without bacon. Some things never change, and it's good to know that.
We sit down, and once everyone's plates are full, Mr. Sutton turns towards me.
"So, how are you doing? I tried to visit, and they said you had a visitor ban on. I'm guessing that's part of the reason Paisley has been moping around here the last month."
I hate that she's been upset, but if she's still moping, I might still have a chance. This is a Hail Mary pass, but I have to try, I have to know for sure I did everything I could, or I'd always wonder and always regret.
"Yeah, after the incident with Leeland, I had something to do. I needed to figure things out, and it's hard to do or think of anything but her when she's around."
Mr. Sutton smiles at his wife.
"That's how I feel. The feeling doesn't go away. You just get better at hiding and managing it."
"Well, I'm counting on that, which leads to me the reason I'm here. I have a question for you."