A Simple Life: Chapter 157 (Patreon)

More inspired than ever I return to do a bit more work on pamphlet. When I eventually showed Amos what I’d done he was nothing but positive about my design.

“You’ve been busy, huh?” He pats my shoulder as he leans over my shoulder to look at the screen, just the weight of his big hand enough to make me brace myself against it.

“The photos are j-just placeholders.” I explain. “B-But I thought I w-would send this on to Sandra to see how she’s feeling about it. You’re happy w-with the garage part though?”

“More than happy. I can see that we’re in good hands.” He gives my shoulder a squeeze. “Send it on.”

That felt nice. As I send it on to Sandra I am actually hoping that she got back to me with a big list of edits or, even better, her wanting me to start from scratch again. It’s not that I wanted for her to not like my work it’s just that my appetite had been whetted and I was hungry for more. There was still a lot to do but at this rate this pamphlet work was going to be complete way faster than I wanted it to be. Even though I hadn’t yet heard back from Sandra I delve straight into working on one of my secondary designs, just in case.

Just after half past 4 my flow is interrupted by an incoming call. At the sound of the ring my chest tightens as I am seized by a rush of anxiety. Out here everything was going so good. The last thing I wanted was the outside world to grab me and shake me up again. My worries are assuaged though as I see who the call was from.

“Kayla!”

“Ey, bestie!” She chirps, surprised to hear me. “You don’t usually answer at work.”

“I’m n-not at work. I was s-suspended.”

“What!?”

“Long story.”

“Is everything okay?”

I was weighing how to answer when a glint from my finger catches my eye. “I’m okay. Better than okay.” I say softly. “Winona and I are m-moving in together.”

“WHAT!?”

I giggle. “I’ll t-tell you about it later.”

“Tell me now!”

“I would, b-but I’ve got some w-work to finish.”

“Work? What work? You got another job already?”

“Just some stuff I’m doing for the g-garage.” I say with fake nonchalance. “Marketing, d-design, that kinda stuff.”

“You work for her now!?” I am stifling more giggles as I enjoy Kayla’s incredulity. “Geeeez! Y’all don’t mess around, huh? Next thing she’ll have a ring on your finger.”

“He he he!”

“No!”

“W-We’ll talk.” I say through my titters.

“Avery!”

“What w-were you calling for?”

“I was calling to invite you to eat.” She says, miffed at her being kept in the dark with all my news but playfully so. “You still eat supper, don’t you?”

“Kayla.”

“I mean, you never tell me anything so I thought maybe you’d started fasting or something.” She says. “Or maybe you moved to South Dakota or something. I mean, who can say? Not me, that’s for sure. I mean, I’m just your best friend is all. Your lifelong BFF. Why would I know anything?”

I laugh. “Kayla, stop.”

She laughs with me. “Briar and I are putting together a little potluck before we head out. You two nerds wanna join us?”

Leaning to peer out the window where I could hear Winona and Amos rattling around I call out. “Winona?”

“Yeah?”

“Potluck at Kayla’s?”

“Yeah!” Replies Amos. “Tell her I’ll bring my appetite!”

“Shaddup!” Winona tells her dad before momentarily poking her head into sight and answering. “Sounds good.”

I smile and report. “We’ll be there.”

“Sweet.” She says. “Come on by anytime. Briar’ll be here about 5:30. She’s bringing some sort of sushi rolls. I’m doing up some kebabs and my roasted cauliflower.”

“Mmm!”

“I’ve got plenty so if you just want to bring a salad or fancy bread or something we’ll be good to go.”

“Veggie tray?” I ask in hopes that we wouldn’t have to hit the grocery store. That was one of the last place I wanted to go right now.

“Perfect.” She says. “See you soon.”

“See ya!”

After a couple of quick touches I close the file and set right to chopping veggies. By the time the Crows finished unloading, unpacking and organizing the parts they’d brought with them I was just finishing up.

“Hey, hey.” Amos makes a beeline for the food the second he was through the door.

Winona rushes to intercept him. “It’s not for you!”

“Aw, come on.” He says. “All your mom’s making tonight is bannock and beans.”

“You love bannock and beans.”

“Yeah, but…I’m hungry now.”

“Get outta here!”

“I’m starting to get the distinct impression that I’m not welcome here.” He laughs and pulls her in for a hug and a kiss to the head, which she accepts happily, then shoots me a wink. “Three’s a crowd, huh?” Scooping up Brutus he gives him a nuzzle and a kiss to the belly. “You watch these two for me, Brutus. I suspect they’re up to no good.”

“You don’t need a spy.” Winona says. “We’ll tell you what we’re doing. First I intend to throw Avery onto the bed right there…” She points.

“Ack!” Her dad sets down the kitten and waves his hands in surrender, but Winona shows him no mercy.

“…then I’m gonna tear all his clothes off…”

“I’m going, I’m going!” Amos cries as he goes into full retreat.

“…then when he’s at my mercy I’m going to start kissing him all over his sexy naked body and THEN I’m gonna…”

Amos was out the door, fingers in his ears. “Not listening! La la la la!”

“Bye Amos!” I call to him. “See you tomorrow!”

He, of course, can’t hear me and in under a minute we hear his vehicle roar to life followed by the spray of gravel as he guns the gas and speeds off to his bannock and beans. Winona and I look at each other and laugh. I wait a moment to see if she was actually going to ravish me. I could see she was thinking about it. Instead she shoots me a wink that told me my ravishment would be put on hold and heads off to the washroom to clean up. Getting stripped and kissed all over would have been amazing but by bypassing some quick nookie it meant we would get to our girl’s night out that much quicker.

I WAS SO EXCITED! The hangout with the girls, the clothes shopping for Althea, and the sharing of my ‘baby girl’ side with Kayla and Briar…I was absolutely buzzing! I am nervous and I am scared but with Winona at my side I just knew that I could be brave enough to let my secret self be seen, if only a little bit. The shame and fear that had been instilled into me since an early age would tonight be faced head on and I could not wait. Those demons had been haunting me for as long as I could remember, but they’d never faced a foe like Althea.

As Winona showers I finish and wrap the platters already knowing what I wanted to do next. An intelligent wizard like Althea knew that if you wanted to be victorious half the battle was in the preparation and so I take the FoF book that was all about elves from the shelf so that I can do research and gain inspiration by looking at all of the art of the pretty elven women. Even before delving into that tome though I wanted to something more…symbolic. Something tangible and real to embrace the spirit of this moment.

Setting the book on the table I head to the dresser to put on my panties.

Chapter 158