“I’m going to help him get everything ready. If you need me, just let me know. I will be there every minute that you need me to be, so let me know if you end up shorthanded and I’ll come to work, then go to Travis’s after. But I have a lot to do — baking, painting, decorating,” Libby said. “I want to make it as nice as it was when his parents used to do it.”
“Naw, we shouldn’t need you. Go ahead and help Travis. Sounds awesome. I can’t wait to come see it.”
“You promise you’ll let me know if you end up short handed for a shift?” Libby asked.
“I do.”
“Okay. If you need me, I’ll be there right away. Don’t hesitate to call me.”
“I’ll let you know, Libs. Have fun, and open your heart. Maybe we can come out on Sunday and see if you need our help,” Richie said.
“We hope to be opened on Friday. But yeah, come on out.”
“See you then if not before,” Richie said.
“Bye, Richie.”
Libby ended the call and laid her phone down on the coffee table. She’d made the decision to help Travis full time — at least until it was up and running. “That’s done,” she said, getting to her feet to go back into her bedroom and get dressed. Twenty minutes later she was in her jeep driving to Travis’s house.
~~~
Travis sat up and swung his legs over the side of his mattress. He reached for his prosthetic and strapped it on, before standing up to go to the bathroom and get dressed. He looked at himself in the mirror. “She’s going to trust you again,” he said quietly. Travis looked away from his reflection, brushed his teeth, then opened his bedroom door to go make coffee.
He was in the kitchen, and had just set the coffee pot and plugged it in when there was a knock at the front door. Travis looked at the time on the microwave and his forehead wrinkled. Who the hell would be here at 6:15 A.M.? He walked over toward the door and paused at the front window to pull the curtains back enough to peek out. His face broke into a wide smile as he hurried to unlock and open the door.
“Good morning,” he said, standing back and allowing plenty of room for Libby to enter.
“Morning. I have arrived. What are we doing first?” she asked.
“What about work?” Travis asked.
“I asked Richie for a few days off so I can help you get everything ready for Friday. We’ve only got three days,” she said.
“Thank you, Libby. I really appreciate it.”
“Not a problem. Now, what’s first?” she asked again.
“Coffee,” Travis said.
“Oh, thank god,” she said, walking in and placing her purse on the small side table near the door like she used to do. “I didn’t take the time to make any this morning.”
“Oh, that’s a no no. Gotta have the coffee,” Travis teased, closing the door behind her.
“Yes, coffee is life.”
“And if I wasn’t making coffee?” Travis asked.
“I was going to insist we test the flavored coffees we bought last night,” Libby admitted.
Travis laughed. “Let me guess. You wanted to test the peppermint and dark chocolate flavor?” he asked.
“Yes! But at this point, any coffee is good.”
“I just put on a pot of the peppermint and dark chocolate coffee.”
“You’re kidding!” Libby said, trailing Travis back into the kitchen. Once there her eyes fell on the coffee cup he’d been planning to use this morning, already sitting beside the coffee pot waiting for it to finish. Libby smiled and reached out a finger to run over the handle of the Satan Clause coffee cup. “You kept it,” she said.
“I did. I’ve kept everything you ever gave me, or planned on giving me,” he confessed.
“Here, how about this one for your coffee?” he asked, opening a cabinet and handing her a mug with a picture of an elf hanging from a limb of a Christmas tree by his trousers that were pulled down and showing the crack of his ass. The saying across it was, “Have a half-assed Christmas.”
Libby reached out and accepted the mug from him. “Why did we ever think this was funny?” she asked. “Inappropriate Christmas gag gifts,” she said.
“Because it is!” Travis insisted, chuckling.
Libby smiled then, before she started laughing. “Yeah, it is. But, there’s a chance we could be a bit warped.”
“It’s all good. I’ll take warped with you at my side any day,” Travis answered, as the coffee pot finished making its first pot.
“Ahhh, it’s ready,” he said, taking the pot in hand and reaching for her mug.
Libby handed Travis her mug and he poured coffee into it, but before handing it back, he walked over to the refrigerator and took out half and half, topping it off before stopping at the sugar bowl and putting in two teaspoons of sugar.
“Here. Exactly the way you like it,” he said, holding it out to her.
Libby didn’t take it right away. She just looked at him.
“What? Don’t tell me you’re on one of those stupid diets and don’t want the half and half and sugar,” he said.
“No,” she answered.
“Good, ‘cause you’re perfect,” Travis said, holding the mug out to her again.
“Thank you,” Libby said, taking the mug from him and watching as he made his. Black with one sugar, just like always. “You remembered how I take my coffee,” she said.
“Of course, I do,” Travis said. “I remember everything, Libby.” Travis looked around before looking back at her. “I know you don’t eat this early, so, want to sit on the porch for a little bit while we have our coffee before getting to work on the decorations?”
“Yeah, that’d be nice.”
Libby followed Travis, pausing right behind him when he stopped beside the recliner to pick up the very same Goodwin Weavers throw blanket she used to cover with while napping in the recliner when Travis had been overseas, and she’d been watching over Scotty.
Travis winked at her and walked to the door, holding it open for her to walk through. Once on the porch he set his coffee down on the railing and lifted the throw blanket to wrap around Libby’s shoulders. He kept her wrapped tight until she was seated, then arranged the blanket around her legs to keep her warm.
“You don’t want a blanket for you?” she asked.
“Nah, feels good to me. Shifter blood,” he said, taking his coffee from the railing and sitting in the rocker beside hers. “Is it too cold for you?” Travis asked.
“No, I love it. Warm, soft blanket, hot coffee, and cold December morning. Nothing more perfect,” Libby said, sipping her coffee as she looked off in the distance.
“It was your favorite blanket, I think,” Travis said.
“It is. It’s hard to find anything by Goodwin Weavers anymore. I’ve looked and looked and can only find used ones,” Libby said. “Well, I should say, I can’t afford the new ones. I can only afford the used ones.”
“They were my mom’s favorite, too,” Travis said.
“I remember,” Libby answered.