When my alarm goes off, I think about staying in bed. Alyssa doesn’t have to start school and can wait until January, and I’m sure there are things we could do today, just the two of us. But, she has other ideas and throws my bedroom door open. She’s dressed in the outfit she picked out last night and has her hairbrush in her hand, shaking it at me.
“Daddy, get up. I’m going to be late.”
“It’s six-thirty. You have over an hour,” I tell her.
“Not when I have to eat breakfast.” Alyssa sets her hands on her hips, her brush still pointing at me. She’s right, she’s a slow eater, but I plan to drive her, at least for a bit, and then figured she can start taking the bus at the beginning of the year.
“Okay, I’m getting up. I’ll meet you downstairs.” I wait for her to leave and slowly climb out of bed. I glance at my nightstand, and my heart lurches. Tucked inside the drawer is a picture of my wife. I put it there when we moved in because I’m desperately trying to start over. My hand hovers over the knob, and then I think better of it and make my way to the bathroom to get my day started.
Downstairs, I find my precocious daughter standing on the countertop, rummaging through the cabinets. Without trying to create any panic, I scoop her up and set her on my waist. “Let’s not climb up there, okay?
“How am I supposed to know what kind of cereal we have?”
I spin us around and point to another door. After setting her down, she goes to it and laughs. “I forgot about the—what’s it called?”
“Pantry, and it has a special Alyssa shelf. So, no more climbing, okay?”
“Okay,” she says as she reaches in and picks which cereal she’s going to have. We work together to get her bowl set up and carried to the table. While she’s eating, I sit there and look through my work emails, client requests, changes, and smile at each new client who wants to hire me. This work from home thing is going to work in my favor for sure. It really gives me the best of both worlds.
Once Alyssa is done eating her breakfast, I send her off to the bathroom to brush her teeth. She rushes off excitedly, and I love how enthusiastic she is about school. I don’t remember being that way. As soon as she’s done, she runs to get her backpack and waits by the door.
“I’m ready.”
Grabbing my car keys, I smile. “Let’s go.” The school is only two miles away from the house, and when we pull up, there’s a long line of cars with parents trying to drop off their kids. “I put your lunch box in your backpack, don’t forget to take it out and put it in your cubby. Also, make sure you wear your coat when you go outside. I’ll be here when the bell rings.”
“Okay, Daddy. What if Nana comes to pick me up?”
“Then, Mrs. Braswell will tell you. If she doesn’t, know that I’ll be here. You only get into my car, okay?”
“Got it,” she says as we pull up to the drop-off. I make her wait until we’re almost in line with the front door.
“Do you remember where to go?”
She nods. “I do.”
“And you’re sure you don’t want me to walk you in?”
Her eyes light up. “Nope, there’s Cassie, see!”
I look out the window to verify. Cassie is waving eagerly from the flagpole. I can’t help but smile. Alyssa unbuckles and places herself in the middle of the two front seats. She kisses my cheek. “Bye, Daddy. See you later.”
“Bye, love bug. Have a good first day. Call me if you want to come home early.” I fear my offer of coming to get her falls on open space because the door slams before I can even finish my sentence. I stay there, parked until Alyssa and Cassie are walking into the building, and I can no longer see them. The person behind me blares their horn, and it takes all I have not to flip them off. I get it; they probably have to get to work. There’s somewhere I have to be as well.
As I pull into our little downtown, I scan the area, looking for Bree’s store, but I also find myself looking for empty store frontage. I could open my own office and keep the hours I want, although I’m not sure about the expenses. But I like the idea, especially if I can get the local businesses to use me for their websites.
Bree’s shop is easy to spot. It’s the one decorated with Christmas and art. There’s a parking space right in front of the store, and I grab my portfolio before getting out of the car. I don’t know how long I stand by the window, admiring the snowy landscape painting, but it’s enough that Bree has to come out and invite me in. She has on a long, blue sweater and black tights with her caramel-colored hair in waves down her back. It’s hard not to gape at her when she looks as beautiful as she does.
“You gonna stand out here all day?” she asks, laughing as she holds the door open.
I point at the painting. “Sorry. It reminds me of Sugar Mountain.”
She winks. “That’s because it is.” Her curious gaze averts to my portfolio for a few seconds before turning her beautiful green eyes back to me. “How did drop off go?” she asks as I follow her into the studio. The second I see everything she has, I’m in awe. There are paintings everywhere, all strategically placed where the lighting illuminates every piece. There are even a few unique sculptures scattered throughout. I’m completely taken back by everything she has in the space, but I notice she’s missing the one thing I can offer her.
“Easy, it seems Alyssa and Cassie had plans to meet up and walk in together. I didn’t have to park and walk her in.”
Bree leads me into the back room and hands me a much-needed cup of coffee, and motions for me to sit down in one of the chairs she has around the table. “That’s good. At least, she’s adjusting.”
“True. Sometimes I feel like she’s growing up way too fast. I’m going to blink my eyes one day and find out she’s twenty-five years old.”
She chuckles. “Ah yes, it’ll happen sooner than you think.” Her eyes drop down to my folder again. “Okay, so should we get down to business. I’m assuming what you have to show me is in there?”
I nod and set my portfolio on the table. “They’re not anything special,” I tell her as I show her the first photo. “I do this as a hobby.”
Bree is quiet as she sips her coffee and flips through the portfolio of photos I’ve saved. Sometimes, I like to take pictures of people or scenery, whatever I find at the moment.
“Where do you display these?”
“I don’t.” I shake my head slightly. “As I said, it’s a hobby, but I thought if you put them in your gallery for sale, I’ll do your website for free.”
She continues to flip the pages without saying anything, making me feel like I’ve overstepped.
“If you don’t think—”
Bree closes my book gently and sets her hand on top. “Caleb, I think these are amazing and would love to display your work. I feel like I’d be taking advantage, though, because I won’t have an issue selling these. I even know a few customers who are looking for pieces just like this. I’ll have at least five sold by tomorrow.”
“Really?”
“Absolutely.” She nods. “But you’re going to have to let me pay you for my website.”