Picking Up The Pieces

Picking Up The Pieces (Chapter 8)

Picking Up The Pieces

By: Stacy Leonhardt Gravely & Nichole Harrison

© All Rights Reserved - 2010

8.

Chaz and I started digging through boxes left and right tearing things out we were acting more like children searching for something than unpacking. Finally getting a hold on ourselves we began to get serious and down to business. Sommer and Riley came running into the living room "Mommy, we found our rooms, can we help?" Sommer asked right away. I nodded my head pointing in the direction of the boxes I had set aside for their rooms "You two can start with those, and Sommer please help Ry so that she can feel like she is helping too."

Sommer and Riley took off out of the room each with a box in their hands. Chaz looked at me like he had never seen two children so excited before "What?"

"Nothing just admiring the two little beauties you have raised to be so independent."

"Yeah well what can I say? I want them to be strong unlike their old mom here." I sighed as my eyes misted over at the entire situation my children and I have been thrusted into.

"Lyndsey you shouldn't talk about yourself that way, you are stronger than you think, and I admire everything you are doing for them right now. It's not easy." Chaz said quietly placing a gentle hand on my shoulder.

I just rolled my eyes and kept to unpacking, it was ungodly quiet in the little place and I was dying to find a radio to plug in. I was having no luck so I decided to start singing a little ditty of my own just kinda making up the words and the tune as I went along. Before I knew what was happening Chaz was putting in his two cents, making up his own words along with the tune I had set. We started to dance together swirling around the room like we were ball room dancing. Sommer and Riley had come back into the room I noticed them standing there "Excuse me you two how long have you been there?" The two of them just giggled as Chaz chased after them toward the back of the apartment.

It took us about two and a half hours to get everything unpacked putting it in its rightful place. Chaz was my savior for the evening helping me with everything. I was still in need of a few items that I would get when I could but for now it looked like home and I was not complaining. I was completely tired out but I told Chaz "I'm going to get the girls to bed and then I owe you dinner and some wine." Dinner with Mom had been postponed since she and Dad were getting into it the second the girls and I left. She promised to come soon with dinner.

"That sounds great!"

"I knew it would, I can read you mind." I grinned as I walked out of the room.

I took off toward the bedrooms looking for Sommer and Riley the last I had seen they were playing with some toys in Ry's room. As I approached the bedrooms peeking in looking for them I spotted them on the floor of Ry's room asleep. It was a beautiful sight to see them laying upon one another completely content being where they are. I trudged back to the living room smiling at Chaz, "Hey, I hate to ask, but could you help me with one more little thing?" He looked at me with question filled eyes.

"What now?" He faked annoyance as he walked towards me.

"Come you will see..." I motioned him forward with my finger.

Chaz and I walked hand in hand I led him to the bedroom where the two little ones were sleeping. I got weepy eyed as Chaz put a tight little hold around my shoulders. "They are beautiful." He said as he picked up Sommer carrying her into the next room. I bent down scooping Riley up laying her gently in her bed, and covering her with a blanket. I bent down giving her a kiss on her forehead knowing that tomorrow was a new and fresh start for us. I sauntered over to Sommer's room, Chaz had already retreated from the room, I bent down giving her a kiss on the forehead and checking her blanket before walking back to meet up with Chaz.

I went to the kitchen picking up a phone book picking out a Chinese take out restaurant that would deliver to my new apartment. I think its going to get some getting used to saying 'new apartment' but it would soon set in that I'm on my own. After having my own private thought, I walked toward Chaz sitting on my living room floor "I'm sorry I don't have anything to sit on really well except the kitchen table chairs."

"Hon, I don't care where we sit as long as we get something to eat, and where is that wine?" Chaz explained as he patted his flat tummy.

"Right here!" I pulled out a bottle I had been hiding since I moved from my house with Mike. It was a rare wine and one of my favorites, expensive, and aged just the way it should be.

"Oh my God! That is a wonderful wine." He noted as he glanced over the label.

"And the food will be here shortly, shall we?" I asked holding the bottle by it's neck.

"Yes!"

I poured us some wine in little plastic kid cups, "Remind me to get new stem wear first thing." I said as I rolled my eyes over the rim over the cup. Chaz just nodded in agreement as he took a drink of his as well. I settled back against the wall I was sitting closest too, it had been one hell of a day and with out Chaz I don't know where I would be. "When are you going to tell Krista?"

"Chaz, I'm surprised she isn't already here, didn't you tell her you gossip whore?" I eyed him carefully before taking another sip of my wine.

"Yeah I did!" He giggled like a school girl as he blushed slightly.

"That's what I thought." I laughed slightly, Chaz was never one to keep a secret for long, at least not from me or Krista.

Things went silent for awhile, Chaz moved over to sit next to me leaning against the wall. I could feel a tension between the two of us, I just didn't know where this tension was leading to. We chit chatted about nothing in general "God, where is that food I'm starved" I said trying to change the subject. I looked over at Chaz giving him a huge smile, instantly I felt myself drawing toward him. Our lips smashed together without thought, without hesitation. My hands were tangled in his hair when the door bell rang. "I-I better get that..." I said pulling away from our kiss.

I went to the door paying for the food shooing the delivery man away. I took the food to the floor where we were sitting "Ready to eat, Chaz?"

"Yeah lets dig in, then I'm going to call it a night." He mentioned as he pulled a carton from the bag determining that it was his.

"Me too, it's been one hell of a day." I sighed as I began opening my carton to dig in.

"I agree."

"I cannot thank you enough for helping me today, with everything actually, without you I don't know..." My voice began to crack at the thought of where me and my girls would be if it wasn't for him.

"No need to thank me, I know it will come in time." He grinned as he shoveled more food into his mouth.

I couldn't even finish my thought before he cut me off then stuffing his face with lo mien noodles. I followed suit eating a little more lady like, but shoving it in like I had not eaten in days. I finished my food in record time knowing that since the kiss there was something weird in the air around Chaz and I. When he was finished I walked him to the door giving him a kiss on the cheek, a hug, and shoving him out the door.

"Oh Lyndsey, remember if you need anything I'm right across the yard." He smiled as he looked over at his back door that was lit up by flood lights.

"Thanks I will keep that in mind." I rolled my eyes as I watched him walk across the lawn.

I shut the door locking it behind Chaz, then going to take a shower. I needed to wash away the feeling that I had done something wrong. I was missing something with Chaz, he was a old time friend, and even though I was caught up in the moment there were no sparks. I tried to put it out of my mind as I crawled into bed tonight. No matter how hard I tried my mind just kept reeling back toward everything that had happened today.