The Breakup Expert ✔️

Chapter Twelve

Twelve

Let's eat out on the porch, she said. It'll be fun, she said.

"Mom, you're not supposed to cook the burgers with the flames like that." I liked my meat well-done, but I didn't want it to fall to crumbled pieces in my mouth.

It was Mom's bright idea to have a barbecue, because who needs a man to help with a grill? We did. We were going to have burgers, pork chops, steaks, weiners, and garlic bread. All of it sounded good to our ears, but the look of it did not have the same effect to our stomachs. I wanted to turn around and make a run to the nearest pizza place, but I knew I had to help my mom fix the mess she started. Instead of putting garlic on the pit, I used the oven, and also helped with the weiners to make sure she didn't keep them on the pit for too long. The pit didn't come without difficulties because the smoke was unconveniently hitting me in the face. Red-eyed and coughing up a lung, I backed off the pit, putting the cover on and letting the food cook.

"I'm sorry this was such a disaster." Mom told me, sitting on one of those cheap folding chairs you can buy at Walmart.

I felt bad that she wanted to do something for the two of us and it didn't go her way. It was the thought that counted the most.

"It's okay. So what if the burgers turn out terrible? We still have pork chops and those will be good, I know it. Besides, who cares about the food; we are still having a good time. It's a pretty day out and the classic country Saturday on the radio is awesome. I can't say I didn't miss calm nights like these."

"What? Don't tell me they didn't have porch sitting in California." She said, shocked. She hadn't come see me in California, as my request for time away. I was heartless and cruel to ask for some space, and I'll never make up for that lost time. One day, I hope to travel back to California to show her around the pretty state that was worth so much time visiting. It wasn't as quiet as Louisiana, but I was a nice place.

"I'm sure they did...somewhere. I worked a lot, and I was too overwhelmed to actually enjoy some down time. Even after work, I was too lazy to change out of those expensive dresses, and no way I was going to get my work outfits dirty on the porch of my tiny apartment; my boss would've had my head. But hey, I do admit I liked my demanding job. It kept my mind off of everything, which is what I needed. Every so often on weekends, I'd go out onto the beach and relax in the sunset. It wasn't a front porch, but it was pretty close." I explained.

Mom went to say something, but her voice got cut off by an approaching vehicle. It was Mitch, the sound of his roaring vehicles approaching were something I was getting accustomed to.

"Who's that?" Mom wondered.

"Uhm, uh, a friend." I muttered, walking on the side of the steady moving vehicle.

Mitch jumped out, locking his car before his face settled on mine, eyes covered by dark shades.

I was happy to see him, but worried that his unannounced visit warranted for bad news. Shouldn't he have left when he saw my mother home? The whole point of us handing out alone was to avoid gossip. Maybe he didn't care anymore?

"Mitch." I said, narrowing my eyes in confusion.

"Hey, I was on my way for dinner and I decided to come here first; I think you left this at my house. I found this on my deck this morning and it must have fallen off while we were fishing. I'm actually surprised the wind didn't knock it away."

Pulling his hand from his black jacket, he placed my silver, charm bracelet into the palm of my hand. It was definitely mine, with an adjustible links and charms with the initials of everyone who was close to me: my mom, brother, dad, and friends. It meant a lot to me, and it was nice of Mitch to go out of his way to bring it back to me.