Written post Steven Bomb 8.
Kevin is a shameless flirt while Jamie is a hopeless romantic, so when the two meet unexpectedly, the mailman is left star stuck. It's exhilarating, thrilling and the two can't deny that there's something there, even when...
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"You wanted to ask me something, Barbara?" Jamie asked, offering a warm smile that was readily returned by his older coworker upon entering the mail room.
Barbara had been absentmindedly shuffling through a stack of letters when he'd entered. The mailroom was as neatly kept and organized as ever - that would be Jamie's doing. He took quite a bit of pride in making sure every letter was perfectly stacked and no package was misplaced, while Barbara seemed intent on doing the exact opposite, being rather reckless with how she handled things. As she tried to restack the letters she'd been skimming through, she relented and simply placed them back on the desk in a pile, dusting her hands off on her uniform before flashing him a wide grin.
"Heya, kiddo! Thanks for stopping by." Anyone who was more than a few years younger than Barbara was subjected to being called a kid, and Jamie had since grown both used to and fond of it. On top of her friendly and motherly attitude, her endless energy was infectious, and it always left Jamie feeling invigorated before he even started his route.
"So, I've got a small favor to ask." Jamie's eyebrows pricked up in surprise. Barbara was a loud, proud and determined woman. It wasn't often she'd ask for anything, and she frequently refused assistance, assuring everyone she could handle herself, though Jamie made it a point of letting her know that he was always happy to help. So for her to ask anything of the younger mailman was a rarity.
"Sure, of course! What is it?" He asked, shifting his mail bag over his left shoulder. When he lifted his head back to face her, he fumbled with the packages shoved into his arms, blinking at her from over the edge of the box on top.
"You know my route, right? Up in the hills?" Jamie nodded at Barbara's questions best he could, trying to get a better hold on the packages. The heart of Beach City, beneath the rolling hills, was where Jamie's route was, while Barbara would make the journey up into the hills that lead out of their little beachside town to the few houses that overlooked everything else. He knew that's where the Maheswarans and the mayor lived, at the very least.
"Well, I know I usually handle that side of town, but the old knee is acting up again," she said, patting her braced leg for emphasis before continuing.
"Anyways, there's a few houses up there that would just kill these joints if I tried delivering to them today. Especially this one house on the east side. Real big, super long driveway. Can't miss it. And I figured I would stay around here today and hold down the fort, handle walk in deliveries and pickups, you know."
Jamie could see what she was getting at. The brace on her knee could only help the older woman so much, and on certain days it just became too much of a pain. She'd long earned his respect and sympathy for being able to do such a physically demanding job with her injury. He had no problem letting her have an easy day, especially when she never complained and so seldom asked for any help.
"You want me to deliver these?" He asked, his smile barely visible behind the tower of boxes. The slap she delivered to his back made them topple from his arms as he helplessly tried to grab them again, only managing the clutch his hat to his chest as it was knocked off as well. He should have expected that, honestly, and could only hope there was nothing breakable in any of them.
