"Aunty A. Look what I drew," Kathy said tagging at Aubreyanne's pants together attention. Aubreyanne took the drawing the little girl was handing her and observed it. there were a few stick figures and scribbles with all sorts of bright colors filling the paper. "It's you, me, mama, mommy, and Charlie"
Aubreyanne smiled at it, then at her. "it's beautiful Kathy" She chuckled softly as she handed back the paper.
Kathy beamed at her, "I'm gonna go show Charlie. I'm sure he'll like it too" She smiled running off.
A tall blond woman walked into the room from the direction Kathy had just run, barely dodging bumping into the little girl as she zoomed past. The woman's hair was falling down to her shoulder and she just wore sweatpants and a shirt with a grey cardigan thrown over.
"Where's Kathy off to?" She asked Aubreyanne.
"To show the dog her drawing" Aubreyanne responded, as she took the mug handed.
"Right....anyway. tell me about this guy. Justin is it?"
Aubreyanne rolled her eyes. "Come on Case. I already told you, there's nothing to tell" Aubreyanne said. "We just went out for coffee a few times and dinner yesterday since he's leaving for Lisbon."
Case Miller has been Aubreyanne's closest friend since they met in their business college course. Over the four years they grew closer, and Aubreyanne was even the maid of honor when Case married her wife, Jackie Miller who was an art major at the time they met.
"Ok maybe he's super...charming" Aubreyanne said cracking under the woman's interrogative gaze. "We relate to each other, and we've been out for coffee three of four times this past month but there's nothing more. I don't have time for romance anyway"
"Well if you ask me," Case said shuffling in her seat. "I think you should open your heart to the idea of romance. I mean work won't always be there, but love will,"
Aubreyanne fake gagged. "Oh my god. That was so-ah" She chuckled. "Case. we're not in some sort of romance movie where you encourage me to fall in love. Then I suddenly open my heart and fall in love with him and we grow old together in a two-story house in the suburbs with three kids and a dog"
Case rolled her eyes. "Well it sounds like you've already envisioned it to me," She said. "ok but seriously, cut yourself some slack. I'm not saying throw yourself in his arms, but you only live once so why not enjoy it instead of working the entire time,"
"Yea I'll make time for love or whatever" Aubreyanne sighed. "Anyway, where's Jackie?" She asked looking around.
"Out of town on a girl's trip for the weekend with her friends. I encouraged her to take some time and rest since she deserved it. So I volunteered you to watch Kathy for the weekend"
"And why can't you watch your own kid?" Aubreyanne asked raising an eyebrow.
"Because I need a break too," Case said smugly.
"Mommy, aunty A. look" Kathy exclaimed running into the room, with Charlie treading behind her, the golden retriever looking just as excited. "I added a wife for Aunty A too, because I don't want her to be all alone,"
Case burst out in laughter and failed to hide it as Aubreyanne shot her a glare and took the paper being handed to her. Sure enough beside her, there was another stick figure with long brown hair.
"It's the nice lady we met at the store when we went to the zoo" Kathy answered with a proud smile. "She was the only one I've seen talk with aunty A except mommy and mom.
"Zaria?" Aurbeyanne asked mostly to herself, but received a nod from Kathy who excitedly began repeating the name she had failed to remember.
"Hold up who's Zaria?" Case asked her tone clearly suggesting.
"No. She's just a new employee at work and I happened to bump into her at the store once".Aubreyanne said, but Case was still giving her that look. "I swear. I've barely even seen her all month"
"because you've been busy with Justin?"
"Who's Justin?" Kathy asked.
"He's nobody" Aubreyanne groaned."Case stop throwing names around. I'm not in love with everyone else in my life I can have other friendships too"
Case laughed handing the paper back to Kathy. "Ok ok. I promise no more teasing" She got up and clapped her hands. "how about we go out for ice cream? and take Charlie on a walk"
As if he understood, Charlie got up and wagged his tail enthusiastically making them chuckle.
"I'll get his leash" Kathy called running out of the room, as Case went up to change. Aubreyanne's phone buzzed, and she took it out to see a text from Justin.
Justin: Just landed in Lisbon and got settled in the hotel
She smiled and began texting him back as everyone got ready to go out.
"Aubrey, hold Charlie's leash please" Case said taking it from Kathy and passing it to Aubreyanne as she bent down to tie her daughter's shoes. Aubreyanne mindlessly took it and went back to typing with her other hand.
"Ok, who are you texting?" Case asked leaning over once she was done. Aubreyanne quickly pulled the device from her view making Case smirk. "oh so it's Justin. got it" She nodded.
"it's not" Aubreyanne just cut herself off with a sigh and pocketed her phone. "Let's just get to the park" She mumbled walking ahead with Charlie, who was more than happy to move at a faster pace and Kathy and Case followed in suit.
The park was the same one Aubreyanne run through during her morning jog, but it was way busier in the day with families, teenagers, kids, or just people alone scattering the premises.
"Look Auty A, it's her" Kathy said excitedly pointing somewhere in a crowd. Both the women turned trying to find what Kathy was talking about. "The nice lady. Zar...Zaria"
Sure enough, Aubreyanne located the woman among the crowd. Zaria wore a simple blue sundress that was decorated with small white flowers and a matching blue ribbon holding her hair back from her face. She was walking beside a man who even Aubreyanne had to admit was quite good-looking with his styled brown hair, dark eyes, and sharp jawline. he wore a button-up with the first few undone and some shorts.
"So," Case said dragging it out "That's the new interesting employee. I see why..she's cute" Case hummed teasingly.
"No that's not why-"
"I wonder who that guy is. Maybe a boyfriend? I wouldn't doubt it. let's go say hi" Before Aubreyanne could respond with why that was a terrible decision Case and Kathy had walked away causing Charlie to follow and pull Aubreyanne along.
When she arrived, Case had already introduced herself as Kathy's mom, and Kathy had excitedly asked Zaria if she remembered her and was even more ecstatic when Zaria said yes.
Aubreyanne inwardly groaned asking herself how she ended up here, Her gaze immediately landed on the man beside Zaria, analyzing him up close when he spoke. "Zar. Who are these?"
"Oh right. Zach this is Kathy, her mom Case, and...my boss Aubreyanne Kaine" Zaria said pointing to each of them respectively. "This is my brother Zach. he's in town for the weekend"
"older brother" Zach smiled, trying his best to avoid and ignore Aubreyanne's intimidating eyes.
Zaria rolled her eyes. "by like one minute" She mumbled. "We're twins"
"Ah, your twin brother..." Case said with a nod. "Nice to meet you both. I'm sorry for interrupting, Kathy just wanted to say hello. I'm surprised she remembered you"
"Me too" Zaria smiled. "I hope to see you all again" She waved at all of them, and her gaze lingered on Aubreyanne a little longer as she and Zach continued walking in the other direction.
"Ok miss death glare. he's just her brother" Case chuckled nudging Aubreyanne's side.
"I was just being cautious. he's still a stranger after all..nothing more" She said before taking Kathy's hand. "The same way Zaria is nothing more than an employee"
CZYTASZ
Pieces Of Love
Romans~ "Love is like a puzzle; it's at first confusing, then frustrating, but if you figure it out, it's a beautiful thing." ~ Moving to a new town to start over after a heartbreaking breakup with her longtime partner. Zaria Regan takes a job w...
