Porch Swing Angel

Chapter 7

It was much like the days before. We woke up so bright and early that my head pounded from drinks the night before.

After putting on my brown boot-cut pants, beige cropped button-down, my beginning-to-be worn-down boots, and my hat, the day went about as usual.

Dylan made his usual embarrassing jokes at breakfast about my frizzy hair and tired eyes. I helped Kate with all her tables. The cabins all had unique surprises that guests had left behind, one included a handle of Fireball, while the one across from it left me with two clogged toilets.

But one thing that seemed off was Gabby. As we walked toward the cleaning shed, just across from the Lodge, she caught my arm and snuck me to the other side of the structure, out of earshot.

"Two things," she whispered. "Dylan and I had sex."

My eyes widened as we both giggled.

"Well shiiiiit," I said in a surprisingly Dylan way. "How was it?"

"Amazing, but I'll tell you more later," she said. "The other is...well, Kate told me she thinks you're stealing from the bar tips at night."

"Huh?" I looked at her dumbfounded.

"Yeah, she said she wants to tell Jon," she replied.

"Why the fuck would she think that?"

"No idea," she said. "Just wanted you to watch your back."

'No seriously, what the fuck is her problem?'

-

I was paired with Hannah to train her how to clean the cabins. Ever since my first few days, Jon asked me to train newbies and also check the other cleaner's cabins before our breaks. This did not make Kate happy, who had been here two weeks longer than me.

In between Hannah and I jumping around to the song playing through my phone's speaker, I showed her the tips for cleaning the cabins fast.

"So," she started as she rounded the corner between the bathroom and bedroom areas. "How long have you and Clark been a thing?"

In the few short hours, we spent together, I knew Hannah and I would get along. While I spoke every thought that popped into my head, her more reserved and thoughtful nature struck a balance between us. Our silly dancing and stupid jokes also helped.

"How'd you know about that?" I asked.

"Oh come on," she said. "Sometimes I'm dumb, but I'm not blind."

I looked at her with a confused face.

"Just the way you both look at each other," she said. "Plus Gabby mentioned it to me."

I rolled my eyes as she giggled.

"Hey," she said. "Those blue eyes...I can't blame you."

After she exited the room to continue cleaning, I stood there for a minute thinking about those damn blue eyes. For a second, I thought I was going to be sick. Not the good kind of butterfly sickness. I quickly ran out of the wooden framed door, to the cabin's porch in front of the rocky creek.

'You ended things with Bruce. You don't have to feel bad.' I said to myself in comfort.

'You broke someone's heart and don't even care. Everything you've known changed in a week. Who even are you anymore?' I heard from what seemed like the other side of my brain.

I closed my eyes, focusing on the creek's babbling sounds. Just as I released my third deep breath, my eyes were jolted by the sound of a slamming screen door.