Summer After High School

34

Paige

I'm at the supermarket shopping for materials to use for designing dad's welcome back posters. The doctor said he'll be discharged soon since it has been confirmed that his vital organs are okay.

Crayons check, poster colors, check, card board paper check, tapes check. It's not like I'm good at designing or anything like that. I'm really not, I can't even draw a star properly. Phoebe will do the designing and I'll help in any way I can. I can't wait for dad to return and for things to go back to normal. Even if my love life is whack at the moment, at least my family life isn't.

"What a coincidence, " I hear someone say beside me.

"Who'd have thought we'd ever meet again? " he continues.

I know I should mind my buisness but still I find myself turning to check who he's talking to.

Turns out, he's talking to me and I do recognize him.

"Nice afternoon, Sir. How are you? " I ask.

"I'm fine. How are you feeling now? "
Genuine concern creeps into his narrow green eyes exactly the way it did the first time we met, the time I mistook him from a driver.

"Well, I'll be fine.I really want to thank you for the kindness you showed me that night. It meant alot to me. "

He smiles, "The name's Chucky, Chucky Wilson, " he says stretching his hands towards me.

"I'm Paige, " I say, taking his hands and shaking them.

"It's good to see you smiling Paige," he says, returning the smile.

"Okay dad, I think I'm finally done! " a girl says as she appears with an overflowing shopping basket.

She's tall, almost my height, and her blonde hair is pulled in a ponytail.

"I didn't know you had company, " she says to him, her narrow green eyes widening.

Mr. Wilson smiles, "Paige, this is my daughter, Tammy, the one I told you about that night we first met. Tammy, meet Paige." he says.

"Paige? " she questions, like the name means something to her.

"Umm yeah? " I answer.

She shakes her head and says, "It's nothing. Geez Dad. What did you tell her about me? Nice to meet you Paige, " she says, pulling me in a quick embrace. A move I wasn't expecting.

"Nice to meet you too, " I say hugging her back.

"I don't know what my dad told you but it's probably not true. Dad, I hope it wasn't embarrassing," she says in a tone that almost makes me think she's singing.

Mr. Wilson laughs and explains to her how he met me, how he knew I was heartbroken the moment he saw me, how I mistook him for a driver, how he told me that she had been heart broken too.

"Oh, " she says when he's done. "I'm really sorry."

"Same here, " I say.

"Would you like to join us for lunch, Paige? " Tammy asks, a little smile forming on her face.

"That would be a great idea. You and Tammy can you get to know each other more."

"Uh no. I don't think so. I really need to get back home. "

"Come on, please. My Nanny is preparing special lunch because my dad is never around in the day time. This is the first time he's home at day time! My cousin is also home and I invited a friend too. Please, you don't have to eat if you don't want to, just show up, please. "