then he got a sighting of the girl she once was, so all was not lost. Each time he saw Julia, he discovered something new about her and the life she was now living and he didn’t like everything he uncovered. She was a complex knot he was trying to untangle and he was determined to solve the Rubik’s Cube that was her life.
“Hey, stop stalling. I’m withering away here, starving to death. You ready?” Julia said as she bounded down the steps with her long blonde hair swept up in a high ponytail that swung from side to side behind her.
She wore faded jeans that fit her tall, curvy body like a glove and a God-awful lime green t-shirt that read, “I have absolutely no intention of behaving myself today!” There she was, his Julia coming out to play for the day. She was adorable. She had her own style and her own way of telling the world to go fuck itself. He couldn’t stop laughing. She just made his day. He didn’t know where she found that shirt, but it was the ugliest and funniest thing he ever saw.
He shook his head, grabbed her hand and pulled her in for a quick kiss.
“Come on, beautiful, let’s get you fed and watered before you start misbehaving and running amuck since that appears to be your intention.”
“Stop laughing. This shirt’s a classic. It’s both fashionable and makes a statement. In time you’ll come to appreciate my fashion choices.”
Chuckling, he said, “Baby, I plan to hang out a lot more with you and I very much approve of your fashion choices. I can’t wait to see the whole damn wardrobe.”
Ethan and Julia walked hand in hand to his truck. The sun decided to show itself, pushing the rain clouds right out of the sky. It was going to be a beautiful day after all, perfect for what he planned. Last night, on his drive home, he decided he wouldn’t let Julia spend the day by herself worrying about Lilly. He knew how to get her mind off of her trouble.
“So where are you taking me in this monster?”
“It’s a surprise. You have to promise me you’re going to keep an open mind and try to see beyond what’s directly in front of you. You’ll have to use your imagination a bit.”
“Huh? Oh no, no way, Eth. If your grand plan is to take me to that heap you call a home, you can turn this truck around and take me back. There is no way I’m going inside. I’m too young to die and I have responsibilities. If it collapses on top of me, who’s going to take care of Lilly?”
“First, don’t call my castle a heap. You haven’t even seen it yet and I have a surprise for you. You’ll be the first person I’ve shown it to. Second, if you want to eat, you’ll change that attitude. Trust me, you’re in for a treat.”
“Fine, but I’m blaming you if anything happens to me. I’m only giving in because I’m starving and I can’t make rational decisions when I’m hungry or when I’m caffeine deprived. You know that.”
He reached for her hand and brought it up to his lips. “Trust me, beautiful. I promise to take good care of you.” Their eyes met for a heartbeat before he turned back to the road.
Ethan couldn’t wait to show Julia the glassed-in gazebo he uncovered over the last week. He started working on the property surrounding the house when the weather was good and there, in the middle of the mess that was his backyard, he discovered his very own secret garden. Actually, it was less of a garden and more of a jungle. There was so much property surrounding the farmhouse. He had no idea what he was going to do with all that land, but the possibilities seemed endless.
Over the last week he unearthed a heavy iron gate that was part of an iron and stone fencing system that surrounded the farmhouse. From what he could tell, it sectioned off a large plot of land that formed a substantial garden. No matter what he did, he couldn’t seem to shove the gate open. The jungle had taken over and wouldn’t release its hold on it, no matter how hard he tried. He gave up and
“Hey, stop stalling. I’m withering away here, starving to death. You ready?” Julia said as she bounded down the steps with her long blonde hair swept up in a high ponytail that swung from side to side behind her.
She wore faded jeans that fit her tall, curvy body like a glove and a God-awful lime green t-shirt that read, “I have absolutely no intention of behaving myself today!” There she was, his Julia coming out to play for the day. She was adorable. She had her own style and her own way of telling the world to go fuck itself. He couldn’t stop laughing. She just made his day. He didn’t know where she found that shirt, but it was the ugliest and funniest thing he ever saw.
He shook his head, grabbed her hand and pulled her in for a quick kiss.
“Come on, beautiful, let’s get you fed and watered before you start misbehaving and running amuck since that appears to be your intention.”
“Stop laughing. This shirt’s a classic. It’s both fashionable and makes a statement. In time you’ll come to appreciate my fashion choices.”
Chuckling, he said, “Baby, I plan to hang out a lot more with you and I very much approve of your fashion choices. I can’t wait to see the whole damn wardrobe.”
Ethan and Julia walked hand in hand to his truck. The sun decided to show itself, pushing the rain clouds right out of the sky. It was going to be a beautiful day after all, perfect for what he planned. Last night, on his drive home, he decided he wouldn’t let Julia spend the day by herself worrying about Lilly. He knew how to get her mind off of her trouble.
“So where are you taking me in this monster?”
“It’s a surprise. You have to promise me you’re going to keep an open mind and try to see beyond what’s directly in front of you. You’ll have to use your imagination a bit.”
“Huh? Oh no, no way, Eth. If your grand plan is to take me to that heap you call a home, you can turn this truck around and take me back. There is no way I’m going inside. I’m too young to die and I have responsibilities. If it collapses on top of me, who’s going to take care of Lilly?”
“First, don’t call my castle a heap. You haven’t even seen it yet and I have a surprise for you. You’ll be the first person I’ve shown it to. Second, if you want to eat, you’ll change that attitude. Trust me, you’re in for a treat.”
“Fine, but I’m blaming you if anything happens to me. I’m only giving in because I’m starving and I can’t make rational decisions when I’m hungry or when I’m caffeine deprived. You know that.”
He reached for her hand and brought it up to his lips. “Trust me, beautiful. I promise to take good care of you.” Their eyes met for a heartbeat before he turned back to the road.
Ethan couldn’t wait to show Julia the glassed-in gazebo he uncovered over the last week. He started working on the property surrounding the house when the weather was good and there, in the middle of the mess that was his backyard, he discovered his very own secret garden. Actually, it was less of a garden and more of a jungle. There was so much property surrounding the farmhouse. He had no idea what he was going to do with all that land, but the possibilities seemed endless.
Over the last week he unearthed a heavy iron gate that was part of an iron and stone fencing system that surrounded the farmhouse. From what he could tell, it sectioned off a large plot of land that formed a substantial garden. No matter what he did, he couldn’t seem to shove the gate open. The jungle had taken over and wouldn’t release its hold on it, no matter how hard he tried. He gave up and
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