Willow Haven

Chapter 5.

I wake before Mercedes does to the smell of bacon wafting through our room. Mercedes snores quietly as I move slowly out of bed. Throwing a cardigan over my tank top and shorts, I slip my bare feet into slippers and make my way out of the room. I follow the smell down the stairs and to the back of the house where a large dining room is. Next to it is a wooden archway that leads to the kitchen.

Noah cooks at the stove, earbuds in and humming along to a song. He's shirtless, showing off a muscular back and some real-pretty abs. His sweatpants hug against his lower waist, exposing a happy trail that leads into the band of his underwear. I swallow, aware that I may actually be drooling.

"Enjoying the show?" Mercedes asks from behind me.

I jump, slamming my arm into the doorway, causing Noah to turn quickly towards us.

He smirks as I rub my elbow intensely.

"Good morning," he says, pressing his earbuds. "Breakfast is almost ready."

"You could have him for breakfast," Mercedes whispers as I lead her into the dining room with a, "Shut up."

We settle at the table as Sylvia comes in, wheeling an old man into the room. Grumpiness is prominent on his face, reminding me of the old man from the movie, "Up". He looks over at us, his eyes the same as his grandson.

"Good morning, girls," Sylvia says as she parks the wheelchair at the head of the table. "This is my husband, Eugene. Eugene, this is Mercedes," to which Mercedes responds with a small wave. "And this is Aveline Monroe."

Eugene stares bug-eyed at me and says, "Milton's girl?"

Sylvia whispers something to him as Noah enters the room, a gray teeshirt covering his once-naked upper body. He serves from a platter filled with plates of eggs, bacon, and toast. Eugene continues to stare at me.

Noah notices. "Gramps, if you stare hard enough, she might turn to stone."

Sylvia and Mercedes laugh, but my nerves are too strong to produce even a smile.

Eugene clears his throat. "He wasn't sure you'd come."

"I didn't want to," I admit as Noah hands me a cup of black coffee. He goes to pour cream but I cover the cup with my hand. "I like it black."

"Like my soul," Mercedes jokes, hitting me lightly with her shoulder. She's trying to lighten the situation, and I smile softly to her as a thank you. She takes coffee and cream from Noah, but his grandparents pass on coffee. Noah places the coffee pot on a cart behind him, pouring himself a glass of orange juice instead.

He sits across from me as Sylvia says, "We're glad you've come home."

"This isn't her home," Mercedes says, and I kick her under the table. "Ouch! I'm just saying, Ava's only here to visit for a bit, get her life back on track. Then she'll return to Seattle where she belongs."

Noah glances at his grandparents as Sylvia looks down at her food, clearly disappointed. Eugene's eyes harden as he watches me. Everyone begins to eat but I can barely touch my food. The weight of Eugene's stare intimidates me.

"I'm sorry, I need a minute," I say quietly as I push back my chair across the wooden floor. Mercedes reaches out for me, but I pull back my arm. "Really, I'll only be a minute or so. Please, eat."

I step outside onto the white deck and sit on the porch swing overlooking the small town. The shops prepare to open as cars fill the streets. Kids walk by on their way to school with their families and friends. A teenager throws a newspaper onto the porch with a thunk. People pass, greeting each other with handshakes and hugs, and I've never seen anything like this before. Maybe in movies.