Just The Right Time
Note: This is a slow burn ; I hope yawl like it, let me know, I like constructive criticism
Summary: Steve moves into a home he had dreamed of living in with his love. This is his guilty pleasure, holding onto what never was. His mysterious neighbor, a hermit in every way, may just be the remedy to his time cursed heartache. Too bad she refuses to close the distance between them. Even though she clings to the distance she has created, the universe still allows them to come together at just the right time.
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A year after Great Aunt Eleanor’s death and Shye still couldn’t bring herself to sort through the boxes of memories. She glared at them as if they would suddenly produce the answers she craved as she walked to her bathroom, still unable to use the master bedroom. While handling her business and cleaning up she wondered if this grief would ever end, for she felt ever alone, as was typical of her life these days. Feeling hopeless, she flung herself on her bed to stare at the ceiling of her childhood bedroom letting herself drown in the tears that have barely ceased in the 372 days since she got the phone call that she both expected and hoped never would come. And of course, now that she had started on this path the memories were starting to flood in…
Aunt Nor was her best friend, her confidante, her mentor, and so much more than words could describe. Being the middle child of 5 children she was often overlooked, especially since she was the bland one, getting her name from her quiet and shy nature. But Aunt Nor saw her as special, always going on that she was the reason she never got around to having kids herself. Which used to confuse Shye because she was born way after Aunt Nor would’ve went through menopause. It wasn’t until Aunt Nor cut Shye out of her life, to prevent her from seeing the worst of her disease, that she understood what she had meant all these years. “Brain cancer has a way of tearing up the good memories my sweet”, she had said, “I don’t want you to forget all the happy memories we’ve made.” It was the day they got a definitive diagnosis, it was also the last day she saw Aunt Nor alive. After Nor had instructed Shye on where the boxes went she gave her a long speech about how she was the child she wanted to have with her love, Grant. Her favorite thing to say was, “I really should start calling you Grant Jr., I swear you are just like my heart, granting my heart’s desires.” And she was right, Shye would do anything, did do anything for her. She came to live with her after high school, continuing to take on more responsibilities of the house as Aunt Nor started having more and more health issues. God, Shye missed that woman’s laugh, it was light and airy, exactly the same as her energy. She missed that light, Aunt Nora had a way of brightening any and everything, but now all she had was darkness.
At 23 years old, she was officially a hermit, having not stepped out of her house since the funeral. Her daily self pity was interrupted by the sound of a truck being unloaded. She forgot she was getting a new neighbor, thankfully running into them, would not be a problem. Turning on her automatic blackout shades, she turned on her “Time Travel” playlist and turned over, pulling the covers over her head to sob into her pillow and hopefully let sleep take over again.
Steve looked up at his new home, only able to picture the previous house that stood here over 80 years ago.
Steve had agreed to go on this double date with Buck because he couldn’t get him off his back. Buck was trying to make up for how terrible the last double date went so Steve couldn’t be too mad.
Thankfully this time it was Ellie, his second best friend, so the whole evening was more pleasurable than what he had originally hoped for when Buck pitched the idea. They stayed well behind Buck and his date, talking like they usually did, but this time he wasn’t as successful at not thinking about his sweet Ellie as more than the faithful friend she’d always been. He didn’t know what she used to make her chocolate skin so smooth and smell so good, but he’d sure like to find out. Realizing she’d stopped he turned to see her staring at a quaint little Brownstone.
“If we lived in another time that was more acceptin’ of mixin races, would you court me?”
Steve felt as if he had been sucker punched. He could only stare, stuck on wondering why his sweet Ellie would ever want to be with someone like him.
“Well you don’t have to answer I was just wondering,” Ellie rushed out as she angrily started to walk off, only getting an arms length away before Steve grabbed her hand.
Pulling her to his side, Steve spoke next to her ear, “Now you know I have a mean sweet tooth and if it wouldn’t get you in trouble I sure would overindulge myself on you my sweet…” Hesitantly he kissed her cheek, leaning back to gage her response continuing only when he was sure she was okay with this, “and I’m sorry it took me so long to answer, I was just surprised that a dame like you would want little ol’ me,” kissing right behind it as he enclosed her in one her favorite snuggle hugs.
Hugging him back and listening to his steady heartbeat, “well why wouldn’t I? Who else would I be able to convince to grant me my every wish like you? Who else would I find that I could get to promise me we are going to buy this house with me when he comes back from following his best friend off to war?”
With her wrapped around him, radiating her love, he couldn’t think of anyone other than him that would do whatever it took to make her as happy as he tried to. “I don’t know, but I don’t suggest you go searching for anyone else, I’ll do what it takes to make it back and fulfill that promise.”
“Don’t you dare let me down Grant, I’d hate to see you not live up to your name,” Ellie smiled at him, those big brown eyes showing all the love she hoped to one day completely share with him.
If he didn’t know any better, he could’ve sworn he just saw her peek out the new and improved windows that belonged to his neighbor. That was nearly impossible, too much time had passed and those eyes looked as if they hadn’t aged in the last 80 years.
Brushing off the familiarity, “let’s get this show on the road guys.”
