The door flies open, and I look over to see Sofia running in with her Rubber boots. “Momma, Grandpa Casey bought me a tractor, and it’s pink,” she says, wiping her hair from her face. I look down at her and then look up again to see Casey coming in with papers in his hand.
"Did you actually buy her a pink tractor?" I ask even though I know he probably did.
"She said please," he counters, and I look at Reed, who just shakes his head. "I’m here for two things," Casey says. “One to ask if Sofia can come with us fishing tomorrow?" I look at Sofia, who jumps up and down.
"Can I?" she asks over and over as she jumps. The smile on her face is so big I couldn’t say no if I wanted to.
"What is number two?" Reed asks.
"Here is the deed to the house,” he says, holding up the papers. “Officially yours."
"What’s officially yours?" I ask, confused. “What house?" I look at Reed, who knows exactly what his father is talking about but avoids my eyes.
"This house," Casey says of the white house we’ve been living in. We agreed to renovate Pops’ house, but when the inspector came in, he found a crack in the foundation and termite damage. The only way to fix it was to demolish it. I spent the day cleaning out his room with Reed by my side. He made me see that Pops didn’t care about the house. He cared that I was here.
"Why?" I ask, looking back at Reed, who still pretends he’s inspecting the ceiling all of a sudden. “Why would you give us the deed to the house?”
"It’s on his work contract," Casey says, pointing at Reed. “Quinn got it when he took over his part of the farm, and now that Reed is taking over my part of the farm, he gets the house."
"What job gives you a house?" I shake my head.
"You can either take it now or take it when I die," Casey says, and I have to roll my eyes. What is it with everyone and dying?
"I don’t want you to die," Sofia says, walking to Casey. “Can you not die?"
He picks her up. “I’m not going anywhere." He kisses her neck. “Now, do you want to go and see Grandma Olivia? I heard she bought someone some nail polish."
She squeals now. “Momma, I’m going now." She squirms out of Casey’s arms and runs over to me, hugging me, and then runs to Reed. “Dad, I’m going to glamify."
"Glamify,” I repeat and look over at Casey.
"She did not learn that from me,” he says and holds her hand while he walks out. The door slams, and I turn to glare at Reed.
"I think you forgot to mention that you got a house with your job." I fold my arms over my chest, and he smirks at me.
"Must have slipped my mind." He walks over to me and takes my hand, leading us to the bedroom.
"What are you doing?" I ask as he walks past the bed and to the bathroom.
"I need to take a shower," he says, letting go of my hand and walking over to the shower to turn the water on. “And I need you to wash my back."
He pulls off his shirt and reaches for my shirt, pulling it over my head. His mouth goes to my nipple. I hiss when he sucks it, and he looks at me. “I think I’m getting my period,” I say. “They are really sensitive." I blink now and look at him as I think back to when I had my period last. "Oh, no,” I say, turning and running out of the room. "Did I have it when I got here?" I ask myself, and then I think I had it for sure when I got here because we had to leave the house and then rush out to get them. "Phew." I think, turning on my phone.
"Can I know what is going on?" I hear Reed from behind me.
"My period," I start to say, looking at the dates. “When was the last time I got it?"
"Well, we’ve been here a month, and there are no feminine products," he tells me. “Unless you keep them hidden."
I look at him. “Why would I hide them?" I ask, annoyed. “It’s been seven weeks." I put my hand to my stomach and sit down, the tears starting to come now. “I wasn’t even paying attention between moving here and opening the store." Which is the best thing I could have ever done. Every single day we sell out, the place is jam-packed, and we have even had some interest in doing a paint night once a week. “And all of this."
"What are you saying right now?" he says, his own face almost falling. “Are you saying you could …"