Almost home

Renee opened the text from Jake, “Hey, I know it is late, but I just wanted to tell you that I found someone who needs to re-home two horses and a goat, but there is a bonus, one of the horses is pregnant. I will send you the information and you can do what you please with it.” Attached was a link to the people's information and pictures of the animals. Renee was in awe and in love, not with Jake but the animals, she wanted them, but would someone consider a hold on them? Renee decided it was best to reach out in the morning today was already long enough and eventful enough. Forgetting about the email from Beth, Renee dumped the remainder whiskey out her glass, washed it and put it away and headed to bed, tomorrow was going to be even longer. Renee tossed and turned, having bad dreams, like every other night, being haunted by her past. Leo haunted her still, in her dreams, hitting her, choking her, and the usual abuse she endured with him, but this time was different. This time he killed her, Renee woke up gasping for air, checking the time, it was 10:30 in the morning, she overslept.


Checking her phone panicking, she had a missed call from the school, a few texts from Jake and a message from her boss, Renee forgot to quit her job. Calling the school to explain the absence of the kids, she arranged a meeting with the principal to do paperwork for the withdrawal. Renee also replied to her boss apologizing for being late and explained as well she had important matters to attend to with the school, and she would be in to talk as soon as she was available, finally looking at the messages from Jake. "I will bring the boxes by later, I have a busy day at the office today, but I will talk to you late?" she sighed in relief, he was not backing out. Renee was already a wreck she did not need anything to go wrong with Jake right now, “please don't back out helping oh god that would suck” she thought to herself. Walking into the kitchen to see the boys with some cereal, watching cartoons on her laptop, “good morning mom, are you okay? "You did not sound like you were not having good dreams” they asked her. She could not tell them what happened, she did not want them to hate their father, yes, he was a horrible human, but he was a good dad at times, and they loved him. “Oh dude. It was bad, I got a job on a farm, and there were animals bigger than me, and their poop was just as big as me, and I fell in it and before I could get cleaned it happened again” Renee laughed hoping they would buy it, LJ did but Nate did not, “But why did you yell for dad? Was he there?” Renee did not know what to say.


Hoping nothing was said more than that in her sleep she simply responded, “he was there which was strange, but he laughed at me and even pushed me in a pile of it. He was being mean, but he was not wrong I could not stop falling which was made a crazy bad dream” Nate was at the age he could tell him mom was lying but he did not ask her more. He laughed and looked to LJ who was slurping the milk from his bowl, “so we are not going to school considering the time, what's the plans mom?” he asked, going back to eating. Renee was excited, remembering the plans with the perishables, and packing and few errands to run, “well, I got a few meetings to attend, then we are going to do something that gives back to the community, and then go to the shelter, and enjoy the evening with snacks and packing.” Renee was excited today, not as nervous as the previous day. “Oh, mom I opened the computer, and your emails were open, and... well you should look for yourself.” Nate said giving the computer to his mom upsetting LJ in the process, “HEY I WAS WA-,” Renee stopped him before a fight could break out, “enough, you will get it back, Nate what are you talking about?” Nate showed her the email from Beth which had shown it was read, but not by her. “Oh, I forgot I sent an email to get a job with someone helping on a farm...” Renee fell silent when she clicked on the email, shocked by the words in it.


“HI RENEE, I AM SO EXCITED TO RECIEVE AN EMAIL FROM YOU! NO NEED FOR AN INTERVIEW, YOUR PASSION CAN BE FELT THROUGH THIS SCREEN. I STILL DONT UNDERSTAND HOW TO WORK THIS, SAD SINCE WE ARE PRACTICALLY THE SAME AGE! I ALSO HAVE KIDS, A BOY AND GIRL, THEY LIVE WITH THEIR FATHER DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR, CAN'T WAIT FOR YOUR BOYS TO MEET THEM! I CAN'T WAIT FOR YOU TO ARRIVE! WHEN YOU DO LET ME KNOW, I WILL BRING BY SOME OF MY FAMOUS COBBLER, AND LET YOU MEET ONE OF MY HORSES, SHE IS A HOOT. ANY WAY, YOU HAVE THE JOB, TRAVEL SAFE AND LET ME KNOW WHEN YOU GET HERE, THIS IS GOING TO BE EXCITING FOR YOU! YOUR NEW FRIEND, BETH” Renee dropped her phone in shock. “You okay mom?” Nate asked, Renee screamed, this could not be happening, “is this a dream?” she asked. When she went to pick up her phone LJ pinched her, “ouch, what was that for man, I will get you back” she laughed. LJ ran around the table yelling, “it's not a dream, you can't catch me” he laughed running to wash his dishes. Renee was happy, she finally started to get what she wanted, what she deserved. Her dreams were coming true, she was going to live her life freely in the countryside.


Renee and the boys went to the school and started the withdraw process to have them transferred once they moved. The kids were not going to miss the school, it was still new to them, they did not have time to make friends. After taking care of that Renee told them they had to go to her job and explained she had forgotten to tell her boss, but they were going to do that and enjoy a good lunch, whatever they wanted, even milkshakes. The kids screamed and raced each other down the sidewalk not too far ahead of their mother when something caught Renee's attention across the street at a flower shop, it was Jake. She could not help but wonder if he was getting her flowers, she watched as he picked out a beautiful bouquet of roses, not her taste but they were a beautiful mix of white and pink, or maybe they were red, it was hard to tell. She turned and kept walking trying to put it in the back of her mind, “y'all wait up” she yelled trying to catch up with these energetic kids. They finally arrived at her job where she was greeted by her boss who was not in a good mood, “where the hell have you be-” he stopped when he seen the boys walk in behind her and heading to their favorite booth by the window, “ what took you so long, are the kids okay? Are you working, please tell me you are, Doris is out sick.” her boss asked. Preparing to break the unwelcomed news, “Look Rob, I have an opportunity to better our lives, we inherited a home, and the kids would love to go so we are moving tomorrow, I am sorry its short notice, I hope Doris feels better.”


She sat down with her kids, menus in hand, “guys while we are here I am going to help a little, but I promise it is not a whole shift.” they agreed and started looking at the menu, of course the boys went to the desserts first, “ real food please, then desserts, anything you like.” Renee laughed, turning their pages back. Rob, Renee's boss, walks over and asked if they were ready, “Rob, we will be here a while, so I will help out for the time, I will bring our order to the back so you don't need to worry, I will even get that tables order on my way back.” Rob let out a sigh of relief, and nodded his head, “ Thank you Renee, Boys,” he turned to the kids, “dessert is free tonight, enjoy it, and make sure you two come by tomorrow before you leave please, I got something I want to give y'all”, they said yes sir and watched Rob walk back to the kitchen. “Mom what do you think Mr. Rob would want to give us? Could it be his secret recipe for his double fudge cheesecake cookies?” LJ asked laughing loudly. Renee shook her head taking their order on a paper napkin, “honestly son, I don't know, he usually is not a gifting type, but he does adore kids, maybe it's a slice of the cake no way he would come off that recipe.” Renee laughed getting up. Renee and the boys spent a couple of hours helping Mr. Rob, while enjoying the best dinner on the menu, ribs, greens, and cornbread with a side of triple cheese mac, and their favorite cookies. They went home, and Renee got to cook while they took a needed nap, she made her favorite soup since there were plenty of vegetables. Not long after she was dropping it off and heading home, it was late by now, still no word from Jake.