Page 106 of Possibly Texas

Though Starbuck would have understood if I hadn’t shown up for work on such a day—especially since my job wasn’t integral to the operation of his business—I clambered out of bed and made my way to the shower.

As I was stepping out onto the bath mat and reaching for my towel, the house vibrated with the arrival of thunder. Overhead, the bathroom light flickered as the sound of the thunder shook the house, then shone brightly once the thunder ceased. I wrapped the towel around me, as though scandalized, covering myself as I watched the light overhead, waiting to see if we would lose power.

Rain pounding against the windows and side of the house was what I had expected to hear after that first belch of thunder, but the world grew quiet once again. With the towel clasped tightly around my waist, I tiptoed across the third-floor hall to look out of the window into the backyard. Jack was nowhere in sight, but his table project in the backyard was encased in the blue tarps, which were strapped down securely with bungee cords.

Apparently, he had woken with the same thoughts. Something was coming; it was going to be bad. Today was not going to be a day where woodworking in the backyard would be possible.

After drying off in my room, fixing my hair, and dressing for work, I jogged downstairs to find that Jack was at the kitchen table, eating breakfast. He looked up when I arrived and signed that he had made breakfast for us. Even with the nervous energy zig-zagging throughout my body, that brought a smile to my face. Having Jack acknowledge me—and be pleasant—was a relief.

Following my encounter with Auggie the previous day, every little kindness felt like a stitch to the wound in my heart.

“What did you make?” I asked.

Jack signed that he’d made bacon, eggs, and toast.

“Yum,” I said. “I think I’ll slap some eggs and bacon between some toast. I’ll eat on my way to Starbuck’s.”

Jack nodded along slowly.

“I want to beat the rain.”

He started to sign, then seemed to realize that maybe it was too advanced, and produced his notepad from his breast pocket. I waited until he had finished writing his block letters, then read what he had to say over his shoulder.

Do you think you should go to work today? Starbuck will do fine without you.

“Yeah,” I said. “I thought of that. But I think it’ll be okay. It’s just a storm. Right?”

Jack gave me a crooked grin and shrugged.

It wasn’t as if Jack and I had known each other long. I’d only been living with him for a few months—and I could barely remember him from my early years—but he seemed nervous. The storm was unsettling to him as well. That didn’t ease my worry.

“It’ll be fine.”

He gave me a firm nod, but the serious look in his eyes let me know that he was concerned.

“I’ll hurry to Starbuck’s. I swear.”

Jack signed.

It’s cold outside.

“It…cold?” I frowned; certain I had misunderstood.

He nodded slowly, giving me a look that let me know he knew that was ridiculous, too.

“Like…cold…or unseasonably cold?”

Jack thought on that then lifted his hand and tilted it back and forth while tilting his head back and forth.

“Gotcha. You guys probably don’t get many cool days here in August, huh? Seems like the end of times?”

I smiled and Jack grinned widely, his mouth opening as though he was laughing, though no sound came out. Through his fit of laughter—or his version of it—he jotted another note quickly on the notepad and held it up to me.

Up to you. Be careful.

“I will. Promise.”

Jack went back to his breakfast as I scooped eggs onto a slice of toast and topped them with bacon, though he watched me out of the corner of his eye. Typically, such a thing would annoy me, being watched over without need, but, for some reason, having Jack showing care for me again helped melt away some of my anxiety over the impending storm. I’d do my best to make sure he didn’t have a reason to stop caring about me again. Or, at least, acting as though he didn’t care.