How It All Began

I needed to stop mopping. It was nearing a week since I walked out on Mitch and I think I ate my weight in ice cream and Karen's couch might have formed around me for all I moved.

It was stupid, beyond stupid really. I'd long since realized I'd been more in love with the idea of an ideal romance than anything else. My mourning and mopping had more to do with the loss of that dream than the loss of Mitch. Mitch could go enjoy himself with his easy women and I sincerely hoped he caught some horrible disease that rendered him impotent.

Shaking myself lose of my pointless mourning, I decided to do something to pay Karen back for letting me couch surf. I dug around in Karen's drawers for some clothes. Walking out with nothing had been the stupidest thing I'd done. Thankfully Karen and I were close enough in size. Her hips were a little bigger which meant the tiny pair of torn up jean shorts I slipped on rested low on my hips. I carried a bit more on top than Karen though so the pink tank fit me like a second skin. Normally, I'd never dress like this but for what I was about to do, it worked out fine.

I entered the garage through the door in the kitchen and hit the switch to activate the main door before grabbing the mower. Karen hated lawn maintence but I found it rather relaxing. Putting on the playlist I'd made ages ago on my phone, I slipped one earbud in and drapped the other over my shoulder. Years of needing to be able to hear if my demented stepmother was coming were too ingrained, so I always made sure I could hear what was happening around me.

I lost myself in the repetitive nature of my task, stopping only briefly to pull my hair up and clip it when the sweat dripped down my neck. A few tendrils escaped and tickled as I mowed. The sun shone down out of a clear sky and I worried that I should have put on sunscreen, but Karen was always saying I needed a tan. Once the lawn was mowed and edged, I kept my groove going and decided to tackle what passed for landscaping in a small plot near the door. Pulling the obvious weeds, I investigated the remaining plants in an attempt to determine if they should stay. Discovering a few plants under layers of old mulch that looked like the kind that flowered sent ripples of delight through me. Karen would love if I could get some actual flowers going in this little plot.

The rumble of a car engine made me pause and glance toward the street. Two cars amde their way down the street, slowing as they neared Karen's place.

I stood as they came to a stop, wiping some of the sweat from my forehead and squinting to block out the overly bright sun.

"Sang Baby! Go put some fucking clothes on!"

I knew that growl.

"I'm wearing clothes North." hand on my hip, I smirked at him.

"Those tiny rags cannot be called clothes." He snarled as he threw his ever present leather jacket around my shoulders. "Out here, parading around practically nude for the whole fucking world to see." North mumbled as he waved at, well, the whole world. I followed his motion, jaw droping when it took in the site before me.

Standing there was all of the guys I trained. How did they all know each other? Wait, how did they know where I was staying? And what the heck were they doing here? That one I asked.

They moved to the side, revealing a couple boxes, and the suitcases I bought thinking I'd be planning a honeymoon. My cheeks heated, thinking of them packing up my intimates and OH GOD! I prayed they hadn't packed those stupid undergarments I'd been talked into by the saleslady at the bridal store.

Too stunned to speak, I moved slowly as they told me the most outrageous tale. It was all there. Everything I'd left behind at Mitch's. They'd gone and fetched all of it. But what was in the last box?

I opened it to find the oddest assortment of junk. Glancing p at them with a furrowed brow, I asked "What's all this?"

Luke, the michevious troublemaker, stepped forward. Tears streamed down my face as he prceeded to explain how he'd wanted to frustrate the piss out of Mitch. I couldn't help it. They were so damn sweet to do this. A door opened, then closed but I just sat there, a pile of sobbing woman on the lawn, clutching a black boot.

A throat cleared and Silas' deep voice rumbled, "So, Chipotle?"

I laughed with the boys and stood, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear and trying to compose myself. A flash of red caught my eye.

"Sure, Let's get this all inside and I'll change." I headed into the house, knowing the guys would never let me carry anything. Just as I thought, Karen waited on the other side of the door.

"That's them, right? I knew it! I knew when I intercepted that email it was the right thing to do!" She grabbed my hand, practically bouncing in her entusiam.

"Whatever you did, thank you." I pulled her into a hug. She interferred somehow, it was a bad habit with her, but I didn't mind. The outcome was better than I could have imagined.

"You deserve happiness." She whispered in my ear. "And those men, make you sparkle like nothing else I've ever seen. Go, eat, drink, be happy. And remember, I want ALL the details."