Misfortunate Molly: Would Heartbreak, Break You?

Chapter 47 Doorways

Sherrie looks at all of us. Her eyebrows squinch together when she sees Jack standing with us, laughing.

"What's so funny?" she questions, but I know the question she really wants to ask.

I decide to answer the actual question. "Sherrie this is Jack. He lives on the other side of the trail." She will know what I am talking about.

"Hello, Jack," she greets as she joins us. "How are you today?"

"I'm well. And yourself?" He asks as she bends down to pet the puppy.

"Doing well," is all Jack says. Me, Dre, and Jack are finally done laughing at me.

"And who is this?" Sherrie asks about the tan and brown puppy now trying to lick her face.

"This is Gidget."

"She is beautiful. Happy, hyper thing." Sherrie quickly describes her while the pup paws at her.

"Yeah. She's my baby. She's spoiled." Sherrie stands up as he finishes his sentence.

"Hey, um, we are having a BBQ tonight. You are welcome to stay or come back. I mean if you aren't doing anything." I offer him to join us.

"No, I'm off today. I think that would be great. Thank you for offering. I don't know many people around here." Jack accepts.

"No? Where are you from?" Dre asks.

"I'm from Penn Yan," Jack continues, "I just moved here. I accepted a job offer. So..." He looks a little unsure for some reason.

"Oh. That's nice. Welcome to the neighborhood," Sherrie says. "So, what do you do?"

"My title is a Recreational Therapist," Jack explains. "Helping people is my passion."

"I love that," Sherrie says. "Well, I'm going to read for a bit before dinner." She dismisses herself from the conversation. I knew she would. She needs to prepare herself for tonight.

"What exactly does a Recreational Therapist do?"

"I use activities to help people who are struggling with depression, anxiety, low self-esteem and such, gain confidence and self-awareness. Help people with self-love and accepting themselves. It can be tough sometimes but I love what I do." Me and Dre nod as he explains.

"Very nice." Me and Dre say in unison. "Jinx, you owe me a coke!" We both laugh and point at each other. "Double jinx!" We are on it!

"I'm going inside to wait for Taze. She should be here soon." Dre leaves us there and we watch him until the door closes behind him.

"So. How have you been?" Jack asks me.

"Please don't counsel me," I ask with annoyance in my voice. I sit back down and start picking through my fruit.

"I'm not. I'm just asking how you are." He gives me a shy smile.

I look up at him with reservation, "I'm dealing. I'm breathing so I guess I'm okay."

"That's good. If you need," I cut him off by waving my hand at him.

"If I need someone to talk to. Yeah, yeah." I finish his sentence.

"I was going to say, if you need to invade someone's backyard, mine is always available. Hopefully you don't scare my wife though." His eyes get big and he giggles at the thought.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know you had a wife. She can come to the BBQ also." I feel very nervous right now.

"It's okay. How would you know? And I'm sure she would love that. I told her about you flying over our fence." He giggles again. "She was so worried." I try not to laugh at myself again.