Fix-Her Upper

Old Rooms

After Finn and I exchanged numbers, he left me to my cleaning and organizing while he connected the fans to the generator. I thanked him profusely once we got a cross-breeze going and offered to buy him dinner in thanks, but apparently, he had his niece's kindergarten graduation party to get to, and my heart melted into a puddle. He told me he'd take a rain check and reminded me I was going to owe him a favor in the future, so to be prepared when he cashed it in.

I refused to stay in Sadie's room now that I knew a rat festival was taking place right above there and before Finn left for the evening, he said he'd send over his exterminator's info.

I decided to stay the night in my old room on the familiar rock-hard mattress and I sent a picture to Mark of me laying on the same bed he got me pregnant in right before I fell asleep.

I'm surprised when he calls at eight the next morning.

"How you doing Bams?" He asks me as I stretch, feeling my spine ache from the shit mattress.

"You must think I'm not doing well if you're calling me," I mumble, clearly sounding like I was just woken up.

"You don't have a pool, pilates or Pressed Juicery at your disposal. I am making sure you are still surviving."

"I'm laying in a pool of sweat if that counts?" I joke back.

"Yeah, well you're also in that house with all those memories...just making sure you're doing alright," he says softly and I do know he cares. We might be divorcing, but he still very much cares.

"Well it helps that my grandma isn't here barking at me," I tell him as I curl into a ball, pulling the quilt up to cover me. "Magnolia hasn't changed at all though. Nothing in this house has either. Why don't I remember it being so old and run down?"

"Cuz at nineteen, you didn't give a shit. You basically stayed in your room or were at the store."

"Or was sneaking into your house," I tell him remembering all the ways we'd sneak me in. "On your way to training?"

"I'm already here with Mario for workouts. I was taking a break and saw your picture."

"Sorry if it upset you. I just...you're the only one who knows how it feels to be back here."

"Nah, it's good to remember," he says warmly. "Is Pete's treehouse still back there?" I crane my neck to see out the bay window. I can't see it from my angle so I push the covers away with my feet and saunter over to check.

"Yep. Still there. They added another level and a telescope to it," I tell him as I peer out the window and I hear him groan jealously. "Your mama's garden is still thriving back there too."

"She'll be glad to hear that. But seriously Alabama, how are you doing? I'm pretty sure this is the longest you've been left alone. You haven't posted on Instagram in days, I was starting to worry," he asks with a light laugh and I drop onto the cushions that line the window. I curl my knees into my chest and drop my forehead against the pane of glass.

"I'm...I dunno. This house needs so much more work than I thought. I have to get it rewired and I am running fans off a generator. I had to pay a kid to check out the house with me and it turns out there is a rat infestation in the attic," I tell him and I'm sure I am painting Mark a lovely picture.

"You don't have to be there ya know. You can just sell the house as-is and move anywhere you want."

"I know, but that's taking the easy way out. The whole reason I am here is to prove to myself that I can be more than a trophy wife. So far I have needed help with everything and it's...I mean one guy joked that he had no idea if I knew how much stuff actually costs."