Best Laid Plans

Chapter 6: June, 1985

~Jake POV~

Georgia had been home from treatment for months. She had gotten a job at the grocery in the office and was once again making strides in social circles. She seemed to have found a better footing. We were doing better. The shop was amazing. My days were full, even during the long, touristy days of summer since I had convinced Henry to expand the display space to include albums, memorabilia, and trinkets of all kinds. No longer were we just an instrument rental and repair shop. Our old summer lull was a thing of the past.

It was not lost on me when Jenni and Mel Fischer bounded into the shop that their eldest sister was not with them. I was busy with a customer, but could hear Henry just beaming at the pair about the renovation and questions about their family. I honed in when they said that Mandy had graduated and was already in Des Moines working for Franklin. I noticed that Jen had waved at me and I smiled back when Henry asked if the recent graduate was going to make it home anytime soon. The answer was lost to distance when I refocused on the task at hand. It was enough to know that she was doing very well as was evidenced by her sisters. She was on her way. I was filled with a happiness that I wish I could have shared with her.

The summer was filled with work, friends, family and a new gig - I had taken up the summer league for kids soccer. It gave me an excuse to run around on my Saturday mornings with a game Saturday and Tuesday nights. Me being out with the kids let Georgia have time to be with friends and have the time she needed without me. I encouraged her to take distance learning classes from the community college when she expressed an interest. It was like seeing her have a reset of sorts.

Autumn brought a busyness of school schedules, and the fall color show. Georgia and I took a drive to the UP and spent a long weekend lost on hot chocolate and pumpkins. The holidays were ratcheting it up with concerts and kids and lessons. To have money in our savings account was a rarity, but we were becoming comfortable.

The holidays were crazy. I had brought in stereo equipment for sale, mostly cabinet style setups that were popular for Christmas, as well as a new medium called compact discs. Of course, CD players were pricey, but our orders could not come in fast enough. The first day back after the holidays, Henry and I were already busy with the next wave of plans - one where I would be assuming full control of Martin's Music. It was towards the end of the busy shopping day, and I was getting ready to close the doors when the chime buzzed in the air. Henry had already left for the day - demanded by Mrs. Ada who needed her man home to run interference between family members. I came out from the office to find Amanda standing with her eyes all lit with emotions that I could not identify. When those sparkly green glass eyes met mine, I could see the connection she was making with our past. Our moments.

"Hey," I said, my breath catching in my throat.

She was stunning, standing there as she took in how we had changed and grown the shop. Her hair was short against her neck, and her body was wrapped in an expensive lined trench.

"This is amazing," she gasped as she was just taking it all in. "You've made it everything that you thought you could, Jake."

For a moment, it was like the years of distance had fallen away. I was not married and she was still mine. I felt the tendrils of her gravity mingle with mine as I moved closer. I could smell her change in perfume, but it was perfect against her skin. When she touched my shoulder, it was like an electric current between us.

"Hey, babe," a masculine voice called as the buzz of the door cut through us.

Our moment was ruptured, dropping me instantly back to reality. I watched as a man moved in where I used to reside, his hand wrapping around her waist to mark her as his own. Mandy smiled at the dark haired man, patting his chest with a wide grin.