Beautiful Storms

chapter twenty-two | sadie & jude

"She might be down to earth and rooted in reality by her responsibilities, but her soul is a wild one; always set on finding magic in sunsets and sunrises that others take for granted."

-daniel mercury

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beautiful storms | chapter twenty-two

Jude and Sadie didn't do much exploring of St. Clair when they first moved there but Sadie didn't want to go out then but now she did.  She decides to barge in Jude's room at 5 o'clock in the morning so he could take her to the bookstore across from the Cafe. It was a small family-owned vintage bookstore but they did new books.

She forcibly pulled a sleepy Jude into the bookstore. "I wanted to come when they first opened so I can be the first to get the new releases." Jude sighs as he stares at all of the bookcases around and the smell of old books fills his nose and he rubs it.

"Since it's your birthday today, you get to pick any big girl book you want."

Rachel smiles lovely down at young Sadie who holds her mother's hand as her eyes go wide and she points up at a book on the top shelf and it was a copy of Romeo and Juliet.  She puts the book into Sadie's small hands and she smiles up at her mother, hugging the book which was the size of her head.

"Mom and I did this all the time." She says, reminiscing old memories. Sadie's grip tightens on Jude's hand and he seems to wake up as she drags him more into the bookstore.

"They let you rent out books," Sadie tells him and he nods, helping her grab books from the top shelves and she makes him carry them.

"I think they might have a limit on how many books you can rent out, Sadie," Jude says.

"It's five." Sadie glances at all of the books in his hands.

"I may have gone a little overboard."

Jude glares at her. "A 'little' overboard. There are ten books in my hands." Sadie grabs five books from Jude's hands and places them back in their respective places.

Then Sadie walks Jude to the front of the bookstore to check out the books and an old lady around their grandmother's age but instead of blonde hair, she had a head full of grey.

"Is this all for you today?"

Sadie nods and she sets the book on the counter.

"Renting or buying?"

"Renting."

Sadie sits the books on her bed and she looks down at all of them. She sits down on her bed and she grabs Moby Dick by  Herman Melville and she sits it down on her lap. She grew to love the classics like her mother once did. Her mind wanders as she thinks of her mother again. She didn't want to let go of all of the memories she had with her mom. She wanted to cherish them.

"She once debated about why they had to read the Scarlet letter in school because it promoted anti-feminism and misogyny." Her grandmother walks into Sadie's room and she sits down next to her.

"She also wanted them to stop making them read the book in school."

Jude picks at the baked chicken on his plate and he doesn't want to eat it but his grandmother is forcing him to eat and he picks up a green bean with his fork and he chews it before swallowing. He wants to throw it up once it hits the back of his throat but he doesn't. He didn't want to eat in fear he would throw up again.

"You need to eat Jude." She reminds him and he nods, taking a bite of the chicken and he tries his best not to spit it out.

"I know, I'm trying." He struggles to say.

Sadie reads Moby Dick, quietly in the living room after finishing dinner. Jude knew he was making myself sick by not eating but he didn't know how to make himself not want to throw up.

"It might help if you cut it in smaller portions," Sadie says as she looks behind her to Jude and he smiles weakly at her.

"Why are you taking us?" Sadie asked Cara.

"It's a surprise." She tells her.

"Don't tell her Jude."

Jude glances toward and he nods before staring out the window. He had checked the scale today and he had lost weight, he didn't want to lose more. He wasn't really feeling today or going out but Cara threatened him that if he didn't go, she would beat his ass so he let her drag him along.

"I won't."

He watches as the car speeds quickly by trees and they become a blur and Jude lays his head on the window and he closes his eyes. A finger pokes in the cheek and he opens his eyes not knowing he actually fell asleep. He yawns and turns to Cara who stopped the car.

"Why are we in the woods?" Sadie says warily and Jude turns to look at her.

"It's a lake a few minutes from here." He tells her and he pats her head.

He yawns again, covering his mouth before opening the door. He opens the door for Sadie and she gets out. "Don't pat me on the head, I'm not a dog," she grumbles and Jude barks and he runs before she could hit him. He catches up with Cara and Sadie is right behind him as they walk towards the lake. "It's my happy place."

"Because of your dad?" Sadie asks.

"I'm surprised you remember."

"I remember everything."

Sadie sits down on the ground and Jude sits next to her as well as Cara on the other side. "The sunsets at 8:56, so we have a few minutes."

Brilliantly red and orange color fills their eyes slowly and Jude without looking touches Cara's hand. The evening sun casts long shadows on the ground and Cara glances down at their hands.

"Did you bring me here to be the third wheel?-- so you shits can be all lovey-dovey?" Sadie says annoyed and she rolls her eyes, scooting away from them and Jude laughs.

"We aren't," Jude says and Sadie stares at him unconvinced and she rolls her eyes.

"Sure you aren't." She stands and then she squeezes between the both of them and Jude groans.

"I know, I'm a cockblocker. You should've never invited me, dumbasses." Sadie pushes Jude slightly and he doesn't move so she kisses his cheek and he wipes his cheek and moves away from her.