Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice, Chapter 12 (The Great Escape)

Brandon was deep into his work, focused on an endless spreadsheet, when the faint sound of a commotion broke his concentration. He looked up to see Damarae swaggering into the office, catching the attention of several of Brandon’s coworkers as he grinned and waved, throwing out a few winks and finger guns. Brandon raised an eyebrow as Damarae attempted to engage one of the receptionists in conversation, only to be met with an unimpressed eye roll.

“Damarae?” Brandon asked, bewildered. “What on earth are you doing here?”

With a dramatic sigh, Damarae strolled over to Brandon’s desk, leaned in close, and whispered, “I’m having a family emergency, man. I need your help.”

Brandon’s face shifted from confusion to concern. “A family emergency? What happened? Are you alright?”

“Let’s get out of here first. This is no place for family discussions,” Damarae replied, casting a serious look that Brandon had rarely seen on his friend’s face. Brandon scrambled to gather his belongings, muttering a quick apology to his boss as they made their way out.

They walked in silence to the parking lot, where Damarae’s car was parked at an awkward angle, as if he’d abandoned it mid-crisis. Brandon slid into the passenger seat, still glancing at his friend with worry. As they pulled out, he turned to Damarae.

“Okay, what’s going on? What kind of family emergency are we dealing with?”

Damarae grinned, breaking character. “There’s no family emergency, man. I just wanted to get you out of the office.”

Brandon blinked, his jaw dropping. “You lied to get me out of work? Damarae, I could get fired for this!”

“Nah, you’ll be fine,” Damarae waved him off, still grinning. “Besides, I’ve got a surprise that’ll make it worth your while.”

Brandon glared at him, about to launch into a full lecture, when he heard a familiar laugh from the backseat. He turned, surprised to see Adalynn there, smiling at him.

“Hi, Brandon,” she greeted with a grin. “We thought we’d give you a break today. There’s a music festival up north, and we figured it’d be more fun than spreadsheets.”

Brandon felt his irritation fading as he looked at her, and he shook his head, laughing. “You guys are unbelievable. A music festival? Seriously?”

Adalynn leaned forward, eyes sparkling with excitement. “Come on, Brandon, it’ll be fun! A little hooky won’t kill you.”

Brandon hesitated, glancing between her and Damarae, who was drumming his fingers on the steering wheel, nodding encouragingly. Finally, he shrugged, grinning. “Alright, alright. Let’s do it.”

They hit the road, the car filled with music and Damarae’s chatter. Adalynn settled in comfortably beside Brandon, occasionally nudging him and smiling whenever Damarae’s stories took a ridiculous turn. They half-listened as he launched into a monologue about the “many ladies” he’d recently met, detailing each encounter with far too much enthusiasm. Brandon and Adalynn exchanged amused glances, each trying to contain their laughter as they mimed exaggerated reactions to Damarae’s tales, holding back giggles with difficulty.

“So then,” Damarae was saying, oblivious to their silent antics, “I told her, ‘You want a guy with charm and wit, you know where to find me.’ And let’s just say, she knows where to find me.” He winked at his own reflection in the rearview mirror.

“Oh, I’m sure she does,” Adalynn murmured, her voice dripping with faux admiration.

Brandon snickered, trying to keep a straight face. “A real charmer, Damarae.”

But before they could roast him further, red and blue lights flashed in the rearview mirror. Damarae let out a dramatic groan, glancing back to see a police car signaling for him to pull over.

“Aw, man, not now!” he moaned as he pulled over to the shoulder. “What did I even do?”

“Maybe going twenty over the speed limit wasn’t the best idea,” Brandon said, chuckling as he watched the officer approach. But as soon as she came into view, Damarae’s face lit up.

“Well, if it isn’t my favorite traffic officer,” he muttered, straightening up as Officer Estrella Miles appeared at the window.

“Afternoon, sir,” she began, clearly trying to maintain a professional demeanor as she recognized him. “You’re aware you were speeding, right?”

“Oh, Officer Miles,” Damarae said smoothly, flashing her a wide smile. “Can’t a guy get excited on the open road?”

She rolled her eyes, sighing. “Excited or not, you were breaking the law.” But her tone softened, and she glanced at Brandon and Adalynn in the car. “Is this a family outing?”

“Not quite,” Damarae replied, shrugging innocently. “But I’ll tell you what, I’ve learned my lesson. Promise.”

Officer Miles held his gaze for a long moment before sighing. “Fine. Keep it under the limit, or next time, it’s a ticket.”

“Thanks, Officer. Always a pleasure,” Damarae said, winking as she walked back to her car.

Brandon and Adalynn burst out laughing as soon as she was gone. “I can’t believe that worked again,” Brandon said, shaking his head in disbelief.

“Neither can I,” Adalynn added, wiping tears of laughter from her eyes. “You’re like some kind of professional escape artist.”

“It’s all about charm,” Damarae said with a smug grin, pulling back onto the road. “Now, to the festival!”

Once they arrived, the grounds were alive with music, food stands, and groups of people gathered under a sprawling canopy of trees. Damarae wasted no time heading straight to the drink stand, leaving Brandon and Adalynn behind.

As he walked away, he turned back to give Brandon a meaningful nudge and a wink, mouthing, “Now’s your chance!”

Brandon rolled his eyes but felt his stomach twist with nervous excitement. He and Adalynn walked slowly, taking in the sights and sounds of the festival. She looked at ease, completely absorbed in the music and the atmosphere. Brandon took a deep breath, hoping this might be his chance to finally let her know how he felt.

“So… what kind of music are you into?” he asked, hoping the conversation would flow naturally.

Adalynn smiled, her eyes lighting up. “Oh, all kinds! Indie, a little rock, even jazz sometimes. But honestly, I just like finding new things that surprise me. What about you?”

Brandon laughed. “Pretty similar, actually. Though I can’t say I’ve ventured much into jazz.”

“Oh, I’ll have to introduce you to some,” she replied, nudging him playfully.

Brandon was just about to respond when he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He fished it out, glancing at the screen, and his heart sank a bit when he saw the name.

Laura calling…

With a sigh, he answered the video call, Laura’s face appearing on screen, her expression curious. “Brandon! Why aren’t you at work?”

Brandon hesitated, deciding honesty was probably his best option. “I… well, I’m kind of… playing hooky today.”

Laura raised an eyebrow, and he braced himself for a lecture. But instead, Garth’s voice piped up from somewhere in the background. “Good for you, son! Take a mental health day. We all need a break now and then.”

Laura rolled her eyes but didn’t argue, seeming to soften. “Well, I guess everyone deserves a day off now and then. Who are you with?”

Brandon hesitated, but Adalynn leaned over, waving at the camera with a smile. “Hi, Laura! Hi, Garth!”

Laura’s face brightened as she waved back. “Oh, Adalynn! Nice to see you. You should join us for Thanksgiving if you’re not busy.”

Brandon’s stomach dropped, and he looked at Adalynn, unsure how she’d react. But she only grinned, her eyes twinkling. “Actually, we were talking about it the other day. I’d love to join!”

Before Brandon could respond, Damarae strolled over, holding a drink in each hand. “Hey, is that Laura and Garth?” he asked, leaning into the frame and giving them a wave. “Count me in for Thanksgiving too!”

Laura chuckled. “The more, the merrier! It’ll be nice to have everyone together.”

Seeing the conversation was getting out of hand, Brandon stepped away, excusing himself from his friends and muting the call as he addressed Laura directly.

“Laura,” he said quietly, “just so you know, Adalynn is… well, she’s the girl I told you about. I really like her, and I don’t want Thanksgiving to turn into some big, overwhelming thing.”

Laura’s expression softened, and she nodded in understanding. “Brandon, we’ll make it a nice, calm dinner. You’ll make a great impression. And besides, if she’s willing to come, that’s a good sign.”

Brandon sighed, a bit annoyed that Laura seemed so intent on orchestrating his love life, but he thanked her and hung up, pocketing his phone as he rejoined Adalynn and Damarae.

“Everything alright?” Adalynn asked, looking at him with genuine concern.

“Yeah,” Brandon replied, managing a smile. “Just, you know… family stuff.”

They spent the rest of the afternoon immersed in the music, their laughter mixing with the sounds of the festival. Despite the hiccups, Brandon felt a warmth settle over him. The holiday chaos was still waiting for him, but for now, he was exactly where he wanted to be.