Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice, Chapter 25 (Healing on a Holiday)

Brandon drove through the quiet streets, his eyes scanning every intersection and side street in search of his father’s car. The silence in the car was thick and tense, each of them lost in their thoughts. For Brandon, the embarrassment of his recent behavior had taken a back seat to a new worry: making sure his father was okay.

As they stopped at a red light, Adalynn turned to him, her voice soft. “Is there anywhere in particular your dad would go?”

Brandon’s fingers drummed the steering wheel as he thought. “Honestly? I’m not sure. The places he loves to go are all closed for the holiday.”

After a moment, Damarae spoke up from the back seat. “Is he on the same phone plan as you? Maybe we could try to trace his location?”

Brandon shook his head. “No, he’s got his own plan.” He exhaled, feeling the pressure build with each minute that passed.

They continued to drive, and just as Brandon was about to turn down another street, he caught sight of his father’s car parked by the high school where Garth worked. Brandon let out a sigh of relief as he pulled up beside it, parking his car next to his father’s.

“I’ll be right back,” he told them, stepping out and closing the door softly behind him.

The school grounds were eerily quiet, the usual energy of students and teachers replaced by the stillness of a holiday afternoon. Brandon made his way around the building, checking each door, until he spotted his father sitting alone on a bench in the courtyard. Garth looked up as Brandon approached, giving a faint nod.

“Your mom and I met each other here, you know,” Garth said, his gaze fixed on a spot in the distance.

Brandon sat down beside him, giving a small smile. “Yeah, I remember you telling me that.”

They sat in silence for a moment before Garth took a deep breath, his expression thoughtful. “Marrying Jazlyn was the best decision of my life back then. Our marriage was full of love and laughter. I got comfortable, though—lazy, even. I guess it all just… slipped away. And when it ended, I thought my life was over.” He paused, his voice thick with emotion. “If it weren’t for you, I don’t know what I would’ve done.”

Brandon nodded, letting his father speak, knowing he needed to get this off his chest.

“Then I met Laura. She brought me peace, gave me a sense of purpose. She accepted you, she accepted Jazlyn, and we somehow made it work. And now…” He trailed off, shaking his head. “Now I see why she was so understanding all this time.”

Brandon took a deep breath, choosing his words carefully. “Look, Dad, I’m probably the last person to give relationship advice right now. I mean, I can’t even tell the person I like that I like her… but I do know one thing. You just found out about this, and you need to talk to Laura about it. I mean, yeah, she broke your trust, but relationships are built on communication too, and that’s something you both need right now. Whatever she was missing, it doesn’t mean she loves you any less.”

Garth looked at him, surprised by the insight in his words. He nodded slowly, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “You’re right. I learned a long time ago that lashing out doesn’t help anything. I’ll talk to her, but I need a minute to think things over first. Sometimes the best thing you can do for the people you love is to give yourself a moment to breathe.”

Brandon placed a reassuring hand on his father’s shoulder. “Take all the time you need. We’ll be at the house when you’re ready.”

Garth nodded in gratitude, watching as Brandon stood and headed back toward the parking lot.

Back in the lot, Damarae and Adalynn stood outside the car, leaning against it as they waited. When they saw Brandon approaching, Damarae gave a little wave before stepping away to give them space.

Brandon walked over to Adalynn, hands in his pockets, his expression a mix of nerves and determination. “Hey, um… I wanted to apologize. Again. For everything. I let jealousy get the best of me, and I should’ve just talked to you instead of assuming the worst.”

Adalynn’s gaze softened, but there was a glint of mischief in her eyes. “Why would you be jealous? I thought ‘dating wasn’t in the cards’ for you.”

Brandon chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. “That was a lie. I… I just get nervous around you. I’ve liked you for a while, but I was afraid of ruining what we already had if you didn’t feel the same way.”

Adalynn took a moment to process his words, then smiled. “Brandon, if I had said no, that wouldn’t have hurt our friendship nearly as much as everything that happened these past few days.”

Brandon’s shoulders slumped, taking her words as a polite rejection. “Yeah… I get that.”

Adalynn tilted her head, her smile widening. “You know, you still haven’t properly asked me out.”

Brandon’s face lit up as he looked at her, and with a nervous chuckle, he straightened up. “Adalynn, would you like to go out with me sometime?”

She took a playful moment to consider, then shook her head. “No.”

Brandon’s face fell, shock etched across his features, but she quickly laughed, reaching out to touch his arm. “Of course I’ll go out with you!”

Just then, from across the parking lot, Damarae’s voice rang out. “About damn time!”

Brandon turned, narrowing his eyes in playful annoyance. “You were eavesdropping?”

Damarae walked over, a smug grin on his face. “Not as fun as being spied on, is it?”

Brandon laughed, feeling the tension melt away. “Alright, you got me. I didn’t mean to spy on you, by the way. I just… needed a drive to clear my head and happened to see the car in front of your house. I thought it was Adalynn’s.”

Adalynn laughed, shaking her head. “Maybe we need to set you up with Estrella Miles.”

Brandon shot her a grateful smile, then looked at Damarae. “So… why was Estrella’s car at your place?”

Damarae grinned, his cheeks tinged with a hint of pride. “That’s why I rushed you off the phone that day. She had just arrived so we could go out. We’ve actually been seeing each other every day this week.”

Adalynn’s face lit up. “Oh, that’s wonderful! Estrella’s great.”

Brandon’s smile softened as he took in the news. “Congratulations, man. Really. And… I’m sorry, for everything.”

Damarae chuckled, giving him a friendly nudge. “Say ‘I’m sorry’ one more time, and that other eye is gonna match.”

The three of them laughed, the tension finally lifting as they climbed back into Brandon’s car. As they drove back to Garth and Laura’s house, the awkwardness that had lingered for days was finally replaced with warmth and camaraderie.