Love & Serenity

Chapter 21

Lillian had been working for over a week at Mindy's and the community had been getting really busy with the Fall Festival coming up the following month which was around the corner. Mindy was putting together a small get to officially welcome her daughter, Emily, back home.

Mindy and Lillian were seated in one of the booths, lunch rush hour ended a while ago and they were adding final touches to the decorations before they hung it up.

"Thanks for helping me with this." Mindy said.

"Glad to help." Lillian smiled, "I'd be in the cabin two-four-seven if I wasn't here during lunch hours."

"So, it's a good thing?"

"Of course." Lillian said

Mindy smiled.
"You remind me of my husband."

"What?" Lillian laughed. "How?"

"He loved to spend his time indoors with Emily and I," Mindy said, "If he wasn't out working, he was with Emily and I."

"That's so sweet."

Mindy had a smile on her face as she got lost in the memories of her late husband.
"Yea, he was a sweet man."

Hank stepped out of the kitchen with a plate and headed towards them.
"Here you go." Hank placed the plate in the centre of the table.

"Hank? What's that?" Mindy asked as she eyed the finger food suspiciously.

"Something for the party tonight."

"I told you not to make a fuss. Everyone loves everything that's on the menu."

"Which is why we should surprise them with something different." Hank smiled at Mindy and Mindy smiled back at him.

Lillian felt like she was interrupting a moment and looked at the food.
"It looks delicious."

"It does."

Hank smiled happily.
"Try it."

Mindy and Lillian both reached for a piece of finger food and tried it.
"Hmm." "Oh, wow." Mindy and Lillian sighed in delight.

"What is in this?" Mindy asked.

"This is so good." Lillian said.

"I'm glad you like it." Hank said, "They're potato bites with some ham."

"It's really tasty." Mindy looked at him in awe.

"Great. I made a lot of it and some other things as well."

"Emily would love it. Thank you, Hank." Mindy said.

"Of course." Hank said before he went back to the kitchen with Mindy watching him till he disappeared.

Lillian went back to the decorations and smiled like she knew something the both of them didn't. It was happening all around, with mother and daughter and they were both clueless to the fact.

Jax walked into the diner to find Lillian standing on a stool by the counter as she put up the decorations.

"Careful now." Mindy said.

"I'll be fine Mindy, stop worrying."

"I wish someone was here to help."

"I could." Jax stood not far away from them as he smiled up at Lillian who was now looking at him along with Mindy.

"Oh good." Mindy said, "You showed up just in time to help."

"Where do you want me?"

"Up there." Mindy said, "And you Lillian, please let Jax handle that, we can take care of the ones down here."

Lillian didn't want to argue with her only because Mindy looked like she would pass out if she didn't get back down on solid ground.
"Alright."

Jax moved towards Lillian as she started to get down.
"Let me help."

Lillian stopped looking for what to hold on to as she got down and looked at Jax. She smiled as he put out his hands for her. She leaned down and placed her hands on either side of his shoulders and Jax placed his hand on her waist, holding on to her as he lifted her off the stool and slide her down right in front of him.

They were so close to each other, bodies almost touching, with their hands still holding on to each other as they stared into each other's eyes. That was when Lillian realized how his eyes changed colour with the reflection of the light like the ocean and Jax realized how her brown eyes drew him in and made its way deeper into his soul.

His soul. His past.

Jax snapped out their hypnotizing moment and took a step back letting his hands fall to his sides.
"You good?"

Lillian withdrew her hands from his shoulders and blinked a few times to snap herself out of whatever that was and bring her back to the land of the living and darn was it hot in here of what.
"Yea, I am." She swallowed. "Thanks." She smiled before she joined Mindy at the other side of the diner to help her with the decorations.

The diner looked quite festive when they were done.
"That was the last of the lights." Jax said as he joined Mindy and Lillian as they looked at the entire diner.

"Well then, looks like we're done." Mindy said, "I'll go help Hank with the rest of the dishes. I'll see you guys tonight."

Mindy was gone before Lillian or Jax could reply. Lillian and Jax glanced at each other at the same time and looked away.

"I should get going. I have stuff to do."

"Yea, so do I." Jax said.

Lillian nodded and they turned around and headed out of the diner together and to the parking lot.
"See you tonight." Jax said as he held his car door which was parked next to Lillian's.

Lillian nodded.
"Yea, see you tonight."

They both got into their vehicles and Jax let Lillian drive off first before he did.

Lillian got back to the cabin and took a shower and tried to write another chapter but ended up yawning halfway through and decided to take a nap before the party.

When she woke up, it was barely half an hour before the party, so she did things twice faster. She was zipping up her dress when there was a knock on her door. She frowned and wondered who that could be. Quickly, she slipped on her sandals to go with the simple maroon dress that flowed from her waist down and stopped a few inches below her knee.

The knock came again as she rushed down the stairs. Getting to the door and pulling it open, out of breath, she swallowed.
"Jax, hey."

"H-hi." Jax's gaze ran up and down her body making her feel very self-conscious. "Wow, you look amazing."

"So do you." She smiled. "What are you doing here?"

"I thought we'd ride together."

"Of course, come in." Lillian stepped to the side. "I'm sorry, I'm running late."

"That's ok, we have a few minutes." Jax said as he walked inside and shut the door after him.

Lillian went back up the stairs as she ran her hands through her hair.
"I took a longer nap than I wanted to."

Jax stood while waiting for her.
"That's ok. We're in no rush."

"The party's in five minutes." Lillian said as she ran a comb through her hair and added some neutral lipstick.

"It's Burlington, no one would mind."

Lillian grabbed her sling bag and went back down the stairs.
"All done."

Jax turned and looked at her with a smile.
"That didn't take long."

Lillian smiled.
"Shall we?"

"After you." Jax said and they both left the cabin and got into his truck and drove to Mindy's.