Jackson smiled glad he had made the decision to come back, the lamb allowed him into the hen house. If she had refused him it was gonna be a cold winter.. Avary went inside quickly cleaning up the back house, wondering where she'd let him sleep. Grandpa's room.. seemed weird.. her room.. definitely not.. the pull out couch. Avary pulled out some sheets, blankets and a few pillows, setting them on the couch. Hearing the door chime up front she walked back to see him standing by there with a small bag slung over his shoulder.
"Back here Jackson," she called he spotted her following her down the hall a door was the only thing separating the house from the storefront. "I thought you lived in town," she shook her head, "No my grandpa built this place to double as a store and house. Means I'm never late for work unless I drive into town." He nodded expecting the door as he closed it behind himself. A simple lock no bolt… Avary walked him around, "You can stay in here in the living room, the couch pulls out into a bed.. the kitchen is there and the bathroom is the last room down the hall." He nodded, setting his bag on the couch, the fridge was covered with impressive sketches, and children drawings.
"You draw? Seems like you've come a long way, but I do quite enjoy the look of your earlier work." He teases Avary blushing, not realizing her grandpa had kept many on the fridge.. "I draw a little.. It sometimes gets slow around here. My grandpa was quite proud of anything I drew." Avary watched the slim figure studying her art. She wondered what he did, was she crazy for letting him stay here. She saved his life, would he put hers in danger.
"Do you draw?" She asked and he shook his head, "No.. but I do carve.. when I have nothing else to do.." he glanced at her, "I could carve you something if you like.." his eyes looked to her, "Maybe once your arm is better. Not a lot happens here in the winter, mainly semi's driving through.." Jackson nodded but that is what he worried about, he worried about her being alone in winter. The nearest help being an hour away, that was before he found out she lived up here. This was much more dangerous, "My work won't let me come back till I'm healed up. Since I wanted to see you again.. I thought I'd come back here.. I think spending a winter here would be a nice place to recover."
Avary blushed, "I'm glad.. I'm happy you came back.." she heard the front door chime. "I'll go get that, please make yourself at home." Leaving to the front she greeted some kids getting ready to go skiing. Jackson walked over looking at the windows, 'east to see into, easier to break open.' He went to the bathroom, it was small. With a window too small to climb out of, he opened another door to see her room. Sketches, watercolor art and paintings covered her walls. A small desk cluttered with art supplies, he glanced down the hall not seeing her, he stepped in.
The room smelled sweet like her, there was a small pile of laundry on the floor. Looking at some of the art on the desk he saw quite a few of himself. That would normally upset him or worry him but he found it flattering here. He had thought of her non-stop and here she was drawing him.. he checked her window, this one harder to see into but also easy to break into.. Even the back door in the kitchen was just a simple lock. He closed her bedroom door and was about to open the next when he heard the bell chin up front.
Avary walked back in to find Jackson trying to move the clutch cushions. "Let me help, here" she walked over helping me, "I thought not many came up this way?" "Kids from town sometimes stop by before they go skiing. To fill up with gas as well." Jackson nodded, "Have you or your Grandpa had trouble with people up here?" Avary nodded, "Sometimes but with Captain around, things often get resolved." She made up the pull out for him to sleep in, "Captain?" Jackson asked not having seen signs of anyone else living here. Avary laughed to herself, "Sorry you've already met Captain. It's what Grandpa called his favorite shotgun."
Jackson smirked. She just kept getting more interesting, "You don't ever get scared of the dark or of being so alone out here?" She paused. "Only since Grandpa passed away," he nodded. Of course he was her protector, but now she was vulnerable. Avary setup his bed, and headed back outside to finish setting up for winter. Jackson followed her offering his help but she was stubborn. Throwing his injured arm as a reason he couldn't help her, "Can you run the register, I can teach you how to do that. It will free me up to do outside work."
She could see his questioning her, "Hey you are the injured person here. I look like the bad guy making you do work one handed." Avatar stated he couldn't argue with that. "Fine, show me how.." he followed her inside, he knew she was just giving him an easier job. It was easy enough for him to pick up, but watching her outside shoveling snow and salting the whole driveway felt useless. Avary watched Jackson sit at the counter watching her work.
Avary still couldn't understand why he came back here. It just didn't make sense to her, there was nothing in this town to come back for. Avary was happy she didn't have to be alone this winter. Jackson headed to the kitchen in the back heating up some hot water for her knowing she'd probably need it after how long she was outside for. Heading back to the front of the store he saw a notebook. Looking out Avary was far enough away he started reading the page shown.
Nothing interning has happened so far today, again a woman called asking about Grandpa and hung up once I explained he had passed and I was his granddaughter running the shop. They say it gets better with time but why is it still so hard? I miss you Grandpa..
Jackson could see this was an unconventional journal of sorts. Just in a regular 3 ring notebook, before he could read more the kettle started making noises. He walked outside to her, "Tea or hot coco?" He asked Avary smiled, "Hot coco," he nodded heading back in preparing her coco.