"Molls, can we talk?" Jennifer asked as she set the dinner on the table one evening.
"Sure, what's up?" she responded without looking up from serving them both a plateful.
"Well, as you know I've struggled to get a proper full-time job here…" the older girl started.
"Yeah but it'll happen. And besides, who would really want to work full-time here?" Molly said now, thinking of the outdoors and horseback riding, as well as Jake.
"You work full-time," her sister pointed out.
"True. But I have to for the moment," she shrugged. If it was up to her, she'd reduce her hours to four days part-time as soon as they trained her to be a teacher, so she could spend more time in the outdoors with Jake and the horses.
"Anyway… an old work friend of mine has offered me a job," Jennifer started. "In Houston," she stopped her when she saw she was about to congratulate her.
"Houston?!" Molly exclaimed, upset, angry, confused as well as happy for her sister; she was feeling it all. And she wasn't sure which emotion to focus on first.
"It's a really good job," her sister said lamely. "I can start quite soon."
"How soon?"
"Two weeks." The silence was almost deafening as she waited for a response. "Please say something," Jennifer almost begged. Anger was surely better than this, it had to be.
"What d'ye want me to say? First, ye drag may down here. And now, as I'm settlin' down 'n gettin' things sorted in my life, ye wanna move again? How selfish can ye get?" Molly's last question almost made her sister wish she had stayed quiet.
"Molls, I…" she tried to start to explain.
"No Jen. I know ye did me a massive favor when ye moved back in with me after mama died 'n I am grateful. I'm even grateful for ye draggin' me here kickin' 'n screamin'. But I'm not movin' again. So, if ye have to go, I'm stayin'," Molly told her now, surprising the older woman with how determined she was.... and how strong her Texan accent had gotten in the short space of time they'd been here. She hadn't really noticed it in every day conversation.
"What do ye have to stay for?" her sister asked, hoping it wouldn't piss her off too much. She also hoped that she wouldn't list her boyfriend as the first reason. As far as Jennifer knew officially, they'd only started dating late summer. In actual fact Molly and Jake had obviously continued seeing each other after she'd first told them not to, and she knew they had. She just didn't know how long exactly they'd kept their relationship secret for.
"My job… Jake… Bethy... Hannah," she said trying not to use a duh tone.
"Yeah but…. You're only a school administrator."
"No buts. Ye know they're trainin' me to be a teacher while I work."
"Okay fine. But Jake, how do you know you might not break up in two months?" Jennifer asked now. In her opinion, that boy had heart break written all over him. Even if so far he had treated her sister better than his cousin had treated her, she couldn't shake the feeling.
"I don't. But that don't mean I don't wanna try to find out," Molly said realistically, otherwise she'd never find out or experience anything. "Ye might wanna give it a try," she advised now, trying not to be cheeky. Her sister had had the odd boyfriend in Phoenix but Blake had done a real number on her heart and trust, especially the second and most recent time. But that didn't mean every guy was like that.
"This isn't about me," Jennifer tried to deflect.
"Course it is. Jen, if ye wanna go to Houston, fine, go. Make friends, take a chance. But I'm stayin' here," her younger sister said determined. It was easy for her to consider staying in terms of the mortgage, as that had already been paid off years ago. So her wages could be used to live and save up. Having said her piece, she focused on her food, oblivious to her sister watching her with something close to pride. A few years ago, hell even a few months ago, Molly would never have been so confident and willing to go it alone.
"You know, I think you're all grown up now," Jennifer commented, making her sister smile pleased to herself.
"Yeah, guess I am."
They got back to dinner, without saying too much more. Jennifer only briefly explained that she had been able to get out of her current contract early instead of having to continue working until Christmas.
After dinner, Jennifer gave her sister space to work through the news of her impending move by herself. She was starting to go through her things in her room as Molly headed to her boyfriend's next door. The weather was mild enough tonight for them to sit outside on the porch listening to music, Jake on the top stair and Molly between his legs a stair below that. She was trying to keep up her side of the conversation, because Jake was telling her about his most recent set of grades. All four of his last assignments had been marked as A- or A, and he was excited for what it meant for his final year.
"Uh huh," Molly responded, sounding a little absent and not responding properly to what he'd just told her.
He looked at the girl in his arms and saw she was looking a little pensive, lost in her own world. He rocked her gently as he kissed her hair. "What's up? What's goin' through that pretty li'l mind of yers? Yer never this quiet," Jake said to her softly.
She sat up a little in response. "Just somethin' Jen told me earlier," she started vaguely.
"Oh okay, 'n what was that?" he tried to get more out of her.
"She's been offered a job, in Houston. And she's gonna take it," she told him now, feeling a little hesitant as to what his reaction would be.
"Wait, what? Houston? San Antonio would'a been hard enough but manageable. Houston's way too far," Jake started to object. "What?" he asked confused and a little offended when he saw a small smile creep onto her face; clearly, she had nothing to worry about.
"I already told her I'm stayin' here," Molly explained, seeing his expression turn to happy in an instant.
What's your all-time high, your good as it gets? Your hands down best ever make-up sex? What's your guilty pleasure, your old go to? Well if you ask me, mine would be you.
"Really?" he asked to check as he pulled her in closer.
"Really," she assured him, laughing when he hugged her tightly and pressed kisses to her cheek and neck. She could feel his feelings as if he'd said them out loud.
He gave a content sigh as she leaned into him.
The best damn thing you lucked into, that's easy girl, mine would be you. Mine would be you. Sun keeps shining, back road flying, singing like crazy fools.
"I love ye Molls," Jake said softly, feeling her freeze for one moment before she did her best to hug him back for how they were sat. This was the first time he'd actually said that to her. There were a couple of times since the Cowboy Homecoming where he'd started to try and say it but it hadn't quite felt right in those moments so he'd backed out. But right now felt like the perfect moment; she had chosen to stay with him over moving away with her sister.
Baby, if I had to choose my best day ever. My finest hour, my wildest dream come true. Mine would be you.
"I love ye too Jake," she replied as she turned her face towards him to kiss him on the cheek. He turned his face too so she kissed him on the lips instead, feeling her smile instantly. She could feel his fingers run through her hair as his kisses deepened. "I'm so glad that Jen never listened to me when I said I didn't want to leave Phoenix," she said softly as she pulled back slightly, having heard the lyrics in the background.
"Me too," Jake nodded with a smile and kissed her again.
Mine would be you. Sun keeps shining, back road flying. Singing like crazy fools, making up our own words. Laughing 'til it hurts. Baby, if I had to choose, my best day ever.
While they'd been talking, Jennifer had made her way up to the fence to see if her sister was okay. Seeing them like that, happy together, did make her happy. She was pleased for Molly that she seemed to be wrong about Jake. But it also made her feel sad.
What's the greatest chapter in your book? Are there pages where it hurts to look? What's the one regret you can't work through? You got it baby, mine would be you.
Jennifer stood up on the first bar of the fence as she watched them, unable to stop her thoughts from wandering to Blake and what had happened.
Mine would be you. Taillights fading, daylight breaking. Standing there like a fool, when I should've been running.
She sighed and nodded to herself as she stepped back off the fence to head back into the house. Her leaving here, all these memories and starting afresh, was the best thing for her. Staying here was the best thing for her sister.
The best love ever. Girl, can you tell me the one thing you'd rather die than lose? 'Cause mine would be you. Mine would be you.
Jake hugged his girlfriend closer as he heard the last few lines. She was definitely one of the best things that had ever happened to him and there was no way he'd be letting her go any time soon.