3D – We’re Really Doing This

Skyla loved the rhythm of their marriage. She didn’t have to make many requests of Jonathan; he simply did what needed to be done. As she was approaching the third trimester, she began to slow down and take it easy. Jonathan did not miss a beat and filled in the gaps. The morning of the third trimester, she ate her breakfast and then went outside to enjoy the sunshine before it got to be too much. Jonathan arose shortly after and brought his breakfast outside to accompany her. He asked about how she slept and how the baby was treating her, but then suddenly he stopped talking.

“What is it?”

“Look!” He pointed at something across the street. “There’s our answer. It’s perfect!”

Skyla wanted to be excited too, but she didn’t understand what she was supposed to be seeing. But, she knew him. There would be an explanation shortly, so she sat there smiling while she waited for his brain to catch up to his mouth.

“The empty lot! That’s it! That’s our lot!”

“The restaurant?” There was nothing wrong with the lot, but she couldn’t imagine putting a nice restaurant in that neighborhood.

“It’s perfect! I’ll be so close to home, it’ll be awesome. Just think, if you need me, I can come home, and go right back within minutes!”

“Hmmm. Well…that is convenient. You won’t have to come home though. I don’t plan on getting like that again,” she said and lowered her head. “Look what happened…”

“Skyla, NO!” The only other time he ever raised his voice at her was when he was grieving his father. “This is NOT your fault!”

“But, it is, Jonathan. If I had been ok, you wouldn’t have had to rely on Tony and—

“NO NO NO!” He shook his finger in her face. “I trusted Tony! I gave him access to everything! Tony is a thief and a liar! If you were ok and I didn’t have to rely on him, he would have found another way to screw me over! That’s what he does! THIS is how it would have ended no matter what way you try to spin it. I made mistakes. It’s all on me, ok? I don’t want to hear you blaming yourself ever again!”

She felt like she should have been startled by his outburst, but it actually made her happy. Even though the unfortunate times were behind them and they were content with their new life, sometimes she wondered if he ever blamed her. Now she knew. “What are you going to call it?”

“I’ve been thinking about that,” he said. “I want to name it after my grandma.”

“That’s so sweet, Jonathan.”

“I want it to look like her, you know? Like, I want it to look contemporary, but still warm and inviting. The decor should be chic, but not over the top. I don’t want it to be a big place either. I was thinking, if we budgeted §50,000, we can build a very nice looking place with everything including a small budget to get started with supplies and salaries. We would only need §25,000 more…we could open in a week or two!”

Skyla couldn’t help but to smile. She loved watching his dream come to life. “I need to do some painting then.”

“Not today you don’t. You’re going to sit right here and rest until the baby comes.” He said it so sweetly, but firm too.

I love this man, she thought.

He went back to his breakfast as he watched the empty lot across the street. There was nothing going on of course, but in his mind it was already his. We’re really doing this!

Ok, folks! There you have it! You know the location of the restaurant, the style, and you have an idea of what it will be called. Now they just need the money! Please excuse the Skylathan as they work hard, tend the garden, and paint. In the meantime, enjoy the second week of Keeping Up With the Joneses with Bob and Eliza!