Hi! It’s me! Lily!!!

As you might have expected with a post involving Jack, there is Patreon content in this post.  But as always, it is not necessary to the story, and you’re not missing anything important if you’re not subscribed.

Jack and I went on a date!!!

But…  first.

I talked to the owner today.

I told him that I was going to start doing dual-credit courses at the community college, and wasn’t sure if I could work at the convenience store anymore.

He just said “Lily, this is a convenience store.  It’s not an engineering firm.  Students like you come and go, I’m glad to see you come, and I’m glad to see you go.  Most of the time, you go because you have something better in your life to move to.”  He leaned forward.  “I don’t want to have long term employees.  This kind of place isn’t made for that.  One year… two years tops… and I’d rather you move on to something better.”  He sighed.  “School is important.  Very important.  It’s not important which school you go to, or what you study…  but it’s important that you study.  You have an opportunity.  Take it.  Take it, run with it, and make me proud.”

I sniffled.  “You’re… you’re proud of me?”

He smiled.  “Lily, it doesn’t matter what you do in life.  You were talking about investing in a business with your mother.  But whether you do that, or become a professional blogger, or CEO of some big company somewhere… no matter what you do, this will always be your first job.  And I can look at my wife, and my friends, as you’re talking on the TV, and say ‘I knew her back when she was sixteen years old and doot dooting and karen wrangling.'” He grinned.  “I read your diary, you know.”

My eyes widened.  “You -”

“I don’t have children,” he said.  “It’s not that I don’t want them… I just don’t have them.  I like having a convenience store.  Every time I hire someone your age it’s like I have another child, and every time they leave it’s like they’re leaving the house and making their own way.  You’re a special girl, Lily.  You’ve dealt with so much… and you’re always happy and smiling and looking forward to the next thing.  There’s…  always a place for you here, if you need it.”

I couldn’t help it.  I gave him a big hug.

“I know your boyfriend is over this week.  I can hire someone easily to start tomorrow, I’ve got three applications waiting for an answer.  Go, have fun this week.  I’ll pay you until Friday.  And Lily?”

“What?” I said.  I was kind of shocked.

“Don’t be a stranger.  Come by sometime and let me know how you’re doing.  I’m sure my wife would love to make you some Indian food.”

I took off my apron and handed it to him.  He gave my name tag back to me.  “Remember,” he said, and sniffling, I left.  What a nice man.

I came home, feeling a little sad, but happy at the same time.  Sabby asked me what happened.  I told her.

She sighed.  “I’m going to have to make that man some cookies,” she said simply.  “You hit the jackpot with him, you know that, right?”

I nodded.  “I hit the jackpot with a lot of things,” I said softly.  She gave me a big hug.

So I took the little extra time I had and made sure I was nice and pretty, you know, makeup (but not so heavy Sabby went Claire Huxtable on me about it), one of my nice black dresses, some pretty stockings, some mid-heels.  I looked good.  I always look pretty good but I looked really good.  Jack came around and we went on a date!

Well, first, we had dinner.  It wasn’t anything really special, but it was nice.  We went to a Japanese food place and had sushi!!!  Delicious sushi!!!  But… it’s not like real Japanese sushi.  But I wouldn’t know that if I hadn’t actually had it!  But I told him all about my trip to Japan and it was nice, just spending time with him after all those months.  I think the last time I saw him was… what.  Memorial day?  I forget.  But it was a long time ago!!!

And then…  boy did his homework!!!  OMG!!!  He took me to Mt. Bonnell!!!  We sat there, cuddled up to each other, and watched the sun set over the mountain!!!  Even though there were some clouds and a little tiny bit of rain, it was still really pretty!!!  We spent some time kissing too, omg I missed that!!!

But that couldn’t last forever, and he took me home finally.

Oh I love that boy soooo much!!!  And I love his family too for coming over here and letting me have time with him!!!

Sabby is so right, I hit so many jackpots!!!

Love you all!!! Especially Jack!!! ❤