Rebuilder – Part 3

“Come on, Will,” Charlie complains as he stretches out on the saggy old couch. “You’ve been stuck in here so long even your couch is giving up on you.”

The other three boys in the room laugh to themselves, but Will’s expression stays sour. “I just don’t want to go, Charlie. It isn’t the same.”

Charlie rolls his eyes. “Dude, she doesn’t deserve this much attention.”

“You don’t get it.” Will shakes his head.

“I don’t know what there is to really get…” Charlie mutters under his breath, crossing his arms against his chest and sinking further into the couch.

He doesn’t want to get into it. He knows Charlie wont understand, maybe even can’t understand, and it just isn’t worth the hassle. Instead, Will just gets up from the couch and meanders his way out through the back door.

He marches the short distance from his house to the small chicken coop on the property. The chickens cluck at him irritably as he walks by their run, demanding attention and hopefully food. At least their begging can put a small smile on his face.

“Evening, ladies.” He greets, pulling open the door to their coop.

In the back corner sits a heat lamp gently humming as it warms a small pine box below. Surrounded by straw lay a handful of eggs, each one containing a baby chick almost ready to hatch.

Will carefully picks one up, not wanting to disturb its inhabitant too much, and holds it up to the light to check on the progress. A perfectly curled chick lays inside. To his eye, they could hatch as soon as tonight, barring anything going wrong.

He puts it back with its siblings before leaning his shoulder against the wall, looking down over the new tiny lives about to emerge.

For a moment he’s alone with just his thoughts. A too familiar place for him to be these days. The only things they conjure are images of Caroline laughing, the curves of her naked body, and the distance between them since she left him standing there in the woods with blood running down his hand.

It only seems to grow wider every day. Not a single text or call. Not even an email. Nothing to indicate she’s thought about him or is at all sorry about the way things ended.

Just silence.

“Hey,” says a soft voice from the coop entrance. Will turns to see Jake standing nearby, “Don’t let Charlie get to you.”

Will looks back at the box of eggs and shrugs, “I know.”

“He just wants things to go back to normal.” Jake closes the gap between them, placing his hand on his friend’s shoulder.

“I don’t know that things can go back to normal.” Will murmurs.

“Maybe you’re right,” Jake concedes, dropping his hand from Will’s shoulder. “I don’t know. Things have really changed with this project.”

Will shuts his eyes, squeezes the bridge of his nose. “I just feel so stupid.”

“Dude, we’ve all made mistakes. You’re not the only one. I know you’ve been busy dealing with your own pain, but we’ve all been tackling something lately.”

Will doesn’t know what to say. Part of him feels guilty for being so self-absorbed in his own hurt over Caroline that he was so oblivious to his friend’s problems. On the other, he’s been wrapped up in it for so long that thinking about engaging with the world again feels alien.

Like he’s starting over. Relearning things he thought he knew.

“I had no idea.” He offers as an attempt at an apology.

Jake waves a hand dismissively, “Don’t worry about it too much. What Caroline did was incredibly fucked up and cruel.”

It stings, but Will knows he’s right.

The two lapse into silence as they watch over the eggs. A couple of the hens come clucking into the coop, scratching around to see if perhaps either of the boys had dropped any food for them. Their antics bring a soft smile to Will’s face as he goes to pet them.

“When are they going to hatch?” Jake asks, peering into the make-shift incubator box.

“Any moment. Tonight, I guess.”

“Let me stay with them then,” Jake offers. Before Will can begin to protest he interrupts, “Don’t worry, I’ve helped my share of hatchlings escape their shell if need be. Mom used to raise chickens too and taught me how to do it.”

“What about Abi? Won’t she be upset if you don’t go to the party?”

Jake shrugs. “We have…stuff to talk about anyway.”

“Alright. Well, feel free to invite her over, I guess. Just…no weed in the house, ok?”

“Yeah, of course.”

Will sighs and runs a hand through his unruly hair. “This doesn’t really feel like much of a party, ya know?”

“Guess it depends on how you look at it. If nothing else, at least we’re wrapping shit up.”

“Yeah, fair.” Will scoops one of the chickens up in his arms. The hen doesn’t protest, instead just settling in to the bend of his elbow contentedly. “I don’t know. I’ll kind of miss having something to work on.”

Jake tries not to laugh. “Thought you’d be tired of it by now. Seems like it caused you nothing but annoyance.”

“Yes and no.” Will gently strokes the head of the hen, thinking out loud. “I don’t know, it’s been nice to have something to do this last week, especially since Caroline and Chris left the project.”

“Makes sense.” Jake shrugs before turning away from the eggs and heading towards the coop door. “Who knows, maybe there’ll be another project. Never know what Paolo has cooking.”

Will puts the hen down, much to her displeasure. She clucks at him before turning away and heading back out towards the run.

“True,” once again the slight smile returns to his face. “Has he said anything about another job?”

As if on cue, Paolo pokes his head into the coop. “You two coming in to get ready?”

“Not me.” Jake cracks a smile. “Abi and I are on baby watch.” Paolo’s eyebrows pull together in confusion as Jake points to the pine box in the back. “Not like that.”

Paolo’s face softens into a confused concern but he turns to look at Will, “How about you, Will?”

Will slowly moves towards the door. “Yeah, alright.”

“Excellent! Let me give your hair a bit of a trim before we go in, you’re looking a bit ragged.”

“Do you have to?” Will whines as he begins to follow after.

“Oh hey,” Jake calls before Will can leave, “tell Aura that Abi and I say hi.”

Will pauses for a second. “Aura?”

“Dude” and “Really” are the simultaneous reactions of the two other boys. Will shrugs in defense of himself, still not able to place a face to a name. Jake shakes his head and sighs.

“The cute one, made you the pie. You helped her install the stained-glass mural. I know you know who I’m talking about.”

It finally clicks and Will turns bright pink as he recalls the day he’d helped her install the Trees of Life. They’d barely spoken all project – the window install being the first time he could recall, but he had seen her hanging around with everyone else. She had always been there, but he had been too distracted to pay her any attention.

The pie had been delicious though. At least he could remember that. He’d finished it while watching a Pride and Prejudice remake for the hundredth time.

“Come on,” Paolo starts walking towards the back porch, motioning for Will to follow. “I’m giving you a good shave first. Take a seat, it’s better outside.”

Will huffs but doesn’t fight, sitting down right on the back step.

Will had to admit that his friends did a good job of making him presentable. The dark green damask suit jacket Charlie had bought him not only fit — much to his surprise — but it made him seem far more distinguished than he actually felt. Even still, out front of the looming greenhouse, he felt underdressed for the first time in his life.

The majesty of the former strip mall turned community space was enough to stop Will in his tracks. Though he had seen it every day for months, he had never anticipated seeing it full of life and light.

Out front, in the former parking lot, community members had worked hard to rearrange the broken and ruined asphalt that was now used as a gravel path. Native grasses and wild plants filled in the bare patches, encroaching from the abandoned lots next door. Only the twenty-year-old trees that lined the street told the tale of the failed attempt at planning the former suburb had used.

It was the front murals that caught his attention the most. With the light from inside, the twin Tree of Life stained glass windows cast their multitude of colors over the crowd milling around outside. The way their boughs were warmly lit from the inside made him feel invited and protected.

Noticing Will falling behind, Paolo stops and motions for him to catch up. “Glad you came now?”

“It’s stunning,” Will gushes. “I didn’t know it could look so good.”

Paolo smiles and pats him on the shoulder. “Thanks! We were here pretty early with the set-up.”

“It really shows.”

“Most of the areas have lights now, but there are still a few older sections that don’t.” Paolo shrugs as they enter through the large front doors. “We did the best we could with what people brought.”

Inside the main entrance was where the bulk of the effort had gone, Will could clearly see that. Stands of fairy lights strung from the ceiling twinkle in different patterns, making the space feel magical. Mismatched tables and chairs decorated with garlands of wildflowers occupy the front half of the room while the local band, surrounded by cream colored fabric to create a mock stage, plays big band hits from an era long gone.

Will couldn’t help but stare around in awe.

The space felt completely transformed from its very modest and run down beginnings. He had never realized that the space could be so magical. That it could be filled with so much life.

A piece of him finds contentment in seeing all the smiling and laughing faces enjoying the structure he had poured so much time into. A feeling he thought Caroline had taken from him.

“Oh, he’s here!” Paolo says excitedly, waving to Santi as he makes his way over to them.

The two meet halfway and kiss each other deeply. Santi escorts Paolo off to a table where two older women Will doesn’t know are waiting. They wave towards him but Will gets the impression he isn’t invited.

Realizing that he’s on his own now, Will stands awkwardly gazing around the room.

That’s when he sees her dancing; long emerald green dress swaying and her chocolate curls bouncing. The smile on her face as she twirls with Chris only twists the barbs still in Will’s heart.

For a moment he has to admit that maybe Charlie was right, maybe Caroline really had done a number on him.

She spots him as the song winds down. The smile fades from her face and she seems to whisper something to Chris. They turn and Chris glares at Will from over Caroline’s shoulder.

Not wanting to be there a minute longer, Will’s feet lead him out of the party and towards the doors to the conservatory sections.

The smell of the local grasses and wildflowers irritate his nose and he hastily passes through the first section. It smells like her, laying on the forest floor as he kisses along her neck. It smells like the day Chris found them before it could rain and wash the pollen and blood away.

With his now healed hand, he pushes open the door to the next section.

It’s the desert section that sparks the most memories. In the soft light of the ground-level solar lights he notices a bougainvillea growing up the side of a boulder, its sharp spikes a hidden danger in the darkness.

A memory of the day he met Caroline plays in his head.

Though she had carefully carried the bush in, trying to not scratch herself on the spiky stems, somehow in the process of planting it she had gotten a spike stuck in her boot. Panic had ensued among the other girls, some of them afraid that it had punctured her foot and they would need to send for the doctor. Will happened to be installing panels that day and knew enough to help.

Her smile that day as he pulled the thorn from her boot had been enough to enchant him forever. Any day that she was working, he would try to invent reasons to be near her. Despite knowing about her fiance, he pursued her anyway and she gave in without much chase.

Everyone around the site knew about their affair. No one batted an eye as they’d sneak off for an hour at a time, only to come back looking disheveled and satisfied. Will shakes his head in disbelief at himself, wondering how he could have been so stupid as to think they wouldn’t get caught.

Trying not to dwell too long on it, he pushes open the door to the next section.

An oppressive humidity greets him on the other side. He loosens his tie some, wishing the suit jacket were a little more light-weight.

The broken concrete path continues to meander, leading him through the rich green hues of the tropical greenhouse. Ferns and lower canopy plants brush along the edges of the path while beautiful pink and ruby flowers peek out from hidden corners. Strung through the upper canopy of the trees are fairy lights.

Mesmerized by the beauty of the plants around him, he wanders into a convergence of paths. Four paths all leading away from an ornate, though dry, stone fountain in the center. He sits on the edge, peering down into its dry basin, wondering what it would look like filled with water and wishing coins.

He runs his fingers along the smooth stone, recalling how when it had been brought in the fountain had been broken and covered over in debris. Now that it had been washed, scrubbed, had its cracks filled and its missing pieces replaced or artistically fixed, it no longer resembled its former self. To think that someone had taken the time to not only find it, but to lovingly restore it from the sorry state it had been was a comfort.

As he turns to look at the one-armed angel keeping watch, he catches a flash of blue and green from the corner of his eye. He stands and follows, curious about whoever is in here with him.

The figure hasn’t gone far, stopping by a blooming Bird of Paradise to take in its beauty. From a distance he watches her, taking in the sight, committing it to memory. Her ornate dress of forest green and ocean blue, the loose brown curls that obscure her face, and the way her hand so delicately caresses the blossom like a treasure.

Will clears his throat as quietly as possible, trying to not startle her too much. It doesn’t matter as she gasps and drops the bloom. Just as she straightens up to turn to him, the lights suddenly go out.

Disoriented in the sudden blackness, he reaches out to the figure. Likewise, she seems to be reaching out to him. Their hands meet in the dark and they hold on fast.

A sudden burst of light from above draws their attention to the hundreds of lit drones flying overhead. They dance around one another in an intricate pattern, changing color as they spiral up into the air. From off in the distance, Will can hear the band playing along with the show.

Through the dappled light, he turns to look at his companion.

He can’t explain why, but as the music swells again he takes a step towards her. She doesn’t protest, only watches his face as he does. For a moment more they ignore the spinning star-like drones high overhead, finding the light in the other’s eyes too spectacular to look away.

She smiles sweetly, blushing, and tucks some hair behind her ear. “Hi, Will.”

Recognition falls on him as the drone display cascades to mere inches away from the greenhouse ceiling.

He’d only ever seen her in dirty overalls, her hair tied up in braids or a ponytail. Part of him feels ashamed for having never noticed her beauty then. It’s humbling in a way he can’t quite explain.

“You look beautiful, Aura.” His voice is soft, still transfixed by her transformation into the girl before him.

Overhead, the drones slowly transform into a towering tree, its branches bursting into light suddenly. Will points to it, drawing her attention to the display. Aura gasps in happiness as the lights of the canopy change color.

A broad smile fills her face. In the light of the drones, it’s as dazzling as her stained glass windows.

“Thank you,” he says suddenly, remembering what Jake told him, “for the pie.”

Aura giggles and takes a step closer. “You’re welcome. I hope you liked it.”

He nods and runs his thumb over hers. “Yes, it was wonderful. I was just so caught up in…things…”

She squeezes his hand reassuringly, his mouth shuts automatically. “No need to apologize.”

The display above transforms again as the canopy of drones falls out of formation, changing into a seed. Slowly the seed bursts open and the drones begin to change through the life cycle of a flower that Will can’t name. As they watch the bloom burst, wilt, and return to seed — a tension in his shoulders melts away.

“With every ending, a new beginning,” she whispers, entranced with the display.

He gives her hand a squeeze, letting the words settle in his heart. She closes the remaining space between them and puts her hand to his heart. They stare at each other as the drones, one by one, fall out of formation and return to the ground.

“Yes,” he says, placing his free hand over the one on his chest. “Every ending is a new beginning.”