EVER SINCE THE MOVIES, Lottie had gone quietly about her life, willing herself to move on. This had been going on for the past couple of days. However, despite all efforts, Lottie knew the truth: she was still itching for a distraction - anything - because it was all she could think about. 

After a sigh, Lottie tried to focus again as she flipped through TV channels. Minutes later, she had found a movie called 'Edge of Tomorrow'. A few more and she had turned the TV off, giving up. 

It was then that she admitted it to herself. She needed a distraction. More specifically, she needed company; someone to rant to. 

As if on cue, her phone rang to life. Lottie pulled it out from her pocket, then tapped a foot, waiting. When it went silent, she let out a breath. Why was this always so hard?

However, unlike all the other times, there was a voicemail. "Hey, uh, Lottie? I've been trying to reach you since the movies and... I wanted to apologize. My mother is just really ill, so I had to go. I hope you understand. Please call me back?" 

When it beeped, then silenced, Lottie pursed her lips. No matter how much she wanted to, she couldn't; not after that night. While he was the good son, putting his mother first, she was trying to avoid her own sick relative at all costs. Joseph would only remind her of that. 

Of course, she mused, I could always try talking to Penny. Then she played with the leathered bracelet, smiling softly. Over the years, her neighbor had worn this bracelet, always fidgeting with it, whether it be night or day. It wasn't until their heart-to-heart that she knew why. This leathered bracelet was her deceased daughter's.

Silvia, she recalled. That was her name. 

Moments later, though, Lottie stood, finally trudging to her bedroom. It was time to get ready for work. 

Lottie could only hope that Joseph would get the message and leave her alone. 

-

Head down, Lottie scrubbed a table in the far back, occasionally glancing at the clock. It was now 2:03 pm, two hours later, and so far he was minding his own business. But she had to be there until seven. From time to time, she'd peer his way and they'd catch eyes, but it never lasted long. 

She knew this wouldn't last forever. 

When break time had finally come, she finished the last toilet, then emerged from the woman's bathroom. Then, after returning the equipment, she stepped outside and rounded the building. This was the place where she and Joseph had spoken that one day. 

As Lottie slid down, back to building, she sighed. It was now 3:00, so she was going to savor her ten minutes. Before long, though, she would hear footsteps and stiffen. 

"Hey, Lottie." It was only her co-worker, Dave, cigarette to mouth. "You want a whiff?"

She just held up a hand, dismissing him. "No, I'm not one for drugs."

The man, easily six-feet, gave a lingering look but remained silent. Moments later, he'd tuck his greying hair behind his ears. "Sometimes I wonder if I should just shave it all off."

"Huh?"

"My hair."

"Why?"

"It's long and annoying," he deadpanned. 

"Right." Biting her lip, Lottie fidgeted with the bracelet. "Dave?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you want to go somewhere?"

For a moment, he paused, looking her over. "Are you okay? This is more than a little random."

"Well-"

"Why not ask Joseph?" Then he took another whiff. "He clearly likes you, Lottie. I really don't." 

"Well, ouch!" Lottie teased dryly. "I have feelings, you know."

"You don't like me either," he returned, throwing her a smile. "Admit it."

"I admit it."

After a dry look of his own, he chuckled. "You know, those who smoke get longer breaks..."

Lottie was quiet, slowly rubbing her hands together. "Thanks, Dave, for the advice." She gave him a small smile. "Maybe I should."

For a moment, Dave stumbled for words. "What?" He searched her face. "You're taking my advice on smoking?" Then, returning the smile, he offered his cigarette. "I thought you'd never ask."

"Actually," she said, again holding up a hand, "I meant the other advice."

"What other advice...?"

But she had already left, a new bounce to her step. 

-

"Hey, Joseph." 

The man stiffened, then dropped his shoulders. "Lottie, you're here." His brown eyes sparkled, looking into hers. "I was beginning to lose hope."

Lottie gave a small chuckle, suddenly self-conscious. "Well, I just wanted to say that it's okay."

"Really?" Joseph's smile was growing, brows raised. 

"Yes." She hugged herself, lowering her gaze. "I just thought I should let you know." Just as she was about to leave, sensing the tension, she was embraced into a tight hug. "Joseph! What are you doing?"

Slowly, he undid his death-grip and took a step back, his eyes a little too bright. "Thanks for that, Lottie."

Lottie closed her hanging mouth. "No problem."

"You wouldn't want to do to the movies again, would you?" 

"Not a chance," she said, lips drawn. But then she smiled. "See you later, Joseph."

At first, Joseph looked like a kicked puppy, but he recovered quickly. "Goodnight, Lottie."

"Goodnight?"

"Oh, uh," he said, scratching his neck, "I just say that to my mother every night... I didn't mean it, re-"

"It's okay."

"Oh, okay..."

But for the second time, she had already left, the bounce to her step gone. 

-

Lottie huffed, re-reading the first passage. This book had been on her shelf for the past month. Now that she had found the motivation, Lottie realized reading no longer gave her the same joy. That stalker changed everything. 

More specifically, my brother changed everything. 

Lottie suddenly sighed, tossing it across the table. The book landed face up, 'The Shining' by Stephen King written across.  She read the print until she couldn't anymore. 

"Maybe... I should visit Eliott." Then she paused, considering, and pulled something from her pocket: the crumpled up piece of paper. It was the same one with the hotel and phone number scribbled across; the one with the address at the bottom left corner. 

It was the same note that Eliott had given her. 

For a moment, she looked ahead, in the direction of her bedroom. She could still use that paper shredder. However, just as the thought arose, she pulled out her phone, scrolling through the contacts. 

It was picked up after two rings. 

"Hello?" he said after a beat. "You there?"

"Joseph, let's do it. Let's hang out again."

There was an eerie pause. 

"Joseph?" Lottie pressed, slowly standing upright. "You there?"

"Oh, uh, yeah, I'm sorry about that." His voice was just as unsteady as their last call. "My mother overheard and congratulated me!"

Lottie could hear his smile, giving one of her own. "Could you go somewhere private, perhaps?"

Moments later, his footsteps stopped and a door shut. "Okay, so where do you want to hang out?"

"Where do you want to?" she prodded, feeling her cheeks heat up. Lottie, you're too old to-

"The park?" he suggested. 

"Okay, sure!" Her heart was pounding. "Let's do it." Then, after a beat, she hung up, smiling ear-to-ear. 

However, Lottie took some breaths, forcing herself to calm down. He was only a boy, after all; she had no reason to be acting this immature over one. And he wasn't just any boy, either. It was Joseph. 

Then, her smile returning, she made way for her bedroom, deciding it was time to get dressed. For a moment, standing before her closet, she wondered the fault of the clothes she had on. But in the next, she shrugged, reaching for a jean jacket. 

Just remember, Lottie, he's only a boy. Don't get ahead of yourself.

-

As she stood on the sidewalk, leaned against her vehicle, she shivered. Her jean jacket wasn't enough and this time of year wasn't helping. From all around, the leaves were changing color, a soft breeze blowing them from their trees. It was beginning to season into autumn and she wasn't having it.

Lottie tapped her foot, eyes narrowed. After the first five minutes, she was starting to question the decision. But then again, Lottie knew that she was less patient than most. So, lifting her head, she prepared a smile for when he did get there. 

Joseph would come a minute later. Stepping from his car, parked behind hers, he offered a smile. "I'm here! Hope you didn't have to wait long."

"No, not at all," she said, her smile wavering. "Well, Joseph, maybe we should have waited for the weekend. It's Monday, after all."

"Why's that?"

"Well..." She looked around, then back to him. "It's like 8 pm and dark. Maybe we shouldn't be out for long."

"Well, we've got it to ourselves," he returned, giving her a gentle nudge. "Come on! They've got a tire swing up ahead!"

Lottie raised a brow. "What, are you like a minor or something?"

"No!" he said, jaw dropping. "You think I'm a minor because I like tire swings?"

"Well, how old are you?"

"Twenty-one," he replied, giving a smug smile. 

"Maybe you're lying!" Lottie went on, giving a nudge of her own. 

His smug look left and he giggled. "Why would I lie about that? It's not like I'd want to... date you, or anything..."

There was a moment of silence. 

"Well, I'm twenty-three," she said, starting down the graveled path. "We're kinda close in age."

"Yeah." He followed her side-by-side, but stopped short, looking over his shoulder. "Umm... Lottie?"

"Yeah...?" she asked, suddenly stiff. "That better not be Eliott-"

"Last one to the tire swing is a rotten egg!" Joseph hollered, racing down the path. 

"Oh, you little-" With that, she hurried after him, surprising even herself. Maybe she wasn't too old, after all. 

Before long, she was smiling, stepping foot onto the woodchips. Joseph had already won, standing within the tire swing, gesturing her over. When she did arrive, Lottie stopped, then crossed her arms. "Having fun in there, Joseph?"

The man nodded, flashing his teeth. One of his front ones was chipped. "Come on in!"

Lottie chuckled, then stepped inside and lifted her feet. When he began to spin them, round-and-round, she giggled. However, soon she was begging him to stop, gagging into a hand. 

"Are you okay?" Joseph asked, stilling the tire swing. He cupped a hand over her shoulder. "You don't seem very good..."

"Excellent observation." For a moment, she was quiet, rubbing her forehead. "Sorry, I guess I get motion sickness. That's the reason I was hesitant about this. Though, it's also childish! I wasn't lying about that part."

"Oh."

"Oh?" she questioned, looking him over. "That's all you have to say?"

"No! I meant it in a good way!" Joseph insisted, ceasing circles over her shoulder. "I just think you keep getting more interesting. We had known each other for like a year and were co-workers for a month, but the only way to really know a person is by spending time with them." Then he smiled, again flashing his teeth. "I'm glad we've been hanging out lately."

She stared back, losing her voice, then gently shrugged his hand away. "I realize I've sometimes got an attitude and I'm sorry. I guess... I've grown hard from my childhood, but you didn't deserve that." She swallowed hard. "Hanging out may help, but you'll never really know a person. Not really. No matter how many of these little visits we have..."

"Lottie, is there something you want to tell me?"

"Not particularly."

"You don't want to share secrets? It could be fun!" he offered. 

Lottie considered her words, then smiled. "Well, it's your idea so you should go first. What happened to your chipped tooth?"

"Oh, that?" Joseph covered his mouth, suddenly shifting. 

Slowly, Lottie removed his hands and peered into his eyes. "Joseph, don't be embarrassed. We've all got our problems." Then she laughed, feeling her cheeks heat up. "Besides, you're still kind of cute..."

That was when the woman shivered.

The sparkle returned to his eyes. "You're... cute too, Lottie. I always thought so. All this time, I'd look at you from afar, watching, but you'd never look back. So thank you, Lottie, for wanting to hang out; for giving me this ch-"

"Just tell me about your tooth," Lottie interrupted. "Don't say things you'll later regret."

"But I wo-"

"Just tell me about the tooth!"

"Okay." Despite this, he looked into his lap, blushing back. For a moment, he fidgeted. "Well, one day I was reading a book and walking."

"Okay?" she pressed. 

"Well, I wasn't looking where I was going and bumped into a pole. I told my boss I was chased by a rapid cat."

"A cat?" Lottie looked him over, trying to catch a lie. There was nothing. "Why not a dog? Cats don't sound near as scary."

"Well," he went on, meeting her gaze, "I hadn't thought of that."

"Oh."

"So... that's all you have to say?" He smirked, and before she could react, he had leaned forward, kissing her right on the lips.

A moment went by before she pulled back. 

Joseph gave a small chuckle. "Well, what do you have to say to that?" 

"I-"

"Uh, Lottie? Could we do this again? Maybe I should use my chapstick. My lips are a bit dry..."

Lottie stumbled over his words, then tried finding her own. "I, uh-" 

Joseph had already reached into his pocket. "It's in here somewhere."

Of all the possibilities, Lottie wasn't prepared for this one. So when he had kissed her suddenly, and without consent, she meant to be upset; she really did. But instead, she just smiled. "Sure, let's kiss again."

The second one was longer; more passionate. When they pulled back, each caught up in the moment, no words needed to be said. 

A beat passed. 

"Joseph?"

"Yeah?"

"I think I'm ready to tell you about my childhood."

It was then that a phone rang. 

While Joseph reached into his pocket, she held her breath. If this was-

"It's my mom."

"Oh," Lottie said, mustering up a smile. "That's alright. I'll wait for you."

"You're a good friend." After a moment, he answered his phone and the sparkle left his eyes. "Okay, Mom, I understand." 

She watched him hang up, then stare ahead. "What's wrong?"

"I should go back, Lottie. Actually, I need to go back."

"I don't understand." But then she nodded stiffly and lowered her gaze. "You're mom's doing rough, isn't she?"

"Well, she is ill at any rate, but that's not the reason." Joseph was already exiting the tire swing, and before going off, he looked her way. "She's just worried about me. I'm not supposed to be out this late."

"You live with her, don't you?"

"Yes."

"Well, then, I... respect that. Go on. Your mother is important in your life. I can tell that much."

"Oh, you're right. Without her, I'd be lost." The man let out a small laugh before his jaw tightened. "Goodnight, Lottie. Until next time."

"Until next time."

Only when he was out of sight did the first tear fall. It was also then that she realized something: it was time. Lottie was done neglecting her family. 

She was going to visit her brother. 

Well, that's a wrap. I hope this chapter was concluded well. If this seems too cliché, feel free to let me know! Also, I'm curious if any have a guess as to where things go from here. Either way, thank you for reading. It really does mean a lot. 

Anyhow, it's time for another question! *rubs hands together*: What's one of your most embarrassing moments?

Well, I hope you're doing well and God bless. <3