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Wintertown had one newspaper – besides the free ones that were usually found in the grocery stores and on bus stops – and it was printed every Sunday. A massive thing filled with the latest stories from all over the North as well as the rest of Westeros and even Essos. It also came chalk-full of coupons and sale ads that all of the stores were running for the coming week. Jon paid for delivery every Sunday. He liked staying on top of possible upcoming construction projects in the area. He didn’t officially live with Sansa and Brandon but he was over there far more often than he was at his own flat and he had the newspaper delivered to Sansa’s house. Either he would have spent the night on Saturday or he would be over on Sunday morning because Sansa loved cooking Sunday morning breakfast for herself and Brandon and now Jon.
Brandon loved watching for the newspaper. He would sit on his knees on the couch so he could look over the back of it, out the large front window, and wait for the boy to come up the street on his bicycle. Brandon didn’t know the boy’s name. He wanted to ask but he didn’t want to distract him from his deliveries but whatever his name, Brandon knew that he would pedal by right around seven and without stopping, he’d reach into the heavy sack on his shoulder, slung across his chest, and brimming with newspapers. He took out a newspaper, rolled up and held together with a rubber band, and he would chuck it at the house before continuing on his way up the street – all without stopping.
“It’s here!” Brandon exclaimed out as the newspaper landed on the driveway or in the grass of the front yard or if it was a really good throw, it would land right on the porch steps.
Lady barked every time to match Brandon’s excitement and Sansa poked her head out from the kitchen where she was frying bacon or mixing pancakes or rolling out cinnamon rolls. “Shoes on, Brandon,” she reminded him as she reminded him every Sunday.
Brandon stopped to tug on his canvas slip-on sneakers and then hurriedly yanked open the front door. The alarm system was already unarmed from Lady going out earlier. Lady came with him because she knew that Sansa didn’t want Brandon to go outside – even to their own front yard or driveway – without being watched. It was one of Brandon’s favorite things to do. He felt so important, running to the newspaper and picking it up, bringing it back into the house, proud because he had helped with delivering it, too.
Either Jon would be in the kitchen, drinking coffee and talking with Sansa, or he would still be in bed. Sansa always told Brandon that Jon worked hard and didn’t always get as much sleep as he needed. Ghost seemed to be just like him and when Jon spent the night, Ghost did, too, and would sleep through just about anything. Wherever Jon was in the little house, Brandon would take the newspaper straight to him. Brandon honestly loved when Jon was still in bed because when Brandon brought it to him, “Newspaper, Jon!”, he always made sure to announce, Jon would smile. He would have already been awake from Brandon’s first exclamation of the paper getting there.
“Thanks, Little Stark. What’s the news today?” He asked.
Brandon crawled up onto the bed and side-by-side, Jon would unroll the newspaper and he handed Brandon the comics as he took the front section for himself and they would read together until breakfast was ready.
They ate breakfast at the table and Jon and Sansa talked about what they were going to do today though Sundays were almost always pajama days and they didn’t do much of anything. If Brandon loved getting the paper from outside every Sunday, he really loved pajama days.
…
Summertime – actual hot summer weather – in Wintertown did not last long. Fall lasted months. Winter lasted even longer. And everyone was lucky if summer lasted two weeks. So yes, Sansa knew that if she bought them, they wouldn’t be able to get a ton of use out of them but she had to be honest. When she bought this little house for herself and Brandon, there were certain mental images she had that came with it. Warm stews on a snowy night. Curling on the couch and drinking hot chocolate. Planting and landscaping and making the little house a good and safe house for the two of them.
During the summer, her hours at the University Library were shortened so she was able to spend plenty of time with Brandon. He spent the morning in the university daycare center before Sansa picked him up again just after eleven. They then set off for lunch and errands if Sansa had any to run. Today, she did have somewhere she needed to take them because she wanted Brandon’s opinion too before she bought anything. She had seen the ad in the Sunday newspaper and three days later, she was still thinking about it. It would probably be a waste of money but Sansa had a little bit to blow if that’s what she really wanted.
Brandon didn’t care where they were going. He was just excited to go. In front of the store, she found a parking spot and held Brandon in her arms as she headed across the lot for the automatic front doors. She deposited him into a cart’s front seat and then began pushing to the back of the store where outdoor equipment was usually kept. She had Brandon hold the ad and he was happy to do it, looking it over himself as if the three-year-old was comparing things and their prices. Thankfully, the store seemed to be stocked with plenty and they came in a variety of colors just as the ad promised. She brought the cart with her and kept it close as she began trying one out. It was plastic but comfortable. The back was slanted and it provided a desirable angle to lean back. She imagined the sun warm on her face as it shone above her. The set came with two chairs and a little matching plastic footstool that could be used as a table as well.
“Which color, sweetling?” Sansa asked as she stood up again.
Brandon took the question seriously. He looked over the lawn furniture his mama was wanting his opinion on and made sure to look at each one. “Green!” He then decided – quite loudly – and pointed at the set.
Sansa smiled happily and nodded. “I think green, too,” she agreed and that made Brandon absolutely beam.
…
It was an absolutely gorgeous day. The temperature was somewhere in the eighties with a light cooler breeze blowing and there was hardly an humidity in the air. It was pretty close to perfect as weather got to be around in these parts. Jon was eating dinner with Sansa and Brandon that evening at their house so when Jon left the jobsite, he drove straight there. He kept extra clothes there and would be able to take a shower. He was looking forward to a quiet evening with his two favorite people in the world. Summertime was always a crazy time for building contractors. This was the time when all work was usually done on schools that needed work since the students and staff wouldn’t be around. The only problem with it was a lot of work had to be done and completed in three months so summertime always meant long days.
Jon’s pickup truck was too big to have it in the garage so he parked it in the driveway. He slid out and Ghost followed after, running right for the tree in the front yard to relieve himself. He then followed Jon up the front steps to the door and Jon let them both in. The house was small enough to know immediately that Sansa and Brandon weren’t inside. Lady wasn’t either. From the front door, he could see through the kitchen to Sansa’s sunroom where she sewed and designed – the sunroom Snow Construction had built. And through the sunroom windows, he smiled. Sansa and Brandon were sitting in two green lawn chairs in the backyard, both in shorts and tee-shirts and sunglasses on their faces. Jon couldn’t wait to join them.
First, he took a shower and then changed into a fresh pair of shorts and a tee-shirt. Sansa and Brandon were still outside, in the newly bought lawn chairs. He didn’t have his sunglasses here with him but that was okay.
“Hey,” he stepped out the back sunroom door, Ghost tearing out, nearly knocking him over, and Lady came bounding over to greet the fellow dog.
“Jon!” Brandon shot from his seat like a slingshot and nearly tripped over his feet as he went running.
“Hey, Little Stark,” Jon grinned and easily caught and swung Brandon up into his arms. “I love the chairs.”
“I felt like spoiling myself,” Sansa smiled, pushing the sunglasses to the top of her head. She then reached over and patted the arm of the other chair. Jon, still grinning, sat down. “I should have bought another set. Maybe I’ll go back tomorrow.”
“We could build a firepit back here if you’d want something like that. Put the chairs around it. Roast some marshmallows when it’s cold again,” Jon suggested. He leaned back and sank down a little and Brandon slid off of his lap to go to Sansa. She smiled as the boy crawled onto her lap and fell heavily against her chest.
“So… two weeks from now?” Sansa joked and Jon chuckled. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes against the sun beating down and warming them. “How was work?” She then asked.
Jon thought about the question though he really didn’t have to. He reached over to her and she smiled as he took her hand. He ran his fingers over her knuckles as he closed his eyes again against the sun. He felt Ghost lie down on the grass at his feet and he didn’t look but he could sense Lady doing the same thing at Sansa’s. He listened to the quietness around except for the soft breeze and a few birds chirping and Brandon humming a song to himself.
“It’s good to be home,” he answered.
He didn’t have to open his eyes to sense Sansa’s smile. She squeezed his hand and he squeezed back.
…