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“Okay, so we have the nails and the spackle…we just need to grab a few paint chips for the cabinets. I’m thinking gray or cream,” Maddie says as she drifts off towards the right aisle. I follow along pushing the cart full of our supplies. “Did you hear back about the job promotion yet?” she calls back to me.
I ended up filling out the paperwork after work one night. Evan stood over my shoulder and watched me complete it, and then went with me to put it on our boss’s desk. “Oh yeah…I uh, I got it,” I answer nervously, waiting for her to blow up.
“Ana,” Maddie squeals. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I’m sorry, I meant to. I just forgot.” I look at her apologetically. I see her face fall in understanding, always so understanding.
“I’m so happy for you.” She pulls me into a hug.
“Thanks, pollito,” I whisper as she holds me tight. She pulls away, cupping my cheeks in her hands.
“You’re amazing and I’m so proud of you,” she says, her eyes filling with tears.
I feel emotions stirring up in my chest and I push them down, not focusing on them. “Thank you.” I kiss her cheek and pull away.
We take home way more than what was on the list Elliot sent us with. We find the guys hanging the last piece of drywall as we walk inside the house.
“Looks good, guys!” Maddie says excitedly. Elliot smiles and once they finish he walks over, eyeing the multiple bags we’re holding.
“That looks like way more than what was on the list,” Elliot says, giving Maddie a pointed look. She blushes, which makes Elliot smile wide.
“There were some sales,” Maddie argues. Elliot looks at me for confirmation.
“Really good sales,” I confirm with a nod and Maddie gives him an ‘I told you so’ look.
“You’re both bad liars.” Elliot smirks and takes the bags from Maddie. David comes over, offering his hands out to take my bags. I give him a strained smile as I try to hand them off to him without touching him too much.
The last few weeks, he’s come around the house to help almost every time we’re here. He is always kind and friendly. We’ve all gone out to eat a few times afterwards and the conversation between the four of us flows incredibly naturally—when I participate in the conversations. He always tends to linger around me a bit, as if hoping to talk to me more, but I avoid him when Maddie and Elliot are not around. It’s not that I don’t like him, I just avoid everyone these days. It’s not him that makes me uncomfortable, it’s people in general. Conversations. Socializing. I hate it all.
“Any exciting plans tonight?” David asks us as we unload the bags on the folding table that is currently set up in the future living room.
“Going to my parents’ house tonight and coming back late tomorrow evening,” I tell him, making sure he understands that there is no room for new plans. He nods, looking at me thoughtfully.
Maddie makes her way to where Elliot is now standing in the foyer. He explains something quietly while using his hands as if to show her what he is picturing.
“Where do your parents live?” he asks conversationally.
“Penbrooke,” I respond, unloading a few containers of nails.
“Oh, nice. That’s not too far,” he says. I make a sound in agreement. “That’s where you’re from, right?”
“Yeah,” I answer. I should ask him where he is from now. Make conversation, Ana. It won’t kill you. “Uhm…” I start. His face perks up, as if he’s happy for me to be continuing the conversation and not shutting him down like I always do.
Right as I’m about to get the words out, Maddie comes rushing over. “Ana, what do you think about shiplap on this wall?” She drags me away, showing me the wall her and Elliot were just standing in front of.
Elliot goes to join David by the folding table and they fall into quiet discussion.
“What’s shiplap?” I ask her.
“I don’t really want shiplap. I just didn’t want to leave you alone to talk to David if you weren’t in the mood to talk to people,” she whispers, still holding onto my arm. She leads us out the front door onto the porch. Today is chillier than it’s been this season as fall is slowly creeping to an end. I wrap my arms around myself, my fleece doing all it can to retain some warmth.
“Thanks. I was okay though. He’s…really nice. He’s not too much,” I tell her. She nods.
“Yeah, as soon as I met him I knew that he and Elliot could possibly get along. They’ve become pretty good friends. He’s really down to earth, and nice. Really funny. A great teacher, too.”
“Yeah?” I say absentmindedly. She murmurs in confirmation.
“Are you really going to your parents’ house tonight?” she asks.
