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He laughs. “Just a few weeks ago she got into an argument with one of the older teachers. He started talking about how the teachers from the younger generations complain about everything, that we’re too sensitive. Let’s just say he didn’t come out of that conversation a winner.”
“That’s my girl.” I laugh. “Saving the world.”
David laughs and leads us up the stairs.
“Oh wow, the porch isn’t condemned anymore?” I ask, looking down at the perfectly painted and restored porch.
“Always full of jokes, An,” Elliot says, shaking his head, when we walk past him and inside.
We walk into the house and the living room is immediately on the left with the stairs on the right. There’s a wall separating the living room from the kitchen which goes into the dining room. All of the walls are prepped for painting and the floors are ready to have new hardwood installed. They added several new windows along the side and back wall which lets in so much natural light.
“Wow! This is looking great,” I say, stunned.
Maddie walks over to stand next to me and hip checks me lightly. “Ye of little faith.”
I chuckle and hip check her back. “Seriously. It looks awesome, you’ve done such an incredible job in such a short time.”
“We couldn't have done it without David. He has been here almost every weekend, even some week nights,” Maddie says and smiles at David. I look to him, surprised. I find that he is already looking at me, that warmth on his face as evident and strong as always.
David turns to Maddie. “Your parents helped also, and some of your eccentric neighbors.”
“That’s true, Mom and Dad came when they could. And we can’t forget about Peggy and Sherman from two houses down.” Maddie laughs.
I start to feel bad that I’ve missed so much time being here helping them. A lot of that time was spent avoiding the possibility of seeing David. The other times it was just hard to get out of bed.
Maddie takes my face into her hands and looks up at me, “Don’t.”
“Can everyone just read my mind these days?” I mumble. She looks confused for a moment. “Nevermind.”
“You tend to wear your emotions on your face. You always have, I guess. But now they’re just different emotions,” she says hesitantly. “A broad spectrum of emotions if you will,” she adds with a small laugh.
I laugh and swat her hands away. “I get it, I wear my grief and brokenness for all to see,” I joke, but her eyes widen. I hear the guys stall in their movement, becoming quiet.
“N-no, not brokenness, Ana,” she says slowly. “I didn’t mean?—“
“I’m just kidding,” I assure her honestly. She looks at me unsure, eyes big. She and Elliot look at me nervously, unsure what to say.
But it’s David who laughs and breaks the silence. “You wear grief and brokenness beautifully, Ana.” And I am surprised by the laugh that bubbles out of my mouth.
“Thanks, I have lots to spare,” I say and start laughing again, and he lets out a loud laugh. “Geesh, you two. Lighten up,” I add.
I shrug my coat off and lay it on the stairs next to the front door. David does the same and we both walk through the living room together, admiring all the work that’s been done. I hear Maddie and Elliot whispering and removing their own jackets.
When they’re out of ear shot I whisper to David, “Sorry that was awkward.”
“No, it wasn’t,” he argues and I raise my eyebrow at him, “Well maybe for them. But I just don’t think they were expecting that. I think you’ve gotten really good at talking about everything else, and they weren’t expecting that subject to come up so lightly.”
I nod, thinking about that. “Yeah. You’re right. I’ve broken them. They’re broken too,” I joke.
He shakes his head at me and I laugh. Our conversation is short lived when Madeline starts to dole out our assignments.
“I’m never painting another thing, ever again,” I say, collapsing onto the floor. We painted the whole downstairs, and it only took about twelve hours.
“I think I agree with you,” Maddie says and collapses next to me. I turn to look at her, and her blonde hair that was neatly up in a bun atop her head is now coming loose with pieces spilling across her face. She’s got specks of paint in it and her clothes are covered in gray splotches also.
“Did you use your shirt to clean your paintbrush?” I ask jokingly.
She blushes, “No.”
