AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“—deserved to die.” Averting his attention to Luke, he grinned arrogantly. “Marry her.”
“Goodnight, bro.” Luke rolled his eyes, guiding me out of the office.
Luke pulled into my driveway, parking in front of the single carriage style garage door. For the millionth time, he examined the light-grey colonial style, three story home with white trim and red door. Four stories, if you included the basement. It was the home Ian bought Madison and me when I agreed to take the assistant job. He spared no expense.
“Do you want to park in the back?” Next to the garage was a longer driveway that led to the back of the house, with a detached two-car garage. It was the place I always parked.
“Nah, I’ll stay here.” He stepped out of the car and strode around to my side, opening the door. “Maddie will want to play basketball after breakfast as usual and I want to get in a game with her in case I need to leave early.”
“Leave?” I asked as he entwined his fingers together with mine while we climbed the multi-level walkway to the front door.
He inserted the key, unlocking it. A few months back, I had given him his own copy. We walked inside and he shut the door behind us. Before he could say anything, Madison’s babysitter appeared from another area of the house. We filed by the staircase on the left and turned right into the kitchen.
“Hi,” I grinned, “how was your night? I’m shocked you’re not sleeping.”
I’d given Dorothy her own room to stay in and she was welcome to sleep over as often as she liked, since I was rarely home before 4:00 a.m. most nights. However, at seventy-seven, she preferred her own space. Though, many times when I got home, she was sleeping on the couch in the den with a crime show playing on TV in the background.
She lived next door, so it was only a short walk whenever she was here. She had no grandchildren of her own, so she was happy to stay with my daughter any chance she got, and of course she denied compensation, but I paid her regardless.
“I napped a little here and there earlier while watching the news, but then I saw you’d be home soon and thought I’d make some coffee and stay awake.” Her gazed shifted to Luke. “I just love seeing you here, too.”
He smiled. “It’s great to see you too, Ms. Franklin.”
She laughed, patting her tight white curls. “Will you ever call me Dorothy?”
“Not a chance.”
She placed her coffee mug in the dishwasher and stepped over to the breakfast nook, picking up the dark brown Coach bag I’d given her for Christmas. Draping the handles over her forearm, she grinned at Luke. “I’m ready to be escorted home, dear.”
He presented her his arm. “I’ll be back in a few.”
I let out a small laugh as they left. “Thank you and goodnight!” I called after them.
2
PLAYING HOUSE
LUKE
“Goodnight, dear, and thank you again,” Ms. Franklin said as she stood in her open doorway.
“You’re welcome.” I reached into my front right pocket, slipping out my wallet, fanning through the cash.
“No, Luke.” She shooed me away. “Jade already paid me, and you know how I feel about that. Maddie’s like a granddaughter to me.”
“Ms. Franklin,” I sighed, tucking the money into her palm anyway, “this isn’t from her. This is from me for taking care of them both when I’m not around.”
Her lips, creased from age, pressed into a thin line. “I have leftovers in the freezer. Wait and let me get it for you.”
“No, that’s okay,” I almost laughed, “but thank you. We still have ten casseroles and soups in the garage freezer we still need to eat.”
“Well, I’ll add more.”
“Sounds good to me, but not at this hour.” Reasoning with her was pointless. She was feisty and never took no for an answer. “I should get back home… to Jade’s… I mean.”
“It’s just as much your home now too, but you should marry her.”
“Goodnight, Ms. Franklin,” I sang, shaking my head with a grin. I hopped down the three steps, trekking across the grass back to the house.
