She narrowed her eyes. “What did I tell you about going all counselor-y on me?”
Reese belted out a laugh. “I’m sorry; it’s hard to turn off.”
Unable to suppress a smile, she just rolled her eyes as she pried the cover plate off. “You’re right, though. Ever since getting clean and actually staying clean this time, I’ve been nervous about change.”
“What’s the worst that could happen?”
“I fail, and that pushes me into a self-deprecating spiral?”
Reese just raised an eyebrow.
“Okay, okay, I have a better handle on rejection than that, I think. I guess I’m just scared to fail in general.”
“What’s the upside of taking it?”
“We’re really doing this, huh?”
“Yep.”
Sighing, Matty pointed to the toolbox that was out of reach. “Can you slide that closer?”
Reese did as she was asked. She didn’t speak as she patiently waited for Matty to answer her question.
“Well, I suppose the biggest upside is better job opportunities. Don’t get me wrong, I love my job, but I only got it because they overlooked that I didn’t graduate. It was a favor basically. But if I lost the job or wanted to apply for a promotion or a better position somewhere else, I really need it. Most places won’t hire without at least one.”
“Very true. I like that you’re looking ahead at its usefulness. You deserve to make the most of your life. This is a good step.”
“Okay, I’m going to need you to keep the validation to a minimum.”
“Sorry, force of habit,” she apologized, wincing. “Is there another downside?”
Matty grabbed the size of wrench she needed to detach the mixer cartridge valve. “Well, I guess the time and cost. But I talked to Elsie at work, and she said she had a study guide I could have, and she would look into getting a voucher. The money really isn’t an issue, I guess. I’ve got a nice little nest egg.”
“Do you have time to commit to it?”
The valve was being stubborn, and two sides were covered in limescale. The nut didn’t want to budge. She gritted her teeth as she pushed on it with more force. It finally gave. “Oh yeah, I have such a huge social life. I sit at home reading with my cat, or I go to a meeting. I have a monthly dinner date with Kenny. I occasionally drive one of the vans for weekend meetings at work. So much going on.”
“Let’s not forget all those women you’re schmoozing.”
“Definitely, I’m a real playboy,” smirked Matty.
Reese’s sweet, teasing smile could have melted chocolate. “Total playboy.”
Matty chuckled, shaking her head as the last nut gave way. “I guess there’s nothing really stopping me. Just fear of change and not passing the tests. Can you grab me a towel?”
“Sure. You know, I think you’ll do great. You just need to practice for it. There are practice tests, right?” She grabbed a towel from under the sink and handed it to her.
“Yeah, there are four tests, and all have practice ones. It’s been forever since I studied. I’m not sure I even remember how.” She wiggled out the cartridge, replacing it with the towel to catch the water still in the pipe. The white towel quickly absorbed it. She wasn’t surprised to find some bits of brown on the fabric when she pulled it back. Tossing it on the other side of the bathtub, she inspected the valve. She fished out a seal and found it worn down to almost nothing. The inlet screens were completely blocked with brown, rusty-looking debris. She looked up with a grin. “I think we have the problem.”
Matty wasn’t surprised that the issue was the mixer cartridge valve. It was what controlled the water going out of the faucet. It was where the hot and cold temperatures and pressure were controlled. With both inlets clogged, no water could come out.
A quick ride to the local hardware store was all they needed. Being back in the car with Reese was more relaxed this time but also still charged. Their brief moments of flirting had spilled out of her unintentionally. She couldn’t seem to stop herself. She had stopped thinking about romantic relationships outside of the fictional ones she had spent her evenings with a long time ago.
There was something about Reese that pulled her in. Made her not want to keep that wall up. Having a friend would be nice. But change was hard for Matty. Her routine, so structured and predictable, was where she found safety. Was the woman worth stepping out of that protective box?
That was a question that would need time to answer.
After the part needed was secured, they went back to the home. The dusty smell was no less strong when they went inside, but it was much better upstairs.
