Page 22 of Day Break

I felt my stomach growl again, so I picked up the sandwich and took a bite.

There had been a handful of times in my life when it felt like the world shifted under me. This was one of those times.

I had never tasted anything as amazing as that simple sandwich. Even the chips, a flavor I’d never appreciated or enjoyed before, tasted amazing.

When I tried the pickle, I had to hold in a groan of sheer pleasure.

Had food always tasted this incredible?

“How long has it been?” George asked me.

I glanced up and then realized that he’d stopped eating and had been watching me eat.

I felt my face heat, my throat close up. It was obvious what he was asking me. I didn’t want to answer. I hated appearing weak.

“You don’t have to tell me.” He tilted his head. “Are you hiding from a man?” he asked. When I didn’t answer, he sighed. “The law?” I blinked, then shook my head.

“Myself,” I answered and was horrified as a tear slipped down my cheek and landed on my sandwich. The bread soaked up the moisture quickly as I dashed another tear from my face.

“Do you have a place to stay?” George asked. I glanced towards the glass doors. The room grew quiet. “My grandson has been bothering me to hire someone to help out around here,” he said, picking up his sandwich and taking another bite before looking at me again. “The problem is, I can’t stand people,” he said with a low chuckle. “That is why I got a dog.” He motioned to Byron. “They don’t demand things from me other than food and attention. And, most importantly, they don’t talk back.”

I swallowed and folded my hands in my lap, digging my long nails into my palms. I wanted to finish my food but sat still and listened to him as he continued.

“I’m old, but not a complete invalid. But I can see some benefits of having someone around.” He took another bite of the sandwich. “Can you cook? Clean? Do laundry?”

I nodded slowly.

He ran his eyes over me again. “There’s an apartment, over the garage.” He looked down at Byron for a moment. “I have a change of clothes, if you need.”

I looked down at my grimy clothes. I’d tried washing them, but since I didn’t have soap, the stains hadn’t disappeared. I nodded, not meeting his eyes.

“Good, it’s settled then. After lunch, you can head up and pick out what you want from the closet upstairs, then go out and get settled. I eat dinner at six sharp. There’s plenty of groceries stocked up. Choose what you want to make. I’m not a picky eater.” He continued to eat his meal.

When he was done, he pushed his plate aside. “I don’t tolerate thievery. But something tells me that won’t be an issue. I’m a really good judge of character,” he said with a sigh. “Now, if you’ll help me to the sofa, I’ll take my afternoon nap while you clean up.”

He started to get up, and I rushed over to help him stand. He smiled and patted my hand. “See. I’m an excellent judge of character,” he said again as I helped him over to the sofa. He grabbed a book from the coffee table and settled down.

I briefly wondered if the bump to his head had caused his judgment to be off, but then I dreamed of showering off and finding some new clothes to wear. The possibility of having regular meals and someone to talk to outweighed my fears at this point.

Leaving him and Byron on the sofa, I made my way back into the kitchen and cleaned up. I put the food back where it belonged. I washed the plates and glasses, dried them, and returned them to the cupboard before wiping down the chop block countertop of the island.

Once I was done, I tucked the chairs in at the table and made sure everything was in order. When I went to check on George, he and Byron were fast asleep on the sofa. The two of them looked so comfortable together, I knew this was their daily routine.

While I sat out in the grass, reading my book, they had been tucked here, napping happily together. That thought made me smile.

George had mentioned there were clothes upstairs but had neglected to say which room. Should I go poking around?

He’d told me I could stay in the rooms above the garage. I glanced towards the back windows and could see the other building tucked in the corner of the yard. There wasn’t a car sitting out front.

The garage sat on the back part of the lot. There was so much of the home I had yet to see.

I glanced around and wondered what to do. I could just barely see the staircase and front door from the living room. There was a circular hallway space with doors on either side that separated the two spaces and opened up to the front of the home.

Leaving the two of them asleep, I made my way to the front of the house and stopped at the base of a very impressive two-story circular staircase. The railing was the same warm-colored wood as the flooring in every space on the main floor of the home.

It was worn in places, like by the front door and at the base of the stairs. The rugs appeared newer and were in soft grays, whites, and deep blues that matched the outside paint almost perfectly.

To the left of the front door sat a formal dining room. A wood table with eight high-back leather chairs filled the space, along with a hutch that matched the top of the table. Windows looked out over the long driveway off the front of the home.