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Theo and I sat on the steps together and watched Mia and Scout.
“I’m glad we’re friends again,” I blurted out.
“You missed me, huh?” Theo said and I bumped her shoulder with mine.
“You missed me too, admit it.”
She sighed softly. “I did. That’s why I wanted to talk to you.”
I liked that she missed me way more than I should have.
“I’m finishing your dining table next week. Your chairs are almost done, too,” she said.
“I’m so excited. Oh, I wanted to ask your help with something.” I told her about what I wanted to do with the photo wall in my living room.
“Yeah, I can help you with that. I’m no decorator, but I can measure and help you place things so they’ll look good.”
“Thanks, that would be great. I’m afraid that I won’t space everything right and then I’ll order everything and be stuck with a mess.”
Mia squealed as Scout brought the ball back to her and dropped it at her feet.
“I’ll help you, Kendra,” Theo said, and I found myself leaning closer to her. Not just because she smelled so good, but because I was so drawn to her without even realizing. My body demanded to be as close as possible to her without hopping in her lap. Though, if I could do that without it being weird, I probably would have.
“You okay?” Theo asked as thoughts of me doing exactly that raced through my mind.
“Yup,” I said, my voice sounding a little choked. I needed to get it together.
Mia ran over. “Teetee, I’m hungry.”
“You had a massive amount of popcorn not that long ago and you’re hungry?” Theo asked.
“Yes,” she said. “Can I have hot dogs for dinner?”
Theo turned to me. “You up for hot dogs?”
“Absolutely.”
I hoped I wasn’t overstaying my afternoon, but Theo and Mia didn’t act like they wanted me to leave, so I stayed. Theo got hot dogs and veggies on the grill.
Mia stood at Theo’s elbow, making sure her hot dog was cooked to her exacting specifications. There was a right level of doneness, according to Mia.
We ate together inside and just as we were clearing up the dishes, Clint came to pick up Mia.
“How was she?” he asked after Mia had run and thrown herself into his arms. She rested her head on his shoulder and looked like she was going to fall asleep any moment.
“She was good. No major drama,” Theo said, and I dealt with the dishes as Theo and Clint talked and then he took Mia out to his truck. I said goodbye to her, but she was already asleep.
“How does this happen?” Theo asked, motioning to the living room, which was a little chaotic.
“Do you need any help?” I asked.
“No, I can handle it. You don’t need to stay and watch me clean,” Theo said.
“Oh, okay. I should probably get going,” I said.
“I started your coffee table,” Theo said, and I wasn’t sure where that came from.
“Oh, great,” I said.
“Do you want to come take a look at it?” she said. She seemed oddly intense about this all of a sudden.
“Okay,” I said. “Lead the way.”
She dropped the blanket she’d been folding, and we headed over to the workshop. It was tidy, as always. Theo kept everything so organized and I didn’t know how she did it.
“What do you think?” she asked me, and the sound echoed in the large room. There were also a bunch of chairs that I knew were mine, and my dining table, as well as a few other pieces in various states of completion.
“It’s perfect,” I said, leaning down to look at the coffee table. I pictured it in my house and was pleased. It was really going to look good with my couch and other pieces.
“Your work is amazing, Theo,” I said, looking around. She had made all of this stuff with her two hands. It was mind-blowing when you sat down and thought about it.
“Thanks,” she said. “I sometimes feel like I get so focused on work that I don’t stop and think about what I’ve created over the years. It’s a lot to think about, honestly. People buy things that I’ve made and put them in their homes. It sounds simple, but a chair is an essential item. People sit in my chairs and eat with their families, they sit in them and cry, they sit in them and rock their babies to sleep.”
She looked at me to see my reaction.
“Wow. I’ve never thought of it that way, but you’re right. It’s something you might not think about every day, but it’s something you use and that is an essential part of your home.”
Her face got a little red, as if she was embarrassed to share that with me.
“Some people might say I was giving myself too much credit for thinking that way,” she said.
