AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Not a problem.It was fun.”
School had let out for the summer last week, and Eli had had his speech screening in Bismarck.Owen would’ve been beside himself if his brother had taken a trip to Bismarck by himself.I’d brought them both and run them through a park to wear them out for Grandma Gin.
She sniffled.“Well, I appreciate it, and I know they had fun.”Her voice was rough, like she wasn’t feeling well, or like she’d been crying.
“Everything okay?”
She waved me off.“I think I caught a little cold.Those two bring home more germs from the playground than Liam ever did.”
I chuckled.“I got a cold every other month my first two years of teaching.Derek said he should’ve bought stock in Kleenex.Call me if you need anything.I’m around all day tomorrow.”
Since the day out with Liam and the kids, I’d been inspired to do something, anything, and I couldn’t rely on Liam to entertain me.No matter how much I liked being with him, I had to learn to live with myself.And to prove to myself that I was capable on my own, I had a date with a leaky faucet.But I’d be here in a heartbeat if Grandma Gin needed me.
“Eh, not the first cold I’ve had.How’d the screening go?”
Grandma Gin might not get terribly sick, but she still had two five year olds to take care of.I’d call her tomorrow.I leaned against my car.She would invite me in if she wanted me to stay.If she wasn’t feeling well, she probably wanted to relax on the couch while the kids watched a show.
“They recommended an eval so they can make a therapy plan.I set one up for next week, and Liam needs to send them his insurance information.”We talked regularly while he was gone, but I only seemed to find more reasons to talk to him.Sometimes he called instead of messaging, and I gladly abandoned whatever DIY tinkering I was doing to answer.And I was really starting to enjoy improving my house.
Grandma Gin nodded, matter of fact.I’d always gotten the impression that she took the cards life dealt her and neatly tucked them into her hand.
Failing ranch.Stick that next to the jack of spades.
Daughter dies in the most-talked-about accident in Coal Haven’s history.Put that by the queen of diamonds.
Single-dad grandson who works out of town.Goes by the king of hearts.
Eli and his speech difficulties were getting placed.Grandma Gin played the hand she was dealt.She didn’t ask for a re-deal.
“I’ve got a casserole in the oven.You’re welcome to stay.”Her invitation lacked all energy.
“Thanks, but I need to stop at the hardware store before I go home.”I hated the anxiety that wound around my stomach.It was my first trip by myself to the hardware store.Mom had never gone there when I was growing up—that was what her various husbands had been for—and I’d gladly let Derek do those tasks.But last night, I’d watched videos, taken notes, and made a list.I was going to make that faucet my bitch.“I’ll talk to Liam and let him know everything.”
She gave me a tired smile.“Sounds good.Drive safe, Kennedy.”
I drove to town and scurried into the hardware store.Cleaning the garage was one thing.Scrubbing the floorboards another.This involved tools and a system I knew nothing about.I felt exposed, like a floodlight had spilled over me and highlighted only my ineptness.I recognized the lady paying the cashier.She worked at the grocery store.The guy taking her money had a shock of white hair and wasn’t much younger than Grandma Gin.I thought he owned the store and refused to quit working the counter.
I looked at my list.Last weekend, I’d lugged Derek’s toolbox in from the garage.I had attacked it with paper towels to clean the grime it’d collected from sitting so long and had done an inventory.I’d found all the tools I’d need for the sink.All I needed were sink parts.
Was there a sink section in the store?
I didn’t bother with a shopping basket as I wandered down the first aisle.Some of the items hanging on the hooks and piled on shelves had pictures of vehicles on them.Wrong aisle.By the time I turned down the next one, the man from the register was waiting for me with a pleasant smile.His name badge said Carlton.
“Can I help you with anything?”
Everything.I needed help with everything.In the day and age of strong and independent women, I had missed the train while sitting in the waiting rooms of doctors’ offices.And I hadn’t tried to hop on after I’d met Derek.
I held out my list.“I have a leaky faucet.”
He dug dark-framed readers out of the pocket of his red polo shirt and put them on.“Oh, yes.”He gave me another grin.“You’re close.”
He spun and hustled to the next aisle.I almost had to trot to catch up.
Peering through his readers at my list, then looking over the glasses to select from the shelf, he handed each pick to me.“Here’s the washer.And the cartridge.Oh, yes, sometimes it’s easier to buy a new aerator if it’s an old faucet.The outside might be okay, but the insides could be corroded.”
“The outside is pretty corroded.”
Another pleasant smile as he looked over his readers.“Sure you don’t want to replace the whole thing?”The trepidation must’ve shown in my expression.He chuckled.“Nothing wrong with trying to fix it first.Sometimes we need the win before we tackle a bigger project.”
