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Chapter 5
Kennedy
It was Memorial Day weekend.Most people were going on picnics, heading to the river, or relaxing.I was fixing a toilet.As the sink dripped behind me.My win had been temporary.The faucet repair had gone well, but it had resumed leaking two days later.
My water bill was going to cost as much as it would’ve to hire a plumber.Instead, I’d gone back to the hardware store and hit up Carlton.He sold me a faucet, gave me a few tips, and when I mentioned that my toilet wouldn’t quit running, found an insides kit for me.
An entire week of how-to videos.I’d dreamed of how to replace the innards of a toilet tank and install a shiny new faucet.It was time to make it real.
If real meant I was red-faced and sweaty and had said more swear words in two hours than I had in my entire life, then it was real.
I sat on the floor and puffed a lock of hair out of my face.I needed to redo my topknot but my hands were grungy.They’d only been in the toilet tank, but the level of intimacy I’d had with the toilet was all over my clothing.
I flexed my hand.My modest wedding ring glittered under the bathroom lights.There’d been a few times I’d thought I should take it off while I was working in the toilet tank, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it.The square diamond was less than a quarter carat.The wedding band had six diamonds in a line.
I remembered how hard Derek had worked for this, taking extra jobs around his college schedule.I’d thought he was saving for a house, but he had saved for this.One night before the ceremony, Derek had confessed that Liam had helped him buy it.Derek had paid him back by then, but he’d talked about how the jewelry store had a two-week-long sale.Derek hadn’t saved enough by then, but Liam had kicked in the rest.
I admired the ring that the two most important people in my life had worked hard for.Wedding rings were symbolic, but this one meant so much.Tonight was the first night I’d considered removing it, even just temporarily.
Would I ever be ready?
My phone rang.
Dammit.
Upbeat music flowed from a speaker on the edge of the bathtub, but I needed to switch to motivational podcasts.Another one about finances and empowered women—sometimes both in the same podcast.Bruce had set up the bill pay to be automatic based on advice from a banker friend of his, but I needed to know about more than keeping my account in the black.
My phone chirped again.I glanced at it.My mom.
If I didn’t answer, she’d keep calling.If I still didn’t answer, she’d make Benji drive three and a half hours to check on me.
I hurried through a handwashing and put the call on speaker.“Hey, Mom.”
“Oh, Kennedy.I was afraid you weren’t going to answer.”
“I was in the middle of something.”
“Oh?”
I chewed the inside of my cheek.There were micromanagers, and there were micromommers.She was going to want to know exactly what I was doing.“I’m working in the bathroom.”
“Is something wrong?”
“No.”I made my voice as light as I could.“Just a leaky sink.I’ve got it covered.”
“Are you sure?Benji’s real good with plumbing.He’s done all of the repairs in the condo.”The condo had been built five years ago.This house was fifty years old.“Benji!”
“No, Mom!”I took a breath.I hadn’t meant to shout.“It’s fine.I’ve got it.”
“It’s no problem.Benji can pack his tools and—”
I grasped for a way to keep my oasis from getting invaded by my smothering mother.“Carlton’s helping me.”
Mom stalled at the mention of someone—not me—who was involved.“Carlton?”
“He owns the hardware store, remember?Between him and YouTube—”
“Benji!”
