AllFreeNovel
Share Us
It’s quickly decided that Digger and I will paint the doors and drawer fronts in the garage while Moira and Harper paint the frames in the kitchen. I’m slightly disappointed I won’t be working with Moira, but I suppose it’s for the best. After all, I’m pretty sure that even if she did like me as more than a friend, she’s probably got no time for a man in her life—definitely not one who isn’t going to stick around.
The morning flies by. A couple of hours into painting, Wyatt wanders into the garage and plunks himself down on an overturned bucket. He sighs heavily.
“You sound like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders,” Digger tells him.
“Nah, I’m fine.”
“Something’s bugging you. Otherwise, you’d be playing with the other kids right now.”
“I’m not supposed to talk to you about it because Mom doesn’t want youfixingit for me.” Wyatt makes finger quotations around the word fixing.
Digger stops painting for a second. “Tell me. You know I’m always happy to help in any way that I can.”
Shaking his head determinedly, Wyatt says, “No way. Mom’s madder at me now than the time I gave Travis Sinclair the super nut cruncher.”
Before I can insert myself into the conversation and ask if a nut cruncher is what I think it is, Colton walks in and declares, “He’s mad because his team is going to try to win a trip to LA to see a Dodgers game, but it doesn’t include the airfare and hotel so Mom said he can’t go.”
Ash walks in right after his twin. “Wyatt yelled at Mom and told her he was going to ask Auntie Harper on account of her being rich and all. Mom practically blew a gasket.”
“I never said that!” Wyatt tells him with a scowl.
“Did, too!”
“Fine, but only because Mom wasn’t even letting metryto come up with another plan!” Wyatt says. “She’s so mean sometimes.”
“None of that kind of talk,” Digger tells him. “Your mom’s got a lot on her plate. She’s doing the best she can.”
“I know, but she should at least let me try to raise the money, shouldn’t she?” he asks.
“If she said no, I’m sure she has a good reason,” Digger answers.
Ash nods his head. “She’s upset because the house is too old and too big and needs so much work. She actually had a huge cry about it after Wyatt ran out.” He makes a littletsking sound, then adds, “Haven’t seen her do that in a long time.”
Wyatt’s face turns bright red and he tries to blink back the tears that spring to his eyes. “Why’d my dad have to be a stupid crab fisherman? Why couldn’t he have had a normal job like … like … being a dentist or something? Then he’d still be alive, and we could afford things like trips and stuff.”
Digger puts down his brush and walks over to his nephew. He folds him into a big hug while he sobs.
I keep working, knowing it’s none of my business, but I can’t help feeling choked up at the scene that’s playing out. I can’t imagine how hard it is to grow up with only one parent. Both of mine worked a lot, but at least we always knew they were there if we needed them.
After a couple of minutes, Wyatt pulls back and wipes the tears off his cheeks.
“Feel better?” Digger asks.
Nodding, Wyatt says, “A little.”
“Listen, I can’t make any promises, but maybe if you write out a plan for how you’d raise the money, your mom might listen. Of course, you’ll have to apologize first,” he tells him. “And you have to treat your mom with respect which means no yelling, no matter how upset you are.”
“Okay, Uncle Digger,” he says. “You’re right.” After a second, he asks, “Do you really think she might let me go? I mean, if I had a really good plan and could raise the money myself?”
“It’s worth a shot, but remember, the final decision is hers.”
Wyatt beams like the spotlight on the Hollywood sign at night. “Thanks. I’m going to see what I can come up with.” He races out of the garage.
The twins follow him out, leaving Digger and me alone. Digger looks at me and shakes his head. “I wish they had it easier.”
“I can’t even begin to imagine how tough being a single parent would be. They’re lucky to have you in their lives though. I wouldn’t have had any idea what to say to Wyatt, but you handled him really well.”
“Years of practice. Wyatt was only three when Everett died, and the twins never knew him, so I’m the only father-like figure they’ve ever had.”
