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“Did Charlie tell you it was time for a walk?” she asked Mrs. Hennessy.
“We’ve actually been walking more since …” Mrs. Hennessy noticed Nick as Charlie the dog reached the sidewalk. “Since you!”
Hayley had to hand it to him: Nick’s top-of-the-line, take-no-prisoners smile immediately hid the flash of bewilderment in his eyes. “Me?”
“Charlie was barking hello when you came to visit a couple weeks ago,” the woman said. “I saw you climb those steps all by yourself, and I thought, ‘Bernice, if that young man can do that, there’s no reason you can’t get yourself out of the house and give Charlie some more fresh air.’ You’re just so inspiring.”
“Well, thank you, Mrs. Hennessy. I’m Nick.”
“And I’m Bernice.” The dog strained at his leash. “Looks like Charlie wants to say hi. He’s got some hound dog in him, you know. Charlie, I can’t let you shed all over the gentleman’s slacks!”
Charlie had other ideas, and while Mrs. Hennessy tried to talk sense into him, Hayley stepped closer to Nick to block his shaking legs from view. She moved her hand from his arm to his ribs, trying to silently reassure him.Hang in there, rock star. Soon the nice lady will go away and it’ll just be you and me. And please, God, don’t let the dog bark.
“Are you taking Hayley out this evening?” Mrs. Hennessy asked.
Nick nodded, smiling for all he was worth. “I do have that privilege, yes, ma’am.”
“It doesn’t sound like you’re taking it for granted either. Good!” She pulled Charlie along. “Keep doing what you’re doing,” she told him. “Don’t let anything get you down.”
“I’ll try my hardest, Bernice,” Nick called after her. “Have a great night!”
They watched Charlie lead Bernice away, and then Nick’s smile vanished in a sigh of relief. His knees buckled, and Hayley held him tighter. “I’ve got you,” she said soothingly. “Let’s get you in the car before Bernice remembers I haven’t returned her cookie dish, huh?”
35
It was cooler than normal for a Thursday night in August, but after the ordeal with Mrs. Hennessy, Nick didn’t waste a moment cranking up the car’s air-conditioning.
“I’m sorry,” Hayley said. “I know you hated every minute of that.”
“Not your fault,” he said easily. “Not her fault, really.”
“But hey, at least you’ve inspired a senior citizen to walk her dog, right?”
Nick sighed. “Why is that inspirational?”
“Because it’s harder for you. And I cannot believe, by the way, that Kevin didn’t help—”
“Kevin didn’t know.” There was no way he would ever let that guy help him. “So what was the alternative?” he asked her. “Not going up the steps?”
“Well, yeah,” she said. “A lot of people wouldn’t.”
“Doesn’t that make those people lazy, though?” He shook his head. “I could’ve been trying to rob you or something.”
Hayley stared at him, incredulous. “I’m sorry,what?”
“I’m saying I’m not a better person just because I have to work harder. I could’ve been coming up the steps to rob you.”
She started laughing. “What exactly would your getaway plan be, Slick?”
“I could be a thief if I wanted to be.”
She mimicked a phone with her hand. “Hello, Officer? I’d like to report a robbery. Yes, he’s still here. Climbing down the front steps, actually. Such an inspiration, that one.”
Nick tried to keep a straight face, but she had him. “It’s all about commitment,” he insisted. “I could be the world’s greatest thief if I committed to it.”
“Uh-huh. I’m not bailing you out when you get caught.”
After a moment, he said, “It’s weird, you know? I’m just trying to live my life, and people want to give me awards or something. And if Ididn’tdo anything, they’d be saying I needed to get out of the house.”
