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Kate toots her horn. I had zoned out worrying about the money, and didn’t see her pull in. I sigh, shoving all my worries back to a spot in my mind where I can deal with them later. Man, it didn’t take Kate long to get here. Sometimes I wonder if she’s lurking behind me, just waiting for me to ask for a ride. I rush to the glass door and wave at her as I sprint to the Bronco.
“Hey,” I say. “You got here fast.” I hand her the expected cash.
Kate shrugs. “Yeah, well.” She sounds sad.
“Well, thank you. I’m gonna need to leave my car here for a few days, so I may need your services until then.” I tell her.
“Sure, whatever you need.” She just doesn’t sound like herself.
“Hey, while you drive me back to my house, let’s sing Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer.” I do my best to cheer her up. This is what I know makes her happy.
“Nah. I don’t feel like singing.” She puts the Bronco in gear, and we start going forward to the street.
“Kate,” I dare to probe. “What’s wrong?”
She heaves a heavy sigh. Her boney shoulders rise and fall causing her loose-fitting tank top to slide off and hang across a tattoo of the back of a mermaid and a dog sitting together on a straight line with a curl at each end. Her fish tail and the dog’s tail hang below the line. How interesting. I never noticed it before. She usually wears sleeved t-shirts. She scoops it back where it belongs. “Oh, nothing.”
I stare at the back of her short buzzed head. “Yeah, there is. What is it?”
She clams up, so I stop pushing. I stare out the window of her Bronco as we enter Deadwood from the south.
Maybe I should find one more game, pay off the taxes, and be done with it.
Chapter Six?
I have just enough time to clean up and head back to Michelle’s for phase two of her declutter project. “Kate, do you want to come inside while I take a shower? Have you eaten? I’ve got some leftover grilled chicken breast, I could heat up for you… and some salad.”
Kate looks at me as if she really wants to say yes, but she shakes her head no. “Nah, it’s not allowed.”
I chuckle. “Not allowed… by whom? We both know you work for yourself.” I smile.
Kate frowns. “It’s not…professional.”
I sigh. “Alright.” I want to lecture her about the fine lines between being professional and becoming friends with one’s client, but she doesn’t look like she needs any lectures right now. “Then can I schedule for you to return in forty-five minutes? I need to go to Michelle’s again tonight.”
“Sure.” She shuffles through some papers on her passenger seat, as if she’s checking her appointments. “Yeah. I can do that.” She says at last and feigns a smile.
“Okay. Thank you.” I get out, dreading those stairs.
As always, Kate is in my driveway exactly forty-five minutes later and I’m gathering my backpack purse with my notebook for recording what we do and documenting our progress. I wave from my front door, because I’m not rushing to get down those stairs!
“Same time, tonight?” Kate asks as we pull up to Michelle’s house.
“Probably, but let me text you, okay?” I reply.
“Sure.” Kate nods. Her eyes blink several times. They look red. Is she fighting tears or allergies?
“Kate, what’s wrong?” I say as gently as I possibly can.
“Nothing.” She wipes her eyes with the back of her hand.
“We’re friends. Tell me.” I push harder than I probably should.
“I don’t want to talk about it.” She gives me a look in the rearview mirror I’ve never seen on her face before, but I know she means business.
I shut up, for now.
“Alright, but if you ever decide you want to talk, I have two fully functioning ears.” I smile empathetically at her.
