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How many days would this virus set him back? He was feeling better for the moment, but the fever came and went at will.
Lillian cleared her throat. “In case I haven’t told you, Wes, I think it’s really amazing that you’re doing this for Landon. He always did hate leaving things unfinished.”
Landon had been hiking the Appalachian Trail in sections. He started shortly after graduating from college, at Mount Katahdin in Maine, the northern end of the trail. During vacations he added to the hike and made it as far south as Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Then Landon had gotten hired by Emergency Shelter International. He and Wes had met in Colombia and formed an immediate bond. When Landon told him about his progress on the trail, Wes committed to completing it with him when they finished their contract. He loved the outdoors, and the idea of being completely self-sustaining held great appeal. They’d talked often about their plans. Wes never dreamed he’d be returning to the States and completing the hike alone.
“Wes? You okay?”
“I’m fine. The hike’s been good for me—the time alone out in nature. I’ve had a lot of time to think.”
“What have you been thinking about?”
He wasn’t sure he wanted to get into that over the phone. “Oh, you know, the past, the future, things like that.”
Her quiet laugh sounded over the line. “Now that’s a vague answer if I ever heard one.”
“We’ll have plenty of time to talk when I get there. Did you place that ad for your day care?”
“I did, but I haven’t gotten any calls yet. It’s strange only having two children here. And they’re six and ten, so come fall they’ll be in school. I really need some little ones. Besides, I miss those baby cuddles.”
“I’m sure you’ll find some new kids to love on soon.”
“I hope so. I sure miss those kiddos. I get too attached, I know. Landon was always telling me that, but it’s impossible not to.”
“You have a big heart.”
“Sometimes it’s hard to believe we’ve never even met in person. I feel like I know you so well.”
His lips relaxed into a smile. “I feel the same.”
“I’ve been keeping my eyes open for an apartment for you, and I have one that sounds interesting. I’ll text you the details and you can look it up.”
“I don’t want you worrying about me. You have enough on your plate.”
“I don’t mind. Listen, you sound tired. I’ll let you go so you can get some rest.”
“I’ll call you when I’m ready to hit the trail again.”
“Don’t rush it. You don’t want to have a setback.”
“I’ll be careful.” They said their good-byes and he disconnected.
He hated that she was having financial troubles and wishedhe could provide immediate help. But if she’d been too independent to accept assistance from her brother, she wouldn’t accept it from him. Besides, he wasn’t exactly in the financial position to offer help at the moment anyway.
He thought of the bill he owed the clinic and winced. He sure hated the thought of that debt hanging over his head. Logically, he knew there was no crime in having to make payments. But emotionally it dragged him right back to his vagabond childhood. He would never be like his dad.
Wes took another slug of water, forcing himself to drink more than he really wanted. He couldn’t afford—literally—to get dehydrated again. The thought of that bill made his head throb again. Or maybe he was just more cognizant of it now that there were no distractions.
He swept his eyes across the well-kept backyard. Flowers and bushes lined the stained deck. A red bird feeder hung from a blooming tree. A flagstone path wound through a manicured lawn and back to an old brick carriage house that probably dated back to when the house was built.
But wherein the house had been updated with new windows and roof shingles, the outbuilding was still languishing somewhere in the mid-twentieth century. The white paint on the gridded windows peeled, and the double doors had faded to a dirty gray, the hardware rusting. The old shingles on the roof curled, and moss spilled across the surface.
The structure was about the size of a two-car garage and sat under the shade of a giant oak. What was the building used for? Storage, most likely. Currently, it was an eyesore, but the contractor in him envisioned a renovation that restored the building to its former beauty.
Avery returned, taking the deck stairs with a light step and settling into the chair she’d vacated.
“Everything okay? Not another emergency on your day off?”
