River Town Box Set

by Grant C. Holland

  “Oh, hell, yeah, and I wouldn’t have done it, but…and this is crazy. I know it’s crazy. Damn, maybe you should just go home and leave me to my fucked up world. I’m so fucking sorry. Be careful the next time you think about grabbing a box of mac and cheese out of a guy’s hand.”

  Ross shook his head. “Addie needs me tonight.”

  Puck sighed heavily. He reached a hand upward and touched Ross’s face. “I don’t have any idea why you would want to, and I’m not sure why I’m asking, but would you kiss me again?”

  “I would kiss you…” Ross’s words were interrupted by Puck raising his head for the kiss. He wrapped his hand around the back of Puck’s head as he awkwardly bent down. He parted his lips when he felt the tip of Puck’s tongue.

  Puck sighed deeply and closed his eyes. “Was I good?”

  “It was good for me, but you’ve kissed before. I would guess it’s not that different with a woman. I don’t know. I’ve never kissed one, but the body parts are the same, not like…elsewhere.”

  Puck opened his eyes again. “Never ever with a guy. Is it bizarre to say kissing you felt right?”

  The doorbell interrupted their conversation. It was the pizza delivery man. Ross handed him a wad of cash. “Keep all the extra. You deserve it for being out on a night like this.”

  After just two bites of the pizza, Addie woke up. She began to fuss and cry in the bassinet. Ross said, “I’ll take care of it. Just let me know if you want me to do something your way. Everybody has their own way. The world works like that, but I know all of the basics. My sister taught me well.”

  Puck gave instructions about feeding and explained where to find the diapers. His cell phone rang just as he finished describing the toys that could distract Addie’s attention if she fussed while changing the diaper.

  Ross picked Addie up from the bassinet and held her gently against his shoulder while he headed for the hall closet to retrieve changing supplies.

  The call was about Puck’s car. The police wanted to know the whereabouts of the owner of the abandoned car.

  Ross tickled Addie’s bare tummy just after getting the new diaper in place. He asked, “Is everything alright?”

  “Yeah, yeah. I need to call a towing place and have them retrieve the car. It looks like Addie likes you. She screams sometimes when I change the diaper.”

  “Well, we’ll see how well the feeding goes.” Ross prepped the bottle while Puck called about the car. He smiled to himself about how easily they worked together. Ross’s sister Linda taught him well, but she barked orders and complained if he got any minute detail wrong.

  Ross smiled at Addie. “You’re such a good little girl. Your daddy’s raising you well.”

  Puck ended the call and dropped his phone on the coffee table. He asked, “Could you bring her over here while you feed her?”

  “I’ll hand her to you and let you feed her. Do you want that?”

  “I’m so tired. I might fall asleep. You can feed her in the chair if that’s okay, but bring her close so I can kiss her. I’ll finish that slice of pizza before I drift off to sleep. You’re not going anywhere tonight, are you?”

  Ross held Addie close for a kiss, and he settled into the chair to offer her the bottle. “I’m not going anywhere tonight. I’ll be right here.”

  Ross felt fatigue creeping through his body, but there was plenty of adrenaline remaining to keep him wide awake. “So your sitter is leaving town? That’s rough. I wouldn’t think it’s easy to find a good one in a little town like this.”

  “There’s some sort of family emergency, and she’s going to help out. She said she will be gone for only two weeks, but I know how unpredictable things like that can be. I’m not sure what I’ll do. I already maxed out my leave.”

  Ross smiled and patted Addie’s back encouraging a burp before returning the bottle to her lips. “I’ve got an idea. Is it okay if I do a little legwork to see if something might be possible?”

  “You’ve done so much,” said Puck, and he closed his eyes.

  Ross fed Addie in silence. He heard Puck’s breathing slow down as he fell asleep. While Addie quietly took the bottle, Ross looked around the room. Everything was neat and tidy. Toys were packed into a small basket near the bassinet, and all clothes were tucked away. He turned his attention back to Puck. The handsome man was peaceful at last.

  Ross whispered to Addie, “Watch closely. Your daddy is a great man.”

  8

  Clearing Snow

  The first thing Ross noticed was the pain radiating up the side of his neck. He tried to turn his head. A sharp ache protested against the movement. Ross gritted his teeth. His neck hurt, and he wondered why. Then he opened his eyes.

  It only took seconds to assess the situation. He was still sitting in the chair by Puck’s sofa, and his head spent hours in the awkward position. Ross groaned knowing he was likely to have a stiff neck for the next week.

  He fumbled for his phone to check the time. It read 4:30 a.m. Puck was lying on his side facing the rear of the sofa. He was sleeping soundly. The ibuprofen did the trick and dulled the ankle pain enough to let him sleep.

  Ross slowly rose from the chair and tiptoed across the room to check on Addie. She was sound asleep, too. The entire house was quiet and dark.

  Ross crept down the hallway to the closet that held diapers. He thought he remembered seeing a pile of blankets on one of the shelves. As he opened the door, he spotted what he needed. Grabbing one of the pillows, Ross tiptoed back to his chair.

  Before he had the opportunity to sit, Puck rolled over and opened his eyes. In a husky voice, he said, “I haven’t slept like that in weeks. You’re a good luck charm.”

  Ross rubbed his neck. “I slept, too, but I think I’m going to be sore for a day or two.”

  Puck pushed himself back against the rear of the sofa. He patted the cushions. “We’re both slim guys. Can you fit here?”

  Ross wondered if he was dreaming. He batted his eyelids to try and make up, but nothing changed. Following the suggestion, he stretched out on the couch. It was surprisingly comfortable. His body tingled with pleasure as Puck wrapped an arm around his waist. It was more than two years since he’d slept next to another man.

  Thinking that the occasion required words, Ross opened his mouth to speak, but Puck was already sleeping again. Minutes later, they were both asleep wrapped in each other’s arms.

  It seemed like only minutes passed before Addie began to fuss and cry. Both men immediately opened their eyes, and Puck reflexively dug his fingertips into Ross’s belly. “She’s gonna cry.”

  The cry began on cue. Ross said, “I’ll take care of it.”

  “And scream.”

  Addie let out a painful, tortured scream. Ross rolled off the sofa, rubbed his neck, and padded across the room to Addie. Her adorable little face scrunched up into a reddened expression of anger and fury. Ross reached for her and smiled when the crying eased at the moment that her face hit his shoulder. He glanced back to the couch to see Puck flat on his back sleeping once again.

  The clock in the kitchen read 5:45. It was time to not only take care of the baby but also start thinking about the next work day. With Addie content to suck on her bottle, Ross walked to the living room window and pulled the curtains back to look out at the morning world. Coldbrook Bend was an icy wonderland. The street was empty of cars. It looked like the freezing rain locked the entire world into frozen silence.

  “Hey, fuck, man, what time is it? And shit, I’ve got to piss.”

  Ross turned from the window. “About 6:00 a.m., and can you make it to the bathroom? How’s the ankle?”

  “Let me see.” Ross watched as Puck swung his leg over to the floor. He saw the tension on Puck’s face as he slowly rose to a standing position. There was pain in his eyes, but he didn’t fall back to the couch when he put weight on the injured ankle.

  “That’s better than last night, but I think you should still let me take you to the doctor
.”

  Puck hobbled toward the bathroom. He took a painful step and then hopped twice. He took one more step before another hop and gripped the knob on the bathroom door to catch his breath. “No doctor.” The bathroom door slammed behind him.

  Ross looked down at Addie. “One tough daddy.”

  Returning to the living room balancing himself with one hand against the wall, Puck said, “I’m supposed to leave for work in fifteen minutes, and they told me the car wouldn’t be here until 8:00. Am I right about that, or did I dream that I called the tow company? Last night is a little fuzzy. Did I really drink that much? Some of it’s a blur, and I think I want to forget some of it.”

  “You called them, and I don’t think you should be going anywhere.”

  Puck pulled the cord on the living room curtains. They opened all the way, and bright morning light flooded into the room. He inspected the outside world. “Damn! I haven’t seen ice like that in a long time. Maybe the plant is shut down. Maybe it’s like a snow day when we were little kids.”

  “I know it’s nosy of me, but is it okay to ask where you work?”

  “Oh, yeah. I do packing down at Tar-Mor. We thought about living in Zephyr after we got married, but then Addie came along so quickly. The smaller town is a little safer, and I’ve heard the schools are good.”

  “Let me make a call. I work down in Zephyr, too, for M-Trak Shipping.” It was still early for Ross. He didn’t usually get to work until 8:00, but he knew that Rhea would be up already, and she always knew what was going on. She answered after three rings.

  Rhea didn’t even say hello. She said, “Stay home, Ross. It took me two-and-a-half hours last night for what’s normally a half hour drive. I already sent Mr. Flores a text message. Our office is closed for the day. Sit on the couch and watch TV. It’s a good day for that.”

  After the call ended, Ross said, “Why don’t you call in sick? You can’t drive on that ankle, and what good would you be hobbling around? Stay home and let it start to heal.”

  Puck tugged the phone from his pocket. “I’ll check things out.”

  Ross returned to the bassinet while Puck placed his call. Addie was awake, and she was holding her bear to her chest while staring at a mobile hung above the bassinet. Ross reached down to tickle her tummy and listened to the soft giggle. He smiled back and bent low to kiss Addie on the cheek.

  “Well, that was quick,” said Puck as he hopped up beside Ross. “They put a message on the answering machine. My department shut down. I guess I’m staying right where I am. The damned walk needs shoveling. How the hell am I supposed to do that?” He placed a hand on Ross’s shoulder. “If you don’t have anywhere you need to be, you’re welcome to stay here.”

  “I don’t have anywhere that I need to be.” He turned around and faced Puck. “And while I’m here, I might as well make myself useful. Where do you keep the snow shovel? Is it in the garage?”

  Puck nodded. “It came with the rental agreement. With all that ice out there, it will need salt first. Maybe I can call a neighbor and ask one of their kids to do it. I hate to ask...”

  “It’s good exercise. You focus on willing that ankle to get better. It looks like there’s still some cereal for breakfast and leftover pizza for lunch, but I’ll go to the grocery store this afternoon. They should have the roads cleaned up by then.”

  Puck hobbled back to the sofa. “Damn, I feel so helpless.”

  “It happens to all of us sometimes. How about I bring Addie over to you and you can plant yourself on the couch and watch TV while I go tackle the sidewalks?”

  “Okay. You know it is kind of nice to have somebody around.”

  Ross pulled on his coat and tugged his stocking cap down over his ears.

  “Oh yeah, and here are the keys.” Puck reached out with a small collection of keys in his hand.

  The garage was neat and tidy, too. A built-in workbench lined the back wall, and there was a small collection of essential hand tools arranged in a rack. Ross found the snow shovel leaning in a corner with two leaf rakes and a bag of salt nearby. Using a coffee can, Ross scooped the salt and headed for the front walk with the shovel in one hand and salt in the other.

  The ice was so thick that even the front lawn was slick. Ross stepped gingerly. As he dug the snow shovel into the crunchy ice and snow on the front lawn, he began sprinkling the salt with his opposite hand. Finishing up the first spread of salt, Ross looked toward the house and speculated about the kiss from the night before. He wondered if that was one of the things that Puck wanted to forget.

  Everything happened so fast. Ross wasn’t sure he remembered everything. Puck’s deep voice saying that it felt right echoed in his head. The first kiss at the Corner Hitch could have been a fluke. When it happens a second time, that means you’re doing it on purpose.

  Still, Puck said nothing about it after waking up. He treated Ross like a buddy who came over to help out with the kid and the icy weather. It was all confusing.

  While he returned to the garage for another can of salt, he realized something that he expected was missing. Puck wore leather motorcycle gloves, but there was no bike in the garage. Ross’s analytical mind began to sort out the elements of the situation. A first priority was figuring out his feelings toward Puck.

  He was physically handsome, if a little rough around the edges. He was not nearly as polished as the always impeccably dressed Andrew back in Middleton. On the other hand, every word that came from Puck’s mouth sounded honest. Andrew’s words reeked of the language of courtrooms and judges. Arguments with him were useless. He always found a way to wiggle out. When Puck said the kiss felt right, Ross believed him.

  Dropping the coffee can, Ross picked up the snow shovel and began chipping at the section of the sidewalk he salted first. He was pleased to discover that the snow and ice turned into a slushy mass that could be pushed to the side with the shovel. Soon the walk was mostly clean, and Ross was cold. He was ready to return to the house.

  Ross re-entered the house through the kitchen door and spotted Puck sitting on the sofa with Addie in the crook of his arm. Puck pointed at the TV and said, “That’s what’s called a load-bearing wall. If they knock it down, then the whole house goes boom!” He punctuated the statement by tickling Addie’s belly.

  It was the sweetest of scenes. Ross reached up and wiped a tear from the corner of his eye. “The sidewalk is clean.”

  Puck looked up, and he noticed Ross wiping the tear from the corner of his eye. “Did you get hurt out there? Why are you crying?”

  “I’m fine. A little cold, but I’m fine. It’s just the two of you are so adorable. I’m sorry.”

  For a moment, Puck looked confused. He glanced at the TV again. “Oh, I’m just teaching her about load-bearing walls, hardwood floors, and cabinets. You can’t learn those lessons too early.”

  “I guess not. Have you had breakfast?”

  “I ate a slice of pizza. Help yourself to the cereal.”

  Ross asked, “Do you only eat cold cereal?”

  “Yep, cold. I’m a man. I forage for my food.” Puck rocked Addie in his arm and pointed at the TV again. He said, “Hardwood floors good. Carpeting bad. Always remember that.” Puck tickled her belly again, and he laughed along with Addie’s giggles.

  9

  No Meaning

  Ross spent much of the rest of the morning sitting in the living room watching home improvement shows with Puck. He was quiet and reflective. Puck wondered if he disliked the choice of entertainment.

  He asked Ross if he ever helped anyone with home improvement projects. “Did your parents work on your house? Have you ever helped hang drywall? Have you painted walls?”

  “I mowed the lawn. Does that count? My parents were experts at picking up the telephone when something needed fixing. They didn’t do much of anything on their own, but it wasn’t necessary either. We mostly lived on base, and there was always somebody to call. They taught me how to hang pictures on the wall.”


  “Wow, I think the only time my dad ever called a repair person was the plumber he called when one of the pipes exploded in the basement. At least, that was true while Mom was still around. He got lazy after.”

  “After?”

  “She ran off with another guy when I was twelve. I hear from her once a year now at Christmas. I told her about Addie, and she wants to see her next Christmas. Dad grabbed a red-eye flight from California the night Miranda died and stayed through the funeral.”

  “Wow. She won’t see her granddaughter before then?”

  “I know.” Puck hung his head and rocked Addie in his arms. “I want to yell, ‘See her now, or you never need to see her,’ but she is Addie’s grandmother. It’s tough.”

  “What about her other grandparents?”

  Puck looked up. “Seriously? Where do I start? Miranda’s parents are two incredible pieces of work that deserve each other.”

  Puck wasn’t sure how much to share. He’d been stung more than once by someone questioning the integrity of his stories. His buddy Gil didn’t believe him until he met Ellen one day. Gil said, “They can’t be that bad. Their daughter loved you.” After a five-minute conversation, Gil shook his head. “Oh, my God.”

  Ross asked, “Have they seen Addie?”

  “They don’t want anything to do with Addie or me. I think if Miranda was still around, they might want to see her, but with their daughter gone, they don’t care about Addie either.”

  It was difficult telling Ross about such complicated relationships. He was still mostly a stranger. Fortunately, for the first time since the tragedy in the hospital, Puck was able to speak about Miranda without choking up.

  Ross said, “And she’s such a good baby. You’re a great father. It’s obvious from the minute you look into Addie’s eyes. She has your eyes. I assume you know that.”