How Many Times Do I Have to Say I'm Sorry? (Maudlin Falls)

by Lesli Richardson

  I wonder how long before my luck runs out and someone recognizes me?

  Hopefully not before I’ve had a chance to find out whether or not Tomas is still single.

  And whether or not he hates my guts.

  Chapter Three

  Tomas

  Even though we’re not open yet, I take the first phone call of the day at 7:20, because I know my employees are busy finishing last-minute pre-opening prep.

  “Maudlin Falls Mercantile and Feed,” I answer. “How may I direct your call?” I mean, we don’t really have a sophisticated phone system. We have four lines, and we put the caller on hold and then page for someone to pick it up, depending on who’s in on any given day.

  “Oh, yes!” the frantic woman gasps. “Thank god! Are you open?”

  “We open at 7:30, and—”

  “Please tell me you have drain snakes!”

  I prop the handset between my shoulder and ear as I swivel my chair so I can pull up stock on my desktop computer. I have a laptop that goes with me between here and home, but this one stays here and when I’m working, I usually have it open to our internal system for just this reason.

  “Yes, ma’am. I have two different styles in stock.”

  “Great, I—Johnny, I swear, if you don’t get away from that toilet right now, I will make you dig a hole in the backyard and do your business there for the rest of the year!”

  I struggle not to burst out laughing. Wouldn’t be the first time in my life I’ve dealt with a parent needing to dig a toy out of a toilet.

  Won’t even be the first one this month. “Ma’am, do you need me to have this delivered to you?”

  “Can you? Oh, my goodness, that would be amazing, thank you!”

  “No worries. What happened, if I might ask?”

  She starts to tell me, bursting into tears halfway through the story. Her ten-year-old son got mad at his little brother for breaking one of his game controllers, so he flushed the other boy’s favorite superhero action figure.

  Which is now stopping far more than crime.

  And she’s a single mom.

  Something tickles my mind. She sounds really familiar. “Is this Kelly Ayers?”

  She sniffles. “Yes?”

  I’m glad I’m the one who took this call. “This is Tommy. Tom Levesque. I’ll grab a few things and be right over.” I don’t even need to ask her address—she lives two houses down from me. Her parents were friends with my parents. Fortunately, they left her their house when they died, because her ex-husband divorced her for another woman and is currently dodging paying child support.

  She’s barely getting by. The only reason she’s surviving and has a house over her head is because her parents didn’t have a mortgage.

  “Oh, my gosh! I’m so sorry, Tommy. I didn’t recognize your voice. I…” She sniffles again. “I don’t get paid until Friday.”

  “We’ll figure it out, hon. It’s okay. I’ll be right over.”

  “Thank you so much!” Once I end the call, I grab my work cell, update the mobile payment app, and then head downstairs to pick out a couple of extra things. I’m not going to sell her a snake—I have one at home. But in case I have to pull the toilet to get the toy out of the drain, I’ll need a new wax ring. So I get that and then let everyone know I’m heading out for a little while, and why.

  Twenty minutes later, I’m on my knees in Kelly’s sons’ bathroom and pulling the toilet. She’s crying and sounds like she’s close to breaking. Before I got there, she sent her sons to school with the neighbor and her daughter, and now she’s free to speak her mind.

  “I love my kids, don’t get me wrong. I’m just so…tired.” She sobs and I can’t exactly comfort her right now. Not when I’ve got protective gloves up to my armpits and I’m ladling less than pristine water out of her toilet into an old bucket with a plastic butter tub.

  “It’s okay, Kel. I don’t mind helping you out. How’s work going?”

  She sniffles again. “It’s okay. They reduced my load last month due to budget cuts, but at least I still have a job. So that’s something, I suppose.”

  She works from home for a medical billing company. You’d think that’d be a growth industry. Problem is, the regional company was sold to a national chain a few months back and they started downsizing and consolidating almost immediately. Rumors have been flying that the several town citizens who depend upon the company in some way or another will likely suffer as a result.

  Like Kelly, a single mother who, in nearly any other situation, would be facing dire choices. She has severe pain and chronic health issues as a result of the car accident that killed her parents and seriously injured her, too. Fortunately, her sons were at school, not in the car with them.

  “Are you going to be okay? Financially, I mean?”

  She nods and blows her nose. “For now. I’ve been really careful with my money. I’m worried more about health insurance for me and the boys if I lose my job. We mostly live off my pay, because I keep everything else in savings, or retirement accounts, or their college accounts. I don’t want to touch any of those unless it’s a dire emergency.” Her gaze turns dark. “If Dumbass would pay me what he owes in back child support, and keep up with the payments, that would be one worry off my plate.”

  “Attorney?”

  “He can’t do any more than he has. My ex ducks the process servers. He’s living with a girlfriend.”

  “Can’t they dock his pay?”

  “Eventually, if we can track down where he’s working. The other problem is that he’s apparently working for cash under the table with buddies of his.”

  I keep her talking as I work because I can sense she needs an ear. Not to mention it gives me something to think about besides what I’m doing.

  In short order, I find that snaking the toilet doesn’t work, so the toilet’s going to have to come out. With the snake, I can feel where the toy is wedged just inside the pipe, but can’t dislodge or retrieve it.

  She brings me garbage bags and old towels to lay on the floor to put the toilet on after I get the tank emptied. Twenty minutes later, Captain Toilet Stopper is minus both his arms, but I finally persuaded him to release his tenacious hold.

  Kelly sadly laughs as she holds the small wastebasket for me to drop the toy into. “I’ll have to buy him another one.” She groans. “And get his brother a new game controller. Iggy didn’t mean to break it—he stepped on it accidentally. Billy left it on the floor.”

  “How much do they cost?”

  “Oh, no. You’re doing way too much already. I’ll make Billy work extra chores to earn the money for it.” She shakes her head. “He has to learn the value of money. God knows his father apparently doesn’t.”

  Another twenty minutes later, her toilet is in place and working perfectly, and I can wash up. I’ll grab another quick shower at home before heading back to work.

  When she tries to hand me two twenties, I refuse to take them and instead point at the five I see in her wallet. “That’s all. For the wax ring.” It’s actually more than five dollars, but I’ll pay for it with my credit card and give myself the employee discount, so it’ll work out about right with sales tax.

  Her jaw gapes. “Tommy, you can’t be serious? Please, that was a lot of work!”

  “It was a quick fix. I’m glad I could help.” She hands me the five and reluctantly tucks the other bills back into her wallet. “Feel free to bring Billy over to my place any evening to sweep my front porch and sidewalk, or to pull weeds, if you want to torture him.”

  This time, her laughter quickly turns to tears and she throws her arms around me in a hug I don’t know how to process, at first. It feels…weird hugging someone like this. I’m not much of a hugger. Not since he left.

  Finally forcing myself to hug her back, I hold her as she cries. “Thank you so much, Tommy,” she sniffles after a moment. “I really owe you big time.”

  “It’s okay. Like I said, glad I could help.”


  Then, as if she realizes what she’s doing, she quickly disengages and steps back, wiping at her face. “Sorry. I’m a wreck.” She takes a deep breath. “Does he ever…call or visit?”

  I know who she means. “He’s got a busy life.” I manage a smile, my own wall going up like a force field. “We’re still friends. It’s just one of those things. Different goals.” I’m loathe to tell her even that much but Kelly doesn’t gossip. Ever.

  Much to the consternation of nearly everyone in Edith’s book club and most of the Methodist women’s group.

  I quickly gather my things and head back home so I can shower and change. Maybe the fact that I still can’t bring myself to outright tell people Desi and I broke up, and I haven’t talked to him in over six months, or laid eyes on him since way longer than that, is something I really should talk about with a counselor.

  I didn’t want people bad-mouthing Desi. I love the damned guy, for starters. Not to mention I hoped he’d come back. When he did, I didn’t want people hating on him. I thought for sure he’d miss Maudlin Falls and want to be here forever.

  With me.

  He could be a lawyer anywhere. I couldn’t walk away from the store, the community. I thought he understood that. I thought the few times I did visit him would make him realize how much he loved and missed me when we weren’t together.

  The way I missed him.

  Guess there were a lot of things I got wrong about me and Desiderio Keiser.

  Besides, technically, we didn’t break up. Not…really. Not officially.

  I really should e-mail him. I eventually stopped texting with him, or initiating phone calls, thinking he would pick up the threads and stay in communication with me, but…

  Yeah.

  I’m an idiot, I suppose.

  Maybe I should hit book club tonight.

  I let myself into my garage through the side door and put my tools away. When I walk into the kitchen, Jester greets me at the door with a scolding maow.

  And the jar of peanut butter sits upside down on the floor in front of the sink.

  “How the heck did you even get that out of the pantry?”

  “Maow!”

  The pantry door stands open, and he managed to knock a couple of cans of soup out and onto the floor in his mission to attack the peanut butter.

  “Duuuude.” I grab the peanut butter and walk over to put things right, firmly closing the door and testing it. Maybe I didn’t have it closed securely.

  I look down at him. “That’ll hold you.”

  He purrs at me, twining his orange and white body around my legs.

  I love the little dude but he’s apparently incredibly smart. He goes through stages like this, where he fixates on something. Like my toothbrush, or one of my shoes, or my pillow. I can’t keep any plants inside the house, because he goes to war with them and knocks them over.

  His latest fetish involves peanut butter. He’s obsessed with it. It started one afternoon about a month ago, when he got hold of my lunch while I was distracted by a phone call from the store. Before I knew it, he had my darned sandwich on the floor and was licking the filling out of it.

  Needless to say, I panicked and called the vet.

  After Dr. Larresby stopped laughing, he reassured me that Jester wouldn’t be hurt by it, unless he threw up or…otherwise showed signs of an upset stomach.

  Which Jester didn’t.

  So now my cat and I are engaged in a battle of wits over peanut butter.

  The saddest part?

  I think my cat is winning.

  Chapter Four

  Desi

  When I reach the outskirts of Maudlin Falls, I deliberately take a meandering route around it. I don’t want to pass through the middle of town yet.

  Or drive by his house.

  I think it’d destroy me to see a strange vehicle parked in the driveway next to his truck, and I need my mind on my job right now. I want to do what I came here to do first, before tackling my personal business. That way, if things don’t end well personally, it won’t screw me up with my job.

  I told the office I would be here for the rest of the week, even though I bribed the admin assistant who handles booking travel and scheduling not to tell anyone else about my plans. Me being out of the office isn’t uncommon, though, considering how much I travel to New York. I’ve also blocked out a week of vacation time for all of next week, and I didn’t tell Freddy or my mother that little fact.

  Either way I’ll need that vacation time, regardless of how this visit turns out. At least no one will recognize my vehicle. I just bought it last year, so that should gain me a little time. I’ll have to get the tire fixed, though. I don’t like not having a spare, and with my luck, I’ll need it again soon enough.

  Although, I’m certain once my presence registers with someone, word will spread faster than a case of lice in the elementary school after the first cold snap sweeps through town on a weekday. I doubt Herb recognized me. He would’ve told someone, and I’d already be getting a call or text from Tomas.

  Besides, Herb acted friendly toward me, lending even more credence to my theory that he didn’t recognize me. It wouldn’t shock me if everyone in town hates me. The residents are very protective of their own here.

  When I first moved to Maudlin Falls, it took me a while to warm up to the locals and fit in because I kept waiting for a shoe to drop or to discover whatever angle someone might be playing.

  Or to find that the secret bigots’ facades would eventually slip around me and Tomas, proving it was all an act.

  Just to realize…nope. The town is full of genuinely nice people who care about each other. They really meant it when they welcomed me in, because Tomas loved me. That was good enough for them. Not to mention, we weren’t the only LGBTQ residents of town. It’s a rainbow melting pot across several spectrums.

  If only I hadn’t been so worried about money and my career and had focused back then on what was really important, I’d still be here.

  I’d still be happy.

  Sure, I made Mom and Dad happy by leaving here, returning to Miami, and building my career. That was a huge mistake. Money in the bank is helpful, yes.

  What I’ve since learned is that it’s practically meaningless without love. The old chestnut about money can’t buy you happiness is, unfortunately, all too true. I’ve made myself more than enough money to prove that.

  I don’t know what I expect to do here. Logic tells me Tomas has likely moved on. I can’t even stalk him on social media because, except for the store, he doesn’t have a personal social media presence.

  There is no plan in my head. It’s do my job first, throw myself on Tomas’ mercy second…and pray a lot between those two events.

  Although, if I learn Tomas is not single before I approach him, I can simply back away from that plan and not bother him. Maybe even manage to make it out of town before he knows I’m here.

  Hey, stranger things have happened.

  I don’t want to hurt him. I’m sure I’ve hurt him enough already.

  The drive is pretty and the weather perfect for it. I couldn’t have asked for a better day to return to town. I don’t usually handle real estate law—my specialty is civil litigation. However, I was one of only two attorneys in our firm who’s licensed to practice in this state. Otherwise, we’d have to engage someone local, and the developer wanted as few people involved in this deal as possible so there was little risk of attracting attention to the property and having someone else swoop in and scooping it up for more money. Or starting a bidding war and driving the purchase price up.

  Meaning I drew the short straw by default. The other attorney is currently taking a leave of absence because he’s tied up with a vicious custody battle.

  His own.

  The dumbass is representing himself. Frankly, his soon-to-be ex-wife has a far better attorney than him and is going to clean his cheating ass out. Rightfully so.

  Behind the scenes, we’re all not-so-secre
tly rooting for her to lay waste to his world. He’s a douchebag but he brings in sizable billable hours that make the firm a lot of money, so he’s been tolerated for too long.

  My first stop is actually in Webley, the county seat. I want to go through the county records and do some research. I’ll be employing a title search company once the purchase contract is ready to sign. Confidentiality agreements aside, Maudlin Falls is a small town and word travels fast. Anyone we’d get to do that work will soon have the deal being talked about down at Alacea’s Diner.

  It wouldn’t even be due to a breach of a confidentiality agreement. It’s just one of the drawbacks of a small, close-knit town like Maudlin Falls.

  Everyone knows everyone else’s business, frequently before the person whose business is being known even knows about it.

  I wish I was kidding about that.

  Crazier still, I actually miss that about this place. People care. If you call the doctor for an appointment because you’re sick, you’ll have five offers to bring you food before you even have the appointment made.

  If someone hits a hard patch, there are always neighbors and friends right there ready to step in and help you out, if you’ll let them. Sometimes, they’ll help you out even when you try not to let them.

  It truly is a unique place.

  Hokey, dull, unimpressive…

  And the best darned place I’ve ever lived in my entire life.

  With the best darned man on the face of the planet.

  Too bad I didn’t appreciate both of those facts three years ago, before I stupidly blew up my life.

  * * * *

  My guts tightly knot and stay that way while I’m in Webley. While doing my research, I don’t run into anyone I know. There’s almost a guilty feeling to this, that I’m so close to Tomas and haven’t said hi yet. Or at least texted him to let him know I’m in the area.

  The procrastination is due to my angst. If I delay this, I can delay finding out for sure that he’s moved on with some lucky guy simply because I’m a dumbass who was too chicken to stand up to pressure from my parents.