The Price of Trust

by Amanda Stephan

  “Do you hear anything?” he whispered.

  Becky shook her head and gently twisted the knob, ready to use the broom as a weapon and squash whatever it was. Slowly, she pulled the creaky door open. Taking a deep breath, she peeped inside and caught sight of tiny brown eyes looking back at her. Opening the door all the way, she found to her surprise and immense relief, a pair of baby raccoons.

  “Oh look,” she said, motioning for Jen to come down from her perch and look.

  “They’re so cute,” Jeff said, poking his head inside the door so he wouldn’t miss a chance to see what had caused all the fuss. “Can we keep them?” he asked, looking up hopefully.

  “No way,” Jen said, finally getting up the nerve to climb down. “That thing scared me to death.”

  “I wonder how they got in,” Becky mumbled, looking around the closet.

  “Maybe through there,” Jeff said, pointing to the broken floor register. When he stepped in to get a closer look, one of the raccoons backed up to the wall and hissed menacingly at him.

  “I think we’re not going to get to keep either of these little critters,” Becky said, pulling him out of the closet by the back of his shirt. “Go open the front door and I’ll try to sweep them out. Jen, get the mop and head them off if they try to escape.” Obediently, Jen grabbed the mop as Becky started sweeping both hissing and angry raccoons out the door. Finally, after three mishaps with one of the raccoons almost getting away and Jen re-climbing onto the counter while screaming, they managed to sweep them both to freedom. Laughing, they hurriedly shut the door before the coons could come back in.

  “Jeff,” Becky said, turning to him. “Get the tool box out of the front of the truck and see if you can try to fix that register so they can’t get back in that way.” Jeff’s face lit up, happy to have a ‘man’s job’ to do.

  “We don’t have much more to do,” Becky sighed, as she and Jen went outside to finish unpacking the truck.

  Her face red with exertion, Jen swept a few strands of hair back and stood erect, trying to un-kink her back after lugging a large box into the front room. “I sure am glad we decided to have those yard sales before we moved.”

  Becky puffed and tried to navigate around the room with her vision blocked by the load of boxes in her arms. “Oh come on, don’t you think it would have been interesting for you, Jeff, and me to carry in a couch?” She laughed as she and Jen slid down the wall and finally slumped to the floor, relaxing.

  With an air of delight and pride, Jeff came in and joined them, his grin splitting his face in half. “I tried to fix that register the best I could. I don’t think they’ll be back. Duct tape fixes everything.”

  Becky clapped him on the back. “Thanks. And thank you too Jen. I appreciate both of your help.” She leaned back and closed her eyes, drained.

  Contentedly, they sat for a few minutes, hoping this could be the last move.

  “Mom,” Jen said, her alarmed voice breaking the silence. “Someone’s here.” Groaning, Becky stood up and arched her back just in time to see an old flat bed farm truck coming up the rutted drive.

  “It could be the guy we’re renting from.” Quickly, she tucked a few stray hairs behind her ears and dusted off her jeans, trying to look presentable to whoever it was. As it neared the house, the truck turned off the driveway to park in the long grass right in front of their door.

  A bent over old man in greasy overalls managed to get out and limp up the steps, chewing on a weed. He spat it out and knocked before he entered the room, uninvited. Alarmed, Becky stood with her hands on her hips, ready to push the fragile looking man out the door if necessary.

  “Howdy,” he drawled, eyeing her and the two kids. “Name’s Pickles.” He stuck out a grubby, calloused hand her way, obviously intending to shake.

  Becky took his hand and gave it a light squeeze and a gentle shake, afraid she would hurt him. “You’re the landlord?” She asked, looking over his shoulder at her open-mouthed kids.

  He ran his hands up and down his overalls straps, amused. “Yup,” he said, glancing around at all the boxes. “This all ya got?”

  “Yup,” Jeff mimicked humorously before Becky could answer. She shot him a warning look, her scowl deepening as he shrugged his shoulders and smiled like a Cheshire cat.

  “That’s my kind of boy,” the old man grinned, scratching his bald head. “Ya got a year lease and yer rent is due the first of the month,” he said, getting right to the point. “I live right down the road to the left if ya be needin’ anything, just give me a holler. Glad ya made it,” he stuck his hand out again.

  Liking his simple, country ways, Becky found herself pumping his hand up and down a little more enthusiastically this time. “There is one thing we need, if you wouldn’t mind. I don’t have a lawnmower.” She hinted with raised eyebrows as she walked him out to the porch.

  A look of pure astonishment passed across his weathered features as he scratched his head again. He thought a moment before answering. “Well ya ain’t got to worry about the grass. It’ll die in a few weeks.”

  Becky followed him to his truck, not quite ready to give up. “You don’t have one? We’d really like to cut the grass.”

  Jen snorted, close at her mother’s heels. She hated being left out of conversations. “Yeah, we can’t find Jeff if he steps off the path.” Becky nudged her in the ribs, making her squeak.

  “Sure I got one,” he said, climbing into his truck. “Bye.” He waved as he put the old truck in gear and drove off, another long weed clutched between his teeth.

  Stunned, they watched him leave, a trail of dust clouds hanging in the air. “I think that means he’ll bring it tomorrow,” Jeff said after a moment, joining them on the porch. Amused, they burst into laughter at their neighbor’s odd ways.

  Becky ran a hand over her face, her eyes twinkling merrily. “Who’s hungry?”

  Always anxious to eat, Jeff gave a loud whoop as he jumped in the air. “I’m starving! What’re we going to have?”

  She shrugged, looking from one happy child to the other. “I thought we’d just go out for something tonight, what do you think?” Grinning at their exuberant ‘yes’, she clapped Jeff on his shoulder and grabbed her purse. “Let’s go!”

  ***

  Available at online booksellers and at

  http://www.booksbyamanda.com/lonely-hearts.html

  Amanda’s Website: http://www.booksbyamanda.com/

  TreasureLine Books: http://www.treasurelinepublishing.com

  Also available in Paperback