Paige piled the dishes into the sink and she waited as Justin helped her clean up the kitchen.
“Hey, let me toss on some clothes and we’ll play basketball in the driveway!”
“Okay, mom – I’ll get warmed up so I can beat you!”
She paused for a moment and was pleased to see Justin’s smile as he slipped outside to practice shooting hoops. She knew he missed Kent, too. As she turned to leave the room, Thor’s bark interrupted her plan. It was the sort of high-pitched sound of happiness the dog made when someone he liked was approaching. She moved toward the kitchen door and found Sasha standing there. Paige opened the door and wondered why she was there. She rarely showed up like this.
“Mind if I visit for a moment?”
“I’d love to have you. Come in.”
Sasha sat at the kitchen table while Paige mopped up a few drops of syrup with a wet dish towel.
“Sorry about the mess. How are you? Would you like a pancake?”
“Oh, thank you. No. I’m here for two reasons. One, I need to apologize to you about Kent. And, two – I need to talk with someone who has a good head on their shoulders – that’s you, Paige.”
“What about Kent?” Paige feigned innocence.
“There’s nothing between us and I’m sorry I made the girls think there was – I was trying to save face, you know? But, it’s no excuse…”
“I didn’t think there was something between you – well, maybe I did wonder a little bit. Those photos on Facebook…”
“It’s bigger than that, Paige. He’s crazy about you. Kent contacted me last night. He told me about the rehab. He’s a brave guy to go cold turkey like that. He explained it’s for you. He wants to be good enough for you.”
“Oh, there’s never been any question in my mind...”
“I hope you can forgive me, Paige, for pretending there was more. Kent wanted nothing to do with me. The rejection stung. My pride was hurt.”
“He told me what happened, but I didn’t believe him.”
“And, I have to tell you something else…”
It was then, in the bright sunlight, Paige noticed how fragile Sasha appeared. Her skin was colored with a bronzer, but when she took her sunglasses off, her eyes were sunken into her flesh and lifeless.
“What is it, Sasha? It’s you…you’re not feeling well.”
“Yes, I’m not well, Paige.”
“Do you have the flu or something? You look like you need a good meal. Are you sure you don’t want a pancake or a cup of coffee?”
“I can’t eat right now.”
“Oh god, how can I help? Tell me, Sasha.”
“You’re the only person I can tell this to…I’ve stopped eating. This has been going on for a long while. I’ve only had little bits and pieces and I drink a low-calorie protein shake. I can’t gain weight – I’m a cover model – or, at least I was.”
At that moment, Paige felt terribly sorry for Sasha.
“There are ways to treat this, right?”
Sasha looked down at her hands and seemed embarrassed.
“It’s Anorexia. Yes, I’ve been in and out of treatment several times.”
“I see.”
“My recent weight loss was the last straw. Several big contracts severed ties with me. My life is over, Paige. I’m a failure.”
“Don’t say that.” Paige put her arm around Sasha. All her life, Paige thought Sasha had the world in the palm of her hand, but it was just the opposite. Sasha was punishing herself to maintain her position in the modeling world. And, now she was dying for a profession that was asking her to sacrifice herself on the altar of beauty.
“There now, Sasha. You’re young – there are plenty of things you can do.” Paige whispered.
“I’ve never done anything else. I don’t know what to do. At the age of 32, I’m over the hill – 18-year-olds are replacing me.”
“But modeling isn’t the only thing you’re good at – you’re brilliant in so many ways. Good lord, you know more about photography than the guys running the photo shoots. I’ve seen you at those sessions.”
Sasha stopped crying for a moment as Paige handed her a tissue.
“You know, I’ve always been interested in that aspect of things. The shoots, the details, there’s so much to it.”
Paige touched her arm. “You’ll do great things. You’ve got to get yourself strong, first, however. Take a break from it all. Focus on you.”
“I’m going to get myself healthy. You’re right. I’m glad I came here to see you, Paige. You’re a good friend. In fact, you are probably my only real friend. Over the years, I changed, you didn’t. You’re the same good person that I knew in high school, college, you don’t judge me. You’ve always been here waiting for me to drop in, listening and coaching me through the low points. I appreciate you, Paige. I never really told you that, but I wanted to now.”
Sasha stood and Paige saw the limo idling in front of the house.
“I’m here if you need me. Just call or text. I’m glad to help, or if you just need someone to talk with – I’ll always listen, Sasha.”
When Paige embraced Sasha, she feared it could be the last time she ever saw her friend. The limo drove off with Sasha inside. Paige stood in the driveway and waved goodbye.
Justin was playing basketball against an imaginary group of players. Paige turned and noticed Gramps trudging toward her. The moment he was face to face, she could tell he needed to let her in on something, but she wasn’t quite sure what it was.
“Listen, Paige, let’s go inside.” Gramps waved to Justin. “I’ll be out in a minute and will challenge you to a free throw competition.”
Inside, the elder man became serious.
“Paige – I know you’re nervous about your ex-husband returning. You’ve got this security system and that’s all fine and good. But, I’ve let the guys at the club know what’s going on here – and they all think you’re a great person. They’re snipers, most of them. And, the ones that aren’t are sharpshooters, recon guys. We’re all gun enthusiasts, you know – military guys, it’s just a thing with us.”
“What are you telling me?”
“You’ve got nothing to worry about – that’s all I’m saying. We’re watching your house and keeping an eye on your ex-husband’s movements, too. The guys have devised a schedule. They’ll take turns parking just down the street a bit – and keeping an eye on your place. Others are at his place watching his comings and goings. They want to do it. They’re concerned about you and Justin.”
“Oh, my goodness – you have the whole VFW acting as my contingent of bodyguards?”
“Sort of…geezers with grit!” Gramps slapped his hand on the table. “Go ahead and laugh. But, you know what? There’s nothing more dangerous than a man with nothing to lose.”
Paige hesitated for a moment. She knew exactly what he meant. It was true. A chill ran down her spine as she realized Jeremy fell into that category, too.
“Well, I don’t know how to thank you. I appreciate this.”
Her hand covered his and he smiled.
“Hell, it’s the least we can do for you. You have been a big supporter and we look out for our own, you know?”
“Yes, I do know. You’re a tight knit group.”
“Just don’t worry. That’s all I wanted to tell you. We have Jeremy on our radar. He won’t get near this house without us knowing about it. Well, I won’t keep you.”
“Wait! How’s Kent? Have you heard from him?”
“Yes…he’s asking about you every time we speak.”
“And, what have you said?”
“He knows about the Jeremy visit. He’s worried about you. That’s just how Kent’s made. He’s a protector and defender – that’s a warrior’s mentality. That doesn’t end when you leave the marines. It’s a lifestyle, part of who you are.”
“I know and I love that about you, Gramps.”
“Hell, I wasn’t a marine. I was a grunt in the army
in 1942. But, I saw my share of action.”
“If it wasn’t for guys like you, we’d all be speaking Japanese or German.”
“Aw, we did what we had to do. Came home, built a life. We don’t talk about it much. The guys at the club kept me going when times were tough – and I give back to them now. And teaching the new veterans, like Kent, to pay it forward, you know?”
“I do know. Kent is part of the silent brotherhood. He must miss you and the guys there so much. I can’t wait for him to come home.” She thought she saw a tear in his eye.
“Soon he will return. Meanwhile, we’ve got your back.”
The elder man stood and turned toward the door. He opened it and stepped outside. Paige watched him walk toward Justin in the driveway. For a while, he tossed free throws with her son and Paige listened to the good-natured banter between them. McCabe was so much more than a wonderful neighbor. He was a guardian, a sentinel, of sorts. And, for some reason, she felt more secure. But, she also knew in her gut that she had to steel herself for a return visit from her ex-husband. She had to adopt the warrior mentality, herself.
Paige looked in the kitchen mirror. Time to have a conversation with herself. Today had been more than a wake-up call. She thought about her conversation with Sasha – she had exonerated Kent. All the while, Kent had been completely honest with her and she didn’t trust him. Kent was nothing like Jeremy. The one time she should’ve believed a guy – she was too jaded to trust him. Now all she could think of was how to let Kent know she trusted and believed in him. Sending a text was long overdue. She had to let him know something she should’ve weeks before. Her fingers trembled as she tapped the text to Kent, hoping he’d see it and respond.
I hope you’re having a good day, Kent. I know the rehab hasn’t been easy for you. I have to say this about Sasha – I want you to know I believe you – nothing happened. Let’s just say I have no doubt that you told me the absolute truth. I think you are a wonderful guy. I miss you terribly. You always brightened my day. By the way, Gramps just beat Justin at free throws! He’s on top of his game! Can’t wait to see you again. I pray that you are doing well. XOXOXO
CHAPTER 17
As he ambled home after his basketball competition, Gramps knew what was going on in Paige’s mind. She was thinking of protecting her son and herself from an abusive and dangerous man. He appreciated her undying support for good men who fight. The guys at the VFW insisted on keeping her safe. He knew it was the right thing to do.
By the time he got back to his house, he felt winded, out of breath and stopped to take a rest on the porch. Damn, this was happening too often lately. He hated to sit down when he had things to do. But he rested on the porch for a minute and accepted the fact that being 84 was better than being six feet under. His phone rang and it was Kent.
“Couple more weeks and I’m out of here. I’m feeling better every day, Gramps. I wanted to thank you for insisting on this. It hasn’t been easy, but it’s exactly what I needed.”
“Good. You’re a tough guy, Kent. You’ll make it. I have faith in you.” Gramps coughed.
“You okay? You sound tired.”
“Nah, I was just shooting hoops down the street. I saw Paige today.”
“What’s going on with her? I just got this nice text from her. She said she can’t wait to see me. She believes me about Sasha.”
Gramps whispered, “Her ex-husband could turn up again at any time. She’s as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a roomful of rocking chairs.”
“You think she’s safe? I wish I was there with her.”
“She installed a security system,” Gramps coughed again. “But, I’ve activated my own...you know what I mean.”
“Yeah – I do – and thanks. Let them know, too.”
“I’ll do that. You take care of yourself, squirt. I miss you.”
“I miss you, too. Did Paige ask about me?”
“Yeah, we talked about you. She’s concerned. When you get out of there, you can talk with her about what happened. It wouldn’t hurt.”
“I plan to talk with her. Are you kidding? I can’t wait to see her. I’m doing everything I can to get through this program, Gramps. I want you to be proud of me. I want Paige to respect me. That’s most important. Even though dad won’t ever change his ways.”
“You called him, eh?”
“Yes, I don’t even know why I bothered. He yelled at me and hung up. He’s upset.”
“Argh – screw him! What does he know about this stuff, anyhow? He’s lived a charmed life. He doesn’t understand!”
“Well, it’s no big deal. I just wanted him to know. That’s all.”
“You’re doing great. I’ll keep my eye on Paige. Hey – she’s driving me to the VFW this afternoon. Hang in there, squirt.”
As he hung up the phone, his chest pain had subsided. Good. Probably just indigestion anyhow. He wasn’t eating so well since Kent left. He had no appetite lately. He was worried about his grandson, and pissed off at his own son for being so judgmental. Where the hell did he get that trait from? He should be encouraging Kent, not yelling at him and hanging up on him when he called. It was high time someone told him that, too. He was now 84 years of age and when he felt like doing something, he was damn well going to do it. Gramps dialed the familiar phone number.
“Newport Realty.”
His son’s voice sounded efficient, cold and professional.
“It’s me…I just wanted to tell you that you’re an asshole. The way you’ve treated Kent is unforgivable. You’ll regret it someday. He’s a great young man.”
There was a brief pause on the other end of the line, and he could tell his son was scurrying away from people nearby.
“You’ve got a lot of nerve calling me in the middle of a showing and swearing at me on the phone! You’re losing your mind -- you old coot! If Kent had leveled with me about being addicted, we could’ve done something right away. Thank god, he didn’t get arrested. It would have been on his record and he’d never get a job. What the hell is he doing up there anyway? He was supposed to get you a place in the veteran’s home.”
“He’s cleaning up my house and fixing things. He will finish the 12-Step program and be back in a couple of weeks. We’re roomies. So, put that in your pipe and smoke it.”
Gramps hung up the phone, enraged. So, that’s what this was all about. His son was focused on getting him out of the old farmhouse and into the veteran’s home, otherwise known as a nursing home? Ha! It would never happen. He’d be taken out feet first from this farmhouse.
He moved back inside to the kitchen table with his calculator. As he ran through the numbers, he realized he might have to sell off a piece of land to keep things going. But, that wasn’t a big deal. He had five acres and selling one acre would keep him going for a while. That would be two house lots. He called the city to get the permits and arrangements made.
When he moved the calculator aside, he noticed the folder lying on the table beneath a pile of junk mail. His last will and testament was in it and he slid it out. Everything he owned would be Kent’s someday. He’d always planned it that way. He didn’t want his son to get one blessed thing. In the big envelope was a key with instructions to the hidden safe. He moved a picture on the kitchen wall aside and opened the small recessed safe. Holding the tiny velvet box in his hands caused emotion to course through him. He opened it and peered at the beautiful one carat diamond he had given to Martha when he asked for her hand in marriage 65 years ago – they were both only 19 years old. He’d had it restored by the jeweler. They added more gold to the band and strengthened the prongs holding the beautiful gem. He remembered how excited she was when he slipped that ring on her finger. They were young and foolish, but he loved her more than anything or anyone in his life.
As tears clouded his eyes, he put the ring away. He touched the scarf in the safe and held it to his face. Her scent remained in it for many years, but he could no longer detect her smell. Damn. He’d have to reme
mber what the name of that perfume was. They probably didn’t even make it any longer. Some of the women at the club might recall the popular fragrances from yesteryear. He’d ask them. He closed the safe and straightened the picture on the wall. Enough of that for now. He couldn’t be crying before he went to the VFW. No. He didn’t want anyone to think he was a doddering old fool, even though he was when it came to Martha.
CHAPTER 18
The last day of school finally arrived and Paige drove from her workplace to Crystal Cove Grammar School to pick up Justin. Her humble home was falling apart bit by bit. The lawn needed mowing, the hedges required trimming, the house could use a coat of paint or two, the roof was leaking. She had been nursing some sort of fantasy that she could somehow start working on some of these projects with the help of her son. But she really didn’t have the skills to hammer a nail. Best thing to do was probably put the house on the market. She’d been resisting this idea for a while, hoping she could somehow hold onto the place. But, little by little she was slipping deeper into debt.
As she pulled into the schoolyard, she noticed Justin happily playing with his schoolmates. Since she started weaning him off the medication, he smiled more often. He seemed to be growing taller by the day – all legs. He noticed her and ran to the car.
“School’s out for the whole summer! Yahoo!” Justin howled.
“You seem happy about that.” Paige tousled her son’s hair.
“Hey, mom, can we have pizza tonight on McCabe’s porch to celebrate?”
“Sure. I’ll check with him first.”
“Do you think he’ll tell us anything about Kent’s secret mission?”
“Probably not. He’s a veteran. They keep secrets pretty well.”
On the drive home, Justin was unwinding as he recited each detail of his last day of school.
“There was an assembly and a military guy came to talk with us. He’d just returned from Iraq and his son is in my class. You know who he reminded me of? Kent.” Then the question came.
“Do you still think about him, mom?”
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