Sputtering with surprise, she hurled it back at her sister. Becky caught it with a grin, and slowly lifted it with both hands. Maddy took a step back and ducked just in time. The pillow flew over her head, and Maddy jumped back up, only to get one of the smaller decorator pillows in the chest. Ammunition wasn’t far away, and she quickly armed herself. A full-out pillow fight ensued, covering the entire upper floor, and involving every new pillow and several of the unopened mattress pads.
Burt began to bark, frantic that he couldn’t get upstairs to stop the melee. The girls finally fell in a heap on the bed in the master bedroom, laughing and exhausted.
Maddy turned onto her stomach. “I wonder how many of those pillows I’ll have to replace?”
Becky looked up at the ceiling. “Probably all of them. Do you have homeowner’s insurance?”
Maddy giggled and pulled one of the abused pillows under her chin. “I haven’t laughed that hard in a long time.”
“Me neither.”
“This has been a good week with you, Becky, no matter what happens with Phil or John.” Maddy looked over at her sister, who still lay on her back, trying to catch her breath.
She turned over and rolled up next to Maddy. “Well, I have to leave on Saturday,” she said a little glumly. She put her chin in her hands. “That gives you less than seventy-two hours to get those boys straightened out.”
Maddy sighed. “I’ll do my best.”
John pulled in next to the Mercedes the next morning and felt physically ill. He put his head down on the steering wheel and tried to breathe. Throughout the whole difficult situation with Maddy, he’d held onto the grain of hope that they would eventually work things out. That grain now seemed to have slipped through his fingers. He forced himself to pull air into his lungs. He wasn’t sure he could even move to get out of his truck.
He did, though. Somehow he hauled himself out of his vehicle, strapped on his tool belt, and trudged up the steps to Maddy’s porch. He wondered if he should still just walk in, or knock and wait for Maddy to come to the door.
He knocked and then let himself in. He walked slowly to the kitchen, his sadness galvanizing into anger as he agonized over Maddy’s betrayal. He pushed the door open, his heart in his throat as he looked at her standing by the coffee maker, filling her mug like his world hadn’t just fallen apart.
“Morning, John.”
She looked tired. John felt sick about why that might be so.
Maddy was taken aback by the anger in John’s eyes. She had never seen that look on his face, at least not directed at her. She sipped her coffee and waited, a feeling of intense unease working its way through her body. The raw silence stretched out between them.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
“No,” he choked as he turned to pour his coffee. He took a swallow and then faced her again. “You seem to be just fine.”
Maddy, puzzled, replied, “Not really.”
“Good company last night?”
Maddy thought about the pillow fight with her sister. How could John possibly know about that? And why would it make him so angry? She smiled a little at the thought, but before she could re-ply, John set his coffee mug down with a thud.
“I think I have my answer.” He started toward the stairwell. “Is it okay if I start my work, or does someone need his rest?”
Maddy’s mouth dropped open. “You think Phil spent the night here? With me?”
Relief and mortification battled for expression as John realized the depth of his error. “But his car…”
“Has a flat,” Maddy bit off the words. “He took mine back to his hotel.”
She stood regarding John with a mixture of hurt and contempt that made him reel.
“Maddy, I’m sorry.”
“I don’t want to hear it.” She picked up her purse and keys.
“I shouldn’t have assumed…”
“But you did,” she snapped. “Just because you’re so well-behaved, doesn’t mean the rest of us are animals, John.”
“Maddy…”
“You know, this week has been very revealing,” she observed. “You really have a terrible opinion of me, don’t you?”
“No, that’s not true.” John replied with feeling. “The possibility of his being here just seemed so real and I thought I’d lost you.” He stopped, self-conscious about the revelation. “I didn’t try to find another explanation.”
Maddy swallowed, the stupid tears brimming in her eyes. She turned and walked out the door.
Appliance shopping was more distracting for Maddy and less painful for Becky than either of the girls had hoped.
Admittedly, it took a long walk with Burt and a stop at the library, grocery store and bank before Maddy cooled off enough to focus on outfitting her kitchen. Becky was good company and had surprisingly thoughtful input. They liked the look and practicality of the stainless-steel appliances, and after conferring at length with the saleswoman, Maddy selected her refrigerator, stove, microwave and dishwasher. Becky insisted that they celebrate their success by stopping at the shoe store and buying sandals. It ended up being a very productive morning.
When she grudgingly reported her accomplishment to John at his lunch break, Maddy did not get nearly the positive response she expected. Despite their morning’s altercation, she figured he’d be happy that she’d taken interest in the kitchen at all.
What’s wrong with him now? she wondered as she watched him drink from his water bottle and process the news. The men had been working hard on the roof, and now John stood in the middle of her kitchen, dirty and sweaty and apparently not very happy.
Maddy crossed her arms.
John put his bottle on the counter. “I’m glad you found some appliances that you like,” he began.
“But?”
“But I thought you wanted to paint these cupboards,” John said carefully.
Maddy looked around the room at the dark wood. She did want it lightened up, and she was prepared to do it herself.
“I figured I could start that this afternoon,” she explained. “I’ll prime them today and tomorrow, and paint them on Saturday and Sunday. The appliances won’t be delivered until Monday. Won’t that be okay?”
John glanced at Frank, who shrugged and attended to his own water bottle. Becky had gone outside to eat lunch with Travis and Bill, so no one else was there to share in Maddy’s apparent folly. What was wrong with her plan? She frowned at John, who almost lost his train of thought when he observed her remarkable scowl.
“It’ll be great to have your help with the cupboards, and I know you’ll do a good job,” he began again.
Don’t flatter me. “But?” Maddy was getting really irritated with her contractor, and since it was the only emotion she was allowed to feel for him, she indulged it freely.
“But the process is a little more complicated than what you’re describing.” He walked over to the cabinets nearest her and ran his hand over the surface. “This isn’t paint. This is a dark stain, with layers of oil and grease from cooking, and it all needs to be stripped down to the bare wood.”
“So we strip and then prime and then paint?” she clarified.
“Yes,” John answered slowly. “But even the stripping process is three-fold,” and he launched into a brief description of the rather lengthy procedure.
Maddy sat down on the barstool. She looked at him mutely as he continued.
“In order to do that, we need to remove all of these cabinet doors and drawers. We can lay them out in the fireplace room, and strip them in there.”
Maddy nodded, and John said, “If you’re ready to get started, you can label and remove the hardware. The knobs, hinges and screws can be stored in plastic bags to keep them together. We’ll help when we’re done with the roof, but anything you can do to get the job started would be great.”
She nodded again, feeling silly for underestimating the process. “Should I have them hold o
n to my appliances?”
“It would probably be a good idea to wait another week. This kind of refinishing is a pretty slow process.”
“I’ll call them,” Maddy said, getting up.
“You can have them delivered and keep them in the shed,” Frank offered. “I can install them when we’re ready.”
Maddy looked hopefully at John, who agreed. “That will definitely save you some money.”
“Well, I don’t know about that,” Frank interjected. “I’ll have to charge you my special installation fee, of course.” He grinned at Maddy, and was rewarded with a grin in response.
“Thanks, Frank. I’m sure you’re worth it.”
“You’d better believe it,” he agreed, draining his water.
twenty-three
At quitting time, most of the crew beat a hasty exit, except for Travis and John. Travis managed to entice Becky away for a quick walk on the beach. John walked into the fireplace room to find Maddy on all fours, carefully labeling the cupboard panels with small pieces of masking tape. She had removed about a dozen, and laid them out on newspapers in orderly rows. She looked up at him and sort of smiled around the writing utensil between her teeth.
“Hi,” she whistled.
“How’s it going?” he asked, trying to ignore her tanned limbs and focus on her progress with the cupboards.
“It’s slow,” she conceded, taking the marker out of her mouth. “But I’m getting there.”
John nodded. “I’ll pick up those compounds that you’ll need for stripping tomorrow. You should have plenty to do until then.”
“That’s for sure,” she answered, turning to sit on the floor. “You heading out?” It was almost a normal conversation.
“Yeah,” John began, when his phone rang. “Excuse me,” he walked back into the kitchen.
Maddy couldn’t help but hear John discussing some scheduling conflict that involved Blake not feeling well. She watched as he stopped to look out over the water while he listened. She stood up and walked over to him, her heart for some reason doing its ridiculous, undisciplined leap when he looked at her.
“I can watch the boys,” she mouthed quietly, trying to ignore the way he looked at her lips while he read them.
He nodded at her and said, “Hold on, Karen. I’ll call you right back.” He turned to Maddy. “My mother’s returning from San Diego tonight. Karen was going to pick her up on her way home from the airport, but her plane’s delayed in Atlanta. I’d take the boys to meet the train in Augusta, but Blake’s been down with a cold.”
“You go ahead. I’ll stay with Blake and Parker.”
John looked at her doubtfully. “You sure you don’t mind?”
“Of course not.”
Maddy turned away to remove another cupboard door. She waved over her shoulder at his, “Thank you, Maddy,” and knelt down to get back to work. This was no time to get emotional; it made sense to help out. Besides, she missed the boys. She’d enjoy an evening with them.
John finished his phone call. “I really appreciate this. I hate to leave Blake, but I think it would be even harder on him to make the trip.”
Maddy looked up briefly. “Honestly, it’s no big deal.”
“I’ll go home and feed the boys,” John said. “Can you come over around seven-thirty?”
“Sure,” Maddy answered, focusing on her cupboard.
She was glad for the distraction when Becky and Travis entered the kitchen. A few minutes later, the men walked out to their trucks, and Becky joined Maddy, a satisfied little smile on her face.
“So, what’s up with you?” Maddy asked.
“Well,” Becky began slowly, “Travis and I talked about getting some dinner.” Her smile became a look of concern. “Of course, I don’t need to go if you want me to stay here and…”
“Dismember kitchen cabinets?” Maddy finished with a grin.
“Yes?” Becky tried to sound willing.
“Go have fun with Travis,” Maddy replied. “I’ve got something else I need to do anyway.”
“Which is…”
“I’m going to watch John’s boys while he picks up his mom at the train station.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“Isn’t that nice?” Becky smiled. “That’s very accommodating of you.”
“Blake’s sick,” Maddy explained, “and John’s sister was supposed to pick up their mom, but her flight from Atlanta’s been delayed.”
“I’m just so sorry,” Becky replied.
Maddy ignored the tone. “So, when are you guys leaving?”
“Not until around eight. I told Travis I needed some time to help my sister, but it turns out she’s taking off on me.”
“Why don’t you go see if you can catch him and make it earlier?” Maddy suggested.
Becky thought for a moment. “No, that’s okay. That way you can get ready first, and I’ll just take my time when you’re done.”
Maddy looked at her sister, impressed. “Thanks, Beck, that’s thoughtful of you.”
“I know,” she said flippantly. “It’s also not a bad idea to keep Travis waiting, don’t you think?” She flashed an impish grin as she headed for the stairs.
Becky was dismayed when her sister emerged from the bathroom dressed in a T-shirt and sweats. “Really, Maddy, can’t you do better than that?”
Maddy looked down at her Winnie the Pooh T-shirt. “Parker loves Pooh,” she answered. “He’s the one I have to impress tonight.”
Becky shook her head and walked over to Maddy’s closet. “Do you have anything even remotely stylish that I can borrow for the evening?”
“My Tigger shirt is clean.”
Becky threw a slipper in Maddy’s direction. “How about this sweater dress thing? It’s gorgeous!” She pulled it out to get a better look. “What’s it doing in your closet?”
Maddy laughed and left her sister to sort through her mostly unremarkable wardrobe. “Wear whatever you want, and have fun tonight. I have to run.”
“Have fun, yourself,” Becky replied with a smile.
“Miss Maddy, I’m so glad you’re here! Blake’s sick, but we can still play Uno. I like your shirt!” Parker grabbed her hand and started pulling, then stopped. “Oh, I forgot you have to kiss my dad!”
Maddy and John looked at him as though he’d suggested they throw themselves off the roof. He looked up at them expectantly; completely unaware that anything had changed between his two favorite adults.
Maddy responded first, keeping her eyes firmly on Parker. “But my date is with you tonight, Parker.”
“Well, I’m not kissing!” He giggled and ran around the corner.
“Yeah, well, I’m making no promises!” Maddy called after him, hearing another terrified giggle in response.
John smiled, ignoring the tightness in his chest as he led the way into the living room where Blake lay on the couch watching TV. He looked up and waved at Maddy, who walked over and knelt down next to him.
“Not feeling so good, huh?” she asked.
He shook his head.
“His throat’s sore, so it hurts to talk,” John explained.
Maddy nodded and gently touched Blake’s shoulder. “We’ll take it easy tonight. We can play more next time.”
“Thanks again for doing this,” John said as they walked into the kitchen. He pulled out Blake’s medicine and outlined the bedtime routine for the boys. “I’m hoping to be home by eleven, but if the train’s delayed…”
“Don’t worry. We’ll be fine.”
“Okay,” he said, looking at his watch. “I’d better head out.”
“As long as Parker doesn’t cheat at Uno, we’ll be fine,” Maddy qualified, catching a glimpse of her adversary’s head as he sneaked up behind his dad. Parker shrieked, giggled and ran around the corner again.
“Good luck,” John said. He stepped into the hall to intercept Parker’s bolting body, told him to slo
w down, and said good-bye.
Two hours later, Maddy fell onto the couch exhausted, marveling at the energy it took to keep up with just one energetic little boy.
She picked up a magazine and paged through it. Tiring of that, she turned on the TV and started flipping through the channels. Nothing appealed, so she turned it off and rested her head.
Her eyes flew open at the sound of someone crying out. A glance at the clock revealed that almost twenty minutes had passed. She jumped up, wondering who had been crying and for how long. She hurried to the boys’ room and found Blake sitting up in bed, visibly shaken.
“Are you alright, Blake?”
She sat down next to him and turned on a small bedside lamp. To her surprise, he lay his head in her lap. Maddy gently stroked his hair, and a few minutes later, Parker began to stir.
“Did Blake have a bad dream?” he asked sleepily.
“I’m not sure, Parker.”
“He has lots of bad dreams.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.” Maddy looked down at Blake with renewed concern.
“When is Daddy coming home?” Blake sniffled.
Maddy looked at her watch. “It won’t be too long,” she answered vaguely.
“Can I sleep in his bed?” Blake looked up at her hopefully. Maddy had no idea what to say.
“Dad always lets us sleep with him if we’re scared or sick,” Parker piped in with a yawn.
Lucky John. Maddy scooped Blake into her arms, and her knees buckled a little. She shifted him carefully, and said, “Okay, let’s get you to your dad’s bed.” She maneuvered her sniffling load across the hall.
She felt strange walking into John’s room, but dismissed the unsettling thoughts as she laid Blake down on the bed. Pulling back the covers on the other side, she gently rolled Blake over onto the sheets and tucked him in. She started to tip-toe out of the room, when Blake whispered, “Will you stay with me?”
Maddy stopped in her tracks. “Sure. Let me just go check on Parker and turn off the light.” She came back a few minutes later, sat on the bed next to Blake, and stroked his back.
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