by M. Mabie
He lowered his metal coffee mug from his mouth. “Honestly, if it wasn’t worth it, I wouldn’t even have bid it, but it’s a nice job. Dad and I drove up early yesterday to cruise it. Good skid roads. Not that hilly for a pine haul. Looked nice.”
“And?”
Ted answered, “It’s a good job. We’d be set damn near through the winter with a job like that. They don’t want anything fancy. Stock lumber rips.”
We hadn’t had a project like that since before Myra came, and an out-of-town trip was bound to happen eventually.
“Listen, I don’t want to be gone long. I’d love to highball it, but it’s a big one. We’d need you falling in the timber for sure. Hell, I don’t even know if I’ll stay the whole time. I might come back and start chipping at the deck, make room to send loads back on the trucks. Keep us from dead-heading a few trips,” Chris said and took another sip from the tumbler. “And I really have no desire to leave Ashley with the baby all by herself through the week for that long with her going back to work soon either. But it’s good for the mill. So it’s good for us.”
There was pride in Ted’s face. Chris wasn’t his blood, but when the time came, he’d be able to rest easy knowing the company he’d built was left in good hands.
“Okay, so when?”
“Supposed to get a call after the bids are opened later. If we win it, probably leave Sunday night. The guy’s in a hurry to get the spot cleared and stay on schedule. Guess their other outfit pulled out last minute. There’s only one other company bidding that I know of. We’ll take all the trucks, both skidders, and a full crew, save for a small crew here to hold it down and rip what we load back. More hands the better,” Ted said.
The way it sounded, he planned on going too. Ted hadn’t been on a run in a few years, but I didn’t doubt that he could still do the work. If Chris wasn’t going to be there the whole time, Ted’s experience would be needed. Our guys were good workers, and they didn’t mess around, but most weren’t too seasoned for jobs that size.
“How long out?” I asked.
Chris looked at his in-laws and then answered, “Two, three weeks if the weather is on our side.”
It was mid-October, so who knew. It could be sun, rain, or snow. Likely, a little of each that time of year.
The idea of being away from Myra for days at a time stung, but weeks would be damn near impossible. Yet, it was my job, and I wasn’t one to shirk my responsibilities. My mill work put food on our table. We’d been lucky overnight trips hadn’t been more often the past few months.
“Weekends?” I asked.
“Depends. If we getting trucks moving back and forth, steadily, then we’ll come back on weekends. If we get slowed down, maybe just Sundays. It might just be taking turns running loads and just a night here and there until it’s done. Won’t know until we get into it.”
I took a deep breath and looked around the yard. We definitely had the room, but with only a few days to get the mill ready, it would be nose to the grindstone until we left.
“All right then,” I said as if they’d given me a choice. It wasn’t even necessary for them to tell me all they had. It wasn’t my business. It was just how they were, and another way they treated me like family.
Which reminded me.
“Do you mind if I have some paperwork sent here for Myra?” They wouldn’t pry, but I didn’t care if they knew. “Insurance and property stuff—from the Pastor—I don’t want it sent to the house. He knows I work here, I’m not sure he knows exactly where we live though, and I don’t care if he ever finds out.”
“Yeah, sure. No problem,” Dori answered. “Mail or fax?”
“I’ll let you know. I wanted to make sure it was all right first before I gave him an address.”
Ted offered the smoke back to his wife, and she waved him off. He tossed it into the gravel and Chris stomped it out with is boot.
“That’s what I’m talking about,” he praised and offered a high-five to his father-in-law. “You don’t need those nasty sons-a-bitches.”
“Any orders going out the rest of the week?” I asked. “Might as well get them out of the way so we can make room.”
“One today and two fair sized ones Friday,” Dori answered on her way inside. “The orders are out in the yard office.”
So that’s where I headed. That morning, Chris worked with most of the crew to get the yard cleaned up and reorganized to make room for the timber we’d be bringing in over the next month. I worked on the empty side of the parking lot where we often piled decks of logs when we needed more room. After the skids were stacked and some older logs moved to behind the mill, I worked in the shop until around lunch.
Before we left, there’d be a lot to do to round up all the lines, tools, and saws we’d need for the job. We’d need the gas cans mixed and filled. Some chainsaws needed sharpened, and while I went through them, I made a list of replacement blades we’d want.
I hadn’t made a lunch to bring with me that day, and we hadn’t had any leftovers to bring either, so it would work out just fine to run into town on my break, grab a bite, and stop at the bank to deposit the check into the account—even if it was just to turn around and write one to Myra for the same amount.
Since I’d done about a full day’s worth of work by eleven thirty, I drove into Fairview.
As I waited in the drive-thru at Shorty’s, a local milkshake and burger place, I shot Myra a text.
ME: How’s your day going?
She was used to me calling or texting around that time of day, so it wasn’t a surprise when she replied immediately. I crept forward in line as her message came through.
MYRA: Flying by. Feels like you just left. I’ve got a lot done though. What about you? Good day?
The trip was too much to get into over text, so I kept it vague. Later, I’d tell her what I knew.
One thing was certain, I wasn’t looking forward to leaving. It was the first time I’d been faced with a big job and lots of overtime and not been too interested. Maybe one day I’d finally have a shop and work normal hours for myself making furniture. Where if I had to go out of town for business, I could invite Myra to come along. Where I didn’t have to spend my free time working any chance I could. I’d get to build whatever the hell I wanted, full-time, and spend my evenings with her and our family.
Our family? Where had that come from?
ME: Busy one for me too.
If I was taking a full hour for lunch, I would have asked if she wanted a burger, but I’d be getting back to work as soon as possible so I wouldn’t have to cut into our time that evening before she went to class.
MYRA: Want anything special from the store? I’m running into town to get the shopping out of the way.
There were a few things I’d want to take with me, but I could grab them over the weekend. So instead, I just gave her one item I thought of off the top of my head.
ME: Will you see of they have the new Gill Lawrence book?
I’d be needing something to occupy my evenings, sleeping alone in a hotel the following week.
MYRA: Sure. Anything else?
ME: No thanks. See you around four?
MYRA: See you then. I love you.
How’d I get so lucky to have a woman like her in my life? Then again, maybe luck had nothing to do with it. Maybe the big guy above had by mistake thought I’d deserved her. Maybe it was fate and was always going to happen or a coincidence we stumbled into by chance. I’d never know, but I doubted that even if I did, it would have changed how my heart swelled each time she told me she loved me.
ME: I love you too.
When I got to the window, paid and took my food, I made a left and headed to the bank. I opened the tiny white paper sack that I’d set in the passenger seat and pulled out a handful of fries. They were hot as hell, but I didn’t stop throwing them down my throat until I pulled into the parking lot at Central Union Bank.
It was slow for a lunch hour, but it was Wednesday. As I
walked through the lobby, I saw a familiar face close by.
“Hi, Jean,” I said. The last time I deposited a check from my father, they’d had me deal with Lindy and I didn’t expect anything different. It was a large amount, especially since they didn’t know the person who wrote the check.
Lucky them.
“Hi, Abe. How’s it going?”
“Good, is Lindy available?”
“Sure, she’s around here somewhere. I think I just saw her. Hang out a sec. I’ll be right back.” The friendly teller peeked her head around a door and when she didn’t see Lindy she spun on her heel and then headed in the other direction.
Call me paranoid, but I wouldn’t feel good about the money in my pocket until it was cashed and cleared. Additionally, I didn’t want to agitate my father until at least this portion of Myra’s money was safe.
“Abe, were your ears burning?” Lindy asked from across the marble room, but it sounded like she was right beside me.
Why would she have been talking about me?
“Nope, no burning. Why’s that?”
“I was just talking about you yesterday. I’ve even got a note taped to my computer screen reminding me to give you a call.” She waved toward her office. “Let's talk, if you’ve got a minute.”
I didn't have much more than that, but I couldn’t help but wonder what she wanted.
Her shoes clicked down the short hallway, and I followed until she got to her door and ushered me in first.
“Take a seat. It really is so funny that you showed up this morning.” She tapped around on her keyboard and then she met my eyes. “But first, what can I help you with today? Jean said you asked for me.”
I pulled the check from my wallet and unfolded it.
“I have another check I'd like to deposit.”
“Same thing as last time?”
I'd had her call the bank in Lancaster before cashing it to make sure there wouldn’t be a problem. The last thing I needed to do was cash a bad check and then write another bad one to Myra.
“Yeah, if you don’t mind.”
“Sure, if it’s signed on the back, I’ll take care of that and then call you later after it’s all sorted.”
I appreciated her assistance. I didn’t know how most banks worked, but Lindy had always been helpful. Even taking time to explain things to me when I was younger and then assisting Myra with her account too.
“Thank you.”
She pulled the fluorescent yellow note with my name on it from her monitor and showed it to me before tossing it into the trash. “How is everything going with the furniture? I see that you’ve been saving like we talked about and if that’s any indication, it’s going pretty well.”
“Busy. Having a hard time keeping up, but I guess that’s good.”
“I’d guess so too,” she agreed. “Like I said, yesterday I was talking to Randy, a colleague of mine, and he was telling me about a property that we’d just acquired through a default. Do you know the old Stephen’s Electric building down the block on Marshall? It’s been empty for about a year or so.”
I’d been in there a few times when the electrical store had been there. It had been a shame when the small business closed up shop, but without anyone to take it over, I’d heard they’d had no other choice. “I know the place.”
“Well, it’s a special situation, but I thought of you.” She pecked around on her keyboard again and then continued. “With this deposit—”
“That’s not my money. It belongs to my wife,” I corrected.
“Your wife? Abe, I didn’t know you got married.” I hadn’t even thought to tell her back when I’d cashed the first check, but back then it didn’t feel like a marriage. At least, not like now.
“Yeah, we’ll it was sudden.”
“The young woman you sent in a few months ago?”
“Yes,” I answered.
“She didn’t even mention you.”
At that time, it was hard to say what we were. Hell, it was hard to say what we were now.
“Congratulations.”
“Thank you. Like I was saying though, that’s her money. She has her own account and as soon as that clears, I’ll be writing her a check like last time.”
Lindy clicked her mouse and studied her screen. “I see. She set up her account as Myra Fox. Would you mind telling her to call or come in to get that updated, if she wants. Of course, unless she kept her maiden name.”
She’d also used her maiden name on her GED paperwork and classes, and I remembered that my father used that name with her the day before. What did he know?
Regardless, our situation was confusing and sooner rather than later, I wanted there to be no doubt who and what we were to each other. I wanted there to be no question who my wife was or who Myra’s husband was. And not for anyone else but ourselves.
Again though, I feared rushing her. Feared smothering her. Feared being just another selfish man.
But I loved her, and that was the difference.
“I’ll let her know,” I said and looked at the clock.
“I’m sure you’re on your lunch break, so I’ll get right to it. Even without this last twenty-or-so thousand, you’ve saved quite a lot rather quickly. Faster than we even planned for last we spoke about your business and buying a property.” She pressed a button and then the printer behind her began spitting out sheets of paper. “So I took another look at your business plan, and considering this property is one that we own and therefore can move at a significantly lower price compared to market values right now, it might be a great opportunity for you.”
Lindy reached behind her and gathered the papers into a neat stack before stapling them.
“The building needs some minor work, but nothing too crazy. Some updates. But there’s room for a nice size warehouse, an area for you to do production, and a store front. All in one building at a great location near other specialty shops here downtown.”
It sounded almost too good to be true. There had to be a catch.
There was always a catch.
“But?” I asked, impatient to get to the part where it would be just beyond my reach.
“No buts.” After passing the packet of papers to me, she propped her elbows up on the mahogany desk. “I looked at the numbers, ran rates for you off what you shared with me before, and came up with a few different options. There is a program—I’ve attached the grant info in there—that can help with the preservation of the building and safety updates for businesses willing to move into the downtown district. You won’t even have to empty your savings to do it. Of course, if you wanted to put significantly more down on the property, that’s fine, but that extra cushion will be what you need to really take off.”
Her face was serious, but her smile was encouraging.
“It’s a big step, but financially you’re ready.” She pushed her chair away from her desk and stood. “So think it over. Talk to your wife. I know you don’t have family in the area but get some advice from a trusted friend if you can. If anything for your own peace of mind. I’ll give you a call later when that check goes through, and you can call me if you want to walk through the property.”
I didn’t know what to say.
I was almost on overload. There was too much happening all at once. Getting Myra’s assets away from my father and the church. Helping Myra figure out a way to help those in Lancaster that were just like her. Being out of town for work, for who knows how long. And now this? A pie-in-the-sky dream I’d had for years almost presenting itself to me on a silver platter.
My head was spinning.
“Thank you,” was all I managed as I stood and offered her a handshake.
“You’re very welcome. I hope this turns out to be a good opportunity for you.”
So did I, but the timing couldn’t have been worse.
Then again, when had timing ever worked in my favor?
And that thought ran through my mind a hundred more times as I left the bank and took
a slow cruise past the old Stephen’s Electric building. There was even a huge stockyard in back with a decent dock and loading area. I made a circle around the block, checking it out from every direction, and then with my head swarming with thoughts I pulled into a slanted parking space in front of the massive storefront’s window.
My hands gripped the wheel as I warred with myself, and then, having too much energy, I got out to shake it off. After a few paces beside my truck, I surrendered to the overwhelmed feeling and lifted my eyes skyward.
God, what do I do?
Then something next door caught my eye.
13
Myra
“Hey,” Ashley said over the phone.
“Hi. Everything all right?”
When she called earlier, I had my hands full with the laundry basket. That morning I’d been a fury of cleaning and washing. I’d brought what few things Abe had in the extra bedroom up and washed all the linens. I’d even made it to the store and back.
I wouldn’t say I was avoiding math, but it was likely. Besides, I thought better when I was working with my hands and there was a lot of thinking to be done.
“Everything is fine here. I was just calling to check up on you.”
It was strange having a friend like that. Back in Lancaster, I’d always been the one to look in on others because my plate wasn’t as full. Here Ashley was, with a newborn, calling to check on me.
I swallowed the emotions that bubbled up from that tiny observation. They were silly, but they felt so huge inside me. Knowing someone—obviously, besides Abe—cared for me like Ashley and her family did meant so much to me.
“I’m okay. How’s Violet?” I had no doubt she was fine, and again my heart went out to Jenny knowing her baby wasn’t doing as well. I’d seen Denise, my brother Michael’s wife, carrying their new baby. They hadn’t even called to tell me of the birth. Then again, three of my other sisters-in-law were visibly pregnant and none of them had reached out to me either.
They all had my number too.
Why didn’t anyone think about me? Had I been a nuisance all along to them? Didn’t they notice two fewer hands that summer and fall? I supposed they weren’t allowed to complain, and since I was gone, there wasn’t much they could have done if they needed me.