Chapter Six
I wanted to be at Mrs. Brown's at six in the morning. I could see Ashley staggering sleepily across the lot on her way to get breakfast for the girls. I waved and got a half-way one in return. I edged flower beds and did things that wouldn't make much noise until nine-thirty and then could start clipping the shrubs with power equipment.
This was the official July Fourth holiday. I saw Mrs. Brown look out the window once and Mr. Brown came out at ten-thirty and asked me in for coffee. I had coffee and pressed, I ate more than half of a coffee ring that they set out for me.
I worked until one p.m. and said I would be back to finish tomorrow morning. I wanted to be done here by ten-thirty to be ready for the painters at eleven. Ashley was letting them in at eight to get ready for the real work by the time I got there. This afternoon I hoped to finish all of Ashley's mowing on her lot.
After this, it would be just a matter of only using a lawn mower. To be done right, the ground should be ripped up and reseeded, but this wasn't the time of year to do it and have a good catch on the seed.
When I got home, Ashley had dinner ready for me. Fried fish, carrots, mashed potatoes, green salad and a cake for dessert. "You treat your handyman damned good. That was a fine meal."
Before I went out to mow, I called Jean. A young female answered with a grunt. "Hi, this is Milo Burns. May I speak to Mrs. Burgess please?"
"I guess so." Attitude! "Jean, it's your ex."
"Milo, I didn't expect a call from you. Are the girls okay?"
"Sure they are great. I need a favor. Would you be free Wednesday night to baby-sit?"
"I could, I guess. For how long?"
"I was hoping you could come and stay all night. The girls would love to have you. They have a lot to tell you about what we have been doing."
"Where are you going to be?"
I was silent for a minute acting like I didn't want to answer. Jean got the message. "Okay that was out of line. I don't need to know. You can leave your cell number."
"That would be great. Why don't you come for dinner and we can eat together like we did when the girls were younger. It will be nice for them. Bring your husband if you want to, although I don't have many good feelings toward him."
"I'll come alone. Can you pick me up? My car isn't working right now."
"Sure, I'll have the girls with me so they can show me which house it is."
Ashley & Milo Page 14
