by Judy Baer
* * *
When Hannah returned to get Danny, he greeted her at the front door fresh from the shower. His slicked-back blond hair was tamed for the moment, except for his determined cowlick, which stood straight up. Danny was the real-life version of Dennis the Menace in both looks and actions. He was also a chip off the old block where his father was concerned. Steve’s childhood pictures and Danny’s were so similar as to be interchangeable.
“Hey, Mom.” He ran into her arms and she hugged him so long that he squirmed away. “What can I have for a snack? Potato chips?”
“Take an apple.”
“Borrrring.” He shuffled off, hands in his pockets, cowlick pointing at the ceiling.
“Wash your hands first.”
Danny waved them in the direction of the running water, pretended to dry them on a towel and dived for the cookies.
“I have something to tell you.”
“You got a job already?”
“I did, but it’s going to be a little different for us than my other jobs have been.”
“Different how?” Mistrust fairly glowed on his features. Danny was wary of change.
“I’ll be caring for an elderly woman. She lives with her grandson, who travels and is very busy with his business. He wants me—us—to move into his house, so that when he is away, his grandmother won’t be alone.”
“We’re moving?” Danny gasped.
“We’ll only be there a few weeks. The lady has a broken foot, which should heal nicely. Trisha will stay here. Emma and Jane are going to live with her. You and I will be at the new house as long as I’m needed.”
“Can I go to my same school?”
“Yes, I checked.”
“Will I have my own room?” He stuffed two cookies into his mouth. “Where’s it at?” He sputtered crumbs as he talked.
At least he wasn’t fighting her on this, kicking and screaming.
“In Cherry Hills Village, where they just built the new dog park last year. Your daddy used to golf at the country club there when he was young.”
“The dog park?” His eyes grew wide. “You mean the one by Josh’s house?”
Hannah had transported the boys back and forth for play dates occasionally. Josh’s home was in a posh neighborhood not far from that area. “Yes, I believe so.”
“You mean Josh and I will be neighbors?”
Hannah watched as her son’s expression turned from doubt to elation. “That’s cool! When are we going? I better call Josh, and I need to pack.” He shot out of the room like a bullet out of a rifle.
Overcome, Hannah put her head into her hands and whispered, “Thank You, thank You, thank You, Lord. You are breaking down the barriers and paving the way. Please help me not to disappoint anyone now.” She felt dampness on her cheeks as her tears began to fall. The tension that had been building within her melted away; the strain that had been wearing at her was gone and she felt release.
Trisha came home to change clothes and then announced, “I’d better get going. I promised Emma and Jane I’d meet them at the house before dinner to help them move in.”
“That didn’t take long.”
“We’re so excited to be living together. I’ve wanted this for a long time.”
“Just remember, it’s only until Lily Matthews is back on her feet.”
“I know, I know, but it will be fun.”
“Don’t have so much fun that you forget to pay the bills,” Hannah warned.
“Han, I’m a big girl. Honestly, you’re treating me like a child!” Trisha stormed out and Hannah heard the front door slam shut.
* * *
Hannah and Danny pulled into Ty’s driveway a few hours later, and Hannah began taking Danny’s luggage out of the car. It felt like he had packed his rock collection the bags were so heavy.
Ty walked up beside her and extended his hand. “May I take that for you?” He reached for the suitcase.
Before he could say more, Danny pulled on his trouser leg.
“I’m Danny,” he said and thrust out his hand. “Are you the man we’re going to live with?”
Chapter Five
It was love at first sight.
When Danny walked into Lily’s room, she chortled with delight. Danny, who was accustomed to spending time with adults, fearlessly sauntered directly to her. “I’m Danny,” he announced. “Who are you?”
“I’m Lily Matthews,” the old lady said, beaming. “But you may call me Gram.”
“Okay, Gram.”
“Have you seen your new room yet?”
Danny shook his head emphatically. “Nope.”
“Hannah, wheel me down to Danny’s room,” Lily said imperiously. “I want to show it to him myself.”
Hannah felt a little like saluting, but she restrained herself.
Lily immediately began regaling Danny with stories from Ty’s childhood. “He drew airplanes all over one wall with my lipstick...liked to sneak out his window at night and sleep with the dog in the garage...lived on peanut butter and bananas one entire summer...”
When they reached the door of Danny’s new room, Lily said, “He can push me back to my room when we’re done. You two run along now. Danny and I have things to talk about.”
It was as if she’d lost interest in Hannah and Tyler. For Lily, the only ones left in the world were her and Danny. They already had their heads together, giggling over something.
“That didn’t take long,” Tyler commented when they reached the kitchen.
“Danny likes older people. The neighbors on both sides of our house are elderly and they’ve all taken him under their wings since his dad died. He’s very comfortable with people over eighty.”
“Obviously. Coffee?” Tyler gestured toward a pot on a warmer.
“Sure.” Hannah wasn’t sure how to behave. Tyler held the next few weeks of her life in his hands. Thankfully this was much easier than she’d expected. Despite their bad start, he was now completely gracious—and gorgeous, just like Trisha had said.
“Sit down.” He poured coffee into two mugs and set them on the table. Then he brought a small pitcher of cream out of the refrigerator. “Sorry, no cookies. I haven’t had time to stop at the bakery.”
“If I have time, I can bake a few. Lily might enjoy sitting in the kitchen while I do it. Surely staying in her room all the time gets boring.”
“I’m sure she’ll let you know.” He sank into a chair across from Hannah.
“You’re tired, aren’t you?” she blurted, forgetting herself.
He scraped his fingers through his dark hair, leaving it pleasingly rumpled. “That’s an understatement. I’m exhausted. I’m not cut out for three or four hours of sleep a night, but that’s what it has been.” He studied her thoughtfully. “Lily is both lovely and a lioness, Hannah.”
“You’re not very optimistic about this. You think I can’t handle it.”
“Let’s just say that some highly experienced caregivers have resigned.”
“I’ll make it work.” She wrapped both hands around the coffee mug and stared into its depths. I have to!
Danny providentially entered the kitchen at that moment. “Lily said that if I came down here I could have hot chocolate. Is that right?”
“Oh, honey, we can’t—”
“Sure.” Ty got up. “I’ll show you where things are and you can make it yourself from now on.”
“Cool.” Danny followed Ty from the refrigerator to the silverware drawer to the cupboard like a shadow.
He hadn’t been around many men. Hannah hadn’t really dated anyone since Steven died and though Trisha had occasional boyfriends, there were none serious enough to bring home. One of the elderly neighbors played chess with Danny and another taught him about World War II and helped him put airplane kits together, but that was the extent of his adult male companions. She feared that it might be part of the reason that Danny was so vulnerable to the bigger boys at school, who occasionally taunted him. Watching her
little boy glue himself to Ty Matthews, she realized how much Danny must have missed that father-son, man-to-man contact. She liked the idea that, for a brief while at least, Danny would have a little of that in this household.
“You can take the cup outside,” Ty told Danny as he opened the patio door that led to the backyard. “There are koi in the pond. Do you like fish?”
“You bet!” And Danny disappeared into the sunlight.
“Cute kid. He’ll probably do a lot to improve Lily’s mood. She really is partial to little boys.”
“Thanks to you?”
“Can I help it that I was an adorable kid?”
She observed his blue eyes twinkle. In her book, he was still pretty adorable.
At that moment a woman of about sixty-five stormed into the kitchen. Faded brown hair haloed her face and her pale blue eyes flashed with electric fire. “I quit!”
“Not again,” Ty said wearily. “What has she done this time?”
“She accused me of not cleaning her room properly. Dust on the sills or some such nonsense. And she blamed me for dust on the wings of those airplanes in your old bedroom! I cleaned that room three days ago. That dust has to be in her imagination. I’ve put up with your grandmother for twenty years, but no more. I’ll gather my things. You can send my final paycheck. You know the address.”
“Hannah, this is Irene. Irene has worked for us since I was in high school.” He looked at the woman with sympathy. “And she can’t quit now. I don’t know what I’d do without her.”
“You can’t talk me out of it this time, sir. Being accused of not knowing how to clean? Well, I never!”
“Hannah will be here to help you now, Irene. She’ll be in charge of my grandmother. That should take some pressure off you.”
“Uh-uh. No, siree. I love your grandmother like a sister, but sometimes I don’t like her very much. Demanding, domineering, bossy. It takes a saint to put up with her!”
“Aren’t you about due for a raise, Irene?” Ty said, resignation in his voice. “A rather large raise?”
That stopped the woman for a moment. Then she shook her head. “You’d be better off finding someone younger, sir. Someone whose patience isn’t stretched thin.”
“I’ll help you, Irene,” Hannah blurted. “I’ll be your go-between if you need a break. I don’t mind—really, I don’t. I’m used to working with older people. I’d love it if you’d stay.”
The older woman eyed her as if she’d just lost her mind. “You’re new. You have no idea what you’re volunteering for. Pick, pick, pick, that’s what Lily does. Nobody does anything quite right. She’s sweet as pie while she’s driving you insane. No, dearie, I couldn’t do that to you.”
“Give me two weeks to try. If I can’t help you then...” Hannah held up her hands and shrugged.
“And the offer of a raise still stands,” Ty jumped in. “Come on, Irene, it’s a win-win for you.”
She sighed. “If I didn’t like you so well, Mr. Matthews...”
“You love my grandmother and you know it.”
“We all do. But you’re stuck and I’m not,” she said, pointing out that Ty didn’t have the luxury of quitting on his grandmother like she did.
“Two weeks. I’ll give Hannah a raise, too.”
Irene put her hands in the air. “Oh, all right. I’ll go dust those windowsills and airplanes again.”
After Irene had left, Hannah turned to stare at Tyler. “Does she quit often?”
“No. When she does, I know she’s serious. Fortunately, I’ve always been able to talk her out of it. Irene keeps this place running. It would cave in on all of us without her.” He stood up. “And now that I have staff, I’m going to the office.” He took a camel-colored jacket off a hook by the door. “I’d better work fast, before you quit, too. See you at dinner.”
She was left to stare after him. What on Earth had she gotten herself into?
* * *
Later that evening, she prepared to put her son to bed in his new room. Danny still smelled of soap and shampoo plus the old shaving lotion he’d found in a box in the attic and insisted on using. It had been his father’s and the scent was nearly gone, but he found it comforting. So did Hannah. So little was left of Steve except for her son, her memories and her home. She’d loved him deeply. Now all that remained was a faint whiff of shaving lotion on her small son.
Lord, show me what’s next. And please, can it not be so hard?
“Can I read to you tonight, Mom?” Danny had a book on rockets and outer space in his hand. “Did you know they retired the space shuttles in 2011? One of them is at the Smithsonian. Can we see it someday?”
“Time will tell, sweetie.”
“You always say that.”
“Because it’s always true.”
“Did you tell my dad that when he was alive?”
Danny always asked about Steve. Every time he did, it sent a spear of sadness through Hannah. This sweet little boy needed a father. He’d been cheated out of his relationship, just like she’d been cheated out of hers.
They read together for a bit. When Danny’s eyes began to droop, Hannah tucked him in, kissed him on the forehead and turned out the light. Whatever suffering had transpired after Danny’s birth was worth it, she knew, to have this little boy in her life. But her child needed more male role models in a life that was overpopulated with women.
That night, as she lay in bed in her own new room second-guessing herself, Hannah thought back to the initial catalyst that had spurred all this.
Chapter Six
It was forty-two cents.
Days ago, when she’d shaken her wallet looking for coins, a toothpick wrapped in clear cellophane, a tattered stick of gum and four pennies had fallen out. The note from Danny’s teacher, the one he’d brought home with such excitement in his eyes and anticipation on his small, freckled features, lay on the table.
The second-grade class at Wilder Elementary will be taking a field trip to the History Museum on Wednesday. The cost is five dollars per student. This includes entrance fees, lunch and one snack during the visit to the museum. Please send cash with your student and put his or her name on the envelope.
Thanks in advance, parents. We plan to have a marvelous day!
Mrs. Boswell
A sick feeling had settled in Hannah’s gut as she looked once again for nonexistent money in her purse. She’d dropped the bag to the table and turned toward her living room furniture. In moments, she’d dismantled the couch and two chairs and was running her flattened hand in the furniture’s crevices, looking for spare coins.
She recalled the front door opening and closing behind her and Hannah felt a gust of cold, late-March wind sweep into the house. “Close the door, Trisha. You’re letting the heat out!”
“What heat?” Her sister had come into the living room rubbing her still-mittened fingers together. “It’s freezing in here.”
“I had to turn down the thermostat. Do you have any idea how much our heating bill was last month?”
“No, and I really don’t want to.”
“It’s my fault we’re living like this—paycheck to paycheck, barely getting by,” Trisha said miserably in a half whisper. “We’re wearing long johns and jackets to bed and eating pork and beans and Ramen noodles at the end of every month. And it’s all because of me.”
“Nonsense,” Hannah said briskly. “If you want to be helpful, tell me you have forty-two cents.”
Trisha looked puzzled but had obediently dug into her pocket and retrieved a quarter and two dimes.
Hannah sighed with relief then and took the coins from her younger sister’s hand. “Now Danny can go on the field trip tomorrow. I was forty-two cents short.”
Trisha had flung herself onto the couch now stripped of its cushions. “I could get on full-time at the café and earn some real money. I’m sick of scrimping.”
“We can get by until you graduate. Once you’re earning a salary, everything will be fine
.” Hannah had been exhausted down to the marrow of her bones. Sometimes she wished Trisha were a little more mature. She always talked like she understood financial matters but she was still pretty weak in common sense in that area. Hannah hoped it wasn’t a mistake, running her so quickly through the nursing program.
“No. It’s too much.”
“You can’t do that, not after making it this far. It would break my heart.”
Trisha’s pretty face was troubled. “Sis, you’ve been taking care of me since I was fourteen years old. I can’t believe you aren’t sick of it by now.”
Hannah recalled wrapping her arm around her and pulling her close. “You are my family. It’s you and me, babe, remember?”
It had been that way ever since her parents had succumbed to carbon monoxide poisoning while vacationing with friends in a ski chalet in Montana.
“You didn’t ask to raise a teenager. You got dumped on. That’s all there is to it.”
“No, you know better than that.” At twenty-four, Hannah had already graduated from nursing school and was old enough to take responsibility for her young sister. They’d made a home, the two of them, and when Hannah had married Steven St. James and given birth to her son, Danny, it had seemed they finally had a perfect family. Perfect, that is, until Steve, a high school teacher, had had a brain aneurysm burst while he was playing basketball with some of his buddies in the church gymnasium.
Left responsible for both her sister and her son, Hannah had worked all she could, tightened the proverbial belt, prayed hard and trusted God to carry her through. She would keep doing the same.
“What’s up, Hannah?” Trisha had asked her.
“A little setback, that’s all. We’ll be fine.”
That had set Trisha on alert. “Define setback.”
“Things are slow all over. The agency had to let me go, but I’ll find work soon. No matter how rough the economy, people need help caring for elderly family members.”
“You got fired? Hannah, that’s terrible!”
“I got laid off, okay? That sounds better.”
