He surveyed what would be his bedroom for the next year. It was simply furnished: a small desk sat in the corner, a large bureau against the wall faced the queen bed he was on. Plantation shutters allowed just a hint of light into the room.
Vague images of Eden helping him change into a clean shirt surfaced. She had checked his temperature with a thermometer of unknown origins. Raised eyebrows at the reading suggested he was hotter than he felt. Under his direction, she found the bottle of paracetamol in his suitcase. Before he let sleep claim him, he wondered at the depth of concern in her face. He was a stranger. But she cared.
He frowned at the smell of lasagna lingering in the air. He opened the door and walked barefoot to the living room. Eden lowered a magazine at his entrance, and a full, familiar smile greeted him. He knew that smile. It was on her profile picture on the college website whose link she had sent to him just a day ago. So you’ll know who I am, she had typed.
“You look way better.” She stood to pick up the thermometer from the round coffee table.
“No. I’m good.” He was sure he wasn’t supposed to hear her next words.
“Worse than Aidan…” Her eyes widened when she realized she had spoken aloud, her fingers rising to her lips.
Despite feeling like he just played a match against the Wallabies, he felt the side of his mouth turn slightly. An interesting shade of pink formed at the base of Eden’s neck. He turned to face the large window which overlooked the street. “Where is Aidan?”
“He’s staying over at Matthew’s place tonight. Matthew’s mom gave me some extra lasagna. Interested? Food will do you good.”
It’d been almost twelve hours since he last ate something, but he felt far from hungry. Still, he recognized the value of getting some calories in his body. His nod elicited an immediate smile.
“Good!” she said. “It’s a mild night. Let’s eat outside. Why don’t you wash up and I’ll see you in the back?”
When he came out of the bathroom, he found Eden bent over the oven door. Now without the sweater she’d worn to the airport, her simple cotton shirt and jeans showed off a trim athletic figure.
She glanced over her shoulder. “Will you grab the plates?”
He took the bright yellow plates that had two sets of cutlery and cloth napkins on them and followed her to the deck. The small metal table had a pitcher of water and glasses waiting.
“Sit,” she instructed. “I just have to bring out the salad. I did a quick run to the grocery store while you were sleeping. I picked up some things to see you through the next few days.”
“You didn’t have—”
“There was nothing in the house, and you’re not in any condition to go shopping today.”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re welcome.” Her smile softened her words.
He swallowed and tempered his irritation. “Thank you.”
A warm breeze rustled the line of trees to the right of the garden. Was that an oak? He’d have to do a little research on what exactly was in his backyard.
“You chose a pretty nice place to live, Mano,” Eden said when she came back.
“It doesn’t feel like you’re only half an hour from the city,” he said as he joined her at the table.
She served the lasagna onto two plates. “No, Seven Hills has still managed to retain its charm that way. The hills make it difficult for new buildings, so even though we need more housing in the area, there just isn’t a lot of buildable land out here.” She pointed past the grove of trees to the right. “I live just past these trees.”
“There are houses behind here?”
“Just as the road turns, there’s an entrance to a path which will lead you to a trail that goes through most of Seven Hills. My apartment complex is about a ten-minute walk from here. The trail’s used a lot, especially by the kids to get to the middle and high schools. This house is in a good location: quiet but still pretty central. If you’re a runner, you could get to the sports field at St. Anne’s in about twenty minutes, I think.”
He stretched when he finished the last of his meal, surprised at his appetite, given the lack of energy. He started to get up to help clear the table, but she held up her hand. “No, you rest.”
“I can help.”
“Mano, I don’t know you very well, but if you collapse on my watch, morally, I have a responsibility for your well-being for at least twelve hours unless you fall under the care of a qualified medical professional.”
He frowned. “I don’t think I know this ‘code of morality’ you’re talking about.”
Her natural smile reappeared, making her look at least a decade younger. “Ah, well…. You’ll just have to believe me.”
He picked up the pitcher and glasses anyway and followed her into the kitchen. He checked the refrigerator: yogurt, a tray of eggs, low-fat milk, cheese, butter, fruit, sandwich meats, salad. “How much do I owe you?”
She waved with the back of her hand as she loaded the dishwasher. “Call it a welcome-to-California present.”
“I can’t—”
“I hope you like blue because I realized you didn’t have bedsheets in the house, so I stopped by Target as well. They’re in the dryer. You can pay me back for that if it makes you feel better. I put the receipt on the notice board.”
“Thank you.”
“I can’t take any credit for thinking about bedsheets. My dad reminded me to check.” She wiped her hands on the kitchen towel. “Anyway, I’d better go. Now that I’ve seen you again after your nap, I can rest easy.”
Unexpectedly, she placed her hand on his cheek then his forehead. He moved slightly but didn’t escape her touch. He was suddenly aware he couldn’t remember the last time someone touched him on his face.
She smiled again. “No fever. Good. You have my number; call me if you need anything. I put Patty’s number on your notice board as well. I told her you were jetlagged and recovering from a cold. She’ll probably come by to check on you tomorrow.”
“Patty?”
“Sorry. Matthew’s mom. Patricia Yuan, but she goes by ‘Patty.’ Matt’s Aidan’s best friend. Patty’s incredible. Some people say she’s intense, but she’s nice.”
“Intense?”
Eden tilted her head thoughtfully. “In a good way. Highly energetic? Spirited? Actively animated? Anyway, you can judge for yourself.”
“I can’t wait,” Mano muttered under his breath.
“Patty knows everyone and everything about everyone. If you have a question about anything, Patty’s your lady.”
He watched Eden check her pockets before looking satisfied that she had everything.
“Get some rest, okay?”
“Eden…uh… Thanks. I owe you.”
“Nonsense. We’re colleagues. We look out for one another at St. Anne’s.” Her eyes met his, and a frisson of awareness simmered from within. He dismissed it immediately. She cleared her throat then held out her hand. “Well…uh… I guess I’ll let you settle in properly. Let me know if you need anything.”
He took the offered hand, caught the slight widening in her eyes, but didn’t let go. She, too, felt it, this current between them. He turned her hand slightly, her firm grip not unexpected. “Thank you.”
The tinge of pink had returned to the base of her neck. When she pulled back, he released his hold, the sudden break in physical contact a relief.
Or so he told himself.
“I’d better go,” she repeated as she headed to the door. “Going to swing by the Yuans’ to say good night. To Aidan. You know…just down the street.”
He nodded, not assisting or hampering her departure, etiquette having him wait for her as she put on her shoes then closed the door behind her.
He headed straight to the shower. Damn headache had come back. Falling flat on his face wasn’t how he expected to start his stay in California. He had been working almost nonstop the past few months, accepting any job that landed his way: promos, analysis, making publi
c appearances. He did, however, hold on to his last shred of dignity by turning down a celebrity dance show, much to Connor’s disappointment.
Being busy kept his mind off his loneliness. Exhaustion was his preferred companion. But maybe he should have eaten on the plane…or at least have drunk some water.
He looked for tea but only found ground coffee. There were lemons in the fruit basket, and he satisfied the need for something warm with honey and lemon mixed with hot water. Moving to the large window, he counted five houses. Each boasted immaculately kept front lawns and gardens. Though still bright, his rental’s porchlight and garden lights were on. Probably on a timer somewhere, he thought absentmindedly. In the absence of streetlights, they’d keep the cul-de-sac from being shrouded in complete darkness when night came.
Laughter took his attention to the house three doors down with the bright orange door. He recognized Eden’s figure as she emerged from the shadows of the house, voices breaking the silence of his new neighborhood. Bending over slightly, she spoke to her son. Whatever she said must have been the right thing, as there was a broad smile on Aidan’s face. It was the first one he had seen the boy show his mother since they’d met at the airport. She laughed easily with the shorter, attractive woman who was also standing at the doorway, the latter’s arm draped over a bespectacled boy.
Suddenly, Aidan spotted him through the window and waved.
He froze, now wishing he had kept his living room shrouded in darkness. Aidan was persistent. His aggressive hand movements demanded a response from Mano. He didn’t owe the boy anything, yet his arm rose in acknowledgment.
He clenched his jaw when everyone at the doorstep turned to identify what – or who – was the object of Aidan’s attention. Four sets of eyes were now focused on him, their study as intense as any opponent he had faced on the pitch. He returned their scrutiny, his eyes resting on the petite woman whose face took on a determined look.
Dammit!
Eden shook her head, but the woman—Patty, he assumed—began to walk down her driveway toward him, an eager Aidan matching her stride, his arms gesticulating to unknown words. Mano didn’t think twice; he reached for the cord to the blinds and shut the view of the approaching entourage. Seconds later, loud staccato knocks indicated Patty Yuan et al. didn’t get the hint.
He could return to his bedroom, but he understood some evils were best faced immediately.
“Hi! I’m Patricia Yuan, but call me Patty. And this is Matthew. Eden said you’re feeling better. That’s good!”
Mano took Patty’s hand before offering his own to Matthew. Wide-eyed, the youngster seemed reluctant to take Mano’s hand until his mother nudged him. Eden shrugged her shoulders slightly, as if in an apology.
“My husband is out of town, but I’ll send him over to say hi when he returns. He needs a new friend,” said Patty. “Do you golf? Yes? Great! Charles spends way too much time on his own.”
“Thanks, but…”
“Oh, no thanks necessary. It’s how we do things around here. Just jump right in! Best way to get involved in the community!”
“Thanks, but…”
“Eden said you’re here alone? Well, we’ll just have to be your family while you live here. You’ll love Mrs. Henderson next door. She likes to give everyone a day to settle in, but she’ll be around tomorrow for sure with banana bread. Don’t refuse it. She’ll never forgive you, and then we’ll all pay for it. You’ll see teenagers come in and out of her house during the week. Don’t worry about them. She watches her granddaughter after school and keeps an open-door policy for a lot of Carolyn’s friends. Some of the neighbors don’t like it, but there’s your pool of cheap labor, right there! Babysitting, yard work, odds, and ends!”
“Thanks, but—”
Patty poked her head through the door. “You’re lucky to get this rental. Lara took good care of this house. It’s been in her family for years. But you also better live up to her reputation come October.”
“October?”
“Halloween, of course!”
Mano blinked. “Wait. What?”
Matthew and Aidan nodded excitedly. “We can help,” Aidan said. “It was so cool last year, wasn’t it, Matt?’
“Lara had a ghost float above her shed. It was awesome!” Matthew said.
“A ghost?” Mano asked.
Patty smiled. “Yes! It’s a tradition in the neighborhood: start trick-or-treating at Lara’s House of Horrors. But it’s never really too scary for the little ones. I think we had a couple of hundred kids down our street last year, didn’t we, Matthew?”
Matthew nodded.
Did he hear that correctly? “Two hundred?”
“Yeah, I know. It was a small showing because it rained. Lara lets the kids go through the side gate and straight into the backyard. I wonder if she left any of the decorations in the garage. I’ll email her and find out for you. It’s hysterical to hear the kids scream throughout the night!”
“That sounds…” He struggled to find a word that wouldn’t offend nor lie.
“I have pictures from last year. Charles will help. It’ll be fine,” Patty reassured him.
Eden cleared her throat, her eyes sparkling in amusement. “Patty, I think we should leave Mano alone for now. He’s only been in our country for a few hours.”
Patty waved her hand. “Of course! Of course! Sorry! We just get so excited when new people come into our little neighborhood!”
He took a deep breath. Patty was certainly…enthusiastic. “Thank you. If you’ll excuse me, I still have to unpack.”
“Of course! Of course! You should get some rest too. Fainting—”
“I don’t faint…” He glanced sharply at a wide-eyed Eden.
“—isn’t good,” Patty finished, ignoring Mano’s interruption completely. “I used to practice. Don’t anymore. But if you need anything, Lara has our street’s phone list in her kitchen. I made sure she left it there. You never know!”
The loud buzzing from his mobile surprised them all. Patty eyed it then faced Mano. “Don’t you want to get it? Could be important.”
He narrowed his eyes; Patty smiled brightly. Eden cleared her throat again. “You are absolutely right, Patty. Why don’t we all leave Mano alone? He doesn’t want a bunch of strangers listening in, right?”
Patty nodded. “But you must come over soon, Mano! I make—”
He nodded and shut the door before Patty could get another word in. Big strides took him to the coffee table where his phone rested, its incessant buzzing only adding to the headache. “What?!”
Connor’s laugh sounded like he was only minutes away instead of several time zones. “Easy, mate! I just wanted to know how you are!”
Mano sat on a barstool. “I’ve only been gone a day. You and Mitch need to trust me again.”
“How are you feeling?”
Mano frowned. “Why do you ask?”
“Fred came down with a cold after your visit. Still coughing through the night. Since you spent so much time with him….”
“Well, that might explain it,” Mano muttered. “I got a little light-headed but otherwise feel fine. How’s Fred doing?”
“Better today. What time is it over there?”
“Just past eight.”
“Was Alistair there to meet you?”
“No. He was held up, so he sent his assistant. She’s been…uh…helpful. Do you know two hundred kids might show up at my house for Halloween?”
“Wait. Back up. She?”
“Eden. Eden Pak.”
“Is that really her name?”
“Yeah, it is.”
“That’s a bit unreal, isn’t it? Is she nice?”
Mano heard what Connor was really asking. “Knock it off.”
“Mate, you haven’t looked at a woman in six months.”
“I’m here to work.”
“Promise me something: don’t hide. Remember what Spurgeon said. Meet people. Start with this Eden Pak. Her name is alr
eady perfect for you—your favorite place to play…”
“That’s hardly a reason to choose friends, Con.”
Connor ignored the interruption. “Smile. You’ve got a nice one. Never mind what the sponsors said in the past. It’s a good smile. Sometimes it’s a little strained, but it’s not as scary as most people say. Be…you know…friendly.”
Mano brought his free hand to his hair, pulling at it lightly as he walked into his bedroom. He faced a framed print of ‘Moulin Rouge: La Goulue’ hanging over the bureau in his bedroom. It was the same painting he used to see every Thursday in the local patisserie while he played in France. And as they did a year ago, his eyes were drawn to the swirling petticoat of the dancer taunting him in the same fashion as Connor’s words. Meet people. He looked out his bedroom window to the swaying branches of the trees. “That’s easy for you. You like people.”
“You need to have at least one friend, Mano.”
“You sound like mum.”
“One friend,” Connor insisted. “Even you can do that.”
“Only one? Don’t you have faith in my friend-making abilities?”
“Not much. You haven’t made a new friend in years.”
He now leaned against the wall. “You’re right. I should make new friends. The ones I have told me to leave the country.”
“Done with love, my brother,” said Connor, laughing again. “You sound good otherwise.”
“Hope you think that in a week.”
“Yeah, me too.”
Mano wasn’t supposed to hear that, so quiet was Connor’s voice. He sighed. “I’m all right, mate. I was never in any danger.” He saw Connor in his mind as the silence stretched between them: his friend would have one hand behind his neck, his head bowed by the weight of fear.
Connor cleared his throat. “Okay, so tell me about the two hundred kids that are supposed to show up at your house? Cat is going to love this!”
Mano didn’t miss the touch of worry still present in his friend’s voice. No surprise. He had given everyone a scare when he’d disappeared months ago. There was a part of him that was still tempted to return to the bach by the beach, but it was the discussion with his accountant—and not Dr. Spurgeon— that the reality of his situation hit him. He couldn’t last more than a few years without an income, even with the simplest of lifestyles.
Always and Forever: Rugby Brothers, Book 3 Page 5
