pushed several strands of light brown hair behind her ear. Sometime during the past six months, she’d started dyeing away the gray. “I know.” Rachel sighed. “It’s just...”
“I understand it’s hard, Mom, but if she calls...”
“When she calls. Trish hired you, didn’t she?”
Craig gave his mother a peck on her cheek. “I think we’re in once I finish some estimates. I’m sure the roof needs to be repaired. And the bathrooms are way out of date.” He took out his iPad and showed her the pictures he’d taken. Maxwell strained his neck so he could see, as well.
Noah came over with several pieces of two-by-four and tried to look at the pictures. Rachel held the iPad so he could see, too, and flipped slowly through the album. She stopped. “What’s this?”
Craig leaned over. “Oh, that’s her old secretary. She’s getting rid of everything and I thought... I’m going to offer her something, maybe deduct it from the cost of the repairs.”
He took the iPad from her then. He’d forgotten he’d snapped Trish’s picture and didn’t want his mother asking questions about it.
With a shrug, Rachel went back to her desk. “What we really need is money,” she said, rubbing the tips of her fingers and thumb together. “Antiques may be nice, but you can’t eat them.”
Craig nodded. “It’s just...”
“I know. You want something for the house you’ll build for you and Cyndi,” Maxwell said, assuming Craig’s relationship had gotten that far. Craig didn’t bother to correct him. There was no chance of that, but he knew most people seeing him and Cyndi together would come to the same conclusion.
Cyndi was an enigma. He never knew what to expect. One minute she’d throw herself at him, kissing him to distraction, and the next she’d be flirting with someone else.
They’d grown up just a few houses from each other and often played together with Trish and other kids in the neighborhood, usually at Trish’s grandmother’s. He thought of Cyndi as a butterfly that flitted here and there and didn’t offer any kind of permanence. He still enjoyed her company, but he wasn’t interested in marriage to Cyndi or anyone else.
She had come up to him at Moody’s, having returned to live with her parents after a divorce. They’d talked a bit and caught up, and then she asked him out. The most popular girl in high school, head cheerleader, prom queen, and she asked him. Back in his nerdy days, she’d forgotten he existed.
Maxwell stood and picked up his empty coffee cup. “Don’t go overboard with an offer on that antique. The woman probably inherited a good deal from her grandmother, and you don’t have to be overly generous.”
Craig nodded but didn’t comment. Price wasn’t the issue in this instance. “I’ll cover her roof with a tarp tomorrow and decide if we’ll need to replace it.”
“Good. The crew finished their last job early. It will be nice to get them working on something other than inventory and sweeping floors.” Once he went through the connecting door to his own office, Maxwell turned and raised his cup toward Craig. “Sorry, kid, but you’ll always be Butch to me, just like Craig will always be your father.” He sighed and shook his head. “But...your father would probably approve if you took his name, so I’ll give it a try.”
Noah came over with his selection of wood. “Wanna help me build something?”
Craig bent down to his level and brushed his brother’s hair with his fingers, something he remembered their father doing. Unfortunately, Noah probably didn’t even remember their father. An unplanned child so late in life had come with joy, but also unexpected problems when his father died. Craig stood and took the piece of wood, examining it closely. “Any other pieces this size? We’ll need several.”
Noah did an about-face and ran back to the large crate containing all the scraps. He looked over his shoulder, a smile lighting his face. “Yep, we got enough to build a house.”
And so it began. Every day he spent time with Noah, teaching his brother the way his father had taught him—how to hold the hammer, center the nail and hit it without destroying his fingers. But Craig couldn’t help feeling that their father should be doing this. And maybe his dad’s time wouldn’t have been cut short if he hadn’t had to deal with all the ramifications of a new child.
* * *
“HI, MOM,” TRISH said when she finally reached her mother. “How are you enjoying your trip?” Her parents had bought an RV and were traveling the Southwest after her father’s early retirement.
“Unbelievable. We just left the Grand Canyon, and we’re heading south to some warmer weather. Actually had a little snow. How’s it back East?”
“Indian summer. Everything’s settled with Gram’s house, so I moved in to start fixing it. You sure you don’t want anything? Furniture? Antiques?”
“Absolutely not. We were delighted that she left everything to you, and we don’t want anything to tie us down. Right, Tom?” A deeper voice made an acknowledgment before her mother continued. “Your father and I plan to see the world before old age robs us of our faculties.”
Trish chuckled. “My goodness, Mom, you haven’t even cashed your first Social Security check yet.”
After a long pause, her mother asked, “So, what’s new with Harrison? Has he seen Gram’s house?” Harrison was one of the few men she had dated who managed to impress them.
“No. I’ve decided to sell it.”
Her mother took a quick, deep breath. “Really? But I thought...”
“We’re going to use the money for something closer to our work in the city.”
“And can he come up with an amount equal to what you’ll be contributing?”
Trish resented her mother’s tone. “Of course. He owns a condo that he plans to sell, and it more than equals what Gram left me.”
“I only meant that your grandmother gave everything to you because she thought you would appreciate it and want to live there.”
With a sigh, Trish said, “I do appreciate it. And like you and Dad, I need to live my life the way I see fit. I never gave you any flak over you selling everything and getting that trailer.”
“It’s an RV, dear, a recreational vehicle, and you’d better not give us any flak, or we won’t drive up to your wedding. When is it, anyway?”
Since she and Harrison hadn’t settled on a specific date, Trish hesitated. “Sometime after the house is sold.”
“Well, make sure your plans are for the spring. Your father and I don’t like to travel in the snow.”
Trish chuckled. “I’ll be sure to take that into consideration.”
For a moment, her mother didn’t respond. “I suppose you connected with Butch again.”
She sounded almost reluctant to mention him. At one point, Trish’s parents and Craig’s had been friends, but for reasons
