“Rough night?” Winifred asked from the doorway.
I lifted my head from the couch and nodded. After checking on Michelle, I’d only managed a few hours of sleep.
“I heard the children moving around up there and started breakfast.” As soon as she said the words, the smoky bacon aroma hit me.
“Breakfast?” Jim said, coming from his room.
“Not until our guests are ready,” she said, giving him the look.
“I’ll help wake up Michelle,” Jim said, heading for the bathroom.
A minute later, he started singing at the top of his lungs. I winced and started to leave the apartment.
“It would be better if our guests didn’t see you until you looked a bit more…yourself,” she said.
I nodded and went to my room to change. Jim either ran out of songs or heard me moving around because he stopped his awful wailing. So, I sat on my bed and listened to Michelle and her brothers make their way down the steps. The sound of her voice as she called out a tentative hello wrapped around me.
“Good morning, sleepyheads,” Winnifred called. “Come in and eat.”
I listened to the light footfalls as Michelle and the boys entered Winifred’s kitchen.
“As soon as they smelled the food, they started snitching,” Winifred said. “I told them they might as well eat. I saved some for you.”
I wanted to eat with them, Winifred, I sent to her.
She looks exhausted and skittish. Let them have a quiet breakfast.
The shower turned off and Jim left the bathroom with a towel around his waist.
“Are they ready yet?”
“They’re already in there eating. We aren’t invited.”
“What?”
I shrugged, and a determined glint lit Jim’s gaze as he strode into his room. A second later he was back, fully dressed. He tilted his head, indicating I should follow him. He led the way to Winifred’s. As soon as she saw Jim, she shook her head. Michelle and her brothers were sitting at the table eating. They were all wearing yesterday’s clothes. While Jim sat beside the boys, my mind raced to the day ahead of us. Waiting on furniture made sense, but they needed some basic supplies right away.
“Ready to head into town and do some shopping?” I asked.
Michelle glanced at me and took a moment to swallow her food.
“Not today,” she said.
“If you’re worried about money, I—”
“On Saturdays, I usually comb through the paper,” Winifred said, interrupting me. Be more subtle, she sent me silently before continuing aloud. “This morning I found a few family rummages. Would you like to come with me?”
“Thank you, but I think we’ll stay here and play if that’s okay.”
Michelle had been wearing the same clothes for at least three days. I didn’t mind, but from what I’d learned of humans, they disliked that kind of thing. Or, at least, they were supposed to.
“It’s not everyone’s cup of tea,” Winifred said smoothly. “Would you mind if I looked for things for the boys?”
“I don’t mind.”
I think she’s afraid to leave, Winifred sent to me without missing a beat in her conversation with Michelle.
“What sizes should I look for? It’s been ages since I could shop for young men.”
While Michelle and Winifred talked about the boys’ clothes, Jim mischievously eyed Aden’s plate. Aden pulled his plate away and shifted his body to give Jim his back. Jim grinned but left Aden’s food alone.
Liam watched the pair closely then glanced at me. I smiled at him and leaned against the wall to study the trio. Michelle was nervous and strained. Liam was quiet and cautious. Aden just followed both their cues. Jim was smart to work on relaxing him first. He’d be the easiest.
After Michelle and the boys finished eating, Winifred set the dishes in the sink then shooed us all outside.
“I want to get to the sales early,” she said. “That’s when you get the good stuff.”
Winifred wasted no time pulling her small car out of the driveway.
Try to find something for Michelle, too, I sent to her.
Of course, silly boy. If we want them to stay, we need to give them what they need. I’m not just talking clothes. Give them a home, Emmitt. Give them a family to trust.
How did I earn their trust? I trusted Jim. I trusted Winifred. I always had, though. Why? Because they were always there for me. I needed to be there for Michelle, however she needed me.
According to Winifred, what they needed was some space right now. Since the three were back to staring at the yard, I went to the garage and looked at the mower I’d noticed yesterday.
“Why’s the deck off?” I asked Jim.
“It was cutting all crazy. I thought it would be better to look at it while it wasn’t spinning around.”
“Smart ass,” I said under my breath.
I bent and lifted the deck to look at the underside.
“It’s clogged with old grass. Don’t you ever clean it?”
“Nah, that’s your job.”
While we threw remarks back and forth, most of our attention was on the three on the porch. Michelle held a hand out for each boy to clasp. Then, they slowly moved to step off the porch. At the last minute, Michelle seemed to change her mind and quickly sat on a step. She reached down and removed her shoes. The boys quickly did the same. When they were done, they held hands again and walked onto the grass.
“It’s like they’ve never been outside before,” Jim said quietly.
“I know.”
“And you met her at a diner?”
“Yeah, she’s running from someone. I heard three names. Blake, Richard, and David. I knocked David out and helped her escape. I think that…I think someone might have kept her inside.”
“You mean locked up?”
“I don’t know. She didn’t have any bruises on her wrists or feet that I could see. But that doesn’t mean anything, right?”
Jim nodded slowly. “If she’s not ready to share her past, it’s going to take some time to solve who she is and where she came from.”
“Does any of that matter? She’s here, and I’ll keep her safe.”
“How can you keep her safe when you don’t know what to watch for? You’ll need to figure out her past to protect her future.”
He was right.
We watched them walk around on the grass. My heart broke for Michelle and whatever she’d suffered, and I hoped learning my secret wouldn’t add to it…or keep her from trusting me.
After several minutes, Michelle looked up and caught us watching her and the boys. She nervously cleared her throat and turned to her brothers.
“What do you want to play?”
“There’s no swing,” Liam said as he looked around the yard with a very serious expression.
“We need a swing set,” Jim said to me.
“Yep.”
Michelle bent and plucked a blade of grass from the overgrown lawn.
“We don’t need one to play. Here.” She handed each boy a blade of grass and proceeded to teach them how to make the most awful, piercing whistle using the grass, their thumbs, and cupped hands.
“Sounds like you when you snore,” I said.
“She knows my mating call,” Jim said with a grin.
I smacked the back of his head then went to work cleaning the mower. Jim assisted, if I could count handing me tools while he sat watching the three play as assisting.
A while later, we both heard someone’s stomach growl.
“I’m hungry,” Jim called out. “Anyone else?”
Aden immediately answered with a quiet, “Me.”
“Keep working on him,” I said quietly to Jim as we stood.
“You got it, brother.”
We started toward the house. The boys quickly stood and headed that way too, but Michelle was a little slower. She frowned as she got to her feet. With each distracted step she took, the frown marring her forehead increased. When the boys hesitated, she motioned them ahead but bit her lip as she followed us to the porch. Her brothers stopped to wait for her. So did I. She noticed and hurried to catch up. Jim was already in his apartment, humming happily.
Standing aside, I let them enter. As she passed, I inhaled softly. She was worrying heavily. Did she think we didn’t have enough food?
“Not sure what I’m hungry for,” Jim said. He glanced back at Aden and nodded his head toward the fridge. “Peanut butter and jelly?”
Aden gave a slight shake of his head. While Jim went back to staring at the contents of the fridge and teasing Aden to creep closer, I watched Michelle. She was studying Jim and Aden intently. I glanced at the pair and saw Aden standing beside Jim, looking into the fridge. The little guy barely came to Jim’s thigh. Was she worried about Jim?
“I have some fish gill paste with broccoli,” Jim said just then. “Does that sound good?”
Maybe she did need to worry.
Aden quickly shook his head.
“Yeah, I don’t like it either,” Jim said. “It’s Emmitt’s. What about a ham and cheese sandwich?”
Aden nodded enthusiastically, and Jim had him assist in making us all sandwiches. The whole time Michelle kept a close eye on the pair.
Before we finished, Winifred’s car pulled into the driveway. I couldn’t wait to see what she’d purchased. A moment later she walked in, carrying three paper bags. I set my sandwich down and took one from her.
“I think you’ll be happy with what I found,” Winifred said to Michelle as she set two bags on Jim’s couch. “Emmitt, can you get the other bags for me? They are on the porch.”
There are some boxes we’ll want to store and show her at a later time, she added silently.
I set down the bag I currently held and went outside.
I listened to Winifred show the boys the ball caps she’d gotten them as I quickly moved several boxes into the garage. Winifred had found dishes and cookware and a few other household items for Michelle. She was right not to show any of it now. Michelle was…I shook my head. She was undecided about us, and housewares might come off as us pushing her to stay and likely send her running.
I grabbed the three remaining bags and noticed clothes for Michelle. Hopefully, she wouldn’t mind Winifred getting them.
I brought the bags in and set them next to the others. When I turned, I caught an odd look from Aden. A mix between suppressed laughter and guilt. I discovered why when I picked up my sandwich. Jim had taken a huge bite, and half of it was gone. I shook my head at Jim and ate the rest of my sandwich. I knew better than to leave food unguarded around him.
Winifred continued showing the kids the shorts, pants, shoes, sandals, and swim trunks she’d gotten for each of them. She’d even purchased new underwear and socks. Humans liked new stuff.
“Michelle,” Winifred said, breaking into my thoughts. “I hope you don’t mind, but I found a few things that I couldn’t resist getting for you.” She indicated the two remaining bags. “Would you like to see?”
Michelle nodded.
Like the boys, she had a full wardrobe that included shorts, two additional pairs of jeans, and several printed tees.
“I’ll let you look through the rest on your own,” Winifred said, stopping halfway through the second bag. “If something doesn’t fit, just let me know.”
“What?” Jim said in mock indignation. “No suit for her? Come on Nana, tomorrow’s the fourth. We could go to the lake.”
Please let there be a suit for Michelle, I thought to myself. I caught a movement out of the corner of my eye. Jim shoved something into his mouth.
“Of course I bought her one. She can look for herself.”
I looked at Michelle’s plate and saw her sandwich was missing. I elbowed Jim, and he grunted before swallowing hard. Michelle turned to look at us. We both found something on the walls to study.
Humor drifted from Aden and Liam. They both had witnessed Jim’s theft.
Michelle turned back toward Winifred and reached for her sandwich. She saw her empty plate then turned to look at Jim. He had the guts to point at me.
Aden burst out in giggles.
“Jim, if you can’t behave, you can go finish mowing the lawn,” Winifred said. “Boys, put your plates in the sink if you’re finished. Emmitt, can you help me take these up to the apartment?” She indicated the bags as she picked up two herself.
I quickly put my plate on Jim’s, then went to grab the rest of the bags. When Winifred asked someone to do something, it was best to listen. Jim put our dishes in the sink, then moved to go outside. With the riding mower still apart, I doubted he’d be mowing any time soon. Aden scrambled to put his plate away then followed Jim, same hitch to his walk and everything. I grinned as I headed up the stairs.
Winifred was already coming down them.
“Try to keep it all folded,” she said as she passed me.
I pretended to look puzzled but didn’t fool her. She laughed and kept heading down the stairs.
As soon as I was in the apartment, I started going through Michelle’s clothes until I found the swimsuit. It was two pieces. Winifred had my unending gratitude.
From the open window, I heard Jim begging Michelle to let him take Aden for a mower ride. Winifred scolded Jim and sent him to the basement to look for a mitt and a ball.
Then, I heard Winifred offer to watch the kids so Michelle could change.
I hurriedly put everything back into the bags and walked out of the door as Michelle reached the third floor. She gave me a timid smile and went into the apartment. She had no idea what that smile meant to me. A beginning. Grinning, I jogged down the steps.
Outside, I found the boys finishing their cookies on the porch. Liam glanced at Winifred and me.
“We would like to go upstairs,” he said quietly, reaching for his brother’s hand.
They were asking for permission to be excused. At their ages?
“Of course,” Winifred said. “Go see your new clothes.”
They went racing inside.
“Don’t worry,” Winifred said when she caught me looking after the boys. “We’ll do what we can to bring them around.”
“But will it be enough?”
Unable to just stand around and wait, I went to the garage and pulled out the push mower that Jim hadn’t destroyed. Jim had managed at least half the lawn with the riding mower before it broke, or he broke it. Either way, the rest needed cutting. After checking the oil and gas, I fired up the push mower.
Conveniently, Jim came out on the porch after I was already cutting a swath. I hated the noise within minutes and couldn’t blame Jim for taking the other one apart. Not only did it make it hard to hear much of anything beyond the drone of the motor, but it was hot work. I paused to take my shirt off and tucked it into the back of my pants.
A minute later, I heard Winifred call out that she was on the porch.
I glanced up just as Michelle stepped out. She was still wearing her old clothes. She caught me looking at her and quickly turned to Winifred.
“I wanted to thank you for the clothes, Nana,” she said, handing Winifred money. “And I was wondering if I could borrow a towel and shampoo for a shower.”
Tell her to keep her money, I sent Winifred.
Winifred looked at the bills.
I have more tact than that, she said silently to me before saying, “This is more than what I spent on the clothes.”
“It’s okay. I really appreciate what you did for us. It saved me from having to—it would have been boring for Liam and Aden, and I didn’t want to leave them alone.”
Winifred nodded as if in understanding.
“How about we send Jim to the store to buy some picnic food? Then, we can go to the lake tomorrow like he suggested. It’s a public lake but remote enough that not many people go there.”
Michelle stared at the porch floor for a moment then nodded. Winifred handed Jim one of the bills.
“I’ll be right back,” he said with a mischievous laugh.
Michelle glanced at me, and I focused on cutting the lawn.
Winifred’s warning tone as she said Jim’s name had me looking up just as he swung a leg over my motorcycle and inserted the key. I let go of the mower, killing the engine just as the bike’s engine roared to life.
“Damn it, Jim. Get your own bike.”
Jim laughed loudly and revved the bike to drown out my words. With a salute to Michelle, he took off.
“Nana,” I said in frustration. “You couldn’t stop him?”
Just then, Jim revved the engine again out by the road and squealed a tire on the blacktop. The sound faded rapidly.
Nana glanced at Michelle with a small smile.
“Jim was lonely without Emmitt.”
I heard her quiet words as I went back to the mower.
“Missed me or missed my bike?” I said under my breath, knowing Winifred would hear.
“I can tell,” Michelle said absently.
I rubbed my hand through my hair in frustration.
“Did Emmitt miss Jim, though?”
“Not even a little,” I said.
Winifred laughed. “Let’s get you that towel, Michelle.”
* * * *
After I finished the backyard, I moved to the front. Jim still hadn’t returned when I heard Michelle and the boys come outside. It was probably good he was taking his time. I’d cooled off some. He was just trying to stir up trouble and redirect attention like he usually did when there were problems.
The motorcycle roared into the yard not long after that thought.
“I’ve got some cool stuff for tomorrow,” I heard him say loudly.
I stopped the mower, curious about what Jim had found and considered cool. Rounding the corner of the house, I saw Winifred and the boys look down into a plastic bag Liam held.
“James Grayson Cole,” Winifred said. There was a definite warning growl in her words. “That wasn’t your money.”
I saw the immediate effect her tone and words had on the kids and Michelle. Withdrawal. Fear.
“I got what we needed, Nana.” Jim met her eyes steadily, silently challenging Winifred.
The big idiot was going to get his butt handed to him in front of the kids. What was he thinking? I stepped forward, drawing Michelle’s attention. She looked relieved to see me, and I heard her heart skip a beat.
I winked at her, trying to break the tension, and she blushed. What a sight. I almost forgot what I was doing.
When I neared, I glanced at the contents of the bag and saw what had caused all the trouble. Fireworks and sparklers.
“Let’s save this conversation for another time,” I said softly, setting a hand on Winnifred’s shoulder.
The kids look ready to pass out. You’re destroying your grandma image.
Though Winifred nodded, her eyes promised Jim she wouldn’t forget what he’d done. We were raised to pinch pennies and give back to the pack to help everyone. We didn’t waste money on fireworks.
Still, I smiled at Liam.
“Do you think we should light some of these tonight?”
Liam’s eyes darted to Michelle, then between Jim and Nana.
“I think we should go inside,” Michelle said, holding her hands out to the boys. Liam dropped his bag, and Aden immediately did the same. They went to Michelle and quietly walked inside with her.
“New rule,” I said softly. “Never show anger around them.” I turned to Winifred. “I can still taste their fear.”
“You’re right,” she said with a sigh. “I’m sorry.”
“Jim, stop making it so easy to get mad at you.” I walked away without waiting for his smart response. After I finished mowing, I found the third floor door firmly closed and everything quiet.
“Have they been down for dinner?” I asked Jim, walking into the apartment.
“No. They’re barely moving up there.”
I went to the fridge and grabbed a beer, considering what I should do. Twisting off the top, I heard Winifred open her door. She joined us in the kitchen and grabbed a beer for herself.
“I don’t think we should push them right now. If they get hungry enough, they know we’ll feed them. I think they just need to feel safe for a while.” She took a drink, her gaze pinning Jim. “Jim, you need to be on your best behavior tomorrow.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
I didn’t believe him and from the look Winifred gave, neither did she.
