Epilogue #3
She let it pass. “This way.” Waving for him to follow, she led Toby up the stairs that ran up the side of the garage.
“It’s not exactly finished because we really hadn’t decided what we wanted to do up here.
” She unlocked the door and snapped on the lights, three single bulbs dangling from the sloped ceiling.
“Oh. Wow.” Toby followed her to the huge room, with its plywood walls and massive dormers. The only furniture was an old futon, a table, and a lamp with a broken shade, items she had planned to donate or throw away.
“We’ve got the Sheetrock and flooring ordered,” she told him. “And there’s some tile that needs to be laid in the bathroom, but the plumbing works.”
He peered into the one room that cut into the space and housed a tub/shower, sink, and toilet, then returned to the main room, where Nikki was touching the wall that was attached to the house.
“There’s no door into the inside yet, but eventually it would go here,” she patted the wall; on the other side was a closet at the end of the second-floor hallway, the space between Chloe’s nursery and Lily and Phee’s room.
“But not now,” he said, making certain the attic over the garage was private.
“That’s right. Not now.”
“And you’re not using it.”
“Not yet.” They’d talked about it off and on.
The discussion had ranged from an apartment for Lily and Phee to a bonus room with a pool table or even a podcasting/recording studio for Nikki.
“We’ve had lots of ideas, but Pierce and I agreed; you could stay here, rent free, until you finish college or whatever.
After you graduate, then we’ll re-evaluate. ”
“You’d do that?” He was still skeptical. Still didn’t trust her.
“Yes. The question is, would you?”
“Don’t know.”
“Then why are you here?” She wasn’t buying that he was just checking out the space. His duffel bag belied that flimsy excuse.
“Priscilla told me to come. Told me I’d be a … an effin’ idiot not to take you up on it.”
“Your sister sounds like a wise woman.”
“Nah. She’s just tired of me crashing on her couch every time Dad and I get into it.”
“How’s it going with your dad?”
“Fine!” Toby was instantly defensive, but he didn’t meet her eyes.
“Well, if you moved here, he could only come over when you invited him,” she said.
“I’ll think about it.”
The garage door rumbled open, and Nikki heard the familiar sound of the Jeep’s engine as Pierce parked beneath them.
“Your husband?” Toby asked.
She gave a little laugh. “Well, I hope.”
Less than a minute later, Pierce appeared in the doorway. At the sight of Toby, he grinned and stepped inside. “Priscilla called and said you’d probably show up.”
Toby’s eyes darkened. “Yeah?”
“She said you and your dad had another fight. That he threw you out.”
“He didn’t throw me out. I left.”
“Okay.” Pierce, nodding, didn’t argue. “Well, if you want to stay here, you’re welcome.”
“Not sure,” Toby said.
“Tell you what. You take your time deciding. You don’t have to do it today. We’ll give you a key, and you can try it out. If it works for you, great, we’ll fix it up a little, make sure you’ve got the basics like towels and some more furniture. And I’ll work out an allowance with your dad.”
“He won’t go for it.”
“We’ll see,” Pierce said.
“My husband can be pretty persuasive. I’ll leave you two to figure it out.”
Then she left. She hoped Toby would take them up on their offer, but only time would tell, she thought as she went into the kitchen, where Lily was looking at a takeout menu. “We’re DoorDashing tonight. I couldn’t get dinner together.” She looked up. “I’m thinking … barbecue? Work for you?”
“Sure.”
“Do we have … a guest?” she asked.
“Possibly.” She walked into the garage and opened the door. Pierce and Toby were inside, where Toby was again admiring the classic car and Pierce was telling him all about it. “Barbecue from Dixie’s tonight. Toby? Would you like to stay?”
“Oh. Yeah. Sure.” He looked from Nikki to Pierce. “If it’s okay.”
“We’d love it,” she assured him, and then before he could change his mind or she interrupted their car-man-talk any further, she ducked back inside.
“Just order what you think,” she said, “but whatever it is, double it.” Then she walked outside, where the hot Georgia sun was beginning to lower, shadows chasing across the yard.
Mikado, a little stiffer than he had been before Duke Wheelan had broken his ribs, was lying in the shade, while Arlo chased the girls around the birdbath and a squirrel scolded them all from the thick branches of a live oak.
“Anyone in the mood for lemonade?” she asked, seeing Chloe’s red face as she tried to keep up with her cousin.
“Me, me!” her daughter said and ran up to her, lifting up her little arms.
“You got it, Princess,” Nikki said, picking her up and holding her close.
Life, for now, had become calm again, but, Nikki knew from experience, this could just be the calm before the storm. If so, she’d deal with it.
“So be it,” she whispered into her daughter’s hair. “So be it.”