Chapter 21
Alice
J ake puts the food away in the kitchen, except for the two boxes of cheesecake. Then we walk out to the porch. He sits next to me on the top step, close enough that our shoulders touch as he hands over my box.
Anxiety has stolen my appetite, but I open the packaging and pick up the plastic fork the restaurant included.
“I don’t know if I can eat,” I admit.
Jake nods and gently takes the fork from me. He uses it to break off a small piece of the cake and bring it to my lips. “It’s been a long time since lunch. Will you try?” he asks. “Just a little bit. Please?”
I open just enough for him to slide in a bite. He gives me a soft smile.
I feel my phone buzz in my pocket, and when I pull it out, Danielle’s name and photo are on the screen.
I sigh. I don’t know if I’m ready to talk to anyone else, but Jake gives me another nod of encouragement.
“Hey,” I answer.
“Oh my God! Jordan told Mike an ambulance was called to your dad’s place. Tell me everything. We’ve been waiting to hear from you. How’s Earl? What do you need? Are you at the hospital? If you’re home now, we can be at your place in ten minutes.”
As I listen, I find myself smiling for the first time in a while. No matter what life decides to throw at me, I can always count on Danielle and Honey. And now, apparently, Jake.
“Dad was admitted to the hospital. It was his heart. He’ll be there for a few days. Actually, if you’re up for it, I could really use some help getting the house in shape. I hate to ask, but I can’t do it alone. And I want to try to clean it up a bit before he gets home.”
“Of course we’re up for it,” Danielle says.
“Wild horses couldn’t stop us!” Honey yells in the background.
“I doubt wild horses could stop Honey Daniels from doing anything,” I muse.
“Damn straight!” Honey yells again.
“We’ll get some supplies together and head over soon,” Danielle tells me before we hang up.
A little bit more of the tension leaves my body, and I give Jake a shy smile while I take a few more bites. He nudges my shoulder playfully, and I retaliate by lightly pinching his side.
“Where should we start?” he asks once we finish our cheesecake.
I stand up and scan the property. The garden could use tending and the grass is dead, but there’s not much point in starting outside. “Um, how do you feel about washing the dishes in the sink while I strip his bed and start some laundry? And then we’ll need to clear things out so he can get around.”
“On it.” Jake stands up and clears our picnic, then goes inside.
I stay on the porch for another minute until Honey’s car pulls up. Danielle flies out of the passenger’s seat to wrap me in a hug. In her denim overalls over a sports bra, with a bandana tied over a French braid, she certainly looks like she came to work.
“The cavalry has arrived,” Honey announces as she exits the car and reaches into the back seat. “I brought supplies and sustenance.” She holds a broom in one hand and a container of soup in the other. “Alice, you march inside and sit yourself down. You’ve had a hard day. Put your feet up for a minute.”
I’m afraid if I sit down again, I’ll fall apart and never be able to get my momentum back, so I just say, “I’m okay. I think keeping busy might help.”
Honey nods and heads inside, and Danielle and I follow. Honey goes straight to the kitchen, where she hip-checks Jake out of the way and starts barking orders.
“I can do these dishes. Why don’t you put those fancy muscles to use and start moving some of these car parts to clear space?” she says to Jake, then turns to me. Her glasses are fogging from the hot water as she pulls on a pair of yellow rubber gloves. “Maybe we can put the metal things all together on the screen porch out back?”
I’m grateful for her taking charge so I don’t have to think. “Yeah, the car parts are important to him. We shouldn’t get rid of anything besides obvious trash, I guess.” There’s plenty of that laying around.
Danielle scans the living room. “Wow. It’s been a while since I’ve been here. I don’t remember your dad’s collection being quite this big,” she tells me before calling out to her other bestie. “Hey, Jake.” She gives him a wave. If she wonders why he was already here, she doesn’t ask.
“I know. It’s gotten pretty out of hand.”
“Nothing we can’t handle together, I’m sure. I’ll go start on the bathroom,” she offers. Then we all get to work.
Honey blasts Hall and Oates on the old record player and finishes washing and putting up the dishes. Jake clears enough space for me to actually be able to run the vacuum. I honestly can’t remember the last time that happened. When everyone has finished their jobs, we reconvene in the living room.
“I’m never going to be able to thank you all enough for this,” I tell them as I switch off the vacuum cleaner. “I don’t know how I could have handled all of this by myself.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Honey says. “You’d never have to. This is what family is for. You’ll never be alone in times like this as long as any of us are breathing. Ain’t that right?” she prompts.
“Of course.” Danielle smiles and squeezes the top of my arm.
“Yes ma’am,” Jake answers Honey, then he looks into my eyes with a sincerity that is so real it makes me nervous. “We’ve got you, Ace.”
Danielle tilts her head at the new nickname, but before she can question it we’re interrupted by a knock on the door.
“Now, don’t get angry, Sugar,” Honey tells me. “But this job needs a few extra hands, so I called Mike, and he’s coming over with Jordan.”
“Hey, Alice.”’
“Sorry to hear about Earl,” the guys greet me.
Regina lets herself in a few minutes later, holding a casserole dish in one hand and Emily’s hand in the other.
“I called Regina, too,” Danielle admits.
Emily briefly wraps her arms around my legs in a quick hello. “Can I draw on the porch with my sidewalk chalk?”
“Sure. I bet your pictures will help to cheer up my dad. He’s been sick.”
“I know. Mommy told me he was in the hospital.”
“That’s true, he is. But the doctors said he should be able to come home soon.”
Once Emily scurries out to the porch, Regina reaches out with her now-free hand to touch my elbow.
“How are you holding up?” She walks over to the kitchen and opens the fridge. “I brought a pasta bake, but from the looks of all the takeout containers in here, it seems like you might be set for food.”
“Thank you. This is so thoughtful, I’ll put it in the freezer for Dad. You won’t believe where all the rest of this came from.” I relay the story in a hushed whisper. I’m almost glad she caught me with Jake at the wedding because it’s nice to have someone to tell.
“What, did he order the entire menu?” she jokes, reopening the fridge to count the containers.
“Yes. That’s exactly what he did. Thank you for not saying anything about what you saw.”
“I haven’t the faintest idea what you’re referring to.” Regina winks at me and laughs. “Now tell me, where can I be the most help?”
“Honestly, I’m not even sure where to begin with the rest of this mess. There’s just so much to get rid of, but it’s too much for us to haul to the dump ourselves.”
“You know, Clark Davis has that hauling business now. You should call him. I bet this would be no problem for him,” Regina says.
“That’s a good idea. Do you have his number?”
“Oh, um, no, I don’t actually know him very well.” She tucks a dark curl behind her ear and breaks eye contact. “But I could ask around for you.”
“If you need to talk to Davis, I’m sure Mike or Jordan can put you in touch with him,” Jake says as he stops in the kitchen entrance with an armful of metal. “Want me to get you his number?”
“Yes, please,” Regina says, a little too quickly.
“That would be great.” I nod.
“Right. Please. You know. For Alice. Because she needs to talk to him.” Regina’s ears turn red.
Jake gives me an inquisitive look, but I just shrug. Regina is staying out of our business, and I’m staying out of hers.