Chapter 4
Four
Henry
“You sure you want to spend most of the month out there alone?” I can picture Janie shooting me one of her concerned looks, those brows pinching together and eyes turning inward.
“I’ll be fine.” I wave my hand at her and go back to shoving clothes into my bag.
“I can come stay with you the first week and see if my boss will let me—”
“No. I don’t need you to do that.” My face turns toward where she’s tapping on the nightstand, and I force my lips into a smile. “You’ve taken plenty of days off because of me as it is. I’ve been there enough times to find my way around.”
“Okay, but I’m not leaving until I help you get settled in.”
“Okay.” I close the middle drawer and open the top one, grabbing some underwear to add to everything else.
“Do you know what all you’re putting in there?”
“Yeah. Clothes.”
She lets out a short laugh and rushes toward me. Her hand brushes mine and she sorts through my bag, making disapproving sounds. “You have mostly pajama pants in here and one pair of rainbow yoga pants.” The middle drawer opens again, and she clicks her tongue. “Where are your normal pants?”
“In the closet, maybe?”
She opens the other drawers and tosses more stuff in my bag before walking across the room. Her low humming lets me know where she is as hangers scrape over the closet’s metal rod. “Found them. Three pairs of blue jeans, one black, and several sets of sweatpants. That should be enough.”
“There’s a washer and dryer, so yes, that’s enough. I’ll be spending most of my time inside watching “Lord of the Rings” marathons on the couch anyway.”
She shuffles back my way. “What about decorating? Stringing lights in the house? Making a wreath like you do every year? All the baking you love doing?” She pauses. “Of course, there’s also the Christmas tree and listening to holiday books.”
“Which can also all be done in pajamas and rainbow yoga pants.”
She breathes a laugh. “Fine, but you might want to venture out of the house at some point.”
“Maybe. Going out alone still makes me nervous.”
“I know, but you have your cane, and you went to all those classes on how to cross the street safely.”
“Yeah, but you know I hated leaving the house alone before too. It was just easier to make myself do it than it is now.”
“I know.” Her tone shifts. “I really wish I could go with you.”
“Yes, but you have your own life to live and a wonderful boyfriend who didn’t cheat on you with the neighbor.
” How pathetic it was for me to beg him to come back too.
Not only once but a second time when he came to collect the rest of his things three days ago.
We had so many plans and he ruined them. I had plans.
“Yes, but I’m still your best friend and I’ll be here as much as I can for you. You can always call me from out there when you want to make sure you’re wearing matching shoes and you don’t have your shirt inside out before going for a walk.”
“Thanks, but I’m not bothering you while you’re out of town visiting your future in-laws and opening whatever fancy, overpriced gifts they get you.”
“Is it because you’d much rather contact that Be My Eyes guy?”
“No.” I shoot her a scowl. Well, either her or the bedroom curtains that match the baby-blue sweater she’s wearing. “I don’t even know if he’ll be available the next time I need help. For all I know, he found another job.”
“It’s only been a week, and you can always keep trying until he is.” She pinches my cheek and I slap at her hand. We go on to tease each other some more while I finish packing. After making sure I have everything I need, we load the car and head out to the cabin.
***
“I forgot how huge this place was,” she says from only inches away. I can feel her hovering as I slowly move one foot in front of the other up the short steps to the porch with my cane hitting everything in front of me.
“It looks way bigger from the outside,” I concede, pulling my keys from my pocket.
I run my hand over all three until I feel the C carved in one.
I touch the doorknob with my fingers first, and then lead the key to the center.
Unlocking doors is getting easier and easier.
I’ve had a lot of time at home to practice all the things I once saw as mundane when I had perfect vision.
I also would have disagreed with it being perfect at the time too. You really don’t realize what you have until it’s taken from you.
“I’ll take your word for it. I’ve only been here once, and it’s been a while.” The paper sack in Janie’s hand crinkles against her nails. She insisted on going with me to the market fifteen minutes away and buying me way more groceries than I needed.
She follows closely behind me as I walk inside, my eyes squinting when she flips the switch behind me.
“Sorry. Didn’t think that would be so fucking bright.”
“It’s okay,” I say, reaching for my sunglasses from my side jacket pocket. My light sensitivity sucks more days than others. “I clearly forgot how bright it was too.”
I hear her rummage through the kitchen, opening and closing cabinets. “At least you’re pretty stocked with dishes and tea.”
I laugh. “What more can a guy need?”
“I’m going to go get the rest of the bags while you refamiliarize yourself with everything.”
“Okay, sounds good.” I spin around, facing where her rushed steps are heading, then the front door opens and closes.
Shivering, I hit my cane against the couch and end table as I make my way to the back wall where the thermostat is.
I stand here for a long time after flipping open the bottom, trying to visualize where the heat button would be.
“How’s it going?” Janie asks, her voice shifting to a higher octave as she shakes off the outside cold air.
“It was fine until I couldn’t remember where the hell each button was.”
“Oh. Here.” She quickly moves beside me and lifts my hand, leading my finger from the left to right as she tells me what each button is.
“I think I got it,” I say the second time she moves my hand from side to side.
“Good. But if you forget while I’m gone, you know who to call. Be My Eyes guy and then me,” she says in a joking tone.
I stifle a laugh. “You’re ridiculous, and I definitely think I’ll be calling him before you now. Not for the reason you’re thinking in your head either.”
“So you say.” She elbows me in the side. “He’s cute by the way. Gorgeous even.”
“Huh?” I say, pretending not to grasp what she’s saying.
“Rafael. His pig is too.”
That really gets my attention. “Did you say pig? And when did you sneak a peek at my phone?”
“When I stopped to get gas and you were passed out in the car. Used your finger to get past the screen saver too.”
I scrub a hand over my face. “That’s an invasion of privacy.”
“I was curious, and that’s all I looked at, I promise. I also downloaded some apps I recently learned about that I think will be super useful.”
“I guess I can forgive you, then.”
“Good, because when you and Rafael get together, I’m going to want to be first on the list to pet sit.”
I laugh. “You live in a fantasy world, you know that?”
“Hey, better than always being stuck in this one.”
“Yeah.” I bite on my lower lip. “Maybe I need to come visit with you sometime so I can get away too.”
Her hand rests on my arm. “It’s going to get better, I promise. You’re so much better now that you’ve dropped all that dead weight.”
“I’m sure he feels the same about me now that he’s traded me in for a better model.”
“Pfft.” Her hand falls away from me. “Not even close. Your neighbor was nowhere near as cute as you, and he was definitely lacking the rosy-cheek look.” She gives my face a pinch and I slap at her hand.
“He can find his shoes without some app.”
“And so will you. Especially now you only have your own stuff to sort through, and now that there’s no one else here to move it all the time.”
“I guess loneliness has its perks,” I utter.
“You don’t have to be alone. I’ve told you that.”
“You’re right. I have Rafael and his pig at the touch of a button.”
Laughter rushes from her and she pats my back. “Exactly.”
My eyebrows push together. “This Rafael . . . does it say where he lives by chance? His name and the whole pet pig thing sound familiar.”
“I don’t think it said anything about his location.”
My mind goes back to the man at the park weeks ago. He was so kind and had the nicest voice. It was smooth and . . . well, now I might have found my answer as to why he sounded so familiar through the app. I mean, there can’t be too many Rafaels with pet pigs. “I think it was him.”
“What was?”
“I tagged along with Travis to one of his yoga classes, and there was this guy I met. He said his name was Rafael. He had a pet pig named Huey.”
“Maybe there are two Rafaels in the world with pet pigs. You can always ask him if the pig in the picture is his and then go from there.”
“Nah . . .” I brush her off. “Then he’ll wonder why I was getting someone to describe his picture to me.”
“Everyone likes knowing who they’re talking to, and it’s even an option on the app.”
“Oh . . .” I lean against the counter, eyes pointing at the ceiling and wondering if I’m standing under the splash of blue paint I accidentally got everywhere when we repainted the kitchen. “And I guess it is true about wanting to know. Also kind of makes me feel normal.”
“You are normal.”
“Well, yeah . . . duh.” I run my fingers through the front of my hair. “You know what I mean.”
“Yeah.” She blows out a soft breath, taking my hand in hers. “How about we put all the groceries away and watch a movie?”
“You don’t have anywhere to be?”
“Nope, and it’s not supposed to snow for another two days, so the roads won’t be too bad to drive on if I decide to leave late.”
“As long as you’re sure that boyfriend of yours isn’t missing you.”
“I’m sure, and I could really use more time with my best friend. What better place to have a movie and hot chocolate night than a cozy cabin with a fancy-ass fireplace?”
I chuckle. “I could use more time with you too, and it is nice to be back here. I’m glad you came with me, even if it’s only for the first day.”
“Me too. Don’t forget, I’ll be here to pick you up too, and any other day you need me.”
“I won’t.”