Chapter Thirteen
Matty adjusted the grip on her toolbox. It wasn’t a large one.
She kept most of the tools she used most often on the job in her tool belt, and that was in the backpack on her shoulders.
She had no idea what would be needed to get the job done, so she just guessed at what she might need, like a set of wrenches.
Warm sunshine rays sent a refreshing jolt of energy through her. She would enjoy the walk to Reese’s home. It would only take about twenty minutes, so she hadn’t bothered trying to find a ride. It was good to stretch her legs.
About ten minutes into her journey, a gray Chevy truck pulled up beside her as the window rolled down. She grinned widely when a red-haired man with a matching grin popped his head out.
“Well, hell, is that you, Matty?”
“Dylan, dude, I haven’t seen you in forever!”
They slapped high fives. It had to have been at least five years since she had last seen him. Both of them had been pretty heavy into using at that point, then Dylan dropped off the face of the earth. She hadn’t thought of him in a long time.
“It has been forever. What have you been up to? I haven’t seen you around town.”
She shrugged. “Got clean and keeping my head down.”
“No shit? That’s awesome, man. I don’t fuck with that shit either. Cigarettes are about as hard as I get these days. Got a wife and a few kids that need my head in the game.”
“That’s great to hear. I don’t know too many of our old friends who can say the same.”
Dylan grimaced with a nod. “Yeah, you hear about Brittany going to prison?”
“I did. I hated to hear that.”
“Have you heard anything about Lee? I tried finding him on Facebook, but the only account is like ten years old.”
It was Matty’s turn to grimace. “Uh, yeah, he OD’d in Nashville about four years back.”
“Damn. I really hate to hear that.”
“Yeah.”
“Well, if you ever want to hang out, give me a call. Number’s the same. I don’t party, but we can shoot the shit in my garage, maybe watch a game or something. If you don’t mind kids wandering in and out,” he laughed.
This was the first friend from the past she had met since getting clean that she could see herself hanging out with. It sounded great. “I think I’ll take you up on that. I’ll text you.”
“Great. I look forward to it. We can catch up.” He looked her up and then asked, “Do you need a ride?”
She shook her head. “I’m not far from where I’m going. Thanks, though.”
“Alright, I’ll see you around.”
She waved him off, then began her trek to Reese’s home.
The bungalow was cute, but it looked like it was in desperate need of some TLC.
The once-white prominent columns of the porch were peeling badly, making them look drab.
There were a few large cracks in the concrete walkway leading up to the home.
She caught movement out of one of the windows that was in desperate need of cleaning.
The dirt on it made it look like it was tinted brown.
It didn’t look anything like what she would have expected such a well-put-together person like Reese to own.
The door opened just as her boot hit the first step. She smiled widely, excited to see the woman who had surprised her by asking for help. She was looking forward to spending more time with her.
Yet that feeling was replaced with concern when she spied Reese’s face.
“Uh, hi, Matty,” Reese greeted her, worry lines she hadn’t seen before etched deep on her face.
“Hey, Reese. I wasn’t sure what I would need, so I brought my toolbox just in case.” She held it up, then felt a little lame because it wasn’t like Reese couldn’t see it. She walked the rest of the way onto the porch, stopping just a couple of feet from her.
“Yeah, about that. Maybe we shouldn’t do this.”
“I don’t understand. Did the shower start working?”
Reese opened her mouth to reply, glancing over her shoulder at the door, but stopped.
It was then she seemed to gather herself as her shoulders pushed back and a reassuring smile spread across her face.
“I just have so much going on. I’m sorry I didn’t text you before you got here. Do you want me to drive you home?”
Matty frowned. This was a complete shift.
She studied Reese’s face a little closer.
The worry was still there, just under the surface.
There was a shininess to her hair that alluded to it not being washed in a couple of days.
Her eyes dragged lower. There was a smudge of dirt on the top of her foot that wasn’t covered by her pale pink house shoe.
If the shower was working, she hadn’t been in it since calling yesterday evening.
Add the nervous shifting from side to side and the crossing of her arms, and Matty was certain something was off. “Is there something wrong?”
“No, everything is perfectly fine. I just don’t have time today,” said Reese defensively.
“So you have access to a shower for work tomorrow?”
Reese started to speak but faltered. Matty took the opportunity.
“I’d like to help if I can.”
That seemed to put a little wedge in Reese’s resolve. Frown lines formed around her mouth, and Matty noticed her look back at the house. That worried her. “Is there someone in there you’re worried about? Maybe a partner that doesn’t want me in there?”
Reese’s eyes widened. Her ponytail swayed as she shook her head. “No, nothing like that. I just, fuck, I felt so much more confident last night.”
“I don’t understand. Look, whatever it is, I’d like to help.”
“Why?”
“Why not?”
Eyes softening, Reese’s rigid posture relaxed. “I’ve been such an ass to you.”
With a half grin, Matty tilted her head. “I don’t mind having to work for friendship. Plus, I kinda like being bossed around by a woman.” She added a wink to the statement, hoping to ease some of the tension.
It worked. Reese’s face brightened as she let out a short laugh. “Are you always a flirt?”
“Not if men are involved.”
That earned her a snort. The cutest little snort she’d ever heard and hoped to hear again.
Reese’s resolve completely crumbled. She sighed. “I guess I should be honest with you.”
“So you do have a partner.”
“Not at all. Not for a long time, actually. I’m sure this isn’t going to be a surprise, but I’m not used to asking for help. I tend to like to handle things myself.”
Matty shrugged. “I think it comes with the territory. You’re used to helping others.”
“True. It’s like my lifeline right now. I feel like—I feel like work is the only thing I have actual control of right now. Everything else is chaos. That’s why I called last night. I was fed up with not being further by now.”
Matty felt like there was a lot more going unsaid but wasn’t sure what.
The need to comfort the woman, hold her hand, or pull her into a hug came over her, but she resisted.
Reese had just started to open up. Matty had the instinct that physical touch at this point would make the wall go back up.
“Not making progress as fast as you’d like is frustrating.
I’ve been trudging along for over two years now, and sometimes I feel like it’s going really slowly.
Look, whatever it is, I’m happy to help. ”
Reese didn’t speak for a long moment. She kept looking back at the house. It was a relief when she finally spoke. “It’s, well, it’s embarrassing.”
Matty’s heart stopped when Reese’s eyes finally met her own and nothing but vulnerability and shame shone back at her. God, she wished she could hug her. Her voice was soft when she spoke. “I’m not here to judge. I’ve lived a life that in no way could allow me to.”
“Oh, Matty, you can’t—”
“No, ma’am, don’t go all counselor on me and turn the attention on me instead,” she said kindly.
Reese’s eyes widened, but so did her smile. “Did you really just do that?”
“Just keeping us on topic.”
The smile softened but didn’t go away. “You’re right.”
“I’m what?” Matty asked, cupping her ear and leaning.
“God, now who’s the ass?” Reese said with a roll of her eyes, then she sobered. “Okay. I guess I do need to do this. I tell the guys it’s okay to ask for help. It’s only right if I do it too.”
Matty only nodded. She had a feeling Reese would keep going, and she was right.
“Alright, I—shit, okay. I’ll be honest, I’m embarrassed by what you’ll see. I’m not accustomed to outsiders seeing anything other than what I present in public. I already feel weird that I had to use your shower.”
“Tell you what, once your shower is fixed, I’ll come over and use yours. We’ll be even.”
The cute little snort was back, making Matty mentally pat herself on the back. “I guess I should stop stalling. Please, um, please don’t tell anyone about this? Like what you’re going to see. And if it’s too much, you can totally leave, and I won’t fault you.”
Matty knew whatever was behind that door wasn’t going to make her leave. It would completely destroy Reese. Any steps to get help or open up would burn right down. “I promise I won’t tell anyone. Can we go in?”
Reese visibly swallowed hard as she stared at the front door. “I guess. Look, so my momma, Joyce, she, well, she was sort of a hoarder. She died and left me this mess, and now I’m being forced to clean it up.”
“I’m sorry to hear she passed.”
“Don’t be. She was an awful person. I had no contact with her for years before she died. Having to deal with this has been interesting, to say the least.”
Matty nodded. “Alright, well, let’s get to work so you can start making more progress.”
“Right. Yeah, okay.”
Reese led her the last few steps to the door. Her hand hovered over the doorknob. It was clearly hard for her to share something so personal.
“It’s okay, Reese,” Matty whispered.
She nodded, not turning to meet Matty’s eyes. The stuttered sigh that left the auburn-haired woman broke Matty’s heart.
When she opened the door, Matty was overcome with the smell of dust with a hint of mildew. It almost choked her, but she was determined to keep her face as neutral as possible for Reese’s sake.