Chapter 29
Chapter Twenty-Nine
DREW
I wish it weren’t true, but history does repeat itself. Thursday morning I watch the woman I love drive away to the big city to take care of a family member with a health emergency. She promises to come back. I pray she does.
Julia comes out the back door with her backpack over her shoulder.
“Stella’s only going for a few days,” she says. “You don’t have to look so pathetic.”
I chuckle. Just like a teenager to put life into perspective. “Let’s go.”
After I drop her off at school, I reschedule the jobs I have for the rest of the week.
While Stella’s away, I plan to finish things on her to-do list instead of my own.
But I need reinforcements. Roger, to manage the hardware store for the rest of the week.
Mom, to organize volunteers. Stella may hate help, but I don’t.
We won’t get a everything done in the time she’s gone, but enough to take some of her worry away.
She calls me in the early evening. I head out the back of the store so she doesn’t hear the work going on behind me.
“Stella. How are Naomi and the baby?”
“Good. Better than the hospital staff expected. They said they’d send her home tomorrow, which she’s happy about, but on bed rest until the baby comes.”
“I’m glad they’re okay. How are you doing?”
“It’s fun to be back with my family.”
Of course it is, but it tugs at my worries. Maybe she’ll come to regret not living closer to her family.
“All my sisters came to the hospital today for lunch,” she continues. “We talked about you a lot. They had to know everything.”
“They didn’t already know all there is to know? We’ve been dating for almost three weeks.”
“They only knew enough to give me a hard time about how often I told them we were only friends. They’re all excited to see you again. This time as my boyfriend. Just so you know, we have a couple’s name now. Drewella.”
“We sound like Cinderella’s ugly step-sister.”
She laughs. “I know! But we don’t get a say on what we’re called. That’s up to Roe.”
Hearing her voice makes me miss her even more. “Maybe I could come on Saturday and see you?”
“Oh, do,” she says excitedly. “Naomi’s supposed to rest, so we’re not gathering together as a family, but maybe a few of us can slip away and take you to lunch. There’s this great Vietnamese restaurant near my old apartment that Mallory and I went to all the time.”
It reminds me of how Quinn would get so excited about the restaurants and entertainment in Tucson. It’s not fair to Stella for me to compare the two of them, but with her in Tucson, I find it hard not to see the similarities in the situations.
“Sounds good,” I say. “I’ll plan on Saturday. I miss you.”
Her voice softens. “I miss you, too. So much. See you Saturday.”
“Yep. Good night.”
Friday, we text back and forth. I send her pictures of the new banister on the mezzanine floor, the newly placed tile in the bathroom, and a video of the refinished floor.
That night when Stella calls, she wants all the details of how the store is coming along, and makes me promise to take videos for her social media pages.
“With you in them, preferably,” she says. “The posts where you show up get the highest views and engagement. I don’t think I told you, but your moniker is now Hot Handyman. How do you feel about that?”
I chuckle. “Just as long as they know I’m your hot handyman. How is Naomi?”
She lets out a long breath. “She wasn’t released from the hospital today. Now they’re keeping her through the weekend. So don’t come tomorrow. I’ll be sitting in the hospital all day, and I don’t want to put you through that.”
“I don’t mind.”
She hums, thoughtful. “I do. I’m sure you have better ways to spend your weekend.”
“I really don’t. Julia’s here to watch the work on the store.”
She laughs. “Stay there. I’ll be back Sunday night. Monday at the latest.”
I’m experiencing deja vu. But before, it was Quinn on the other end of this telephone call, telling me not to visit. Stella is not Quinn, I remind myself. Maybe she won’t come back for me, but she will for her bookstore. She’s sunk too much money in the building to abandon it now.
“How is Julia?” she asks. “I talk to her every day and she says she’s fine. What do you think? She just lost her mom. I have a hard time believing she’s completely okay.”
“She’s been keeping busy working. I’m not sure if it’s hit yet what happened, or maybe she really is dealing with her mom better than we expected.”
“I’m going to encourage her to start therapy. She’s had a hard life even before the last few months. It would be good for her.”
Her compassion for others is one of the things I love most about her.“That’s a great idea.”
“I miss you Drew. And your good morning kisses.”
“I miss you too.”
I have to trust that she’s going to come back.
Sunday late afternoon, Julia and I walk to my mom’s house for dinner. I didn’t have to fight her on the invitation. It’s crazy how much Julia has grown out of her shell over the last few months. Before Stella, she never would have come over for a family dinner.
Mom invites her inside as if she’s family. Julia can’t wipe the grin off her face as Mom hands her an apron and puts her to work cutting apples for a pie. I walk over to help, but Mom shoos me away. I’m banished to the living room with Lauren while she feeds baby Benji.
I sit in the recliner opposite the couch where she sits. “Where’s Brody?”
“Out with Roger in the woodworking shed. He wants to build a bed for Benji.”
“He’s not even six months old. You’re kicking him out of his crib already?”
“Since Brody’s never built anything before he thinks it’s going to take him a year to make. How are things going with Stella?”
“Really good.”
Her eyes narrow as she studies me. “Then why do you look so hopeless?”
I lean my head on the back of the couch. “Because she’s in Tucson and not here.”
She brings Benji up to her shoulder and pats his back. “For a few days. It’s not like she’s moving there permanently.”
“What if it turns permanent? It’s where her family lives. She loves her nieces and nephews. It’s a possibility she’ll stay.”
Benji’s belch is loud for one so small. I’m a proud uncle.
“Has she told you she might?” Lauren asks.
“No, but neither did Quinn.”
“Stella isn’t Quinn.”
It’s what I’ve been telling myself for day now, yet it doesn’t seem to stick.
“I know,” I say, “But that doesn’t mean she won’t make the same decision. I’m probably being stupid, but it’s hard to turn off the worry. I love her. What if I lose her?”
Lauren studies me. “If she stays in Tucson, have you really lost her? She’s an hour away. You can still date and video chat. What’s the worst that can happen?”
That’s easy. “She’ll break up with me.”
She snorts in disbelief. “Believe me, she’s as gone over you as you are for her. She won’t break up with you.”
“And if we decide to get married? I’d like to live in the same house as my wife.”
“I guess that’s when you decide if you love this town or Stella more. Would it kill you to live in Tucson and commute to work at the hardware store? It’s not ideal, but you’d have Stella, and she’d be with her family. Tucson isn’t California.”
I’ve been so worried Stella wouldn’t come back, it never entered my mind that I could go to her. My sister is smart. And right. Tucson is comparatively close. As long as Stella doesn’t break up with me, there’s hope.
Mom sticks her head in the living room. “Time to eat. Drew, will you go to the shed and grab Roger and Brody?”
After dinner, Julia and I walk back to Second Street. Julia has a plastic container with the rest of the apple pie. She’s extraordinarily proud of how she helped make it. She even copied down the recipe on a notecard so she can replicate it for when Stella gets home.
It’s as we’re walking that Stella calls.
“Hey. What time are you getting back?” I ask.
“Well, I won’t be coming home tonight.”
“So tomorrow?”
“No. You know how they say bad news always comes in threes? First it was Julia’s mom. Then Naomi. Now it’s my dad. He managed to break his foot when he missed a step going down stairs. I’m staying a few more days to help him and my mom.”
My stomach sinks at her delayed return, but it’s not like she can come back with so much happening with her family. “How is your dad?”
“He says he’s fine, but he’s allergic to most pain meds so he’s in a lot of pain.”
“And Naomi?”
“They discharged her today. She’s glad to be home and get an uninterrupted night of sleep away from the hospital.”
“And you?”
She lets out a long sigh. “I’m okay. It’s hard being away from the store.
I don’t think there is any way I can get everything done by opening day.
Which is so disappointing! I’ve posted the date all over social media.
The Facebook event I created has a hundred people saying they’re interested in coming.
Now to change all of that?” She lets out a long sigh. “But people before projects, right?”
“You’ll open on time,” I tell her. “You take care of your dad and sister, and let me and Julia take care of the store.”
She sniffles. “I don’t know. It’s probably better if I inform people that the opening is delayed sooner rather than later.”
“You’ll open on time,” I repeat. “Trust me.”
She silent, but then says, “Okay. But if you don’t think it’ll happen, let me know immediately. Promise?”
“I promise. When do you think you’ll be back?”
“Hopefully in a few days. Dad has no balance on crutches, and he gets up at night to use the bathroom. I’m here to help him get there without whacking his foot. Once the swelling goes down and he gets his hard cast, Mom should be fine to help him on her own.”
“I can come and help,” I offer, though I know what she’s going to say. “We can take turns getting up at night.”
“The only reason I’m able to stay is because I know you're taking care of my store. Please don’t. I’ll call tomorrow.”
“Talk to you then. Remember to take care of yourself, too.”
“I will. Love you. Um, I mean, well. Good night!”
She ends the call immediately. It’s the first time either of us have said the words to the other, and I think that was an accident. Still, I’m wearing a goofy grin as I tell Julia the news that Stella isn’t coming home for a few more days.
“We’ll get the store ready to open on time,” she vows.
“Yeah, we will.”
Every day, I send videos of the store to Stella for her social media posts. Every night, Stella calls me. Each conversation is a little shorter than the last. She asks about the store, and I keep our progress vague but continue to tell her not to change the opening date.
“You’ll be ready,” I promise.
Thursday night, she doesn’t call. I call her and it goes directly to voicemail. I text to let her know she can call back no matter how late. She doesn’t call.
Friday morning, the bell above the door rings as someone opens the bookstore door. Instead of a neighbor coming to help, it’s my uncle Orlo.
I hand my paintbrush to my mom. There is no love lost between the two, and she leaves me to handle my uncle.
“What are you doing here?” I ask.
He eyes the store hungrily. “She’s done a lot here in not much time. I’m impressed.”
“The grand opening is in two weeks. We haven’t been wasting time.”
He waves a hand through the air, erasing my words. “That hardly matters at this point. She’s not coming back.”
My stomach drops. “What makes you say that?”
“Her family needs her. You know that better than anyone.”
“She told you this?” I don’t believe him. She would have told me if she were staying in Tucson before she said anything to Orlo. Yet … she didn’t call last night. When I called her, I went directly to voicemail.
“She’ll make a profit from selling. Especially because I don’t have to hire anyone to clean out the store.
” After dropping this information, he opens the door to leave, but then turns back.
“I understand Roger is selling the hardware store. Will you let him know I’m interested? I’ll offer a fair price.”
“I’m buying his store, Orlo. Not you.”
“We’ll see.”
Yeah, he’ll figure out that like Leon, Roger’s priority isn’t profit.
When Orlo’s gone, I pull out my phone and call Stella. Again, straight to voicemail. I don’t fully believe Orlo—he can be manipulative to get what he wants—but Stella’s silence feels ominous. Did something else happen with her family?
Mom comes and stands beside me, humming in disapproval. “Stella isn’t selling to Orlo, but you need to talk to her. We’re fine here without you. Drive to Tucson. Find out what’s happened.”
I text Julia on her new phone to let her know I won’t be around when she gets here after school.
Before leaving town, I stop by the floral shop and buy a bouquet.
It isn’t much, but it’s something tangible to show how much she means to me.
No matter where she ends up, I want to be right there beside her.