Chapter 4
CHAPTER 4
MATTHEW
I t’s early for a Monday morning, and since Sweets is closed, I don’t have any donuts with me. But I picked up a chocolate cake from the store yesterday.
I swipe to answer Blake’s call before getting out of my truck. “I just parked outside Tandy’s house. What’s up?”
He’s quiet a second. “Think you can handle today without me? Steph needs my help with something.”
“No problem. Text me a list of what you want me to do. In a bit, I’ll drive over and pick up the materials.”
“Will you be able to get stuff done without her speaking to you?” He chuckles.
“We’ll figure it out.” I slide out of the truck and pick up the cake. “I’ll text when I’m headed that way.”
“Thanks, Matthew. Good luck.”
“I’ll need it.” I end the call and shove the phone in my pocket.
Tandy opens the door before I reach the top step.
“Good morning. Donut shop is closed today, but I brought you a cake.”
After grabbing the cake, she inches up on her toes and looks over my shoulder.
“Blake isn’t coming today. You’re stuck with me. So, if you have information that needs to be conveyed, you might want to grab a pen and paper. That way you can maintain your vow of silence.” I stand in the doorway. “Will that be a problem?”
She walks into the kitchen, and I’m left wondering if I should go in or leave.
A second later, she walks toward me, holding up a sheet of paper that reads Close the door. You’re letting bugs in and the heat out.
Laughing, I swing the door closed. “Sorry about that. I just didn’t want to come in uninvited.” After reading the list of what Blake wants done today, I go into the kitchen.
Tandy washes out the Charlie Brown mug, then fills it with coffee and hands it to me.
“Thanks.”
She waves over her shoulder as she leaves the kitchen.
While sipping my coffee, I get a few things done. Then I rinse out the mug. “Tandy, I’m leaving for a bit. I’ll be back in about a half hour. Then I’ll be working in your bedroom. I hope that isn’t a problem.”
Tandy leans out of a bedroom and waves.
The woman is stubborn. But if I ever need to trust someone with a secret, I know who it will be.
It doesn’t take long to get to the winery, load up the boxes of flooring, and drive back toward Tandy’s. But on the return trip, I make a quick stop at the new store in town. It doesn’t take me long to find what I’m wanting, a marker board. It even comes with two dry erase markers.
This should make the rest of the day easier.
Tandy walks out of the house carrying a bag of trash as I pull up to the curb.
I jump out and stride over. “Let me get that for you.”
She shoves it toward me, then goes back inside.
“I bought something for us.” I glance at my hands, which are now covered in a sticky substance and smell like the trashcan. “But I need to wash my hands before I grab it.”
She pushes the door open and steps out of the way. As soon as I walk in, she closes the door and then she brushes past me. I follow her into the kitchen. She turns on the faucet for me, then leaves the room.
After washing my hands, I go outside and get the marker board. “To help with our communication, I got us this. What do you think?” I hold out the marker, so that she can write an answer.
She swipes it out of my hand and scrawls out one word. Seriously?
“I’m trying to make life as easy as possible for you. Now I’m going to get to work on the flooring in your bedroom.” I lean the marker board against the wall. “I’ll set the other marker right here in the tray in case you decide you want to write in a different color. Variety and all that.”
It takes several trips to get all the flooring inside. As I carry the last box into the room, I laugh at what Tandy’s written on the board.
Don’t hurt yourself .
She’s closed herself into the room where she’s confining the cats.
So I holler, “Good advice. And thanks. It’s nice to know that you’re worried about me.”
She slips out of the room, wipes off the board, and writes a response: Not worried. I just don’t want to deal with insurance if there are injuries on my property .
“You keep telling yourself that, sweetheart.” I ease the box onto the floor and open it up.
This should keep me busy for the next few hours.
I stand and open another box. Before getting back down on the floor, I walk over what I’ve laid, making sure it all looks good.
The front door closes, and I peek out the front window as Tandy backs out of the driveway. She trusts me enough to leave me in her house alone. That’s good news.
I get back to work, laying more floorboards.
A rap on the doorframe startles me, and I jump.
Laughing, Tandy holds up the marker board with a message. Lunch is on the table .
“You sure know how to sneak up on a man. I didn’t even hear you come in.” I stand and stretch. “And you didn’t have to get me lunch.”
She shrugs and carries the board with her as she walks away.
Tandy has always cared about people. Years ago, her dream was to become a therapist. And because of that, I used to call her Lucy sometimes when it was just the two of us. Because of the Peanuts cartoon. I wonder if Tandy followed her dream.
Plates of barbecue are on the table, and there is a new message on the board. Wash your hands .
“You’ll need to keep that marker handy because I have some questions to ask over lunch.” This is almost as good as an actual conversation.
She’s seated when I return to the dining room.
“When we were in high school, you wanted to be a therapist. Is that what you ended up doing?”
She sets her fork down and scribbles out two words. Sort of .
“I can picture you behind a little wooden booth, giving advice for a nickel.”
She writes: My advice is worth more than that .
“Are you ever going to speak to me?”
Below the other sentence, she adds: Maybe .
“You eat. I’m sorry for interrupting your meal.”
Tandy sets down the marker and picks up her fork. Her answers have me even more curious about what she did with her life. When we dated, I always figured she’d leave this small town after she graduated. But I hate the way things ended between us.
At some point, I want to discuss what happened, but not until we’re both talking. That is not a conversation to be had with a marker board.
Once the flooring is all down, I rub my back. There aren’t many people in the world I would do this for at my age. But Tandy holds a special place in my heart. I guess first loves are like that.
Before leaving for the day, I grab my bag of candy from the truck and set a Sugar Daddy in the kitchen along with a few chocolate kisses. This way, she’ll think about me when I’m no longer at the house.
The marker board is still in the dining room, so I leave her a message.
I enjoyed hanging out with you today. Tomorrow, I’ll be here bright and early with donuts. If you have any special requests, text me .
Below the note, I write my number.
She won’t text me, but at least she’ll have my number.