Chapter 11
ELEVEN
“Seeing New York City for the first time, I knew right away I was meant to be here.”
—excerpt from the unpublished memoir,
Darling, I Must Say by Gloria Hayes
On Tuesday after work, I drove over to the house on Second Street that Abe was renting.
The little yellow two-story had a wide porch, and each window was bracketed by shutters.
A literal white picket fence surrounded the postage stamp sized front yard where a tall sycamore tree provided shade.
There was even a tire swing hanging from one of its branches.
I parked my car at the curb and climbed out.
Pausing, I stared at the place, fighting a strange feeling of sadness.
This was the sort of house I’d always wanted to live in when I was a kid.
Not that I didn’t appreciate Grammie’s trailer.
It kept us dry and provided a soft place to land.
But this house? It was the perfect place to raise a family in Two Harts.
“Iris!” The screen door slammed against the side of the house and Hallie raced down the steps in a flurry of hair and purple. This girl clearly had a signature color. “You’re here.”
“Hey,” I said. “Where’s your dad?”
It had been decided that I would start sitting for Hallie on Wednesday, so Abe had invited me over today to go over the schedule, show me around the house, get the routine down, general expectations.
“Come on.” Hallie grabbed my hand and pulled me down the long driveway that curved behind the house where there was a two-car garage and a separate workshop. “Dad, Iris is here.”
Abe was fiddling around under the hood of an older model Land Cruiser that had been painted a dark, shiny blue with chevron stripes of orange, red, and yellow.
Although simple, the design managed to portray a sense of movement.
It gave the truck a retro feeling which fit Abe somehow.
Old school, but in a good way. Even I, who knew nothing about cars or painting them, could tell this paint job was done spectacularly well.
I sauntered up and leaned an elbow on the edge of the truck, close to Abe’s head. “Nice car. I like the pretty colors.”
Abe straightened and wiped his dirty hands on an equally dirty rag. The sun glinted off the small, silver hoop in his eyebrow. I noticed he had a scattering of freckles across the bridge of his nose. Such a contradiction, this guy. “Pretty? Those are wicked colors for a wicked truck.”
I smirked. “Got it. Don’t call Abe’s car pretty.”
His eyes met mine, crinkling in amusement. It was nice that we were close to the same height. I didn’t have to crank my neck to look up like I did with Aidan. But it also made me feel like we were on even ground.
“She is kind of pretty.” He gave the truck an affectionate pat.
“She?”
“Cars are always women. Didn’t you know that?” He crossed his arms. His white tank top showed off the tattoos. So many of them—like a museum of swirls and colors. It was hard not to step closer and take time to inspect them. Ask about them. Maybe touch them.
Which was weird. I’d never been into tattoos…
With effort, I pulled my eyes back to his face, hoping he hadn’t realized what had caught my attention. “That seems sexist.”
“Oh, I don’t know. Cars are one of my favorite things in this world. And I like it when they’re a little tricky to figure out. Like a puzzle.” He leaned closer and lowered his voice. “But when you get everything to work just right and you take care of her, she’ll never do you wrong.”
“Sir, are you flirting with me?”
He winked. And both of us burst out laughing.
I knew he wasn’t serious. I had an ex-boyfriend to get over. A future to plan. Plus, Abe was older and established. He had a kid and a career and a life. I had… none of those things. But it was nice to feel noticed, even if it was all in good fun.
“I used to be good at flirting,” he said. “I’m rusty. Haven’t dated much since Hallie came along.”
I patted his arm, ignoring the way the sun-warmed skin tempted me to keep touching him. “It’s like riding a bike. It will all come back to you. And if not, I’m sure some woman will take pity on you. Just make sure you flex your muscles a lot.”
“Thank you for your kind words,” he said drily.
“Can I show Iris the house?” Hallie bounced with energy. “I want to show her my bedroom, and I can show her the kitchen and where the bathrooms are and—”
“Hal, remember you have to breathe or you’re gonna pass out with all that talking.” Smiling indulgently, Abe put a hand on Hallie’s shoulder. “Why don’t you go start the tour? I need to finish up out here.”
“Come on.” Hallie grabbed my hand. With little choice, I let her drag me away.
The inside of the house was all hardwood floors and clean, neutral colors—simple, even generic.
The downstairs consisted of an open concept living room, kitchen, and dining room.
The personality came from the furnishings—the bright red couch, a giant potted plant in the corner, framed art done by an enthusiastic child, the lumpy clay projects, and the custom coffee table.
“Is that the hood from a car?” I pointed at the coffee table painted in vibrant, abstract flowers.
“Uh-huh. Dad painted it.”
On the wall above the couch hung three framed photos, pencil drawings of Hallie at different ages. The detail was incredible and I wanted to stand there and study every inch of them. They were beautiful. “Did your dad draw those?”
“Yeah, he’s kind of an artist.” She tugged on my hand again. We passed by a closed door on the way to the stairs. “That’s Dad’s room.”
On the second floor, Hallie opened a door at the end of a long hallway. “This is my room.”
Bright purple throw pillows rested atop a dark purple comforter, along with a well-loved pink stuffed bunny (the only non-purple item on the bed).
But what caught my eye the most was the mural covering one entire wall.
A giant rainbow soared over a field of flowers—an explosion of yellow and purple and pink.
Tucked in between tree trunks and tall grass, little woodland creatures peeked out—a bunny, a squirrel, a hedgehog.
“This is amazing,” I said, pointing at the wall. “Did your dad do this, too?”
Hallie nodded and touched a flower. “I got to help. I put my handprints here and Dad made into a flower. See?”
Studying the mural more closely, I could pick out the small handprints in different colors. I shook my head in wonder. This would have taken days to complete but Abe had done it…for his daughter.
I sat heavily on the corner of Hallie’s bed. A twinge of sadness echoed in my chest for the little kid who just wanted her dad to show up for her birthday. I’d always thought that feeling would go away as I got older but it never had and I was beginning to realize it never would.
“Your room is awesome. Your dad did a great job,” I said.
Hallie grinned and plopped down next to me. “I’m glad you’re going to be my babysitter.”
“You know what? Me, too.” Surprisingly, that was the truth. “How are you liking Two Harts?”
Hallie stared down at her painted toes. “It’s okay. I miss my friends. I haven’t made any here.”
I didn’t exactly have a bunch of people lining up to be my friend.
Never really had. Mae once told me I gave strong stay-away-from-me vibes.
But that wasn’t totally true. There’d been Georgia in elementary school before she moved away.
Grammie, Aidan, Gloria. High school had been a nightmare for so many reasons.
I’d never been popular. I’d been that weird girl who wore a lot of black and gave out dead-eyed stares and insults like tissue.
Just like Abe’s reputation had followed him all these years, I guess mine had, too.
“It’ll just take a little time, I bet. And you got me now,” I said. “It only takes one good friend, anyway. Just one person you can tell all your secrets.”
Hallie’s nose scrunched. “I guess so.”
We ended the tour in a large, airy sunroom on the other side of the kitchen. In here was a sectional couch, a couple of comfy-looking chairs and built-in bookshelves that bracketed the entryway. A guitar rested on a stand in the corner.
But the centerpiece of the room was the plants.
They were everywhere, covering any available surface. Succulents lined up along the windowsill like a little army of cacti. Others hung from the ceiling, their long vines stretching toward the floor.
“What is all this?” I asked.
“Our plants,” Hallie said. “We brought them with us when we moved. Dad really likes plants. Sometimes he even sings to them.”
“It’s a scientific fact that plants grow better if they are sung or spoken to,” Abe said as he padded into the room.
I wheeled around. “These are yours?”
He nodded, stopping next to a plant and patting the pot affectionately.
“What’s with all the holes in the leaves?” I asked.
“It’s called a Swiss cheese plant.”
“No, it’s not. What’s it really called?”
He held up a hand. “I’m serious. Tell her, Hal.”
“It’s a Swiss cheese plant.” She pointed at another pot.
This one held a tall plant with large leaves that were pale green in the center and a much darker green around the edges, no holes this time.
“That one’s called a Dumb Cane.” She pointed at one with long thin leaves that shot up in every direction.
“Spider plant. Dad likes to test me on the names.”
“It’s good for you.” Abe scratched the top of her head.
“So,” I said slowly, “what you’re saying is you’re a plant daddy?”
He frowned. “A plant daddy?”
“Yeah, a man, that would be you, who”—I gestured around the room—“loves plants and takes care of them. Like they’re his kids.”
He made a face. “I just have plants, that’s all.”
“He has names for all of them,” Hallie said.
“Oh, really?”
She pointed and rattled off few. “That’s Sunny. There’s April. That one is named Emilio. There’s Skipp—”
Scowling, Abe cut in. “Have you finished cleaning your room?”
“Yes.”
“And putting your clothes away?”
“Yes.”
“Then go watch a movie.”
“Really? In the middle of the day? Yes!” Hallie hopped up from the couch and flew out of the room.
I leaned over a plant. “Aw, is your daddy all embarrassed about his feelings for you?”
“Don’t listen to her, Michael. I am not embarrassed by you.”
“This is adorable. You are adorable.” I winced, wishing I hadn’t said it out loud. But it was true, nonetheless.
“Oh, yeah? I don’t think anyone has ever called me that.” He grinned slowly, strolling over to me on bare feet. (The Ramos house was a shoe-free zone.) His toenails were painted dark purple.
“Don’t let it go to your head.” I pointed at his feet. “Nice pedicure.”
“Thanks. My technician is only nine, but she’s pretty good.”
Our eyes met and held for one beat, then two. Something about him made me want to smile and smile and smile. I couldn’t remember a time when a person made me feel this way.
Not even Aidan, a little voice in my head said.
I looked away first and forced myself to take notice of something, anything else. Like the wall of family photos. Most of them were of Hallie or the two of them together. More recent photos of him with his two brothers and Ali.
But the last showed all the Ramos siblings together when they were kids.
My eyes went to the teenaged boy with shaggy hair, a wide smile, and a touch of sadness mixed with the sparkle of mischief in his eyes.
No tattoos visible but I’d bet the second that kid turned eighteen, he was banging on the door of a tattoo parlor.
Obviously, whatever had happened in the years between nineteen and now had grown the boy into a man.
It couldn’t have been easy leaving home as a kid and being totally alone.
But somehow, he’d held on to parts of himself—that sparkle in his eye, still mischievous, still a little sad, the too long hair, that smile.
“You missed a lot of years,” I said quietly. “Does that bother you?”
He was silent for so long, I was sure I had offended him. “It does and it doesn’t. I wish I’d done things differently. I missed a lot of things. I missed my mom.” He laughs quietly. “I even missed my dad, and I didn’t think that was possible back then.”
“Ouch.” I sat on the couch. “At least you had a dad to miss.”
Abe sat on the other end of the couch. “Ah, I see you too are part of the Daddy Issues Society.”
I smiled slowly. “Card-carrying member.”
“I haven’t seen you at the meetings.”
“I’ve been busy making poor life choices. Maybe next month.”
His eyes met mine, amusement and something else passing between us. Understanding, maybe? It was nice.
“Let’s go over the schedule,” Abe said, breaking the trance.
He spent thirty minutes explaining what Hallie could watch on television and when she could play with technology, where all the “dangerous chemicals” were in the house, and appropriate afternoon snacks.
After what felt like hours of instructions, I staged a coup and slumped back into the couch. “I change my mind. I quit.”
He frowned, two tick marks appearing between his eyes. “You can’t quit.”
“Yes, I can. I quit. See? I just did. I thought this job was about keeping Hallie alive. Not being a prison warden.”
Abe’s eyes flashed with a real panic. “Is it too much? It’s too much, isn’t it? Don’t quit.”
“You spent twenty minutes explaining hand hygiene. I feel pretty confident I have handwashing down.”
He smiled sheepishly. “Sorry, I guess I’m a little overprotective.”
“Look, Abe. I’ll be the first to admit I don’t have a lot of experience with kids, but Hallie and I will be fine. I mean, what trouble could we possibly get into?”
Abe turned to look at me, apprehension creeping into his expression. “Yeah, that’s kind of what I’m afraid to find out.”