“Happy to do it. I spend so much time in an office these days it’s nice to get my hands dirty again, not that I did anything to get them dirty.”
For some reason this made Lizzie laugh. She felt herself relax and for the first time she didn’t feel so overwhelmed by the looming projects. “You want to get something to eat? I came straight from church and now I’m starving.”
“Sure. There’s a great Italian place not far from here, it’s one of those places you don’t know about unless you live downtown.” Jeffrey smiled conspiratorially.
“Sounds perfect.”
Fifteen minutes later the pair entered an old house converted into the smallest restaurant Lizzie had ever seen. A cheerful gentleman wearing black pants and a starched white shirt greeted them and led them to a table in the middle of the restaurant. Aside from two other couples, seated at simple wooden tables, the restaurant was empty.
“You’re right. I never would have known this was here.” Lizzie drank in the sight of a mural of the Tuscan countryside along one wall. A dark wooden bar, scratched but shiny from years of polishing ran along another wall with eight tall chairs crammed together.
“I used to come here every week,” Jeffrey said. Lizzie noticed his jaw clench as his eyes roved the room. His gaze settled on a photo behind the bar of a young woman in a white tennis skirt and matching polo. Her blond hair was pulled back in a ponytail, her smile triumphant. Lizzie realized the photo was part of a newspaper article and strained to read the headline.
“Do you know her?” she asked nodding to the photo.
“I did.”
Lizzie recognized the sadness in his voice. “How did she die?”
Jeffrey’s eyes widened. “How did you know?”
“Your tone, your eyes.” Lizzie lowered her gaze holding back her own pain.
“Cancer, melanoma. By the time she was diagnosed she only had a couple of months.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“Her name was Camylle. We’d been engaged three months when she found out. I wanted to get married right away, but she refused, didn’t want to make me a widower before I was thirty.” Jeffrey laughed sadly. “She was always thinking about me, even at the end. She asked my parents to keep me away from the hospital, but I couldn’t let her die alone.”
“Where was her family?”
“She left home when she was eighteen, her dad was abusive and her mom was too afraid to leave him. We were her family.” Jeffrey’s voice trailed off.
“I can’t imagine how hard that must have been.” Lizzie reached across the table and placed her hand on his. “What did your family do when she asked you to stay away?”
Jeffrey’s eyes hardened. “They actually tried to keep me away. My father sent me out of town on business.”
“I’m sure they wanted to protect you,” Lizzie tried to comfort him.
“They couldn’t protect me! I needed to be with her, I WANTED to be with her, and I know deep down she wanted me there too.” He paused and rubbed his temples. “I haven’t seen them since the funeral.”
Lizzie was dumbstruck. “You haven’t seen your own parents? How long has it been?”
“Almost four years.”
Lizzie withdrew her hand as if his had turned into a hot coal. Her eyes narrowed and she glared across the table. As much as she wanted to feel compassion toward him for his loss, white heat filled her belly at the thought of how he had abandoned his family. Didn’t he know how lucky he was to have parents who obviously loved him very much?
“My mom still calls once a week and leaves a voicemail. She doesn’t seem to get that I don’t want to come over for Sunday dinner.” His tone was softer, more resigned than angry now. Lizzie bit her lip trying to hold back the words she longed to yell. She watched Jeffrey’s gaze travel around the small restaurant finally falling on her.
“You should forgive them.” Lizzie’s voice trembled. “You don’t know when they might be gone and then you will regret all the time you have lost.” She choked back a sob, searching for an escape.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” Jeffrey leaned across the table and grasped her shoulder. Lizzie just shook her head. Spotting the restroom, she stood and fled.
Ensconced in the ladies room, Lizzie tasted salt as a teardrop slid into the corner of her mouth. She reached for a paper towel and blotted her face. Embarrassed at her lack of composure, Lizzie turned on the water, letting the cold liquid fill her hands, watching it slip through her fingers and spill over the sides of her palms. Dreading a return to the table, she splashed some of the water on her face washing away the tear tracks. A knock on the door startled her.
“Lizzie, are you okay?” Jeffrey’s voice was muffled through the thick door.
“Fine,” Lizzie called. She looked in the mirror, tucked a loose curl behind her ear, blew her nose, and straightened her shoulders before opening the door.
Jeffrey leaned on the doorframe stepping back when she appeared. She gave him a thin smile and returned to the table.
“Did I say something wrong?” Jeffrey asked. Lizzie rolled her eyes at his obtuseness.
“You don’t know how lucky you are to have a family,” Lizzie paused and took a deep breath. “My parents were killed five years ago. Not a day goes by that I don’t miss them.”
Understanding dawned on Jeffrey’s face, his cheeks reddening. “You must think I’m a real jerk.”
Lizzie considered a moment before responding. “No, you just don’t realize what it’s like to be alone in the world.” She raised her hand to stop his objection. “You still hear from your mom, you know she is around if you choose to see her or if you need her. When that security is taken away things are different.”
“What happened?”
“Car accident. They were on the way to pick me up for dinner when a truck ran a red light and t-boned their car. My father was killed on impact and mom bled-out before the EMTs arrived. I was sitting in my apartment growing impatient with them, frustrated when they didn’t answer their cell phones. An hour later the police arrived at my door to give me the news.” She remembered the police officer standing in her doorway; hat in hand, a pained look on his face. “If I had just met them at the restaurant they might still be here.” Lizzie reached for her water and took a long drink to calm her nerves.
“You can’t think like that.”
“I know, most of the time I don’t, but it was hard the first couple of years.”
They finished the meal in silence, Lizzie lost in memories of those first years after the accident. Once the shock had worn off, she’d become consumed with anger: angry at the driver, angry at the EMTs, and most of all angry at God. She didn’t understand how a loving God could make her an orphan in an instant.
With full stomachs, the couple exited the restaurant onto a damp sidewalk. The humidity had dropped after the brief shower and it was almost pleasant under the spreading oaks.
“Thanks for lunch. I had every intention of treating you for all the help you’ve been.”
“I was taught to never let a woman pay for a meal. I know it’s a bit old fashioned, but it just seems right.” Lizzie thought she heard a hint of wistfulness in his tone and hoped he would repair his relationship with his parents.
“Not old fashioned at all, refreshing even, but you have to allow me to do something for you.”
“If you keep baking those raisin cookies I’ll do anything you want.”
Lizzie laughed. Distracted for a moment, she stumbled over a crack in the sidewalk. Jeffrey caught her instinctively and their eyes locked.
“Watch your step,” Jeffrey teased.
“Yes, thank you. It seems I’m still learning how to walk.”
“So what project are you going to tackle first?” Jeffrey asked.
“I need to replace the windows pretty quickly. I thought I’d see if the Habitat store is open today. If so I could stop by there this afternoon and see what they have.” Lizzie slapped her palm against her forehead. “Exce
pt I don’t know what any of the measurements are.”
“No problem.” Jeffrey gave her a lopsided grin. “I have a tape measure in my truck. We can get all the numbers and then hit the store.”
“Are you sure you don’t have something better to do? You must have a girlfriend who would like to see you.”
“Nah, haven’t been much into relationships…” His tone was breezy, but he didn’t complete the thought. Lizzie cringed at her insensitivity.
“Right, sorry.” They walked on in silence until they reached the house. Jeffrey went to his truck while Lizzie called information to get the number for Habitat for Humanity’s Restore.
“They aren’t open today.” Lizzie announced in a deflated tone.
“That’s too bad.” Jeffrey replied. “What time are they open tomorrow?”
“Only nine to five. I guess I won’t be able to pick these things up until next weekend.” She ran her fingers through her hair frustrated by the setback.
“Can you take off a little early tomorrow?” Jeffrey asked.
“I don’t know, my boss is pretty strict, but I suppose I could ask him.”
“Why don’t you see if you can leave around four and give me a call? I’d be happy to drive you out there. You’re going to need a truck anyway.”
“Are you sure?”
“Of course. I gotta make sure you get the right things don’t I?” Jeffrey’s crooked grin made Lizzie laugh.
“Thanks. Give me your number and I’ll let you know.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The truck turned off I-4 onto Orange Blossom Trail. Lizzie shrank away from the door as they drove past boarded up businesses, strip clubs, and run down buildings.
“I had no idea this store was in such a bad part of town,” she commented.
Jeffrey chuckled. “Yeah, it’s kind of amazing how most of Orange Blossom Trail is ghetto. Do you remember what the address is?”
Lizzie rattled it off and started searching for numbers on the buildings.
“We still have a few miles to go.” Jeffrey said. “You might want to lock your door.”
They rode in silence, Lizzie unable to tear her eyes away from the depressing scenes rolling past her. Twenty minutes later, they pulled up in front of a non-descript warehouse. Lizzie waited for Jeffrey to step out of the truck and approach her door before timidly removing her seatbelt.
Inside, Lizzie’s eyes grew huge as they approached a section of used appliances.
“Wow, I never knew all this stuff could be reused. I can see I will be spending a lot of time here.” She approached a shelf of doorknobs and picked one up. “It’s only a dollar! I could redo all the doors for less than ten bucks!”
Jeffrey chuckled. “You are going to end up buying stuff just because it’s cheap aren’t you?”
“It’s almost free, how can I resist?”
“Oh look, I see windows over there.” Jeffrey led Lizzie through several aisles of hardware. They selected five windows, a new front door, some hardware for the kitchen cabinets, and six lever-style doorknobs.
“Not a bad start,” Jeffrey commented as he loaded the purchases into the back of the truck.
“I’m getting excited now. I can’t wait to get started. Do you suppose you could help me pull out the old windows today?”
“I thought you’d never ask.” Jeffrey slipped the car into gear and pulled out of the parking lot.
Twilight had settled on Orlando before Jeffrey and Lizzie dropped onto the front porch, exhausted but proud of the work they had completed.
“Now that the interior is protected from the elements I guess I should get the floors repaired. You have any suggestions?” Lizzie turned back to Jeffrey propping her elbows on her knees and resting her chin on her fists. Jeffrey’s heart tightened at the memory of Camylle giving him the same look whenever she wanted something. He looked out across the street.
“Do you just want to repair the warped areas or completely replace them?”
“Won’t replacing the damaged areas be cheaper and easier?”
“Of course. I’ll talk with a couple of guys I know, and call you later in the week.”
“Thanks again.” Lizzie stepped forward as if to hug him, paused and extended her hand. Jeffrey smiled and took it, then turned and ambled to his truck.
Thunder rolled in the distance followed by a flash of lightening high across the sky. Lizzie eased the car into a parking spot and trotted up the stairs to her apartment. Large drops of rain hit the windows as she closed the door. She smiled with contentment, knowing her new home would now be protected from the storm. She entered her bedroom and pulled a pair of soft blue lounge pants and a white cotton tank top from a drawer. She tossed them on the bathroom floor and turned on the hot water, allowing the tub to fill. Her arms ached and she made a mental note to add Epson salt to her grocery list.
After a long hot soak, Lizzie padded into the living room. She checked her watch before picking up the phone and dialing Emma’s number.
“Hello?”
“Hey, Emma.”
“Lizzie, I’m so glad you called. What did Jeffrey say about the roof?”
Lizzie filled her friend in on the details of the past two days. “Do you guys have a pressure washer? Jeffrey mentioned that I could use one to spray down the house and get most of the loose paint off.”
“I think we do, I’ll have to check with Ron. Is that what you plan on doing this weekend?”
“I’d like to, if the weather cooperates.”
“I’ll call you tomorrow and let you know for sure. My sister has her final dress fitting on Wednesday, but other than that I am free to help with anything you need.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
A weak band of golden light peeked through heavy clouds as Jeffrey parked in the dirt lot next to the office. The worksite was silent, waiting for the day to begin. Jeffrey unlocked the trailer door and dropped his things on the desk. Inspection day, he thought, and stepped outside, drawing in a deep breath of the humid air. He walked each floor of the new structure, preparing for the inspection ahead. He picked up trash and straightened piles of lumber as he moved through the bare rooms.
Satisfied with the progress, Jeffrey returned to the office, started a pot of coffee and powered up his computer. The door opened and he turned, surprised by the noise.
“Jenny, what are you doing here so early?” Jeffrey watched the young receptionist plop her bag down and head for the coffee pot.
“Thank goodness you have coffee,” Jenny replied, her voice still heavy with sleep. “I thought you might need some help this morning, what with the inspection and then the client meeting.” She returned to her desk and pulled several papers from her bag. “I updated your last report with the most current figures, but you might want to give it a once over.”
“I can’t believe you did that.” Jeffrey rose and pulled Jenny into a bear hug. “I was worried about getting things together this morning.”
The rumble of vehicles announced the arrival of the work crew. They straggled in to punch their time cards, stopped for coffee, and exchanged pleasantries with Jeffrey and Jenny. Jeffrey glanced at the clock anxious for the inspector to arrive.
“Don’t worry, Bill’s always on time.” Jenny responded as if reading his mind. She bustled around the office tidying piles of papers and starting a fresh pot of coffee. Back at her desk, she pulled a Krispy Kreme box from her bag and arranged a handful of napkins next to it.
“What else do you have in there?” Jeffrey kidded.
Jenny gave him a sly smile. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”
Jeffrey laughed and felt himself relax. With an assistant like Jenny, how could he fail? The door opened and a tall, lean man, in a dirty Caterpillar baseball cap and thick glasses stepped in. A broad smile filled his face at the sight of Jeffrey.
“Morning,” bellowed Bill Cheevers.
Jeffrey stepped forward to shake the man’s hand. “I appreciate you working me into your sc
hedule.”
“Happy to do it. Hope you don’t mind, I brought one of our new guys along.” Bill waved toward a small man standing in the doorway. “Thought this might be a good teaching experience for him.”
“Of course, whatever you need.” Jeffrey passed out hard hats before dropping one on his own head. “Want to head out?”
“Mind if I take a donut with me?”
“Help yourself.”
Doughnuts in hand, the men headed out to the construction site.
Oppressive heat rolled over Michelle as she pushed through the glass doors of the Charles Schwab lobby. She moved as quickly as her pencil skirt and two-inch heels would allow and arrived at the pizzeria in less than ten minutes. A quick survey of the restaurant showed Jeffrey had not arrived so she chose a table near the door. A young waiter delivered a tall glass of water and she drank greedily.
The door opened, letting in the bright sun and blinding her. When her vision returned, Jeffrey was walking toward the table, hands in the pockets of his black pants. His hair was gelled into place and a deep red shirt brought out gold flecks in his brown eyes.
“Hope you haven’t been waiting long,” Jeffrey greeted her, taking a seat across the small table.
“Just sat down.”
“I had a couple of meetings this morning and I was afraid I was running late.” Jeffrey reached for one of the menus and his fingers brushed her hand. Michelle felt her heart flutter at his touch.
“You know in ten years of working downtown I’ve never eaten here.” Michelle mused looking at the place for the first time.
“They have the best pizza.”
“I usually bring my lunch and eat at my desk. It’s nice to get out of the office for a change.”
“I’m surprised you don’t go out with your girl friends. There are so many great places down here. That has to be one of the best perks of working downtown.”
Michelle shrugged. “Being out with them the other night was a fluke. I knew Wendy would enjoy the show, but Amanda overheard and invited herself along. She showed up with the other girls.”
“You mean you and Amanda aren’t best friends?” Jeffrey laughed.