With another tug, the carpet finally released its hold on the floor. Once he got the first section loose, the rest followed with ease, revealing dull hardwood beneath. Inch by inch he ripped up the carpet, which was stained by god knew what. He couldn’t think of a worse covering for a kitchen floor.
In the distance he heard his cell phone ring, but he didn’t budge. He wasn’t expecting any calls, and he needed this carpet out of here. It was the only remnant left behind in the kitchen. Already the ancient appliances had been scrapped as well as the cabinets and old countertops. Tom had finished updating the electrical earlier that week, and by some small miracle the plumbing in the kitchen had already been updated by the previous owners. So once this carpet joined the rest of the trash in the dumpster outside, he could begin putting the kitchen back together.
“Sean, phone.” Mia appeared in the doorway balanced on a pair of crutches.
Coming to his feet and walked over to her, he grabbed the phone from her shorts pocket and kissed her. Rather than return to the living room where she’d been sorting through paint samples, she leaned against the door jamb.
“Hello.”
“Sean, it’s your father.”
Damn. Mia’s continued presence in the kitchen made sense now. “Hi.” A month or two earlier and he would’ve hung up without a second thought. Now he waited.
“Today is Taylor’s birthday. I’m having a cake for her tonight. I hoped you would come.” His father’s voice sounded hopeful. “You’re Aunt Bridget is coming, too.”
Now there was a name he hadn’t heard in a long time. Even before his parents’ divorce, he rarely saw her. After getting married she’d moved out to Colorado. On the rare occasion she made a trip to Massachusetts, her visits to his house had been short. Even as a kid he could tell his Aunt and mom didn’t get along.
“I can’t tonight.”
“I see. Taylor will be disappointed.” His father’s dissappointment echoed in his voice.
“Mia and I have a party to go to,” Sean added. He wanted his father to know he wasn’t making up an excuse, but at the same time he left out the part about it being an engagement party for his mom and Ray. Some things were just better kept private.
“We’re free on Sunday,” Sean said. Thanks to Mia’s insistence and his own conscience, he’d made up his mind to get to know Taylor even before this phone call. Regardless of his father’s actions, Taylor was his little sister and he felt for her. Not only had she lost her mom, but now she found herself living in a new place. All that would be tough enough for a kid, but to top it off she had no one but her father. “Does that work?”
“Yeah, we’re around all day.” His father’s voice turned upbeat.
Once the arrangements were made, he tossed his cell phone onto his toolbox.
“I think you made the right decision.” Mia came farther into the room and leaned on her crutches.
“What you said about her needing family was true.” Sean wrapped his arms around her. Once again the sense of being just where he belonged washed over him. “I’ll need your help buying a birthday present. I have no clue what a twelve-year-old girl would like.”
“Leave that to me,” she said with a gleam in her eye.