“Good,” Jim said with a grin. “We can hit a buffet for lunch.”
It wasn’t long after that I heard noise from the third floor. A shower. I frowned. She hadn’t slept more than a few hours.
A couple of minutes after the water shut off, a wad of paper came sailing out the balcony doors. Jim and the boys laughed. I picked up the paper and saw her business notes. She’d stayed up all night for these then threw them out the window?
“I’ll be right back,” I said to Winifred.
Taking the steps two at a time, I found Michelle at the island. She was bent over the tablet and mumbling incoherent fragments under her breath as she made notes on a piece of paper. I moved closer and looked over her shoulder. It was the same stuff. Well, a little different. The business she was researching was new.
Suddenly she stopped and stared at the paper.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
She yelped and spun on the stool to stare at me with wide eyes.
“Obviously, four hours of sleep isn’t enough. Why are you doing this?” I asked, looking at the paper. “And why did this one fly?” I held up the wrinkled sheet on which she’d obviously worked so hard.
Her shoulders slumped. “I know investments and stocks. Richard invested. It’s the only way I can pay you back.”
I glanced at the crumpled paper again.
“Another thought woke me. That one wasn’t right.” She nodded at the wadded paper I held.
This was about repaying me?
“Back to bed.”
“I’m not five. I don’t need to be told to go to bed,” she said with a stubborn tilt of her head.
“Of course you’re not five. A five-year-old would listen.”
Her hurt expression had me stepping close to hug her. She leaned into it, melting some of my concern.
“I’m just worried,” I said. “Last night you seemed fine with everything that happened yesterday, but then you didn’t sleep.” I recalled Jim’s words about not looking too desperate and knew I was walking a fine line. “Are you planning on leaving?”
She raised a hand and set it on my side. The heat of her palm branded me through my shirt.
“No, Emmitt. I’m not leaving.”
I cleared my throat and stepped away before I gave into my impulse to pick her up and carry her back to bed.
“Since you don’t want more sleep, do you want to come outside? Jim and I were talking about going into town for a few things.”
“Sure. Hold on.”
She disappeared into her room for a moment then came back with some money.
“Could you pick us up some milk and fresh veggies?”
That wasn’t what I had in mind. I mean, I would have picked up anything she needed without the money, but I would have rather had her come with me. Hiding my disappointment, I followed her from the apartment.
When we walked outside, she and Winifred took over playing catch. Liam didn’t say anything about the change, but Aden pouted until Jim promised he’d bring back something cool.
As soon as Jim closed the truck door, I started down the driveway.
“She didn’t want to come along, huh?” he said.
“She’s still afraid to leave here, I think.”
“It’s funny.”
I glanced at him in question.
“She doesn’t want to leave, and you didn’t want to come back, both of you because of what we are.”
“You talk too much.”
He laughed. “Winifred says the same thing. People just don’t like hearing the truth.”
“Or maybe you talk too much.”
We shared a grin. Jim always had been the talker between the two of us. Usually, he was the one who got us in trouble.
The drive to town didn’t seem to take as much time with Jim along. Furniture shopping was a different story. He wanted to recline and lay down on everything. He even climbed up on bunkbeds to make sure they would hold his weight, just in case. By the time we had everything we needed for Michelle’s new apartment, I was more than ready to head back.
“Hold up,” he said, before we’d even made it a mile down the road.
“What?”
“There’s a buffet.”
“I want to get back.”
He snorted. “It won’t take long.”
It didn’t. We stuffed ourselves in a way that had management looking worried and then tipped well before leaving.
“I wish we could eat like that every day,” Jim said, opening his door.
“You do.” I shook my head at him as he scratched his belly and leaned into his seat with a sigh.
He napped on the way back, which gave me some quiet time to think about Michelle. I glanced at the truck bed and trailer full of wrapped furniture. While in the military, I’d sent money home to Mom and Dad for improvements to the Compound. I’d also sent a good portion to Winifred for the house. Whatever was left, I’d saved. Since we were young, we’d heard stories about how Mom had made a home from nothing. Though the chances of me finding a Mate had been slim, I’d wanted to be sure I’d set aside something, just in case. Every dollar I’d saved was now in the back of the truck. Would Michelle know what I was giving her? Probably not. But, I just hoped it was enough to convince her to stay.
As soon as we pulled into the driveway, Jim sat up with a yawn and a stretch.
The kids stopped playing to watch as I backed the trailer up to the house. Winifred and Michelle stood on the porch, waiting.
When Winifred signaled I was close, I stopped. Jim and I got out to unload. It wasn’t much, and I knew it wouldn’t take long. Michelle and the boys stayed back as we brought up the leather sofa, love seat, recliner, queen bed, bunk beds, and dressers. Winifred took some of the smaller items and directed us where to put everything. The other three stayed outside until we had the last heavy piece off the trailer.
While I put Michelle’s room together, Jim started on the boys’ room. Winifred pitched in and got to work on the kitchen and living room. I’d just left Michelle’s room when I heard her and the boys on the steps.
“Get in here and help me,” Jim said. “How can one bed have so many parts?”
He was looking down at the instruction for the bunks. Both dressers were assembled and in place.
The boys came running into the room.
“Can I help?” Aden asked, hunkering down next to Jim.
“Yep. You hold these.” Jim put some screws into Aden’s small hand. “You might have to help me with the directions, too.”
I looked up as Michelle glanced in the room. She studied it for a moment, a sad smile on her lips, then she turned and stepped toward her bedroom.
I ruffled Liam’s hair and followed Michelle. She stood in the doorway, taking it all in for a moment before walking to her bed and lightly touching the comforter. I eyed the space, noting everything. It had taken some time to pick out just the right things. After watching her and asking her about her favorite color, I’d settled for natural shades of brown, green, and blue, hoping it would remind her of being outside. I never wanted her to feel caged here.
The scent of her worry caught my attention, and I stepped into the room. She turned to look back at me.
“You worry too much,” I said. The need to take her worry and ease her fears rode me hard. If only I knew how.