Chapter 13

MIKE

Ididn't know what had gotten into me, except that talking to Tammy had given me some perspective on my life. She was so young to have lost both her parents, and in such a tragic accident. I set aside my frustrations with my own family and jogged downstairs to join them for breakfast.

My mom was shocked. "What are you doing here?"

I grinned, kissing her on her forehead. "Just wanted to spend some time with my mom."

She grumbled a little, but I could see she was pleased. "I can make some pancakes if you like."

"Pancakes sound good," I said, plopping into a seat. "I took a look at a cabin for rent yesterday."

"A cabin?" She almost dropped the flour, before she caught it and set it down on the counter. "Why do you want to move into a cabin?"

I shrugged. "It would be private. It's really nice. I put in an application—I'm waiting to hear from the guy."

"Why do you need privacy?" asked my mom, who'd spent her entire adult life living behind a lumberyard.

I wasn't sure how to explain. My phone rang, saving me from the conversation.

"Hello?" an unfamiliar voice began.

"Hi," I responded.

"Mike Newbury?"

"Yes."

"This is Randall Calloway, the owner of the property at 2013 Deer Tail Road."

"Yes?" I said excitedly, waving my hand at Mom.

She broke an egg into the mixing bowl, ignoring me.

"I just wanted to give you an update," the man continued. "We had one other interested party, but you were the first applicant. So, we're going to go with you. I just have to do the background check and the credit check, and we'll need first month's rent and the deposit."

"Right," I said, all business.

"Can you come by my office tomorrow morning?" he asked, as if these were all just formalities he had mentioned.

"Sure," I agreed, knowing that I was sunk. They were going to run a background check. They would pick up my conviction and the six months I had spent in jail and go running to this other applicant, whoever that was. I hung up the phone, feeling distinctly less excited than I had moments before.

"What was that?" Mom asked, stirring her batter.

"That was the cabin," I said. "They decided to go with me, but they're going to run a background check."

Dad came into the kitchen, carrying his newspaper. "Morning, son. Are you working today?"

"I'm eleven to seven today," I said.

"What's this about a cabin?" Dad settled into a seat at the table.

"I finally saved up enough money to get a place of my own. I'm just worried because they're running a background check."

"It was a nonviolent offense," Dad said.

"Don't encourage him," Mom snapped.

"Why not?" Dad smiled at me. "He's been doing real good. He's never tested positive for any drugs. He's a reliable worker, and he's saving his money. We should cut him some slack for once."

"Thank you," I said, surprised by the sudden support.

"Did you tell that girl about your past?" Mom changed the subject, unwilling to be persuaded.

"No." I picked at the edge of the table with my thumbnail.

"It's not fair to her if you don't tell her. She should know what she's getting into." Mom poured the batter onto a hot pan.

I wasn't sure I wanted to stick around for pancakes anymore. "I'll tell her. I'm just not ready yet."

"Tell him that he needs to bring the girl up to speed." Mom pointed her spatula at Dad.

"Who's this girl?" Dad asked.

"She's new in town," I answered dreamily. "She's from Austin."

"And what's her name?"

"Tammy."

"Tammy from Austin," Dad repeated, as if committing the combination to memory.

Mom turned the stove off and stalked out of the kitchen. I looked over at Dad for clarity.

"She feels like she failed you," Dad said.

"She didn't fail me, and I didn't fail her," I grumbled. "I wish she would just get over it or try to be more understanding of how I feel."

"Give her time," Dad reasoned.

"Do you think these pancakes are any good?" I hopped up and went over to the stove. What was in the pan looked mostly cooked. I scooped up one with careful fingers, putting it into my mouth. "They're good."

Dad frowned. "Don't let your mom catch you doing that."

I laughed. "Thanks for coming around to my side."

"I'm not taking sides," Dad said gently. "There is only one side, and that's family. We need to all get along with each other."

"Sorry." It seemed like every time I made up my mind to extend a peace offering to Mom, I messed it up. "Tell her the pancakes were great."

Dad smiled but remained noncommittal. I kissed him on top of the head and went back to my own apartment to take a shower before work. Every day was different at the lumberyard, and today, for some reason, there were a lot of customer service issues. One man thought he needed two-by-fours, but when he got home, he realized he had made a mistake. One woman wanted to buy a cut of wood for an end table, but she didn't want to pay to have us cut it. Another customer gave me grief over the quality of the material in the bargain bin. I had to explain that the reason a piece ended up in the bargain bin was that there was something wrong with it.

"But they're all warped," the customer complained.

I sighed, summoning my best smile. "I could show you some better-quality lumber."

"No, thank you." The man turned on his heels and stalked back to the parking lot. I barely had any downtime from eleven until two, when things finally relaxed. As soon as the multiple crises passed, I found my thoughts drifting back to Tammy. We had texted each other emojis in the morning, just a gentle way of staying in touch, but I wanted more. I wanted to hear her voice.

I found a hidden spot between two displays and gave her a call. The phone rang once, twice, three times, and then the voicemail picked up. I hung up without leaving a message; she would see my number on the caller ID. I went back to work before the manager could discover my hiding place.

An hour later, my phone buzzed. I raced to shelter behind the bargain bin and answered.

"Hi, Mike?" she said. My heart sang; she had put me in her contacts.

"Hey." I tried to sound casual.

"I was working when you called," she explained.

"Duty calls. Thanks for calling me back. I just wanted to hear your voice."

She laughed, a beautiful sound that warmed me to my core.

"When can I see you again?"

She paused, considering. "We're having a cookout at Macy's this weekend. I'd really like it if you came."

"I'm there," I promised. "Just text me the time."

"Okay," she agreed.

We made pleasant conversation for another few minutes, until Tammy had to go. It was so easy talking to her, and everything I said came naturally. In so many situations I had to be on guard, paying attention to the words I was using, making sure nothing sounded too rough or too critical. But with Tammy, I was free to be myself. She liked me for who I was, and I was beginning to think I loved her.

Now I had the cabin in the woods or hoped I would soon. I could invite her up there and cook her dinner, and we could make love on the basement bar. She was so beautiful, I couldn't wait to get her undressed again. That single phone call with Tammy had given me the strength and focus I needed to complete my day. I worked without incident until my shift ended at seven and then drove into town for some beers.