5

The entire Walker clan unloaded boxes and furniture off the trailer. Only Sparrow’s brother, Wren, was excused—and only because he was stationed in Hawaii. Her mother was beside herself with joy over having both her daughters living in Sweet Home.

Even Garrett and Micara were pitching in, but Gabriel hadn’t offered to help. He’d kicked back on his porch most of the morning and watched everyone from a distance. Every so often, he’d change positions in his chair or stand up and lean on the railing.

Sparrow directed where to take boxes and furniture, bagged trash, and served bottle after bottle of water in between carrying various items. The box in her hand dug into her skin. She balanced it on her knee while adjusting her grip. It toppled over and hit the ground with a crash. She dropped beside it and opened the flaps, eager to inspect the contents for damage. But a large shadow prevented her from seeing inside. Shielding her eyes, she squinted up at Gabriel’s large form.

“Anything I can do to help?” His gravelly voice settled deep.

His sudden appearance rattled her.

“I think we’ve got enough help, but thanks anyway.”

“Well, I can’t sit back and let you take advantage of my family.” He motioned toward Garrett and Micara who were busy carrying in a dresser. “Last thing I need is to take care of your sorry butt again.”

Garrett stalled. “My knee’s fine, Gabe. Good grief. I’m not entirely helpless.”

“Boys, it’s getting a little heavy.” Micara’s voice sounded slightly strained.

“Plus, I have Micara to help me now.”

“Fine.” Gabriel bent down and swept the box off the ground with ease. “Looked like you were having some trouble with this. Which room does it belong in?” He was already walking toward the house.

She wouldn’t argue. “That one’s got a mixture. Just set it in the living room.” He walked too fast for her, so she stopped. “Thanks, Gabriel. I really appreciate your help. Ah, never mind. You’re not listening to a word I’m saying.”

“Sparrow, quit talking to yourself and get to work.” Robin wiped at sweat as she hurried past.

Sparrow sputtered in a failed attempt to explain what was really going on, but Robin was already in the house.

Gabriel appeared, picked up another box from the ground, and turned. This time, she was right behind him with a floor lamp. He let the screen door slam. She came up short and then took a deep breath. He hadn’t closed the door on her on purpose. He was not a mean person. Her phone calls and nagging irritated him, but the reluctant help showed he actually had a heart and didn’t hold too much of a grudge.

She reopened the door and maneuvered the lamp inside.

Her family worked with military precision. They unloaded and cleaned until everything was inside and the house sparkled and smelled of disinfectant. Next came unpacking. Her family liked to see things through to the finish.

“You ready to put books on the shelves?” Robin knelt beside a box.

“Yep, let’s get it over with.” Sparrow joined her sister next to the shelving.

“You’re so blessed to have all these built-ins.” Robin placed a few books then spun around quickly. “Let’s race!”

“What? Wait. No. I’m too tired.”

Robin grabbed another handful of books and put them on the shelves. “Better hurry.”

“No fair. You got, like, a ten-book head start.”

Her protests went unheard as Robin bent to grab more books. Sparrow dove into another box. It was a struggle, but worth it if she could beat Robin. Book after book flew onto the shelves. When one box emptied, they grabbed another and kept going. There were ten boxes total, and they were neck to neck in the competition. Then it came down to the last box. They dove for it at the same time, knocking their heads together.

“Ouch!” Sparrow grabbed her head.

Thick-headed Robin kept going.

“You should get penalized for unnecessary roughness.”

“You should get penalized for running your mouth too much. Look out.” Robin reached across for the last few books in the box. Sparrow slapped her hands away and snatched the books. Robin slapped at them, and they scattered to the floor. Both women scrambled to grab as many as they could in the last push. Then two sets of manicured fingers clamped down on the last book. Sparrow tugged. Robin tugged back. “I had it first.”

“This book is mine.”

“Only if you can pry it from my hands.”

“That can be arranged.”

A struggled ensued for the possession of the last book. Sparrow couldn’t believe she was a grown woman wrestling her grown sister for a book in a silly competition. But here they were, rolling around on the floor, pushing and pulling, and acting like fools.

“Girls!” The gruff voice belonged to her father. “Is this what happens when a business degree and a masters of education come together?”

Oh no, he was referring to them by their level of education. This was never a good sign.

“It is when they’re related, and one of them is a cheater-cheater-pumpkin-eater.” Robin rolled her eyes, and Sparrow bit back a giggle, half expecting her sister to stick out her tongue.

“Cheater? Which one of us had a ten-book head start before announcing the challenge?”

“I think that’s only fair because you’re taller and have longer arms.”

“What does that have anything to do with—?”

“That’s enough, you two. Sparrow, you keep working here in the living room. Robin, you go help your mother and what’s-his-name.”

Robin obeyed immediately.

Sparrow had no choice since she was already in the room she'd been told to be in. Smart move on her father’s part. How did one make a stubborn person obey? Tell them to do what they were already doing.

Sparrow gathered up all the empty boxes. This happened at every family gathering. Competitiveness attacked, and Sparrow changed from a respected and responsible adult into a silly, petty teenager.

As she flattened the boxes, she looked around the living room. All the furniture was in place. The only things left to do in this room would be to hang curtains and pictures and put a few decorative items around. Corbin Bleu’s little bed would fit nicely between the end of the couch and the bookshelves. He’d need a place to rest after today. Poor little guy had to stay outside in Robin’s backyard while they worked so he wouldn’t get stepped on. He had a bad habit of always being underfoot.

Robin stuck her head back in the room. “I gotta go settle my little monkey down for a nap. Dad wants you to report to your bedroom.”

“All right. This room is pretty much done anyway.”

The master bedroom looked like a dumping ground.

“Whew, it is a mess in here.” She grimaced as she glanced around the room.

“Tell me about it,” Gabriel said as he stepped out of the closet. “You think you got enough stuff?”

She hadn’t realized he was still here. “Gabriel, I really appreciate your help, but you don’t have to stay. I have enough family here. We’ll get it all straightened out.”

“Nah. I got myself into this mess, and I’m not stopping now. What do you want me to do first?”

She stood with her hands on her hips and surveyed the boxes. “This one is full of jewelry that needs to be sorted. You could start folding all those linens and putting them on the top shelf of the closet if you’d like. That’ll be a good job for you since you’re so tall.” It would keep him on the other side of the room, too. “Mom, could you come help me for a minute?”

And it couldn’t hurt to have another person in the room with them.

“What is it, dear?” Her mother appeared with a dust rag thrown over her shoulder, strands of hair coming loose from the bun on top of her head, and a smile in spite of it all.

Sparrow held up a knotted ball of costume jewelry. It would take a while to get it untangled. “How did this happen? I laid it gently in the box, and it only traveled a short distance. Help me, please.”

Her mother’s soft laughter filled the room. Then she knelt beside Sparrow, and they began working from both ends of the mess. After a few minutes, they worked the first necklace free. Then another, and another. They laid them on the bed until she could locate someplace to hang them.

“Granny, nobody will get me a drink, and I’m so thirsty.” Sparrow’s niece stuck out her bottom lip for effect.

Sparrow’s mother instantly stopped what she was doing and went over to her middle grandchild. “I’ll get you something to drink, sweetie.”

They disappeared down the hall.

Sparrow was left alone with Gabriel.

“If you would unclasp the necklaces before you start working them apart, you could free them easier.”

“When did you become an expert on women’s jewelry?”

“Not jewelry. Knots. They follow the same basic principles.”

“Well, that may be, but I still think my way works fine. The necklaces were clasped when I put them in this box.”

“Suit yourself.” He shrugged and went back to work. But after several minutes of listening to her grumble over a lapful of tangled necklaces, his voice filled the room again. “Why don’t you just take my advice?”

“I didn’t ask for your advice.”

“I’ll be sure to use that line next time you call me about Slade.”

“Don’t start.”

“Just unclasp the necklaces and see how many you can slide out. Even if only two or three come free, it’ll loosen the knot as a whole and make it easier for you to work with.”

She parted her lips to speak but decided against it. Lord, help me display Christian character when dealing with this frustrating man.

“Here, just let me do it. I’ve finished folding all the bedding anyway.”

“No, I’ve got it. I’m sure you can find something else to do in another part of the house. Or your own house.”

“Is everything OK in here?” Her mother stood in the doorway. The pleasant smile held a hint of mischief.

“Yes, Mother. Everything is fine.”

“First, you and Robin got into it. Now you and this nice man—”

“Gabriel.”

“Thank you. Now you and Gabriel aren’t playing nice. Come here. Come here.” She motioned for Gabriel to come closer. He obeyed. “I would love it if you two could work together to get this project finished.” Her brown eyes twinkled, and she smiled.

Sparrow understood the perpetual preschool teacher and how she operated, but Gabriel was unprepared and fell into her trap.

“Yes, ma’am. We’ll find a way to work together.”

Mom landed two light pats on his shoulder. “That’s better.”

Alone with him again, Sparrow now had to face the task of working side-by-side under her mother’s orders to “play nice.”

“How about you work that end, and I work this end?”

“Sure.”

Of course, Gabriel started undoing the clasps on several necklaces. He delicately took the end of one between two fingers and pulled. Her eyes widened as the necklace slipped easily from the pile. She pretended not to notice the I-told-you-so look he gave her. Or any of the looks that followed as he continued to slip necklace after necklace from the jumbled pile.

“Whoa, what is this?” His fingers followed a very long, beaded chain. Like a magician pulling a never-ending rope of colored scarves, he continued until his fingertips bumped hers.

Her fingers tingled from coming into contact with him. Instinctively, she pulled back.

“It’s a long necklace that wraps around several times. I haven’t worn it in years though.” She looked at the pile of knotted necklaces and the dozens of freed ones draped over a hangar. “I don’t wear half this stuff. I should probably go through it all.”

“That would be a good idea.”

Gabriel continued to work faster, and she lost count on how many times he accidentally brushed his fingertips against hers. It was such a tedious and feminine job. She didn’t understand why he would do this, especially considering how much he disliked her, but she had to admit she was glad for his company.

“Well, that’s it. Thanks for your help.”

His mouth turned up in a grin, but this time it was genuine. He seemed almost happy. “My pleasure.”

They picked up all the empty boxes and some trash in the room and took it out to her dad’s pickup truck. Another mundane task, but the connection between them was intense. Now if they could just work together to help Slade.

Baby steps.

Something in Gabriel’s gaze held Sparrow captive. Since she didn’t have time to be anyone’s captive, she avoided looking into his eyes for the rest of the workday. She tried reciting affirmations, but her mixed emotions kept getting the best of her. Even though she wasn’t looking at him, she couldn’t turn off what she felt. Her mission was now muddled with emotion. This was just the thing Garrett warned her about in the teacher’s lounge. It was all happening so fast.

She tossed a few more empty boxes into the back of the truck and then went to the kitchen to make another pitcher of tea. Robin and her mother had the kitchen all set up. She’d probably need help finding things for a few weeks, but she wouldn’t starve. This room already felt like home.

“Your brother would’ve loved all this hard labor.” Her mother sat several glasses down on the counter.

Sparrow continued stirring the pitcher of tea. “Yes, he would have. Do you want some tea?”

“Everyone does. I’ll start filling glasses with ice while you pour.”

“OK.”

The sound of ice cubes clinking drew her family to the kitchen from various rooms of the house. The mention of her brother who was so far away saddened her, and Sparrow remained quiet as her family and friends trickled into the tiny kitchen. They chattered about mundane things—local news, school events, and the next club meetings.

Gabriel sipped tea in a corner. Most of his attention settled on her.

The level of mutual awareness between her and Gabriel reached frustrating levels. She’d never had this reaction with any other man in her life. All the heavy lifting and cool weather must be playing tricks on her. Those things had a way of making people do and feel things they wouldn’t normally.

A tray of finger sandwiches, cubed cheeses, pickle slices, and olives appeared on the small, round table. Her nieces and nephews dug in first. The adults caught the second wave. Even Gabriel picked up a piece of cheese and some olives.

“Where did all this food come from?” Sparrow asked.

“Robin brought the groceries, and we put it together while you two were bickering in the back room.” Her mom smiled. “We can’t have hungry workers, now can we?”

“This is very thoughtful. Mom, I’m sorry Gabriel and I were behaving like little children who missed their naps. And me and Robin in the living room…Dad, sorry about that. I guess the stress of trying to get me moved and completely set up in one day got to us.”

Her mother slipped her warm arm around Sparrow’s shoulders and squeezed. “It’s all right, Sparrow. Your father and I are just glad to have you settled in Sweet Home. And speaking of settled, maybe now that you’re here you can find a husband. I’d like to see you married and entered into the grandbaby competition with Robin. She’s winning, ya know?”

Sparrow choked. “Mom! Robin’s got five kids. You’ll be lucky if I have one, and that’s a long shot.” She did want a husband and kids, but she couldn’t see all that in her future. “In fact, I may never marry.”

The room was quiet. No one argued with her. They continued eating and seemed satisfied with her response.

Gabriel’s right eye twitched. Or was that a wink? The man was driving her crazy.

She hadn’t been in her house a full day, and already there were dishes to wash. Everyone had eaten and cleared the room. Now it was her job to clear the table.

Gabriel stood against the counter, munching the last bit of everything. “So your momma is ready for a little Sparrow Jr., huh?”

“Ha ha.” She rolled her eyes.

“Just kidding. I don’t see you as the marrying type anyway.”

Warm water splashed up when she dropped a dish. She pointed a soapy finger at his chest. “I’ll have you know that if I wanted to get married, I could. The fact that I’m not married is a choice.”

He put his hands up defensively. “Calm down. Marry. Don’t marry. If you choose to marry, better make it someone who likes being controlled.”

She flung soapy, wet water in his direction, but it was too late. He fled the room before she could make contact.

~*~

After a day of working hard and fast, Sparrow was grateful for an organized kitchen. Everything looked beautiful. In her family, every job well done ended with a big family meal.

Robin had the kitchen running like her restaurant, barking orders.

Gabriel was still hanging around, working with her dad and Garrett on some minor repairs. Even though he’d spent a good portion of the day on his porch, he’d pitched in as if it had been his plan all along.

She was doing her best to ignore him.

“You think Wren’s sunbathing and surfing on his days off?”

Conversation over dinner turned to her brother. “I’m sure of it.”

“He’s doing so well. Military life suits him.”

“He’s a great soldier in a line of great soldiers.”

A wave of nods and smiles went around the room.

“Look out, here comes the main course.” The scent of smoked meat wafted the air as her dad placed an aluminum pan full of his fall-off-the-bone ribs on the table. He’d been cooking them all day while they worked. The smoker was a housewarming gift to Sparrow from her parents. Her dad stood over the ribs with tongs in hand, serving them up with pride. Everyone clamored to fill their plates with delicious food.

Baked beans, potato salad, and rolls filled bowls on the table. Robin and her husband fixed plates for their five children first.

Gabriel’s full plate waited on the counter beside him. He cleared his throat and raised a hand. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to say a little prayer.”

“Yes, please. Go ahead.” Everyone cheerfully agreed. Everyone bowed.

“Father in Heaven, we are grateful for loved ones who are always willing to help when needed. When someone’s assistance is wanted and asked for, it’s a great joy.”

Sparrow’s forehead wrinkled. She didn’t like the way he emphasized the words wanted and asked for.

“And thank you for all this delicious food. Bless those who prepared it and those who will enjoy it. Amen.”

Conversation, clinking dishes, and chatter filled the next few minutes. None of which Sparrow participated in. Gabriel had given her a large helping of food for thought, and every time she swallowed, her belly filled with more tidbits of annoyance and frustration than actual food. She stood and carried her plate to the sink, her food barely touched. “Y’all don’t worry about cleaning up. I’ll do it tomorrow. The food was delicious. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, but where are you going? You only ate a few bites.”

“Back to my bedroom to make the bed and get things in order. I’m too anxious to eat.”

No one followed her. She had managed to pick a room no one else wanted to work in, so she stayed preoccupied for the remainder of the evening in solitude. With every item she put away, her breaths came easier and fuller. Muscles softened that had been tight. Her bed was all made and turned down, and it beckoned to her. She lay across the mattress and curled up. Just for a minute. Who was she trying to convince? She looked around at her room. Nothing could bring her down.

“Working hard I see.”

Strike that.

“Gabriel, I don’t want to get into it with you. You’ve been a great help, but I think it’s time for you to go home now.”

“Don’t give me too much credit. I only came over here to make sure my little brother didn’t injure himself. Then I kept helping because I didn’t want anyone to think I wasn’t a good neighbor.”

“Is that what you were doing when you said that prayer, making it look as if you’re a good Christian, too?” She instantly felt bad about that remark. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that. You make me so angry.”

“The feeling is mutual.”

She was now sitting up on the edge of the bed. She crossed her arms and looked up at him. “Have you given any more thought about coming to the parenting meeting?”

“And there you go again. When will you realize that I don’t want your help? Kinda like you didn’t want mine today?” He shook his head. “Slade will outgrow this stage. Until then, everything is fine.”

“Really? How are things going with Slade?”

“He’s a handful, but I manage.”

Did Gabriel actually think he was fooling her? Everything he did was for show.

She only hoped that through persistence she could get him to communicate better. She’d continue going after him until he agreed to take the necessary steps to help his son. She just had to figure out the best way to go about it. Letting him believe he had the upper hand was of utmost importance. “Looks as though you’re doing a great job so far.” She patted his arm a couple of times as she passed by him.

“I’d like to see you do better.”

She pivoted in the doorway. He’d fallen right into her trap. “I accept the challenge.” Maybe her competitive upbringing would come in handy after all.

“Hey, Sparrow. We’re gonna head home. Micara is already warming up the car. She said to tell you bye.” Garrett waved through the door.

Gabriel went to Garrett and accompanied his brother toward the front door.

“Thank you both for all your help today. I know I’m gonna love living here.”

“I’m happy you’re renting this house and bringing it back to life.” Garrett smiled.

“I have a lot of plans for improving the place. One room at a time.”

“That’s the way to do it. Good night.”

“Good night.” Sparrow went to the living room.

Robin sat on the floor by the coffee table and organized magazines.

“Can I help?” Exhaustion softened Sparrow’s voice.

“Sure. I’m sorting the magazines by type and then by date.” She grabbed another stack and handed them to Sparrow. “Why do you have all these magazines anyway?”

“I save them for the teachers. They use them in their lessons sometimes.”

“I see. So organizing them is pointless?”

“Pretty much.”

“And you weren’t going to fight me on it?”

“I’m too tired to argue at this point. Just doing what I’m told.”

Robin glanced at the work she’d done so far and sighed. “I’ll just throw them back in the box.”

The job took just long enough for Sparrow to think about her life compared to her sister’s. There wasn’t much age difference, but she hadn’t accomplished nearly what her sister had. Robin had a business and was successful. She had a husband and children to love her.

“What now?”

“I got everything organized here.” Robin glanced around the room. “Some plastic tubs are sitting on the porch filled with things I think need to be put up. You should go through and check them.”

“You’re probably right. I’ll check.”

A short time later, the tubs of holiday decorations were stacked against a wall in the back of the storage building. The building was small and musty and smelled of worms and wet dirt, probably because it had a dirt floor. Sturdy wooden shelves kept the tubs off the ground.

Sparrow put boxes away as she contemplated the day. She had always been a step behind her siblings. Her father was a good man, a military man who loved his family, but he was also stubborn and set in his ways. He wanted everything just so. She’d been determined her whole life to do things her way and still gain approval. Maybe that’s why she felt so drawn to Gabriel. He was a man much like her father. And like her father, he’d resisted every effort she’d made to get him to do things her way.

Thinking of Gabriel tired her out. But if she could help him get control of Slade, then he’d be worth keeping. Keeping? Gabriel? She shied away from that thought. But she’d never walked away from a challenge in her life, and she wasn’t about to start now.