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Kali stepped out of Dr. Richards’ downtown office and into sunshine. Take Theo to the fireworks. Was the woman crazy? But she should take him to do something, get him out more. They hadn't left the downtown core in almost a month. Besides quick runs to the store, she hadn't driven in almost as long. She had tomorrow off. A beach trip would be perfect. Play in the sand, lounge in the sun, maybe even find some nice kids Theo could play with. And get out of Lincoln's way.
She'd tell Theo about that, get him excited about that. Not fireworks.
Kali's bag vibrated. She reached into the satchel. A blocked number. She hesitated. “Hello?”
“Kali Johnson?”
“Yes.” Kali listened to the voice on the other end of the line, answered when she needed to, hung up when the person said goodbye. She held the phone to her chest and closed her eyes. She'd got it.
The Westwood job. She got it!
Well, she got the two-week long training interview. It started in less than two weeks, and she'd rock it, be the best nurse they'd ever seen. Get the job. Get the childcare. Find a new place to live.
Kali practically ran to Mrs. Martin's. This would be it. This would get her life back on track. Maybe in a year or two, once they'd hired her full time, she'd have enough for a three bedroom apartment. A nice three bedroom apartment. Her, Theo, and Marvin too. She'd convince him. She'd make her life work, their lives work.
Marvin. Kali slowed her pace. With the fireworks last night, her hangover, the impromptu psych meeting, she'd forgotten tomorrow was the day she was supposed to take Theo to see Marvin. He wouldn't go to the beach, at least not a public one, but if she went to one of the secluded coves Derek had shown her, maybe he'd be convinced. Theo could play with kids another day.
Kali breathed deep the scent when Theo jumped into her arms. Nothing smelled like him. “How's my boy?”
He squeezed her tight then pulled back for a smile.
“Were you good for Mrs. Martin?”
Two big nods.
“And did you have fun with Cherie?”
Another nod.
“What'd you do?”
He looked to Mrs. Martin, who stood behind him. “They were trying to build a tree house, just now.”
“A tree house?”
“A miniature one. For the birds. With Popsicle sticks.”
Kali lowered Theo to the ground. “And whose idea was this?”
“Who knows with these two.” Mrs. Martin put one hand to her hip and waved the other, as if exasperated. “I said if it was for the birds it was a birdhouse, but no. They insisted it was a tree house. Adamant about that fact.”
“Oh.” Kali looked to Theo. “Like Lincoln.”
A nod and a big smile.
Tightness spread through her chest. “Well, thank you, Mrs. Martin. I don't work again until Sunday.”
“I'll see you then!” Mrs. Martin came out to the porch, waving as they made their way down the steps and to the sidewalk. It was just a tree house. Any kid would be intrigued with a tree house.
Nervousness and exhaustion washed back over Kali. Lincoln was likely home, unless he was specifically avoiding them. He could be at the library. Or taking Romper for a walk. Just let him be taking Romper for a walk. Let her have a few minutes to not fear his thoughts over last night.
A bark sounded from behind the door. Not a walk. But still, he could be gone. Once, he'd left without Romper. Kali put her key in the lock. The scent of bacon and onion and garlic wafted around them.
“Hey, boy.” Kali bent to pat Romper, who barely gave her a glance of acknowledgement, his focus on Theo. Kali left the two at the door and stepped into the kitchen. Empty. No pots or pans with warming leftovers waited on the stove.
She walked down the hall and rapped gently on Lincoln's door. Nothing. Well, damn. Was he going to be this much of a child about it? She was about to knock harder when the toilet flushed. She stepped away from the door.
“Oh, hey.” Lincoln appeared and stepped around her to get to his room
“Hi.” This wasn't her. Cowering. Not speaking her mind. “Whatever you made for dinner smells good.”
“Yep.” Lincoln put one foot over the threshold then hesitated. “Leftovers are in the fridge. I ate a couple of hours ago and wasn't sure when you'd be back.”
“Great. Thanks.” Kali stepped forward. “About last night.”
Lincoln sighed and turned.
“I just—”
“Listen. Last night was stupid. A mistake. I'm sorry I—” He gestured toward her. “But maybe it was good. Get us to stop acting like we're ... anything, I guess. You're boarding here. A tenant. Whatever. We should keep our distance.” He paused. “Like you said.”
“No.” Kali bit her lip. She wrapped her arms around her middle. She didn't want to be standing here. Hated that she needed him, needed to apologize for telling a man not to kiss her ... though that wasn't what she actually needed to apologize for. “I mean, it's not like we need to be best friends or anything but it's been nice, the way things have been going. I shouldn't have said,” she pressed her lips, “the things I said.”
“Kali—” Lincoln stood to his full height.
“I was upset. Stressed. I hadn't heard from that job, which I thought meant I didn't get it.” She smiled. “But I did.” Sort of. Lincoln didn't need to know it was tentative training.
He nodded. “Well, good. You start mid-August?”
“Officially, yeah.”
“So we keep to ourselves as best we can. You start looking for an apartment. And the sooner we go our separate ways the better, for both of us.”
“Lincoln.”
“I liked my life the way it was. And I'm sure this isn't the ideal situation for you.”
Kali stared at him. Of course it wasn't the ideal situation. But that didn't mean—
“I have reading to do. Have a good night.”
The door closed behind Lincoln. A sound down the hall made Kali look up. Theo stood watching as Romper walked toward Lincoln's door. Had he heard? Would he even understand? Probably not. Maybe not.
“Hey, Sweetie. You hungry?”
Theo's head tilted to the side. Romper whimpered at Lincoln's door.
“Come on.” Kali waved Romper up the hall and entered the kitchen in search of leftovers.
An hour later Kali was sitting in the living room reading Theo stories.
“Was that a good one?”
Theo nodded. He held the book up to her. “No. Not again. We'll get some new ones from the library tomorrow.”
He pushed the book toward her face.
“Theo.” She tickled him and he squirmed. “Four stories is enough for any boy.”
He held his hand up.
“Five? No, not five.” She held her fingers up. “Four.”
He shook his head and waved his hand, pointed to himself, held up four fingers. Then he pointed to the book. Four fingers again. Pointed to himself. Five fingers. To the books. Five.
“Ahh,” Kali laughed, “four books because you're four, but you’re not four yet. Soon. But when you turn five can you have five books?”
He nodded, his grin the one that clenched her heart. Kali leaned down to him. “We'll see. But what about when you're fifty?”
Theo raised both hands in a shrug and cocked his head to the side.
“How about we make a deal? If you still want me to read you stories when you're fifty, then I'll read you fifty stories.” She paused. “For your fiftieth birthday.”
Theo nodded vigorously. He stuck his hand out for a shake. Kali grasped it.
“Deal.” She shifted him closer. “I have a surprise for you.”
Theo's eyes widened.
“We're taking a trip tomorrow. To the beach!”
Theo pressed his lips together for a moment then raised his arms as if swimming. He put his hands together and mimed a dive.
“Yes.” Kali clapped. “And not just the ocean. We'll play in the sand and lie in the sun AND—” she paused for effect, “we'll do our best to convince Grampie to come with us.”
Theo's eyes widened again. He looked skeptical.
“I bet you could convince him. Tell him you really, really want him there.”
Theo pulled back, a look of impending betrayal settling over him.
Kali's heart clenched again, this time for a different reason. “You could draw him a picture of all of us at the beach and give it to him, then give him a little tug so he knows you want him to come.”
Theo scrunched up his face and put his hand to his chin. Kali couldn't help but smile. If he never spoke, at least he could have a career as a mime one day ... not that she wanted that.
Theo held out his arms and pushed forward.
“His cart?”
A nod.
That was a problem. It wouldn't fit in her car. “Maybe one of his friends could watch it.” Did Marvin even have friends? “Or maybe we could empty everything out into the trunk and if he lost the cart, he could get another one.”
Theo seemed to consider this for a moment. He jumped off the couch and ran to the corner where his paper and crayons were. He held a sheet up.
“No.” Kali gave him a smile. “Not tonight. You can draw Grampie the picture tomorrow morning when I'm making breakfast.”
Theo held up the paper again.
“Tomorrow.”
He set it down.
“Bedtime now. Let's go brush your teeth.”
Kali returned to the living room and pulled a book out of one of the boxes she'd yet to unpack. She wanted to watch a movie, not read. Wanted to lose her thoughts in some comedy. But with no internet, her computer felt useless.
Kali was three pages into the novel when she looked up. “God.” She gasped. “You startled me.”
“Sorry.” Lincoln approached, then stopped about five feet away. “Theo has a grandfather here?”
Kali sat up.
“I wasn't eavesdropping. I was in the kitchen.”
“He does.”
Lincoln shifted. Something wasn't right. “Then why didn't you move in with him?”
“What?”
“If Theo has this grandfather who you're obviously close enough with to take to the beach, why didn't you move in with him? He didn't have a couch you could squat on?”
Kali clenched her teeth. “He doesn't have a couch. He doesn't even have a house.”
Lincoln stared at her. His expression shifted as recognition seemed to fall on him. “The bottle collector?”
Kali swallowed. She nodded.
“He's your—no. Your husband's father?”
“He is.”
“Geez.” Lincoln moved to his couch and sat. “Well, that explains it. So you two are still close?”
“He matters. He's Theo's grandfather.”
“How did he—” Lincoln stopped.
Kali searched his face. What was going on in his head? Would whatever money he had that let him live here without working, let him think he could build a tree house in the woods to survive the winter, run out? If it did, he'd probably end up like Marvin. Only from the lack of visitors he'd had so far, Kali doubted he'd have someone like her to look out for him.
Marvin had been normal once. Had a house and a job and a family. And then he hadn't ... and he'd broke. “How did he what?”
“How did he end up like that?”
Kali closed her book and stood. Lincoln wasn't her concern, he'd made that clear, and she and the things that mattered to her weren't his. “Didn't you say it's best we kept to ourselves? That means not asking questions about my family.”
Lincoln didn't respond, and Kali left the room.