Jack
“How was the funeral yesterday?” asks Sissy.
I kick my boot into the shovel and turn up a pile of dirt.
I’m in the back garden clearing the last of the weeds. The garden’s in full bloom. Dany upheld her end of the bargain. It’s gorgeous back here. I kick the shovel into the ground again and dump another clump of weeds.
“Wow. What’d those weeds ever do to you?”
I sigh and turn to her. “I left early,” I say.
“Why?”
I shrug.
“Was Dany there?”
I nod.
“Seriously, bro. You’ve never been one for loquacious sibling chats, but give me something here.”
“Sis, I’m not going to share my internal struggles with you.”
“Ooh, somebody’s in looove. I called it. I knew it. You’re in looove. I knew it the second Dany proposed in the hospital and you got that stupid look on your face. Jack’s in love, in love,” she sings.
I throw a shovelful of dirt at her.
“Hey,” she squeaks.
“Watch it,” I say.
She chortles evilly. Then she makes calf eyes and kissy faces at me. What have I unleashed?
I let out a long-suffering sigh.
“Anyway. Why aren’t you riding after her on horseback with sword drawn and a bunch of flowers?” she asks.
“You have a weird idea of romance,” I say.
“Call her. Apologize for whatever stupid thing you did.”
“I didn’t—”
“Doesn’t matter.”
I run my hand over my face.
“Ew. You smeared dirt all over,” she says.
“Go away, Sis.”
“Call her,” she says. She holds a hand phone up to her ear. “Call her and tell her you looove her.”
“It’s not that simple,” I say.
“Why not? You’ve got manstipation? Constipation of your emotions?”
A laugh is startled from me.
Then I sober. “She’s better off without me.”
“Dude. Not this again. I’m going to shoot straight because clearly you need it. You were a kid. Whatever you think you did, it wasn’t your fault. Your mom was unhappy. Then she died. Aunt Flo was a dick. Dad, clearly, is still a wad. It isn’t your fault. None of it is your fault. There’s nothing to make up for. You’ve got me. And Dany, if you can get over your manstipation and go after her.”
I punch the shovel into the ground again and dump another load of dirt.
“Yeah, yeah,” I say, mimicking her favorite phrase. I hear what she’s saying but can’t believe it’s that simple.
I decide I’m done in the garden. “I’m going to get cleaned up. I have to figure out how to win the bid over Boreman’s shopping mall.”
“Sorry again, about that. Let me fix it,” she starts.
“No. No way,” I say.
“But it’s not right. He’s a creeper. And shady. There were some weird files in his office. I could dig up some dirt. Hack—”
“No hacking.” I say.
She blows out a long breath then concedes. “Okay. I’m sorry, I really was trying to help.” She looks down at the ground, the picture of humble contrition.
“I know. Next time you help though, stay within the law.”
“Seriously,” she says.
I can’t help but smile at her.
“You think Dany will marry the dick?” she asks. She toes at the pile of dirt. Doesn’t look at me.
I pick up the shovel and start digging again. Slicing it into the ground.
“I don’t know,” I say.
“Yeah,” she says. “Bummer.”
“Yeah,” I say.
Sissy goes inside and I finish up.
When done, I head back in.
The house is completely renovated. Done.
I avoid looking at the walls Dany helped paint, the molding she sanded, the decorations she picked out.
The outside is being painted next week. It’s all ready. I realize now that I was preparing it for my family. That even if I hadn’t admitted it, deep inside I knew.
I was building a home.