Page 2 of Silver Lining Love

That wasn’t entirely true. He took my trash cans and recycling out to the street the night before the city came to collect them and brought them back up. He made sure that my tires had air in them and changed my oil. He installed a state-of-the-art security system for me after a guy that I’d been seeing for a few weeks started showing up unannounced at all hours. And when we’d had a power outage last winter, he’d shown up on my doorstep with a generator.

But other than that, he basically ignored me. I’d tried everything. Flirting. Ignoring him. Trying to be his friend. Trying to bemorethan his friend. Nothing worked. He never gave me any indication of what he was thinking.

I wasn’t sure exactly what he did, but I knew that it had something to do with the government and he had top security clearance because I’d been interviewed by someone since I was his neighbor. I knew that he had to have money because this neighborhood was exclusive. I’d never be able to afford it, but my grandma left the house to my sister and me. Since Addison had her own home, a hot husband, and three gorgeous kids, she let me have it.

A voice on the radio cut through my lust-drunk-haze. “Our next caller has a hunch her boyfriend might not be faithful.”

“Oh, turn this up. I love her!” I shouted when I heard Josephine Grace Clarke’s voice.

Hot Tea with Josephinewas my favorite podcast. She was a Hollywood legend from the Golden Age. My Gamma Mary loved black and white movies and had been a huge fan of JGC.

“Hi, I think my boyfriend is cheating on me. He’s been working strange hours and he keeps changing his password on his phone. My friends think I should create a Finsta and message him saying I’m someone else and see if he takes the bait. I feel like if I do that, no matter what happens I’ve ruined our relationship. If he does, then I know that he’s at least capable of cheating on me, and if he doesn’t but then finds out what I did, he’ll be so upset. What should I do?”

I was all ears wanting to hear JGC’s response, but Pete reached out and turned the radio off.

Rude. I was about to turn it back on when I heard the crash of the metal bar. I turned and saw Wyatt was now standing and petting his St. Bernard, Moose. I’d never wanted to be a St. Bernard more in my life. Oh, and he was looking in my direction.

Hello, neighbor.

“Is he your boyfriend?” Pete asked.

“Nope, Pete, he’s not. He’s my?—"

“Phil, my name is Phil,” he spoke over me.

“—silver lining.” I finished before turning toward Pete, or, wait, Phil. “Do you know what that is,Phil?”

Phil just stared at me.

I took his silence to mean he didn’t, so I explained, “Iss something that my Gamma Mary said. She always said lotsa positive stuff. She wassa great, great lady. Her friends said she shoulda beena motitation…a mortitata…a motivential…

“Motivational,” he offered.

“Yes! That’s it! Motivational speaker!” I cheered. “Anyhoos, her and my Grandpa Mike took me and my sister in after my mom ran off with husband number three—” I held up three fingers in front of Phil’s face. “—to Brazil. Gamma Mary didn’t let us feel sorry for ourselves about it, or anything. If we had a bad day, or something in our life was upsetting, she’d make us find our silver lining.

“It didn’t matter how awful, sad, or horrible a situation was; Gamma Mary always found a silver lining. Even when…” My lips formed an O and a whistle sound came out as I repeated, “when,when,when… that’s a funny word to say. When. Anyhoos, evenwhen Grandpa Mike was diagnosed with terminal cancer and was given three months to live, Gamma Mary said that the silver lining was that they still had three months together.” I leaned over toward Pete and put my hand on his arm. “Even at his funeral she stood up and said, ‘Yes, we’re all sad that Mike is gone, but the silver lining is he lived, and everyone here was blessed to know him and I was blessed to be married to him for sixty-four years.’” I exhaled and turned my head, resting it on the window again as I pressed my finger to the glass. “That’s what he is. Wyatt Briggs is my silver lining.”

“Okay, well?—"

“What’s your silver lining, Pete?” I turned back around and asked.

“Getting you home safe.” He leaned across me and opened the door.

“Aww.” I clutched my hands to my chest. “That’s so sweet! You are the best. I’m going to give you such a good rating.” I pulled out my phone and tapped on the Uber app. It said that my ride had been cancelled. My forehead scrunched in confusion. “Pete, why did you cancel my ride?”

“My name is Phil and I told you, I’mnotan Uber driver! You just got in my car and wouldn’t get out!” he shouted.

Had he told me that he wasn’t an Uber driver? I couldn’t remember…

“Well if you’re notsa Uber driver why did you?—"

He was clearly frustrated as he animatedly explained, “I drove you home because I would want someone to do the same for my daughter if, God forbid, she ever got into a stranger’s car drunk. But my good deed is done. You’re home. Now get out!”

“Fine.” I held up my arms in mock surrender. “Thank you, I guess.”

My legs were a little shaky as I stepped out of the car. As soon as my feet hit the pavement, the car screeched away.

“I take it back. You are not the best!” I swung my arm in the direction of the speeding car, and the motion caused me to lose my balance. I fell backwards, ending up in a seated position.

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