Page 47 of Chasing Sunrise

“I’m renovating the house.” She led him through the dark, wood-paneled hallway to the kitchen/den area and turned on the lights. “I started in here.” Now that it was finished, this room made her happy. Even though it was raining outside, the room was bright, with new white cabinets and updated tile with white and black scrolls. The stainless-steel appliances and countertops in white quartz with hints of black brightened the room as well.

The kitchen opened to a small seating area with a navy loveseat, a painted-pink table, and a black chest of drawers with a TV on the top. A huge colorful abstract print hung over her loveseat and the other walls had windows.

“You did this yourself?” He set the bags on the counter.

“Well, I didn’t make the cabinets, I had a professional come in and do those, but I learned how to install tile and paint.

“I’m impressed.”

She smiled and coughed.

He approached her and put his arm around her. “Let’s get you into bed.”

She leaned against him. Did he know she felt weak? Could he sense it? How comforting to have someone take care of her. She’d never really enjoyed the reassurance of someone looking after her. She felt certain her ex-husband would’ve done it if he’d ever been around.

“I’m working on the bathroom, but all I’ve done in the rest of the house is pull up the carpet, hence the concrete and so many rugs.” She felt the need to explain.

“Stained concrete is cool.”

“Yeah, I like it too. Haven’t decided what I’m going to do yet.” She covered her mouth and yawned. He escorted her to the bed. She crawled in and turned onto her back.

“Did you have a fever at the appointment?”

“A slight one. I took something for it earlier.”

His lips brushed her forehead. His handsome face was so close. “Call me if you need me, I’ll leave the door ajar.”

“Thank you.” She fell asleep with the warm imprint of his lips on her forehead.

~

Although Amanda hadanswered the door with watery red eyes and a runny nose, she still looked sexy.

When he put his arm around her, he noticed she felt warm and kissed her forehead to verify a fever. He’d learned how to do that when Marisol was a baby.

He found a pot in the cupboard and set to making chicken soup. He sautéed an onion and browned slices of chicken breast. He added chopped veggies and a box of chicken broth before adjusting the heat to simmer.

This room looked like a professional renovation. It could be featured in a magazine. Impressed, he’d never have guessed she’d have laid tile flooring. She seemed much too girly.

Seeing photo albums on the side table, he picked one up and leafed through it. Young Amanda was cute, with curly brunette hair and big blue eyes. He turned the page and found her between a man and a woman. They must be her mom and dad. The three of them were smiling, their faces close together. The next page read “snow day.” He lifted a picture out of the cellophane paper and read the back,Amanda three.

He kept scanning through and saw her playing the piano, dressed as an alligator for Halloween, and pictures of her sitting on Santa’s lap. They spoke of a happy childhood.

Feeling like he was invading her privacy, he shut the album and put it back. He went into the kitchen, found a loaf pan, and used a mix he bought to make a bread and put it in the oven. While the bread cooked, he checked his phone and read his emails, not bothering to get on social media. He answered a text from Zack asking about his and Dre’s summer plans. While in college, the three of them always vacationed together during spring break and summer. With how busy they were nowadays; it’d become tricky to find a time that worked for all three of them.

Kasey went to the bathroom. Surprised to find an unfinished mosaic on the wall, he studied the half-finished piece. The blue sky had been completed, along with white clouds and a set of green hills. Just under the light green hills, one small section was finished in purple, red, pink, and yellow flowers. Other flowers, drawn in pencil, filled the rest of the design.

He opened the bathroom closet. At the bottom, in a Rubbermaid container, he discovered the colored tiles.

“Kasey?” Amanda called in a soft, hoarse voice.

In five steps, he made it to her door and pushed it open.

She was on her side facing him, her eyes closed.

“Yes, ma’am?”

“Can you get me another glass of water? I drank mine.”

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