Page 91 of Cooper

I look around. “I see there’s a new roof. I’m glad you were able to fix it.”

She sighs. “It cost much more than we thought, but it was necessary.”

“That’s why I sent extra money.”

Mama’s lips thin into a straight line. “You mustn’t mention the money in front of your friend.”

“Mama, he knows.”

“In front of your father then.”

“Of course not.” I know better than that.

She studies me carefully. “You’re pregnant.”

“What? No, I’m not.” I make a face.

“You are glowing with happiness. Is it because of a baby or this man?”

“The man,” I say firmly. “There’s no baby.”

“You’re sure?”

“Very sure. I’m on birth control. It’s implanted in my arm so it’s not the kind of thing I can forget to take a dose of.”

She shakes her head. “You are giving him the benefits of a wife without a ring on your finger! Why would you demean yourself like this?”

“Mama, things are different now. You know that. Please don’t make things awkward. I wanted you to meet him. We have to leave in thirty-six hours, so can we please just enjoy our time together?”

She shakes her head and then nods.

“Is he handy?”

“What do you mean?”

“Greta was playing on the stairs and the rails are loose. She almost fell from the top.”

“Oh.” I look up at the rickety old staircase and then turn to Cooper. “Babe… are you handy at all? The stair rail is loose, and Greta almost fell.”

He looks relieved to have something to do. “Sure. Let me take a look. I may not be able to do anything without tools, though.”

“Papa has tons out in the shed. Just tell me what you need.”

He goes upstairs and Mama and I watch him for a moment.

“Come,” she says. “You can hang the laundry for me while I feed Greta. She doesn’t like soup.” She rolls her eyes.

“No problem.” I take the basket of wet clothes and walk out to the back.

It’s an even bigger mess than the front, with random tools and abandoned vehicles all over the place.

Papa is always buying and selling things. He just tends to lose interest in them if they’re not as easy to fix as he thought they would be, or if the parts he needs are too costly. Instead of getting rid of things, he just lets them die in the back yard.

I hang the clothes, wishing there was more I could do for my parents, but they’re proud and stubborn. And I live hours away.

I’m just happy Mama didn’t hate Cooper on sight.

“Natalia, I need a few tools,” Cooper says, coming outside.

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