Page 80 of His One True Wish

Like the mountains in springtime, like a walk in the rain

His every word reminded me of Smoke River and the quiet walk Axl and I took through the southern field toward the river.

You fill up my senses, come fill me again.

I flipped off the radio. What was wrong with me? Axl was nothing more than a man I fucked and now regretted. I tried to have a meaningless hook-up and failed. As traffic slowed in Golden, my mind wandered back to the moments Axl and I shared in the cabin. I tried to think about other things, like my rage and his lies. But my mind returned to Axl sleeping in front of the fire like a song on repeat. The morning after we made love, I woke to check the weather and remember watching him breathe. He was beautiful, and he was wrong for me. Both things could be true.

I turned the radio back on to hear John Denver finishing his song.

Come let me love you, come love me again.

At the house,Mom and Abby sat at the kitchen table scrolling through Abby’s phone.

“Now, you see this place has a small garden, but not too much yard,” I heard Abby say.

Mom looked up when she heard me walk inside the kitchen. “Billie, honey.” She jumped up and wrapped me in a tight hug.

Abby stayed at the table, beaming at me, phone in hand. “Hi, Billie! I was just showing your mom some properties, less up-keep, less investment, good options for downsizing.”

Oh, so Abby planned to sell the house, make money on my mom, and then turn around and make more money. My temper flared. I’d had enough of other people trying to take care of me and my mom.

“Thanks, Abby, but I don’t think we are ready to think about re-investing, are we, Mom?”

Abby’s smile didn’t waver. “I understand. These are big decisions. Timing is important.”

“And I said, Mom’s not ready.”

“I understand,” Abby said.

Mom and I both sat down at the kitchen table across from Abby. The cookies were long gone, and the kitchen door sat propped open. A workman carrying a big tool box lumbered in and walked past us and down the hall with a nod.

“They know where to go,” Abby whispered to me. “The best plumbers and contractors.”

“How much is all this costing?” I asked, as two more workmen followed.

“Well, it’s not like we have a choice, sweetheart,” Mom said, rubbing her forehead.

“This crew does the best work for the best price,” Abby said. “I’ve used them before and never had a problem with the quality of their work. Your mom has insurance, and we’ve already done a claim. Weare running all the costs through me so your mom doesn’t pay anything until we close.”

“Oh, soyouare managing everything?” I said, aware of the tension in my voice.

“Well, I am helping,” Abby said, glancing nervously between me and my mom.

“I get it,” I said. “You swoop in here, Mom is alone, vulnerable, and then you take advantage of her.”

“Billie,” Mom said, her hands gripping the table.

“No, I see it now,” I said. “You see our little house and figure that Mom can’t handle it, and she needs you to rescue her. Mom wants a change, and you want to make money, so you market our home as a tear-down — ”

“A tear-down?” Abby said, eyes wide. “Moira, this isn’t … ”

“Billie, stop it,” Mom said.

“Somebody has to stand up for us, Mom.” I glared at Abby. “News flash, our house is not a tear-down. We can’t be thrown away like nothing, and you are not going to take advantage of my mother by selling her house and letting some builder come in here and build something like one of those shitty townhouses in Golden.”

“Golden!” Mom said. “Who said anything about Golden?”

“We have been fine without you for years, Abby. Mom doesn’t need people like you helping her. She needs people she can trust, not people who lie and cheat.”

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