Page 6 of A Moment for Us
“So maybe I’ll come around more.”
“Good. To answer your original question, the job thing is great, thank you for asking. The extra money doesn’t hurt either.”
“Did you get a nice raise?” I ask.
“A really nice one. It’s going to allow me to do some much needed improvements on my house. Gray was nice enough to get me in touch with someone who does renovations, and I’m going to have the floors redone first. After that, I think I can tackle the kitchen.”
“Yeah?”
She nods. “My cabin is great, but it needs a little love. You’ll see it when we get there.”
Yeah, and then I’ll dream of her and me on that floor, doing all kinds of things.
I clear my throat. “I can’t wait. You know I can help too?”
“Help renovate?” Delia asks with a hint of surprise.
I swear I just thought about how I avoided town because of her and now here I am, opening my big fucking mouth and volunteering to be around her more. “If you want.”
“Don’t you know that poor girls never turn away free labor?” Delia says with a grin.
“I didn’t say I was free.”
She laughs. “Like your sister-in-law would ever let you charge me.”
“Yeah, yeah.” That’s not the only reason I wouldn’t take her money. “Where to now?”
She tells me to make my next right and then directs me past the corner store.
It’s a nice place, small, and looks as if it had the outside stained recently, but the flower beds are overgrown and one of her gutters is hanging on by a thread. No matter what it looks like on the outside or the inside, it’s better than the RV I’m living in. I’m sure she at least has running water and electricity not provided by a generator.
“Like I said,” her voice is higher than before, “it needs work.”
“Everything worth a damn needs work.”
“Even you?” she asks and then her eyes widen. “Shit. Sorry. I didn’t mean that.”
I let out a chuckle, not wanting to make her feel bad. “You’re not wrong. I probably need more work than anyone.”
Her face falls slightly. “I’m going to overstep here, but if I don’t say this, I never will. You have people who love you and will do anything to help you, but you have to accept their offer to help.”
“I’m not good at accepting help,” I admit.
“No one is good at it, but we learn that humbling ourselves is needed at times. Try it, Josh. And while you’re at it, maybe work on not pushing people away. Love isn’t a punishment. It’s amazing and wonderful. It heals and allows us to move forward.”
“I don’t push love away. I love my family and my friends.”
“Right. I know you do.”
“That’s not what you’re talking about, is it?” I ask, but she bites her lip and looks away.
“I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“What do you want, Delia?”
Her lips part, and I can see the struggle warring within her. “It doesn’t matter. I’ve never had a chance to get what I want.”
“We don’t get what we want in life.”
