Page 6 of August
“We don’t want it,” he interrupted.
“Sorry?”
“Whatever you’re selling, we don’t want it,” he stated. “Yeah, hold on a sec. There’s some salesperson at the door,” he added into his phone.
“Archie, you’re an idiot.” A teenage girl appeared next to him, looking very similar to the boy: both had blue eyes, caramel skin, and brown hair. “Sorry. Are you the contractor person?” she asked Myra.
“Yeah. I’m here to do the inspection,” Myra replied.
“Excuse my brother; he’s a moron,” the girl added.
“Shut up,” the boy replied and glared at his sister.
“Willbothof you shut up?”
Myra recognized that voice from the phone earlier, and then, the owner of the voice appeared behind the teenagers, who parted like they’d done that a thousand times before so that she could move past them.
“Hi,” Elisa said and smiled at Myra. “Did you happen to bring that candy you mentioned earlier? I think they could both use a sucker to shove in their mouths so that they stop talking.”
“Damn, Mom,” the boy replied.
“Go. Be on your phone,” Elisa said, laughing at him.
“Itried to help,” the girl said.
“Kiss-ass,” the boy stated said as he walked away.
“Dumbass,” the girl retorted and walked off, too.
“Well, those are my kids,” Elisa said. “I know they act like toddlers, but believe it or not, they are technically adults and can vote in elections now, which should concern both of us.”
Myra laughed and said, “I should’ve brought that candy.”
“They’d just complain aboutit, too,” Elisa said on a sigh. “I don’t think I’ve done anything right by them, in their minds, since they were twelve.”
“I’m sure that’s not true. Twins?”
“Yeah. Adele and Archie Junior, also known as Archie, Arch, AJ, asshole, idiot, moron, and a few more, but those last ones are the names Adele calls him. I stick to AJ, Arch, Archie, and sometimes, Junior, I guess.”
“So I heard,” Myra replied with a smile.
“I’m sorry. Come in,” Elisa said, moving aside in order to let Myra in. “You’re here for work, but you’re also apparently my neighbor, so I don’t know if I should offer you a drink and a snack or just let you get to work.”
“Oh, I don’t want to put you out. I can see you’re busy.”
Myra walked inside the house, and Elisa closed the door behind her.
“With them? No, they’re always busy on their own. They are about to go to college, so I’m the annoying mom asking them if they’ve packed, if they have everything, or if they plan on giving me five minutes of peace and quiet anytime soon.”
Myra smiled and said, “I can check things out tonight and get out of your hair. It won’t take long. I can’t guarantee we can do the actual work, like I said on the phone, but you can take my quote to someone else, if that’s the case, and they should match it.”
“My sister-in-law told me you were known for hurricane stuff.”
“Have I done work for her?”
“No, but a friend of hers,” Elisa said. “I don’t remember the name she gave me, but I can ask. Anyway, if you can’t do it, is there someone else who’s good at this?”
“Everyone in New Orleans, if I’m being honest,” she said. “You kind of have to be if you’re in my line of work and live below sea level, but yeah, I’m known for it specifically. I like doing what I can to bring places back after the water tries to take them from us.”
