Page 31 of Big Island Summer
“He’s in the market for a new baby mama.”
“You’re terrible.” She took the bags out of her friend’s hands and started unpacking them on her dining table outside.
“Come on. I know you’ve been wanting a baby. Here God just handed you the whole package.”
“That’s exactly why I can’t get involved. It’s too complicated. I can babysit, but I’m not about to start dating my tenant.”
“Sounds like you can skip right past the dating part. Man’s ready to move in with you.”
“It’s a separate apartment!”
“Yeah, okay. Well, if you’re not interested…” She paused dramatically, looking back in the direction that they’d come from.
“Leave him be.”
“I knew you liked him!” she cackled.
Fern just smiled and shook her head. Shanice liked to talk, but it was just that – talk. The woman had a heart as big as the island and a husband she was crazy about.
Anyway, it was a silly topic. The man was her tenant – or he would be soon, hopefully – and he was grieving. Nothing was going to happen there.
They could be friends, maybe. Neighbors.
But that was it.
10
Nell
Nell was folding laundry when Cassie crawled up onto the sofa. She put her hands beneath her chin in prayer pose, buttering her up to ask for a favor.
“Mommy, can I have my paints?”
“We don’t have time for paints this morning, sweetheart. I need you to get dressed.”
“But I don’t want to get dressed! I want to wear my puppy pajamas!”
“Wear what you like, but we need to leave in about ten minutes.”
“Do I have to come?” Cassie sprawled dramatically across the sofa and threw one arm over her eyes, like a Victorian lady on a fainting couch.
“Don’t you want to go get our new car?” Nell asked. “It’s exciting!”
“Not to me,” she pouted, pulling a quilt up over her head. “Not when it’s so cozy here.”
Nell sighed. “I’m glad you like our house. I love it here too. But we need a car.”
“Go on without me,” she said from beneath the quilt.
Nell snorted a laugh and went into the kitchen to pack their snacks for the day. Everett crawled in after her, headed straight for the cabinet where all of the plastic containers lived.
Of all of the messes he could make, that one was the easiest to pick up. She let him have at it.
Bowls and tupperware poured out in a hollow plastic cacophony, and Everett shrieked with delight. She stepped around him and pulled some carrots out of the fridge.
“I want to stay here!” Cassie yelled, still under the quilt.
Nell sighed and picked her phone up to text Emma.
