Page 8 of Strike a Chord
The light turned green and Dax followed the car in front of them.
They rode in silence for a little while until the area became even more familiar and the turn off to their house was coming up.“Next left after the lights,” she said, pointing up ahead.
He nodded.“Roger that.”
Back into silence they fell.
He took the appropriate left, then she gave him directions until he pulled into her driveway.She and Levi lived in an above ground basement suite in a very nice neighborhood and just a short walk to the elementary school.Her work at the law office on the other hand, was a ten-minute drive.How was she going to get to work in the morning without her car?
She’d already used up all her sick days and a lot of her vacation days when Levi got strep throat in October.
Just as they pulled into the driveway, Levi stirred in the backseat.Careful not to exacerbate her neck, Jennifer spun around in her seat to face her son just as he blinked open his eyes.“Are we home?”
For some reason, her little boy asking her that made tears spring to her eyes.“Yeah, buddy,” she croaked out, “we’re home.”
Her landlords were a lovely, older, retired couple who acted more like parents to Jennifer and grandparents to Levi than landlords at all.Their baby blue Honda CRV was parked in the driveway in front of the garage, and knowing they would be upstairs eased the trepidation in Jennifer’s heart significantly.
Dax turned the truck off and opened the driver’s side door, stepping around to open up the door for Levi.“All right, big guy, out you go.”
Jennifer climbed out of her door and met them at Levi’s open door.“I can help him,” she said, after Levi used the running boards to hop down to the driveway.
“I’ll start unloading your stuff,” Dax said, flicking his coat hood over his head and ducking around to the back of his canopy.
Jennifer took Levi around the side of the house and opened the door, getting him settled onto the couch before she headed back outside to help Dax.He met her at the doorway, his arms loaded with their stuff.
“Where do you want it?”he asked, water dripping off the brim of his hood.
“Just in the kitchen on the floor is fine,” she said, pointing so he knew where to put everything before heading out into the dark, wind and rain to grab more stuff.
He was behind her in seconds and together, they managed to unload the rest of her and Levi’s belongings in just one trip between the two of them.
“Sorry for the puddles everywhere,” he said, after setting the last bit of stuff on the kitchen floor.
“Don’t worry about it,” she breathed.“I left puddles on your floor, too.”
He chuckled, but she could tell the man was exhausted.
His eyes drifted around her kitchen for a moment, scanning the countertops.He spotted the notepad she used to scrawl down her grocery lists, and a pen.Then he quickly scribbled something on it.
“This is my number,” he said.“If you need anything, don’t hesitate to call.”Then his gaze met hers.“Okay?”
Her throat grew tight and fresh tears burned the back of her eyes.
“I mean it, Jennifer.”His gaze intensified.
Her voice shook as she said, “Okay,” and nodded.
“See you around, Levi.Be careful with that wrist, okay?”
Levi waved at him from the couch.“Thanks, Dax.”
Jennifer saw him to the door.“I don’t know …” she swallowed, “I don’t know what we would have done if you hadn’t …”
“I’m gonna hug you, okay?”
Another defibrillator to her senses.Her gaze snapped up to his.
He was waiting for her permission and she instantly nodded.
