Page 255 of The Maxwell Brothers
“I knew he was a decent man.”
“Really, you did?”
“Yes. I told you, I met with many people who wanted to buy my place, and he was the only one who convinced me. He seems to have a kind soul. Just a bit of a surly exterior.”
“You can say that again.”
We both chuckled at that.
“But it's packaged very nicely, isn't it?”
I narrowed my eyes, feeling heat climb up on my cheeks. “Helen.”
“What? I'm old, but my eyesight is still good.” She winked.
“The package isamazing,” I admitted.
“Wait a minute. I've known you for half a year, young lady. You've never even as much as spoken about another man.”
“It's hard not to talk about this one. He lives in my yard. Well, I live in his.”
“True. He’ll warm up to you, trust me. It’s impossible not to.”
I’d say he’s more than warmed up to me.I tried to keep a straight face at the thought.
“Aww, Helen, you’re so good to me.”
She patted my hand. “Tell me about your bakery. How is it doing?”
“Still haven't found a perfect spot, but I'm searching. And my savings are growing nicely.”
“Girl, I said it before, and I'm saying it again. You're amazing. You’re going to rock everyone’s socks off.”
I laughed. Helen was always my cheerleader. It made me feel like I was closer to my parents.
“Want to take a walk around the yard?” I asked.
“Sure. That way you can also see my friends.”
“You've got to tell me how you do it,” I said as she moved to her electric-powered wheelchair. “How did you make friends so fast? I've been in Chicago for seven months, and the only person I've interacted with besides my coworkers is my neighbor.”
“Oh, honey. When you’re locked up in the same place with thirty other bags of bones, you learn to make friends fast.”
“I suppose. By the way, I have something for you,” I said, taking out my phone. “I took some pictures of the house to show you.”
“My, my, you're on really friendly terms with that one.”
I cleared my throat, neither confirming nor denying it, and showed her the pictures.
“He's done great work with that old lady. It used to look like that when I moved in.”
Helen looked longingly at the pics, then shook her head, giving me back the phone. She always called the house “the old lady.”
“You miss it, huh?” I asked.
“I do, but I’m happy about my decision. I wanted to live like a queen, and this place treats me just like that. And I have company here. I was alone in the house, and it was way too big for me. It needed someone who could fill it with life and a family, and I think Declan will do that.”
“You live on the sunny side of life, Helen. I like that about you.”
