Page 71 of Quintessentially

“Nah, I’m good. Holding out for that beer.”

The time with Lynell takes longer than I imagined. He pulls out a tape measure and draws chalk lines on the floor and takes scrupulous notes. He asks me about things I hadn’t considered. Old buildings aren’t wired to today’s standards. So, if I’m having the building rewired, I might as well do it right. We talk lights and outlets. Flooring and window upgrades. By nearly eight o’clock, I’m worn out and pretty sure that I’ve bitten off more than I can chew.

“Thank you,” I tell Lynell once we’re back downstairs.

“Don’t let the numbers scare you, Kandace. We can work in phases.”

“I think I’m already scared.”

He grins as his bushy white eyebrows rise and his face fills with tiny wrinkles. He looks at Dad who has been downstairs in the office. “Randy, I’ll take a raincheck on that beer. It’s getting late, and I don’t want Bridget mad at me.”

“Sounds good,” Dad says.

After Lynell is gone, Dad asks, “What do you think?”

“I think I greatly underestimated the expense.”

“We can help. You can always apply for a loan if you want.”

“I want to see how well the online sales do and go from there. Chloe is going to meet me here tomorrow, and we’re going to figure out what merchandise will sell best.”

Dad nods.

“Are you okay?” I ask, noticing that his color seems off.

“Just tired. Justin has been working this old man.”

“I thought you were the boss,” I say with a grin.

“I keep telling him that.” Dad wraps his arm around my shoulder. “Let’s go home.” He kisses the top of my head. “If this apartment thing takes time, it’s okay. You and Molly always have a place to call home.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

Back at home, Molly is already asleep when I arrive. That doesn’t stop me from going into her room and kissing her hair. She mumbles and wiggles, but her eyes never flutter.

“A marching band,” I say with a smirk.

It’s after my shower and I’m in my room when my phone rings.Daxis on the screen.

“I’m liking these nightly calls,” I say in lieu of a greeting.

“Me too. How did your meeting with Lynell go?”

“We talked about two options…”

We’re an hour into the call when I hear my mother’s voice. The small hairs on my neck stand to attention. “Dax, I need to go. Mom’s yelling. Something is wrong.”

“Call me, Kandace. Let me know what’s happening.”

I nod as I hang up.

ChapterTwenty-Six

Kandace

I’m having trouble fathoming the last seven hours as I sit beside my mother and brother in the hospital waiting room. It’s a blur, and yet as I sip my stale coffee, I’m numb. Beyond the windows the sun is rising, bringing color to the sky. Justin has been drifting off to sleep for a few minutes and waking back up with a start. Each time, he asks the same question. Mom is quiet, too quiet, as her bloodshot eyes continually fill with tears. It’s possible I’ve also slept, but it doesn’t feel like it.

Dad suffered another heart attack—that’s his preliminary diagnosis. The ambulance rushed him to Washington, a bigger town than Riverbend. I’m full of wishes. I wish we knew he wasn’t feeling well and had time to get him to Bloomington or down to Evansville. The doctors said that wasn’t possible.

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