Nothing about the hardware store was different. The front door was flanked by enormous, lit-up picture windows bearing ancient, hand-lettered signs that read, “Tools and Fixtures!” and “Hardware and Gifts!” Beneath one of the signs sat the giant model train set that Grandpa Hen’s father had first constructed back when dinosaurs roamed the earth — a miniature locomotive chugging in endless circles around a tiny, unchangingO’Leary.
“Don’t s’pose you have a key?” Si appeared on the sidewalk in front of me, carrying both of mysuitcases.
I shook myhead.
He looked up at the windows on the second floor, where golden light was spilling out between black shutters. “Well, maybe Hen’s got company with two working legs. Otherwise, we’ll figure somethingout.”
He walked to the small door set to the right of the building and knocked loudly, but nothinghappened.
Shit. I hadn’t even considered how Grandpa would be able to let me in from upstairs with a broken leg. Apparently there were a lot of things I hadn’t considered before embarking on thistrip.
But eventually, we heard muttered curses and thumping, then the door opened to reveal my grandfather, red-faced, sweating, and leaning heavily against the banister of the staircase behindhim.
He was a bleached-out version of the man I remembered - his bushy mustache more salt than pepper now, the thinning hair on his head decidedly whiter, his eyes a lighter version of my own green, and his right leg swathed inplaster.
He looked directly at me for the first time in years and said, “Everett, you’relate.”
Which was about the reception I’dexpected.
Like his store, Henry Lattimer’s personality hadn’t changed atall.
“Ev ran into some trouble with his car, Hen,” Si interjected mildly, drawing Grandpa’s attention. “On the road in fromCamden.”
Grandpa gave him the grin he hadn’t given me. “Silas Sloane! Good to see you. You been up Lake Loughton recently? I heard it’s the best summer for trout in near on fiftyyears.”
If Si was surprised at this change in conversation, his smile didn’t show it. “I can’t comment on what it was like fifty years ago, Hen, but I can say my dad and I caught ourselves a pair of two-footers lastweekend.”
“How about that!” Grandpa slapped the door frame with his open palm, then pointed his finger at Si. “You tell Jack I owe him a drink and he can tell me all aboutit.”
“Yes, sir,” Si replied with a chuckle. “Just don’t let him convince you it was anything over twofeet.”
“I know better,” Grandpa agreed. “And you tell your mother I saidhello.”
“I will, sir. She’s got the council meeting comingup.”
“Oh,that,” Grandpa scoffed. “Why they need a meeting to deal with that eyesore of Rena Cobb’s isbeyond…”
Christ. They could go all night, and my knee was officially killing me. I cleared my throat and shuffled forward. “Si, we don’t need to keep you any longer. I can take care of the suitcases. Thankyou.”
Grandpa looked at me reprovingly. “Don’t be rude,Everett.”
But Si looked chastened. “Shit,” he said, all concern. “Your knee must be killing you. Let me drop these upstairs and then I’ll help you up and take a look atit.”
“Uh, no,” I said, with what I hoped was finality. “I can manage, and I don’t need adoctor.”
“What’d you do to yourself?” Grandpa said, frowning. “Your legs lookalright.”
“They are,” I agreed. I shuffled forward until I stood next to him, waiting for him to move to let me in. But when he didn’t, I realized he likelycouldn’t. I turned to Si. “If you’re going to help anyone up, it should be him. I have no idea how he got down here on oneleg.”
Grandpa’s face darkened. “Strength comes from will,Everett.”
“Inspiring.” I rolled my eyes. “I’m gonna go ahead and embroider that on a tea towel, but in the meantime, unless you canwillyourself back up the stairs, let Si helpyou.”
“Too fresh byhalf.” Grandpa scowled. “I willnotbe treated like an invalid in my ownhome.”
Si cleared his throat. “Ev’s right, Hen,” he said matter-of-factly. “I’ll help you up the stairs,and…”
From above came a buzzing, like a smoke detector goingoff.
