“Uh-huh.” He narrowed his eyes at Aaron. “My house. I can paint it.”
She patted his back. “That’s right, Dad. It is your house.”
“My house,” he muttered as he walked away.
“Tell Mom I’ll be in later,” she called, knowing full well her dad would forget by the time he got inside. Now she picked up a paint rag. “I’m going to go check on where he painted in back.” As she walked away, she couldn’t help thinking she was slipping away from a powder keg about to explode. Leaving Aaron and Miguel together could be a mistake, or maybe it could be a step toward healing. She could hear male voices as she headed around the house.
She silently prayed for peace as she bent down by the water spigot. Using the damp rag, she attempted to wipe off the gummy paint her dad had slapped on hours earlier. It took a little elbow grease, more water, and several turns of the faucet, but she finally got the spigot working properly. Then she touched up a few missed spots of paint and was just standing up when she heard footsteps. Hoping it was Miguel, she was dismayed to see Aaron approaching.
“Does it work?” he asked.
“Yep.” She turned on the water to prove it.
He scratched the back of his neck. “You really gonna paint that deck?”
“My dad’s going to paint it.”
“Waste of some real pretty wood.”
“Maybe not.” She tossed the rag into a pile of paint things. “I got to thinking how slick a wet wooden deck can be. I think I’lllook for some kind of deck paint that’s not slippery. Not such a fall hazard for my parents.”
He shrugged, then shoved his hands in his pockets. “So Miguel’s been hanging around here?”
“He is our neighbor,” she said defensively. “And my friend. In fact, his daughter Anna, who is also your niece by the way, is very good friends with my daughter. And Marta, Miguel’s mother, has been a good friend to me and my mom.”
“I don’t have anything against my niece or even Marta.” His countenance darkened. “It’s Miguel who disgusts me.”
“Why is that?” She stepped closer, looking him squarely in the eyes. “What did he do that’s so horrible, Aaron?”
“He caused my sister’s death.”
“She died of cancer. How can you possibly blame Miguel for that?”
“She didn’t get the treatment she needed.”
“How do you know that?”
“I know.”
“I don’t understand how you couldknowthat. Or how you could blame Miguel. It’s perfectly ridiculous. It’s like you’ve imprisoned yourself in a jail cell of unforgiveness.”
“If Beth hadn’t been living on that low-life Air Force base, she would’ve gotten better treatment. She would’ve survived.”
“How do you know that?” she demanded.
“I just do.” He looked down.
“Well, I wasn’t around and don’t know the details, but I don’t see how your anger and hatred help anything.” She placed a hand on his arm. “Look, Aaron, I’m sure you loved your sister a lot. And obviously it hurts you that she’s gone. But I wonder how she would feel about how you treat Miguel. And Anna. I’d think it would break her heart.”
Aaron looked at her with misty eyes and humphed. “I dunno. Maybe you’re right.”
“Think about what Beth would want now. For her daughter ... at least.”
He barely nodded. “Okay, I will.”
She sighed, then decided to change the subject. “After all the brouhaha about the deck, I completely forgot to look at the shutters and flower boxes.”
He brightened. “Well, you should come have a little look-see.” He led her around to the front where the crew had gone back to finishing the deck. She stood back and admired the changes.
