“I was thinking maybe you’d want to run errands with me? Stay another night?”
“That’s all right. I have to rake leaves before it rains again, or the HOA is going to get on my case.”
“We can do it together after the errands.”
“It’ll be too late!” she protests. “It gets dark so early this time of year.”
“It’ll go twice as fast with both of us.”
“I only have one rake, though.” She laughs, but I can tell she’s considering it.
“Then I’ll rake, and you can admire my pretty, pretty tail while I do it.”
“You don’t have to do my yardwork to hang out with me.”
“Apparently, I do, because you’re trying to ditch me otherwise.”
She kicks my shin, just a gentle bump. “I’m not. I’m just trying not to be a stage-four clinger. Or—what do they call it? Monkey branching. I don’t want to do that.”
I frown at the unfamiliar term. “What’s that?”
“It’s when you don’t break up with one guy until you have a firm grip on the next one, like you’re swinging through the trees.” She cups her hands around the glass mug that holds the remainder of her decaf soy latte and fixes her eyes on the contents. “I know I should have left Richard a long time ago. I’m not doing it for you.”
I have to swallow my pride a little bit, hearing that, but I understand where she’s coming from. “You want a clean break. I get it. I think what you’re missing is that I’m yours already. Even if you loved your husband with all your heart and wanted nothing to do with me, I’d rake your goddamn leaves because I’myours. Your problems are my problems, full stop. You can’t monkey branch to me because I’m not another godsdamned branch. I’m the soft place to land when you let go.”
Her eyes are shiny when she raises them to meet mine. “Okay.”
“Okay?”
“Yes, you can rake my leaves,” she laughs. “We’ll take turns.”
After we deliver the necessary supplies to Conall, I rake all the damn leaves. In fact, when Heidi and Nicole come out to see what we’re doing, I cross the cul-de-sac and rake theirs, too, leaving them to fuss over Julia on the porch and talk about the new pregnancy.
Nicole tries to pay me when they cross back to their side, and I snap at her. She hoots a laugh and claps me on the back.
“I know, dude, but I had to offer.”
“It’s the least I can do,” I tell her as Heidi catches up, linking her arm with Nicole’s.
“Did she pay you? I told her to pay you.”
“Yep.” I wink at Nicole. “I heard Julia might be staying with you soon.”
Heidi nods. “I heard that, too.”
“It’s about time,” Nicole mutters.
“If she needs anything…if any of you need anything, just call me. Doesn’t matter how small, okay? I want to help in any way I can.”
“Don’t worry, I’m going to make you a honey-do list,” Nicole says. Heidi cuffs her arm lightly with the back of her hand. “What? He said he wants to help.”
“We’re going to help her pack and put stuff in storage this week,” Heidi says. “Before you say you’ll pack, too, I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to be in their house.”
“Fair. But I have a truck and can haul boxes,” I wheedle.
She laughs, shaking her head. “Julia said you’re unstoppable.”
“She’s right. Tell me when, and I’ll be there.”
