We’re about halfway through unloading the truck when I spot Hollis’s pickup pulling into my driveway. Confusion furrows my brow as he parks and hops out.
“Hey, what are you doin’ here?”
“Thought I could lend a helpin’ hand. Would’ve been here sooner, but I had to help Dad with inventory. He told Finn and I that he wanted us to take over some of the shit he’s been doin’, but then hovers over us when we do.” He chuckles. “Don’t know why he bothers askin’ if he’s gonna micromanage the whole time.”
At first, I’m surprised to hear that because Gentry has always been such a control freak, but then I remember what he told me about his hand and wrist issues. He’s probably trying to lighten his load to help with that.
Glancing between my sister and my best friend, I say, “Did you coordinate this with Sadie?”
A smirk tugs on his lips. “Mayyyybe.”
“Yes, I called him since you’re too dang stubborn to ask yourself.”
“You guys didn’t have to do this.”Though I appreciate it.
“Of course, we didn’thaveto,” Sadie says, waving me off. “Let’s get back to work.”
What’s that old saying…It takes a village.
After Hollis introduces himself to Lukas, the four of us make quick work of unloading the rest of the truck. All things considered, Lukas didn’t really have a whole lot of stuff to take with him since I bought him a brand-new bed and dresser. Mostly just his clothes and shoes, his card collection, and a bunch of stuff that was his dad’s. He got quiet when we packed up all that stuff from the storage unit, and I can imagine how hard it was for him to do.
“I love the color of this room,” Sadie says as we set the last box inside Lukas’s new room.
“Thanks. Remi let me pick it out.”
“Solid choice.” She smiles at him, pulling a small one from him in return. “I’m gonna get started on the subs.”
“You want help unpackin’ all of this?” I ask Lukas once my sister walks out of the room.
He shakes his head. “I kinda wanna do it myself, if that’s okay.”
“Of course, it’s okay, kid. We’ll give you some privacy, but if you need anythin’ at all, just holler.”
He nods, and that’s the end of it.
“How’re you feelin’ about all this?” Hollis asks as he grabs a couple beers out of the fridge. He hands me one before cracking open his. Sadie’s already got one of her seltzers sitting on the counter.
“Alright, I guess.” I shrug. “I spent the last month preparin’ for this, but now that he’s here, I feel very unprepared. I don’t wanna screw this up.”
“You won’t screw it up,” Hollis says with all the confidence in the world.
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because I know you, and I know what a great man you are.”
Funny you say that. Your dad pretty much said the same thing.
“Hollis is right,” Sadie says. “The fact that you’re so worried shows how much you care already. I’m sure you’ll have bumps in the road, but that’s how it is for all types of parentin’. We’re all learnin’ as we go.”
It’s nice to hear both of them believe in me, especially considering I’ve been worried that I’m going to do more harm than good with Lukas. I feel like I’m walking into this blind—and technically, I kind of am. All I want is for Lukas to feel comfortable and happy here. I want this to feel like his home, not like he’s crashing with someone for the foreseeable future.
“Thanks, guys.” I take a pull from my beer. “And thanks for bein’ here today. I really appreciate the help.”
“That’s what family’s for,” Hollis says. “You’d do the same for either of us. Hell, you’ve helped me out more times than I can count.”
When lunch is ready, we decide to eat out back since it’s a fairly nice day. Not too warm, but not cold enough that you need a jacket. Once we finish, Hollis helps me clean up the kitchen, and then he and my sister head out.
Even though it’s not my first time being alone with Lukas, it still feels a little…weird. To go from meeting his kid at a funeral a few months ago to now having him live in my house—it puts a lot of pressure on us.
