Cary ducked, as much as he could, to see down the stairwell. Shiloh was standing there, holding Gus. She had Junie, too. He was supposed to meet them for dinner later. What timewasit?
“Hi,” Shiloh said.
“Hi.”
“Do you need some help?”
“No.”
Shiloh pointed. “I think it’s stuck on this overhang. Are the dogs around?”
“The dogs are gone.”
She set Gus down and pushed the mattress at an angle away from one wall, so it would come free.
“Step back,” Cary said.
She did.
He pushed the mattress forward.
Shiloh leaned in when it got stuck again. She lifted up the lower end. “Where is this going?”
“Straight out the door.”
“I’ll open the door,” Junie said.
“Juniper,” Cary said sternly. “Stay back.”
Her eyes got big and she scurried back.
“Set it down,” Cary told Shiloh, dropping his end. “I’ll go backwards.”
They traded places. She squeezed his arm on her way past him. Cary opened the door, and they carried the mattress out through the yard and tipped it up into the dumpster.
“Thank you,” he said.
He really looked at her. She was wearing a bright green summer dress and pedal pushers. She looked fresh. She looked happy to see him.
Cary brushed his hands on his pants. “Did I miss dinner?”
“No. I just missedyou.” Shiloh was already walking toward the house. “I wanted to say hi.” She glanced back at him. “Is that okay?”
He followed her. “Yeah. Of course.”
When they walked into the living room, Junie and Gus were standing by the couch, watching Angel’s kids watch TV. Junie looked up at Cary and then looked down.
Cary touched her shoulder. “I’m sorry I used a sharp voice.”
She looked back up at him. “Cary, do you want to get ice cream? We’re going to get ice cream. Because it’s a beautiful Saturday afternoon.”
“I don’t know. I think I still have work to do.”
Shiloh was standing beside him. Angel was folding clothes on the couch.
“Angel, do you remember my friend Shiloh? And this is Juniper and Gus.” He held his hand out to Angel. “This is my niece, Angel. And her kids—Bailey, Renny and Rex.”
“I remember you,” Angel said, eyeing Shiloh. “From the hospital.”
