My phone rings from inside my pocket. I’m tempted to ignore it, but I need a break anyway, so I wipe my hands on my jeans and pull the phone free. I nearly fumble it onto the cement floor when I see Spencer’s name flash across the screen.
“Hello, Hollie,” he says when I answer. I swear I can hear the smile in his voice, and it makes my already-overheated skin even warmer.
“Hi, Spencer. I have to admit, I didn’t expect to hear from you so soon.”
“As I’m sure you can imagine, I’m full of surprises. I like to keep people on their toes.”
His dry tone makes me chuckle. “Well, youdidtell me ‘fun’ is your middle name.”
“That’s right, I did. Which brings me to why I called. Are you busy today?”
I survey the space around me. There are still more empty boxes than assembled ones. With only three volunteers currently working, we’ll be here for a while yet.
“I am, actually…”
“Of course,” Spencer says quickly. “I figured you likely had plans, but thought it was worth checking. I’ll be sure to give more notice next time.”
While I like the sound of ‘next time’, who knows when that might be? The thought of seeing Spencer today is too appealing to pass up. “I’ll be free in a few hours,” I tell him. “I’m volunteering at the center right now. I could call you when I’m finished…although now that I say that, I realize I can’t expect you to wait around for who knows how long.”
“I’m free all day,” he says. “I’m just catching up on some work at home. If you’re up for it later, we could do something. And if not, we’ll plan for another time.”
The warehouse door opens and my boss, Mina, comes in. Her gaze sweeps over the room, a frown forming on her face until her eyes land on me. Her expression clears and she smiles and waves before striding toward me.
I tell Spencer I’ll let him know one way or the other, and we disconnect the call.
“Hi!” I say as Mina approaches. I keep my arms locked at my sides so I won’t be tempted to hug her and mess up her clothes. She looks immaculate as always in stylish jeans and a pink blouse, with her smooth, dark skin perfectly made up and her box braids pulled into an intricate updo.
Mina holds out her arms. “Get over here, you.” I laugh and step into her embrace, hugging her tightly.
I’ve known Mina for almost twenty years. She was the Executive Manager at Belle Vie when I started using it as a teen. She gave me my first ever job, helped me apply for scholarships so I could attend college, and then mentored me for years before being promoted and moving to an office at City Hall. When she left the center, she made sure I was promoted to Executive Manager. Mina has played many roles in my life over the years: advocate, friend, and even mother figure.
“It’s been way too long.” I give Mina a final squeeze and step back, making a sound of dismay when I see some of the dirt has transferred from my shirt to hers.
“It has, and I’m sorry about that. Those bigwigs at City Hall keep me hopping, but that’s no excuse.” Her gaze shifts past me, and I look over my shoulder to see Jordy approaching. “Well, who’s this?”
I loop an arm around Jordy’s shoulders. “Mina Thompson, this is Jordyn Jenkins. Jordy, Mina is my boss and also a dear friend. Jordy is one of the center’s most dedicated part-time employees, and she’s currently in grade twelve at Bellevue Secondary.”
Jordy beams at my description. She seems uncharacteristically shy as she says hello to Mina and shakes her hand. Usually she’s quick with a quip and surprisingly confident, especially for a kid her age, and one who’s struggled as much as she has, but she’s almost reverent in the way she greets Mina.
As the two of them chat about the work we’re doing today and how we’re short on volunteers, it hits me: Jordy told me once how she has almost no Black people in her life. Her mom is Black, but she left the family years ago, and her side of the family are scattered across Ontario and aren’t interested in having a relationship with the Jenkins kids. During that same conversation, Jordy confided that she doesn’t think her dad, who’s white, knows how to relate to his four biracial children, and instead of making an effort, he’s done the opposite.
I tune back into the conversation as Mina finishes saying something to Jordy. She turns to me, planting her hands on her hips and surveying the warehouse once more. “Well, Hol, put me to work.”
“Really?” Between her nice clothes and the fact Mina has been too busy to do any hands-on work for a long time, I can’t hide the surprise in my voice.
She laughs. “Really.”
Jordy offers to show Mina where we need help. I thank her and watch them cross the room. Instead of setting Mina up on her own, Jordy must ask if Mina wants to help her, because the two end up at Jordy’s station, their heads bent close together as they talk and work.
The sight brings a smile to my face that lingers as I return to my own tasks. I work on autopilot, assembling flattened boxes, consulting order forms, and filling boxes. I have no idea how much time passes before Jordy swings by yet again with my refilled water bottle and orders me to drink.
The warehouse door opens and one of the center’s employees steps inside. She scans the area, stopping when her gaze lands on me. She points in my direction and steps aside to let a man enter before disappearing back outside.
It takes me a minute to realize the man walking toward me is Spencer. He’s wearing worn jeans and a plaid shirt over a black tee, and the dark stubble sprouting on his face tells me he didn’t shave today. Spencer ishere. In casual clothes. I tell myself the wobble in my legs is a result of being on my feet for so long and not because the man looks so damn good, I can hardly stand it. And as he approaches, it dawns on me thatIlikely look like something that just crawled out of a forest.
“I thought perhaps an extra set of hands would make the work go faster,” Spencer says. “But I might be too late? It looks like almost everyone has left.”
I look around. Jordy and Mina are still working at Jordy’s station, but our other lone volunteer has disappeared. Great. I turn back to Spencer with a sigh. “It’s just the three of us. Nobody showed up yesterday, and only a few people came today. Evie and Lulu were here earlier, but they had other plans they couldn’t get out of, so they couldn’t stay long.”
