Old, aged eyes skipped to me—then rolled. “Sorry, love, he left hisitemshere.”
The boxes were filled to the brim with junk. Old history books, fishing lures, a cloak, a sun hat, a small dagger, and three miniature statues of odd creatures. Leaning against the wall by the door, his old fishing pole rested. Harvey talked and grabbed it for me, but I saw the muscles in his jaw clench.
These were my father’s belongings, and they were technically mine. But looking at Harvey’s water-lined eyes, I realized some would be more appreciated in another’s hands. They didn’t mean much to me, a waste of space perhaps. No memories, strings, or feeling attached.
“You can keep it,” I said. “The pole. And these lures.”
Harvey’s brows furrowed above his grieving eyes. “You mean that?”
Giggling quietly, I nodded. “Better with you than me; they’d end up stuck in tree limbs.”
Our attention quickly turned to Mia and Micah, beating each other with words and a wooden spoon. I never had asibling, and for the most part, I felt glad for it. Mia lunged with bloodthirst in her eyes, but Micah moved faster. He dodged and she mumbled vulgar phrases under her breath.
“Their parents are out of town.” Ruth nodded with annoyance, wiping her hands on her apron. “So they’re cooped up here.”
“And they won’t take us to the festival,” Micah argued.
I didn’t exactly hear the next words said back and forth between the four of them. I debated if I could handle these two. And if I wanted to. But Ruth and Harvey were too old to keep up with them and I wasn’t.
“I can take them.”
Voices dropped; silence erupted.
“I can take them to the festival,” I repeated. “It’s no big deal, I can pick all of this up on the way home.”
Before Ruth could ask any questions, Mia begged. “Please, Gamma, please let us go,” she repeated desperately, and I remembered what it felt like to be fourteen. It’s hell. Missing the spring festival could be catastrophic. All the other girls would be there, and she’d become the odd one out. Her lip jutted out and she pressed her hands together.
Ruth’s attention pulled to me to double-check. “If you’re sure, then it’s fine, I suppose.”
“I’m sure,” I assured her and the kids. Gesturing to the bag on my shoulder, I added, “I was going anyway, might as well not go alone.”
The way their faces ignited made it worth it. Mia hauled herself upstairs to put on something more appropriate for theoutdoors, Micah darted to the bathroom before Mia could get in there to fix his hair.
“Thank you,” Ruth whispered, and laid a hand over mine. “I’m too old for this shit.”
My own brows furrowed at her words, and then a burst of guilty laughter followed.
It wasn’t as if anyone waited at home for me, and Blaze sat on my shoulder. Perhaps I didn’t want to go home. Or maybe I missed the town festivals. Or—maybe I needed a distraction. For whatever reason, I volunteered.
Waiting on the two to get ready, I glanced around their kitchen and noted how many boxes of cookies and cakes there were. Empty cans of icing were stacked on the counter against the wall, towels coated in flour, the floor no longer visible. It looked like Ruth’s business was booming, but perhaps a tad too much to keep up with. As I watched the baker herself, she craned her neck and pressed more dough, wiping her forehead.
Fortunately, I got an idea.
“Ruth,” I said softly, “you said you were busy; can I help with something? Here or at the bakery? I can’t decorate them like you, but anything else?”
A tired and gentle laugh filled the air. “Yes, we are a bit short-staffed at the moment.” She spun toward me. “We lost Charissa for her maternity leave and Thomas as he left to go stay with his mother for the summer, but it’ll all work out.” Leaning over the counter again, she continued, “You have a lot on your plate, not like you’re needing another job.”
“Oh, but I am,” I blurted. Desperate and partially shameful.
Ruth aimed her stare at me, trying to see what I hadn’t yet said. Her eyes lingered on me for a few seconds longer and I caved, my chest sinking. “Alright,” she said, nodding. “I could use help with deliveries in a few days—just meet me at Sweet Fang in the morning.”
Relieved, I exhaled and grinned. “Yes, of course. I’ll be there.”
Taking care of a sanctuary, helping at the bakery, it could be done, yes? I could handle it all. Feed animals when I wake, go make deliveries. It might take all twenty-whatever days, but I’d get the money. Somehow.
Mia ran down the steep stairs sliding a flat on her foot. A pale-yellow dress and creamy embroidered corset complimented her light-brown skin, kissed by freckles. Black ringlets flowed around her head. Micah came out with his white tunic tucked into his brown pants and his hair properly managed.
“Well.” I grinned. “Don’t you two know how to clean up?”
