The early-morning sun filtered through the windows as I looked around at the gathering crew. We’d made it this far—four hours on Sunday and already an hour of repairs Monday. My little community had come together in ways I never imagined possible.
Sunday had been a whirlwind. We’d managed to reseal half the windows, fix one of the more problematic bathroom pipes, and caulk every crack we could find near the doors and fixtures. Anya hadn’t mentioned all these things, but Wardell didn’t want to leave anything to chance.
Or maybe he was power-trippin’, I don’t know. Either way, there was plenty left to tackle on Monday. Now all that stood between me and APS’s final approval was this last round of work.
Wardell, ever the leader, clapped his hands and ended our second break by reiterating our assignments. His voice rang out with authority as he pointed to different tasks. “All right, people! We’ve got caulking to finish in the old bathrooms and sealing the windows around the house. Lupita, you and Christine handle the last of the window seals. Liz, Althea, you’re on the bathroom team.Richard and I will wrap up the plumbing now that it’s had some time to settle.”
I watched as they each went off to their stations, a sense of urgency and determination filling the room.
Gabriella winked at me as she slipped into the kitchen, preparing to whip up something delicious for that after-work meal I’d promised everyone. “It’ll be amazing,” she whispered. I could hear the excitement in her voice. She was still floating from her victory on Saturday. This meal would be her first chance to cook as the champion she had always been inside.
An hour or so passed. I walked from room to room, checking in with everyone. Wardell and Richard were hunched over the water heater, working on tightening some pipes, while Liz and Althea chatted in the living room as they sealed the windows so tight not even an ant could find a way in.
I stood back, watching them all work, feeling that deep sense of change within myself. For so long, I’d been used to doing everything on my own. Independence had been my shield, more so after the divorce. The thought of needing anyone else had felt like weakness, something I couldn’t afford. But here, watching my friends—no, my chosen family—working so hard to help me, I realized that independence doesn’t mean doing everything alone. It means being strong enough to ask for help and to let people in.
A loud thud sounded from the living room, followed by Wardell’s voice: “We got a problem here!”
I rushed in, my stomach tightening. “What’s wrong?”
“The water heater pipe’s loose again,” Wardell said, frustration creeping into his tone. “I thought we had it fixed, but it’s not holding the way it should. It’s gonna need a new fitting.”
A wave of anxiety washed over me. This was supposed to bethe last day. The final push before the APS inspection tomorrow. What if this one problem derailed everything?
Richard caught my eye. “We’ll fix it, Joyce. It’s just a small setback. Don’t worry.”
I nodded, trusting him even though my nerves were frayed. “All right. What do we need?”
“I’ll head to the hardware store,” Richard said, wiping his hands on his jeans. “You want to come with me, Joyce?”
I hesitated for a moment, torn between going with him and staying to keep an eye on the work, but something in Richard’s eyes said I needed to get away. “Sure,” I said, grabbing my purse. “Let’s go.”
“Just ask for Jessie,” Lupita reminded us as we headed out the door. “He knows the discount.”
As Richard and I cruised down the road, I couldn’t help but think about how different this moment would have been if it had been Eric sitting beside me. We were both the panic type, always convinced that disaster lurked around every corner. Every little thing felt like a crisis. I guess that was part of what made us work—our shared fear of the sky falling, of losing control. Over time, though, that kind of living drains you. It leaves you exhausted, empty. And maybe, I realized now, I was just as much to blame for feeding into it as he was. I’d been caught in that cycle of thinking the worst, seeing the worst, expecting the worst.
But sitting here with Richard, with his quiet calm. It felt like a release. Like I didn’t have to be on guard all the time because, truth be told, almost none of the things I’d feared ever happened in my life.
I sat with that truth for a moment and allowed myself to get a different picture about tomorrow. Anya would come, inspect thehouse, and check off every box. She’d leave me alone after that, and my life would go back to normal. Gabriella’s, too.
This was the mental picture I painted for myself, and the picture was so much brighter. So much healthier.
I could get used to this.
As we walked down the aisles, scanning for the right part, Richard finally spoke. “You know, Joyce, watching you with all these people… It’s like you’ve created something here. A family.”
I stopped in my tracks, surprised by his observation, though I had to agree it was true. “I was just thinking the same. Isn’t it beautiful?”
He smiled softly, his hand brushing against mine as we continued walking. “You’re not the only one who’s changed, you know. These past few weeks, being here with you, it’s made me realize something.”
I looked up at him, suddenly aware of the warmth in his eyes.
“I’ve been falling for you, Joyce,” he said quietly, his voice steady but full of emotion. “And I know it’s probably the worst timing with everything going on. And I know you’re not looking for a hero to sweep you off your feet, but I needed to tell you.”
My heart skipped a beat. I wasn’t expecting this, not today. But deep down, I knew. I’d felt it, too—the way we’d been growing closer, the way he’d been there for me without asking for anything in return.
“Richard, I…” I hesitated, the words caught in my throat. After the divorce, I’d promised myself I’d never let anyone in again. I’d been so sure that I was done with love, done with men, done with all the work it takes to bring two minds and backgrounds and experiences into agreement.
But standing here, in this hardware store of all places, I realizedsomething. Richard wasn’t asking me to shrink. He wasn’t offering to swoop in and fix my life. He just wanted to be there—by my side.
