I nod. “I…” Fuck it. “I had a friend growing up who had cancer. She got better and is fine now, but it really fucked with my head.”
“Oh.” He’s silent as he absorbs that information. “Well, maybe you should switch your mindset to looking at how she got better instead of what could have been another outcome that wasn’t.”
I consider that for a few minutes as we sit there in silence.
Eventually, he pats my leg and stands. “I gotta go.”
“Any luck with our mystery?” I ask as I motion to the camera on the tree.
He shakes his head. “Not yet, but I’m not giving up. We’ll figure it out eventually.”
“You see Cliff yet?” I ask.
He laughs. “Yeah, we hung out a bit last night. I think she’s pissed off at me for going away for two weeks.”
I chuckle as I stand, following him back to the apartment building. I need to think. But instead of solitude, my body craves something else. I look at my watch. I want Carly, but she’s probably getting Ava ready to take her to school with her. She’s getting her classroom set up this week.
I find myself knocking on her door, deciding sleep can happen this afternoon.
She throws open the door with wild eyes.
“What’s wrong?” I ask.
She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. “Mr. Pickles is in the toilet. We need to leave, and Troy is supposed to be down here to get him out.”
“Again?’ I ask.
She nods. “I think she didn’t want to go to school with me today.” She looks back toward Ava’s bedroom. “I can’t blame her. We have lots to do in my classroom.”
I pull Carly against me and kiss her forehead. “Why don’t I come with you? I’ll help so we can finish early.”
“Are you sure?” she asks. “You aren’t tired?”
I shake my head. “No. Not tired yet.”
“OK,” she says slowly as she pulls away. I cup her face in my hands and kiss her properly before pulling back and looking into her eyes.
“How is it that you can make everything better with just a kiss?” she whispers.
I smirk. “Magical powers,” I state as I waggle my eyebrows.
She giggles and rolls her eyes. “Ava! Unca Bray is here,” she yells.
Ava comes running out and leaps into my arms. “How about we all go help your mom for a few hours, and then I’ll take you ladies to lunch.”
“Don’t you have to go to bed?” she asks as she looks up at me.
“I do, but I can sleep this afternoon,” I explain.
“Yay!” she yells and jumps down from my grasp. “Oh, and Mr. Pickles may need help. Can you help him?”
I laugh. “Uh, nope. But Mr. Troy can.”
“I heard my name,” Troy says from behind me. I turn to see him with his toolbox.
“After you,” I state as he walks inside, and I follow. It’s never a dull moment at one-eleven Hearts Lane, that’s for sure.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
