Page 105 of Body Shot

“You mean Beck?”

“Yes. We had a little talk out here one day, and he made me think. It’s been hard for Gina since her fall, and it’s been hard for you, trying to help us on top of all your other responsibilities. And I’ve been . . . well, in denial, I guess, that things are changing. Hiding in my yard working on the lawn and the shrubs and the pond . . . when what I should have been doing was stepping up to help out with my share of things inside the house.”

I gaze at my uncle wordlessly. Wow.

“So this week, I learned to do laundry, and tried to keep on top of the dishes. Gina helped me make some easy things for dinner. Between the two of us we managed. But hell, it’s a lot of work, and I didn’t even attempt to clean the bathrooms.” He grimaces. “Scrubbing a toilet’s not my idea of fun.”

“I don’t think it’s anyone’s idea of fun.” I smile. “You said before that you could afford to hire someone to come in once every week or two, to do some of that, but you didn’t want some stranger in your house. Would you reconsider that?”

“Yeah. Even if we sell the house, we’re going to need to make sure it’s spic-and-span to show it. We’re thinking about moving to one of those seniors’ complexes—where they make your meals and clean for you. But we’d have our own apartment.”

“Oh my God, really?” I sink back into the chair in relief. “That would be so great for you.”

“Would you help us look at some of them?” Aunt Gina asks. “I hate to bother you, because you’ve done so much already, but it’s a little overwhelming.”

“Of course I will! Do you maybe want Jeff and John to come and have a look before you decide?”

“I don’t think we need them to see it.” Aunt Gina purses her lips. “But I think we’ll ask them to come help us move. We have to get rid of a lot of stuff.”

NowIfeel a little overwhelmed. Much as I wanted this for them, there’s a lot of work to be done to make it happen. Getting rid of a lifetime’s worth of possessions is not going to be easy. And yes, my cousins need to step up and help out. But somehow it’ll get done.

“You’re okay with giving up your yard, Uncle Colin?”

“Not really.” His smile is wry. “But I think there are places that have patios or grounds where I could putter around. I’ll plant some big pots, or something.”

“I’m sure there are. Should we go online and look?”

My aunt and uncle have a computer, though they don’t use it much. They email with their sons, and Aunt Gina has been learning more about Facebook since being laid up, but that’s about it. I can search for places on my phone, but that might not be best for them. So we move inside and into the main floor room that’s been turned into an office.

I boot up the computer, smiling at the ancient monitor, and we spend some time perusing various possibilities. We narrow it down to a few choices they’d like to go see and I tell them I’ll make some calls and get things set up, maybe for next weekend.

Now that I don’t have anything else taking up my weekends, it will be easier.

But why does that make me feel like my chest is hollow and I have no energy to even move?

I drive home later that afternoon, looking forward to my empty condo and the work I have to do as much as I’d look forward to giving a speech in front of ten thousand people, naked. Or jumping out of a plane. Normally my work excites me. It’s been my only passion . . . until Beck showed me what real passion is like.

Aunt Gina’s words play over and over in my head. She was almost saying the same thing as Beck—that I’ve been hiding behind my work.

Can they be right?

I stop at EVO to get something for dinner. I don’t feel like cooking. As I pick up my Thai tofu salad wrap and a smoothie made of orange and pineapple juice and coconut milk, I turn around and come face-to-face with Marco.

“Oh!” I blink. “Um, hi, Marco.”

“Hayden.” His smile is warm. Apparently he doesn’t hate me for breaking up with his friend. “How are you?”

“Um, okay. I guess.” I shift my smoothie and bag to one hand and tuck a piece of hair behind my ear. “You?”

“Not bad. Busy, trying to look after things while Beck’s gone.”

My eyes widen. “Gone? Gone where?” The words pop out before I can even think.

Marco’s forehead puckers. “Back to Boston. Because of his dad. Didn’t you know?”

I shake my head slowly. “What happened to his dad?”

“He had a heart attack.”

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