Page 25 of The Apple Tree

“Fuck you, Kyle. The garage is an auto body shop, not like my mommy and daddy’s garage.”

I snickered. “I miss you already. You should move here or to a realaccounting firmin St. Louis. Then we can hunt on the weekends. You can even bring Lizzy.”

“I’m missing you less and less by the second.”

“Come for a game. Maybe over homecoming weekend. I’m sure they’ll need extra chaperones for the dance.”

“As tempting as that sounds, I think you should come back here for a Broncos game.”

“Or a Chiefs game in Missouri.”

“We’ll draw straws. I gotta go,” he said.

“Lizzy calling?”

“No.”

“Baby, I’m home,”Lizzycalled.

“Shit,” Adam muttered.

“I don’t know why she’s calling it home when you’re just having sex. But I’ll let you go since I’m sure the king has given his consent for you and Lizzy to fornicate.”

“If I didn’t love ya, I’d hate you so much right now,” he grumbled.

“Aw, that’s sweet. The feeling is mutual.”

The next morning,I took Josh to the first practice, but after he had a meltdown over wanting a snack (which I forgot to bring) and endlessly smacking the players on the butt, I called the Jacobsons before the afternoon practice.

“Hello?” Janet answered.

“Hey, Janet, it’s Kyle. I’m in a bind. Kindergarten doesn’t start for Josh until next week, but I have two-a-day practices this week. I took him with me this morning, and we had a few issues. Would Eve or Gabby be willing to watch him this afternoon? I’ll see if I can make other arrangements for the rest of the week.”

“Of course. Eve isn’t home from the motel yet, and Gabby’s at the church with Peter, but someone will help out, even if it’s me. What time do you need to leave?”

“A quarter to four.”

“Someone will be there.”

“Thanks, Janet. I really appreciate it.”

After a late lunch,Josh mowed the lawn with me. I had never had so much to mow in my life, and I was grateful that the previous owners left the riding mower when they sold me the house. Of course, it took twice as long as it should have because letting Josh help meant we made a lot of wrong turns and sudden stops and took frequent breaks to hydrate and pee because it was hot today.

By the time we made the last pass on the north side of the barn, my long-legged neighbor girl in cut-off shorts, a pink T-shirt, and white sneakers traipsed toward the house while eatingan apple with one hand and carrying a bag in her other. Eve’s dark hair tangled with the wind, and she shook her head to get it out of her face just as we stopped the mower by the garage.

When she smiled, I felt it in places I didn’t need to feel the effects of an eighteen-year-old girl.

Woman.

I meant it when I said she reminded me of myself, but a better version. My family never found my humor funny. And I spent a lot of days grounded in my room. I had a penchant for alcohol and other things that weren’t good for me.

“You’re early,” I said.

Eve chewed the bite of apple and inspected her watch, which had pink and yellow straps that day. “It’s three fifty-five. I figured I was a little late.”

“It’s what?” I looked at my watch, but it still read one fifty. The battery had died.

“Nooo. No. No. No.” I lifted Josh off the mower and sprinted toward the front door. As soon as I grabbed my keys off the kitchen counter, I dashed out the front door. “I’m going to be late. And I said anyone who’s late has to run an extra mile.” I opened the truck door. “Sorry. Thank you. Gotta go.”

---