Page 12 of Mending Fences
CHAPTER SIX
Light snoring filled the living room as Daniel walked into the house. He set the takeout bags in the kitchen. He’d been absent more than double the twelve-minute limit. It would have been much faster to go in and order, as everyone else in town wanted to get burgers too. For a moment, he debated letting Mandy sleep, but shakes set in the freezer never tasted quite the same as fresh. He’d get her to eat and then leave so she could rest. He made as much noise as possible setting out their food, but the snoring continued.
He studied her sleeping form. Her ponytail hung off the side of the couch, her hair had darkened over the years. Against the tan leather, the color reminded him of the line of cinnamon sugar he helped dribble on the rolls Grandma Mae used to make. The thought of waking her Sleeping-Beauty style crossed his mind. But he was nowhere near the true-love’s-kiss stage of the relationship. If he didn’t have the whole lawsuit mess, could he be? He’d like the chance to try.
He settled on touching her shoulder. “The food is here.”
Her eyes opened slowly—brown, soft, and dreamy. A tiny smile curved her lips, almost as if she had been awoken by a kiss.
Mandy blinked a few times. “Oh. I guess I was more tired than I thought.” She took Daniel’s offered hand and sat up, scooting back to keep her injured foot on the couch.
He motioned to her foot. “Shall I bring the food in here?”
“If you wouldn’t mind. I’d rather not put my boot back on.”
“What exactly did you do to it?” Daniel headed for the kitchen.
“Well, I was trying to take a photo when—” Mandy stopped when he turned back.
He raised his brows and gave her his half smile. “I meant is it broken, sprained, or torn?”
She smiled. “The doctor says I broke my foot—a calcaneus fracture on the bottom of my heel. It’s also known as a ‘Lover’s Fracture’ because men get them jumping from windows or balconies avoiding their lovers’ spouses. But don’t spread that around. I wouldn’t want anyone to get the wrong idea. I was lucky—mine is fairly small. Four weeks and I should be out of this in time for my MFA exhibit.”
He arranged the food on plates in the kitchen and smiled at the name Lover’s Fracture, but he didn’t want her running from him. He carried two plates to the coffee table. “How bad does it hurt?”
“Not as bad as it did on Tuesday. I hope by Monday I’ll only need a couple ibuprofen to make it through the day.”
“What happens on Monday?”
“Spring break is over. So I get to try not to lose my patience with my art students as they readjust to life.”
Daniel hurried to grab their shakes. “You’re teaching and going to the university?”
“I don’t have any classes now other than my final project, which isn’t a class, per se. It’s more of a ‘meet with my adviser every Thursday to critique what I did the past week.’”
“When will you graduate?” He took a chair at the end of the couch nearest Amanda.
“My show is mid-April. I should graduate May 22nd. But the university will hold my diploma until I pay off the camera.” Mandy gave a half smile and took a bite of her burger.
Daniel was half surprised she hadn’t asked him to pay for the broken camera, but then, Grandma Mae wouldn’t have either. Women usually wanted his money. How long would it be before she asked? He didn’t think she would. He should offer. He changed the subject. “Are you still up for a movie, or would you rather finish your nap?”
Mandy dipped a fry in her shake. “With this much sugar, I won’t be able to sleep. There is a DVD collection in the drawer under the TV, or we have streaming.”
He rifled through the collection and pulled out an old Disney movie. “I haven’t seen this since we were kids.”
“It is the same one. I have all of Grandma Mae’s old movies, including the VHS tapes. Remember how I had to know what apple dumplings tasted like?”
“I think we talked my cook and Grandma Mae into both making a batch on the same day. I thought I would never need to eat again.” He held up the DVD. “Do you want to see it?”
Her mouth full of fries, Mandy nodded.
The last few bars of the theme song played as Mandy woke to Daniel’s gentle nudging.
“Hey, sleepyhead.” At least his face wasn’t as close this time. He’d replaced the pillow propping up her foot halfway through the movie when she told him she needed to ice it.
Trying to stretch without looking like she was stretching, she sat up straighter.
“Will you hand me my boot and crutches?” She slid the boot on. Daniel stood and cleared the remains of their dinner while Mandy slipped down the hall to the bathroom.
