Page 13 of Shelter for Shay
He pulled out his cell and tapped the screen, calling Thor.
Their friendship had started in boot camp. Instant chemistry. Instant male bonding, and that was strange for Moose. He’d never had real friends growing up. He’d been a true loner. But Thor broke down his defenses with a handshake on day one.
What made it even odder was that Thor understood Moose, even though Thor’s life had been the complete opposite. Thor had been raised by loving parents. He’d grown up in a world where kindness and support had been a given.
Thor had made boot camp seem easy. Like if Moose could handle that, he’d be able to take on the world. And together, the two men had done exactly that.
“Hey, man,” Thor said. “You make it to Lake George okay?”
“Yeah. I’m at Margaret’s house. I haven’t seen her yet. Her daughter’s checking to see if she’s up and ready for a visitor.”
“In need of a pep talk?”
“Something like that,” he said. “I feel good about being here for Margaret and her daughter. It’s the rest of it that has me off-kilter.”
“You have one purpose for going there. You don’t have to do anything else. You can say your goodbyes and leave.”
“I know, but now that I’m here, there’s a part of me that wants to drive by my old house. To go to the bar. To get a glimpse of my mom. Or even to let her see me.”
“And what would be the point of that?”
“To let her know she didn’t break me. To rub it in her face,” Moose admitted. “Or maybe it’s closure.”
“If it’s the latter, go for it. If it’s the rest of it, don’t bother. All it will do is remind you of the past, and you’re better than that.”
The sound of his chickens squawking in the background filled the air. He laughed. “You’re already back in Virginia?”
“Yeah. You left The Refuge, so we all booked flights home,” Thor said. “I missed my little girl.”
“What are you doing at my place?”
“I thought Sarah might need a break from these hens.” Thor laughed. “And I was right. I got here and they were chasing her, jumping and pecking at her housecoat. And that one she named Beyoncé, good Lord. I’ve never heard a chicken quite like that one. And Sarah, she sings with it. But the poor woman, she was struggling when I got here.”
“Don’t poor woman Sarah. I catch her feeding those chickens when I’m home. She finds excuses to come over,” Moose said. “I bet the real reason you’re there is because Cassandra wanted to feed the chicks and chase Cluck Norris.”
“Busted.” Thor burst out laughing. “Speaking of that child of mine, I better go before she squeezes the life out of the one you call Mrs. Doubtfire.”
“Yeah, that one is a real spitfire,” Moose said. “Thanks for always being there.”
“See you when you get back.” The line went silent. Moose stuffed his cell in his back pocket and pushed the thoughts of his mother right out of his mind. She had no place in Margaret Whitaker’s home.
“She’s awake and would like to see you.” Shay stood in the hallway leading to the kitchen. “Would you like to bring your things to your room?”
“I can stay in a hotel. I don’t want to be any trouble.”
“You’re not. Besides, my mom is so happy you’re staying with us. She’s looking forward to spending as much time as possible with you.” She lowered her gaze and fiddled with her thumbnail.“The doctors are telling me she only has days now… two weeks at best.”
A tightness filled his chest. He eased off the stool and inched closer to Shay, curling his fingers around her forearms. “I’m so sorry. I’m sure this is hard on you, especially since you’re the one taking care of her. What can I do to help?”
She lifted her chin, catching his gaze. A single tear rolled down her cheek. “You’re doing it. Visiting with my mom means the world to her.”
He swiped the tear away with his thumb. “Whatever you need, I’m here. I can do things around the house. I can go shopping. I can sit with your mom so you can have a break… I want to help.”
“Like I said, that’s exactly what you’re doing.” She smiled weakly. “Let’s get you upstairs before my mom tries to get out of bed.”
He followed Shay toward the base of the stairs, where he snagged his rucksack.
The house was older, but it had been renovated in the last five or ten years, or at least that’s what he believed based on the newness of the appliances and the updated kitchen. All the furniture appeared to be either new or well-kept.
