Page 49 of Sheltering Lawson
“Yup, a veritable sassbucket.”
I snorted and dragged her off the mattress into my arms and she giggled. “Flexing your muscles, are you? They’re very nice.”
“Glad you think so. We made a dent in the condoms.”
She peeked up at me and narrowed her eyes, a hint of laughter in her expression to mix in with sated woman. “I think we should buy some stock in condoms,” she said. The tone of her voice amused me.
“I guess that’s a great idea. To be safe, I’ll pick up more on the way home.”
She sighed and kissed me. “Good morning, handsome.”
“Good morning, beautiful.”
“I like the sound of that, by the way.”
“The sound of what?”
“Home.”
Later as I was driving over to the church, I chaffed against her going back to Atlanta alone. Maybe we should talk about it just a bit more before she left. I’d bring it up in a non-threatening way.
I swore softly and had to wonder if I was avoiding my own issues. Or, maybe I was just overthinking them.
When I got to the church, the delivery truck was there and it was a whirlwind of activity as they were unloaded. Twenty pews in all. My daddy was signing the delivery paperwork when I walked up buckling on my tool belt.
He nodded to me as I walked in the church. Several men were inside, including Boone and Booker Outlaw, all volunteers. “Okay, let’s get these out of here. We’re going to break them down into reclaimed wood, so just pile the pieces near the gazebo.
“Hey, guys,” I said in greeting to my sister’s brothers’-in-law.
We worked steadily into the morning. When lunch time rolled around, my momma brought us an assortment of sandwiches, chips and lemonade, pleased with the progress. We were about halfway done installing.
After lunch we started up again the sweat pouring off me. I drank a lot of water and kept working, tying a bandana around my forehead to keep the sweat out of my eyes. Finally, we put in the last screw and soaked with sweat we all sat down outside and drank more lemonade and water. The volunteers left and it was just me and my daddy sitting in the gazebo, the mess of reclaimed wood a big pile in front of us.
“Can I take some of the wood?”
“Sure,” my daddy said. Boone’s taking some as well for his landscaping business. The rest is being sold. Help yourself.”
“Thank you.”
“You going to come up to the house for dinner with me and your momma?”
“Yes,” I said. “I brought a change of clothes. I’m sure you’ll want me to use the shower.”
“Or the creek. Your momma will blister our ears if we come to the table like this.”
“Don’t I know it.”
He chuckled. “I love that woman something fierce. We better go up.”
I followed him and stopped at my truck to grab my change of clothes and went up to the house. Inside, I waited my turn for the shower. Afterward, I ate her delicious cooking. We talked about Aubree graduating from college and how Mike and her aunt Lottie must be tickled pink.
“Lord, it seems as if that girl just graduated high school. Where does the time go?”
“Too fast,” my daddy said.
I helped my momma clear and wash the dishes. Before I knew it, I was pouring out everything that had happened with Haley, the whole truth and how frustrated I was that she was leaving, without me. Momma patted my cheek. “Oh, Ethan, you are so noble. Sometimes you just have to let people handle things their own way. I think your father could learn a lesson in that. Maybe it was time you taught him? Trust in her if you can, but more importantly, trust in yourself.” I took a breath and still couldn’t convince myself to let Haley go alone. “I’m going up to bed. You be careful going home, my boy.” She leaned up and kissed me on the cheek, and I hugged her hard. “Good night.”
“Night,” I said, pulling my keys out of my back pocket. I came into the living room and my daddy was sitting on the sofa. He rose when I walked in. “Son, sit down for a moment.”
