Page 110 of Protect My Heart
‘We’re going to go out there tomorrow,’ I say, ‘or as soon as we can get a flight.’
‘You’re moving this week?’ Mom says, sounding alarmed.
‘No, we’re going out there to see her parents. Her dad fell down the stairs and is in the hospital. We’ll go see him and check on her mom and look for an apartment. I’ve already started applying for jobs. Next week, I’ll tell the school that I’m leaving.’
‘I know you’ll miss it here,’ Mom says, ‘but I think this is the right decision.’
There’s a knock on the door. ‘Am I interrupting?’
It’s Matt, Nick’s best friend. We all went to high school together. Matt’s a real estate agent in town. He sold Brody the house he fixed up and the one he’s living in now.
‘We just finished up,’ Mom says. ‘Come on in.’
Matt walks up to Dad. ‘How are you feeling, Mr. Kanfield?’
He huffs. ‘I’d be better if people stopped treating me like I’m dying every time I have a pain.’
‘He’s a little grumpy today,’ Mom says to Matt.
‘Me too,’ Matt says. ‘Just had a house sale fall through. The people who were going to buy it decided it was too small and backed out.’
‘That’s too bad,’ Mom says.
‘It happens.’ Matt looks over at me. ‘How are you doing? Getting ready to be a dad?’
‘I don’t think I’ll ever be ready.’
Matt laughs. ‘I felt that way too with the first one. With the second one, I wasn’t worried at all.’
‘Jason just told us he and Mia will be moving to Boston soon,’ Mom says to Matt.
‘Yeah, Nick said that might happen. That’s gonna be a big change.’
‘I’m going to miss being here,’ I say, ‘but Mia needs to be close to her parents. Her dad’s almost 80 and has some health issues and her mom can’t care for him on her own.’
‘Why don’t they move here?’
Mom, Dad, and I all look at Matt, not saying anything.
He shrugs. ‘It was just an idea. You know how I am, always trying to get people to move here.’
‘How did I not think of that?’ I say, mainly to myselfbecause I can’t believe the thought never occurred to me. It hadn’t occurred to any of us. We just assumed Mia’s parents had to stay in Boston. But why would they have to stay there? They don’t have jobs keeping them there, or family. They just have a house. But they could sell their house and move here, to Haydon Falls.
‘Do you think they’d consider it?’ Mom asks me.
‘I don’t know why they wouldn’t. Why would they have to stay there?’
‘They have a house, don’t they?’ Dad asks.
‘Yes, but they could sell it. They’ll have to, now that her dad fell down the stairs. They’ll need a house that’s all one level.’
Matt smiles. ‘I got the perfect one. That sale that didn’t go through? It’s a one-level house. It’d be great for her parents. And the previous owners fixed it up so it’s move-in ready. It has a yard, but they could hire Brody to take care of it for them.’
‘He wouldn’t charge them,’ Mom says. ‘They’re family.’
‘What do you think?’ Matt asks, directing the question to me. ‘I can send you the link to the listing.’
‘Yeah, do it. I’ll talk to Mia.’
