Page 4 of Vallaverse: Twist
“I know they are,” she says. “That's why I make them so often, silly boy. Do you have appointments today?”
“I’m going to go to the park on the East Side today,” I tell her, putting the lid back on the cookie container. “Have you been by lately?”
She shakes her head as she takes off her coat to hang up in the closet. “I don't get over to that side of town very often. John does, though. He said that they're making good progress.”
“That's what the foreman said, but you know I like to see things for myself.”
“Will this be a children's park?”
I nod. “That's the plan. And why I'm going over there today. The equipment is supposed to be delivered tomorrow, and I want to make sure everything is ready.”
She heads down the hall to the kitchen and I follow behind with my cookies, lifting the lid to take just one more. They won't last the night, but I can pretend that I'm going to savor them.
“I think what you do is wonderful.” She opens the refrigerator and tsks at the state of it.
“The situation isn't that dire, is it? I just picked up a grocery order two days ago.”
She looks back over her shoulder at me and blinks. “I can tell. Don't forget your appointment today. You forgot the last one.”
I did not forget. I canceled because I wasn't in the mood to discuss the person I was fifteen years ago. “I'm going. Do you need me to pick anything up while I'm out?”
“No, just make your appointment. And get something substantial for lunch before you go. Take Dr. Walks a fancy coffee. He'll be more forgiving if you get him something sweet.”
“Yes, ma'am,” I promise and take my leave.
The playground was apparently delivered early. It's stacked neatly just inside the work zone and covered with tarps. At least it wasn't late.
The foreman sees me when I approach the bright orange barrier fencing and waves before moving in my direction.
“I'm damn glad to see you. They delivered the equipment this morning. I didn't know what else to do with it, so I just told them to stack and cover it here. We won't be able to get to it until next week, though. I'll put a rush on the crew, but it's going to be Monday at the earliest.”
I wave off his worried tone and smile. “You're right on schedule. Don't rush your team. Rushed work may need tobe redone, and we don't want that. I'm just glad it isn't late. Anything to report?”
“No, no,” he replies. “Everything is good. The crew is pretty excited to put the playground together. I know it's not our usual work, but I appreciate you letting us handle the build.”
Some of the crew members live in this area. Their children, and likely their grandchildren, will be the prime beneficiaries of this park. They all came to me one day when I was coming to check on things to ask me as a group if they could build the playground instead of me hiring another team to do it. I couldn't think of a better way to make sure the equipment was put together securely and quickly, so I gave my blessing.
“About that. Do you think you could convince them to write their names in the concrete pad under the picnic shelter? I think it would be a nice touch, don't you?”
“I don't think it's going to take much convincing,” he laughs.
I go over a few more minor things with him before I realize that I actually will be late for my appointment if I don't get on my way. I give the foreman a last quick assurance that I'm pleased, then I rush off to the cafe to get the too-sweet fancy coffee to bribe Dr. Walks into forgetting that I canceled my last appointment.
Chapter Three
Brooks
Dr. Walks looks sternly at me, raising one of his bushy eyebrows at the bucket of ice and caffeinated syrup in my hand when I walk through his door. “You can't bribe me, Brooks. You canceled on me, and I won't be distracted from the fact that you're five minutes late today.”
“Two minutes late.” I huff and hand him the coffee. “There was a line at the cafe.”
“I'm sure,” he hums, taking a sip. “The park on the East Side is shaping up.”
I nod. “It is. The playground equipment came a week early. I'm excited about it. Those neighborhoods need a nice place to spend a day.”
“How deep is your list now, Brooks?”
“Straight for the jugular, huh?” I sigh and sit down in my usual place in the armchair by the window.
