Chapter 6

The morning light had expanded and filled the sky as I woke up in bed, the last pieces of a dream slipping through my mind. I sat up on the edge of the bed and took a few deep breaths to let the grogginess recede. It couldn’t be later than eight already. After not sleeping past seven at least six days a week, my body was my own personal alarm clock. Sundays I sometimes made it to eight.
By the smell drifting up the stairs I knew Jeremy was up and probably making breakfast. Now there was a man that didn’t sleep in. He practically rose with the sun each day.
I heard faint footsteps and then they fell quiet.
“Come on old man, rise and shine! Come get the grub while it’s still hot.” Jeremy’s voice rang upstairs and reached my ears as I came fully awake.
I rose and walked to the door, but only to shut it. Breakfast could wait. I needed a shower first.
Fifteen minutes later I rounded the corner and found Jeremy drinking coffee, reading the paper, and eating an enormous omelet. It was good to have company for a change.
“So what’s on the agenda for this vacation of yours? You got any ideas?” I asked
“Well, for starters, you can tell me about the woman in the airport. After that, maybe get to work on the eat side of the house. Knock a few walls out, gut a few rooms, and get a tan while I’m at it.”
“Well big brother, help on this house is always welcome. How about we hit the courts a bit later? I could use some friendly competition.”
Jeremy glanced up from the paper and nodded while he held my gaze. He quirked an eyebrow, “And?”
“And what? There’s nothing to tell. That was the first time I met her.”
“But you’ve seen her before. You can’t just cover up that slack jawed moment in the airport as nothing.”
I grabbed a plate and picked up the spatula to grab the omelet’s twin from the stove. I took my time finding a mug and pouring my coffee. I snagged a banana off the bunch on the way to the table next to him. This unknown information was driving him up the wall. Let him try and figure it out a bit longer.
“I’m not covering anything up Jer. I just don’t know what to tell you at the moment. In fact, there’s nothing to tell. What you saw was it. That was the extent of what I know myself.” Okay, maybe not all of what I knew. Close enough.
“Okay. When you feel like telling me, I’ll be more than happy to hear it.” I looked up from taking a bite and saw him reading again. But now it was with a big smug grin on his face. One day I will revel in doing this to him. That day couldn’t come soon enough.


By the middle of the afternoon Jeremy decided he had indeed done some damage. The main wall was tore down and now in a pile, and he was measuring out where the new studs would be placed, accommodating the plans Ben had showed him. Why his brother insisted on buying this big house was beyond reasoning. Ben had found it six months ago while biking during one of his morning rides. Over the phone he had said it was in need of a few repairs, but sturdy and solid. What he had meant was that it was in need of complete repair, and sturdy and solid meant it hadn’t fallen over yet. But it was a good way to relieve some stress and focus on something that would come out as planned. Life could be unstable at times. Days like this returned that sense of stability.
The fact that Ben had remodeled a few rooms and the bathroom on his own proved that he was using it as a stress reliever himself. I glanced up as more shingles fell into a pile to my left. He was making quick work of that roof. It was most likely because with the sun directly overhead, he was getting fried. It had to be like walking on coals up there. Not that I was any better down here. My white tank top had turned a dirt brown color in the last hour, and it was soaked completely through. I went inside and grabbed a glass of water, grabbing a water bottle and filling it up as I headed back out. Ben was descending the ladder as I rounded the doorway.
“I could definitely use that water right about now. Good timing.”
“I figured by the steady stream of shingles that you were trying to make quick work of it. This heat takes the energy right out of you.”
Ben used his shirt to swipe across his face and took a swig of water.
“You’re telling me. A couple of months ago it wasn’t so bad, but once it hits June, there’s no hope of it cooling off. Let’s take a break.”
“That’s fine by me. Where can we grab a bite to eat?”
“There’s a great diner a few miles up the street. We can call and order a couple sandwiches. They’ll have them ready when we pull up.”
“That’s my kind of place. You call and I’ll go pick them up.”
Within an hour we had finished off the sub sandwiches and decided that we would wait and work more on the house tomorrow. We changed clothes and headed down to the basketball courts. The closest ones were at the high school, and Ben said if we got lucky, the day would be ending soon and there’d be a few guys out there wanting to play. We shot for about forty five minutes before the bell rang and kids poured out of the sets of double doors facing the street. By three o’clock there were about six guys headed our way. One yelled out as he crossed the court.
“Hey! Ben! Who’d you bring with you? Hopefully you two aren’t counting on beating us today.”
“Well Rob, that all depends on if you have actually been playing as much as you say. And he’s my brother. Jeremy, meet Rob, high school junior and on varsity.”
“Nice to meet you Rob, you ready to play a little ball?”
“You old timers got nothing on us. Two teams of four, you can have Jimmy and Luke. And we won’t go easy on you.”
I looked at Ben and he leaned in. “They’re a lot of talk, but they play hard. Have to give them credit for their nerve and determination though. Normally play to twenty, best out of three.”
“Sounds good, I’m up for it. Let’s show them a thing or two about Morris boys.” Ben slapped me on the back and grinned.
“Now that’s what I like to hear.” He turned around, “You ready boys? Let’s get this game started!”

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Rudger’s. If I was told there was a place more down to earth, I wouldn’t believe it. The gas station/store sat right on the edge of town and was loved entirely for its atmosphere. Rocking chairs on the wrap around porch were continually set to motion, creaking away. As I passed by I waved and saw the same familiar faces smile and return the sentiment. I felt my chest tighten a little. Home. Not much ever changed, but then again, that’s what was comfortable about it. It was expected and well known. Another few miles passed and before I knew it I was walking through the front doors, smelling the lingering apple cider candles and some of my mother’s faint and soft perfume. I heard the screen door shut in the back of the house and my mother humming as she came inside. I began to hum with her. She stopped as I continued for a few seconds.
“Kate? Kate, is that you?” I walked around the corner and found her standing by the sink washing her hands. She had no doubt been knee deep in the garden by the dirt smears on her clothes.
“Honey, you made it!”
“Hi mom.” She dried her hands and enfolded me into a hug that only a mother can give.
“How was the trip? Are you hungry? I know they never give you anything worth eating on those flights. I can whip up something for you in no time.”
“No, I’m fine. I’ll just grab a little something to hold me over until dinner. I wouldn’t want to miss out on some good home cooking.” My mother smiled and nodded her agreement, satisfied with the answer.
“Why don’t you take your things to your room and get situated. I need to clean up myself,” she said as she looked down and noted her appearance.
“I think I’ll catch a nap before dinner if that’s alright.”
“Sure, whatever you’d like.” She hugged me again and began humming as I went back and collected my bags.I walked down the hallway and set my suitcase at the foot of my bed. Things had not changed. I had changed, but my memories were all crashing back in around me in swift and sure movements as my eyes took in the room. I didn’t want to dwell on them quite yet. I fell onto my bed and turned my face into the pillow. My mother still used the same laundry detergent she had for years. That was all it took for me to relax and drift to sleep.