His Unexpected Family

“Look,” he said, “what I really came out for was—I need you to come along to the kitchen. We’ve hit a...snag.”

“What kind of a snag?”

“I’d like to show you.”

They crossed the lawn together, their shadows mingling on the bright green grass. A bee buzzed around Brodie’s head, and he swatted it away. From the kitchen window came the beat of a stereo.

When they reached the open door, Brodie stood back to let her enter first. Then he crossed to the ghetto blaster set on the wide windowsill above the sink, and switched it off. “Hey, you guys, take five.”

The two men who had been busy yanking off wallboard dropped their tools and took off their dust masks. On their way out, the younger man paused in the doorway.

“Hey, boss, almost forgot. Hayley called. She wants you to pick up bread and hamburger buns on your way home.”

“Thanks, Sandy.” Brodie chuckled. “Hen—”

“‘Henpecked, that’s what I am!’” the two workmen chanted together as if it was a story they’d heard many times before. And guffawing, they walked outside.

Brodie chuckled. “No respect,” he said to Kendra. “I get no respect around here. One of these days...”

Kendra forced a small laugh but her mind was not on what Brodie was saying, but on what Sandy had said.

Hayley. The name didn’t ring a bell. She recalled no Hayley in high school. Where had Brodie met her, then? Had she been a summer visitor? One of those flashy city girls who came up to Lakeview for the holidays and dazzled the local boys at the Friday night dances?

“Over here,” Brodie said.

She walked over to join him. He was wielding a heavy screwdriver.

“Watch this,” he said.

He jabbed the screwdriver into one of the studs that had been revealed when the wallboard had been pulled off. The stud crumbled in a cloud of dust.

“Dry rot,” he said.

“Is it bad?”

“It’s bad. I’ve checked and it’s spread all along this corner of the house. The kitchen, the mudroom, the kitchenette. We’re looking at major reconstruction here.”

“Oh, that’s just great!” Kendra chewed her lip. “You’re going to be working in both kitchens?”

“Yup.”

She rubbed her hands down her arms, which suddenly felt chilly despite the warmth of the day. “How long will the job take?”

“Could be several weeks all told.”

“We should move out.”

He leaned back against the sink. “Yeah, it would be easier all round. Usually is, when renovations are major.”

She murmured a sound of frustration and said, almost to herself, “I hate to uproot Megan again... just when we’re getting settled.”

“Yeah, it’s hard on kids. Moving. D’you want to put the job on hold till you find some place to stay?”

“Yes, that would be best.”

“Well, I guess we can knock off now,” he said. “But listen ... anything I can do to help out, just let me know.”

Kendra wondered if she had ever met a more disconcerting man. A few minutes ago he’d been needling her, driving her crazy; now he was looking at her with concern in his eyes and offering her assistance.

“Thanks,” she said. “That’s kind of you. But I’m sure I’ll manage. We’ll probably end up renting a housekeeping suite in one of the motels at the school end of town—”