That Day - Karen Deen (large ebook reader .TXT) 📗

behind me puts a smile on my face. “Don’t tell me Ricky is doing all the work on his own?”

“Always, Jeff,” Ricky yells out above the sound of his hammering. “You know he just walks around pretending to work all day and look important.”

“And damn, don’t I look good doing it too!” I laugh as Dad takes me in a hug, not concerned one bit that I’m covered in sawdust and smell like I’ve rolled in it.

“I taught you well then.” He chuckles and walks over to Ricky, giving him a slap on his back to say hello.

“I can’t deny that,” I say, sawing through the last piece of timber I need to hand to Ricky to nail in.

My dad was a builder before he retired. Growing up, on holidays and weekends, and then when I first left school, I worked with him. He taught me everything I know and got me qualified as a builder before I left to work as an agent.

I felt this calling to protect the innocent, after one of the guys I was in junior high with had a terrible tragedy in his family. He lost his dad because he witnessed an armed hold-up at the bank where he worked. He was the star witness and was killed because no one kept him safe before they could catch the fugitives. My friend’s dad was the innocent party and lost his life that day, but in some ways, so did his whole family. They lost someone important to them, and it could have been prevented. At the time, everyone in town was talking about how he should have been put into witness protection because they knew the fugitives were a part of a high-powered crime syndicate. I didn’t really understand what all that meant at my age, but the more I read about it, the more I knew I wanted to help people like Alondo and his family.

The job took a lot from me, but I will never regret the people I helped protect and the families that to this day are living a safe and relatively normal life. Not everyone gets to slide back into their previous lives. Some of them carry on the rest of their days moving every few years, changing names, but they would still rather that than the alternative, because it means they are alive. Those are the people my heart goes out to. Through no fault of their own, their lives will never be their own.

“It’s all looking good, Son. Almost done. The clients still happy?” Taking his usual spot, he sits on top of my toolbox.

“Yeah, we’re hoping for handover next week. They’re thrilled with it. Always makes me happy to know I delivered what they’ve been dreaming about. Nice feeling.”

“The best, I agree. It always made me feel like a weight was lifted off my shoulders as I walked away from each job on the last day, seeing the customers with a big smile on their faces. There’s a lot of pressure in delivering dreams.”

I can see him back in his memories, knowing they make him happy. Dad didn’t want to retire, but his health took that decision from him. After he had a heart attack, his heart is not as strong as it was. The doctors told him he needed to slow down a little, and in my mom’s eyes, that meant retirement. She was so scared she might lose him that she nagged him until he gave in.

So, instead of working, he started on all the jobs around his home that needed doing, at a slow and steady pace. Then, once that list dried up, he knew he needed something to occupy him and getting him out of the house. Otherwise, he and Mom would kill each other. Too much time together is a strain.

Luckily, a friend of his had a good option for him, which Dad snapped up and has been doing ever since. He’s a volunteer driver for the community transport, driving the sick and elderly to medical and other appointments they need to get to and can’t drive themselves. I can see why he would be perfect for the job, because he loves a good chat.

“What’re your plans for tonight?” He looks at me with that stupid grin on his face.

“Mom sent you over here, didn’t she?” I just laugh and keep working.

“I can neither confirm nor deny that statement. But you’re a smart guy, I’m sure you can work it out.”

“Why didn’t she just call me?”

“Because she knew I would have more chance of getting you to dinner. She’s like a general, she plans her attack with the most effective strike weapon.”

“You. I hate to break it to you, but I’m more scared of Mom than you, any day of the week.” We both burst out laughing at this statement.

“Shh. I know that, me too. Hence why I’m here. Do as you’re told and you can’t get in to trouble.”

“Bullshit. You just let her think she’s in charge. I’ve seen you calm her rants and watched her melt in your arms. You are Mom’s rock. We all know that. Why do you think she fusses over you? She wants to make sure you’re around for a long time to come.” The bond between them is unbreakable, full of love and mutual respect. Something to aspire to.

He waves his hand in the air to dismiss what I said. “Whatever. Anyway, my mission today is to get you home for dinner tonight with this new girlfriend that I’m not supposed to know about yet. Your mother is pacing, waiting for that phone call or for you to drop in to see her.”

“Dad, seriously. How does she even know? It’s not like we’ve even left the house together yet.”

“Are you that dumb, Son? If Seth knows, then Jodie knows, which means your mother knows. It’s Jodie’s way of punishing her little brother because you haven’t let her meet her yet, either. So, suck it up,