Instead, I jogged down the steps and went out to the truck. The bed was big. I hoped it would fit a big swing set.
Several hours later, I eased down the driveway with my haul. I’d picked a neat swing set that would hopefully entertain the boys and Jim. I’d also stopped at a store and stocked up on food Michelle might need to make her apartment feel like her own home.
When I rounded the corner of the house, I caught sight of Liam and Aden tossing a ball back and forth and Michelle sitting on the steps, leaning back on her elbows with her long legs stretched out before her. I swallowed hard and eased the truck to a stop.
As I opened the door, she stood, her gaze drifting over the things in the back of the truck and the bags in the seat beside me.
“Can we help carry in your groceries?” she asked.
“Actually, they’re your groceries.”
She glanced at all the bags again and made her way to the passenger door. As she handed a plastic bag to each of the boys, I inhaled her scent.
“Why the worry?” I asked, studying her.
“The swing set is great, but I don’t know how long we can stay here.”
I hated hearing her say what I’d been fearing.
“I told you, you can stay as long as you want.”
Her worry didn’t ease up even though she nodded. In fact, a thread of sadness started to weave in with the worry.
“I’m not sure my freezer will be able to hold all of the meat,” she said, grabbing several loaded bags.
She was trying to hide what she was really feeling with her words. Why? She didn’t trust me. The lack of trust disappointed me.
“Don’t worry. We’ll put the extra in Jim’s freezer.”
I watched her walk into the house and caught Winifred studying me.
I know, give it time, I thought to her.
Good boy.
I shook my head and started to unload the materials from the back of the truck. When the boys returned, they stood off to one side, watching me curiously until I asked them to help carry the little things.
Winifred joined Michelle in her efforts to take the groceries inside.
“What is all this for?” Liam asked after inspecting one of the chains on the ground.
“A swing set,” I said with a smile. I picked up two chains and attached the seat to the ends. “See?”
Aden’s eyes lit with anticipation. Liam looked a little hesitant to believe me. Like his sister.
The boys stayed close as I worked. They helped when I asked them to, but otherwise stayed quiet and out of the way. If it would have been Jim and me at that age, we would have been all over Uncle Grey or Dad.
“How long is this going to take?” Aden asked, a hint of impatience in his voice. I laughed.
“It’ll go faster when Jim gets home in a few minutes. He’ll be able to hold the support beam in place.”
Aden bounced on his feet a little when he heard the distant rev of the motorcycle.
I turned to watch Jim drive my bike down the gravel drive. His devil smile told me he wanted to pull something, but he saw the swing set and seemed to change his mind. He parked, then came over by us.
“You need to hold the beam,” Aden said. Liam tried to shush him, but Aden gave his brother a quick scowl and moved closer to Jim.
“Liam, think you could hold these bolts for me while Jim and I lift the beam?”
Liam nodded and solemnly came forward to help.
We’d just gotten the beam in place when Winifred called us to the house for dinner.
Jim made a game out of who could take bigger bites between him and Aden. Aden giggled through most the meal. Michelle didn’t say much, just stayed focused on her food then helped clean up when she was done. She was more relaxed with us, but still so detached. I knew not to push her...yet.
After eating, Jim and I worked slowly on the swing set, spending the majority of our time teasing the kids. We even took a small break to show the two how to play catch. When Liam’s eyes rounded at a high jump I executed, Jim and I quickly went back to the swing set.
“You’re going to get us in trouble,” I said for his ears only.