Page 222 of ClickBack

He says it without making an announcement of what kind of man that makes him. Rae looks at him, then pushes the box toward his end of the counter.

“Don’t tip that one. The soap leaked in the last move.”

“Appreciate the warning.”

I go to the freezer. The cold reaches my face, and I remain there after I have found the ice packs.

“Ma.”

“Yes?”

“You’re cooling the kitchen.”

“You’ve already paid this month’s electric bill.”

Rae comes beside me. She studies my forehead, then the damp hair near my temple.

“How often is that happening?”

“Enough.”

“At night, too?”

I put the ice packs against my chest. “I didn’t order a consultation.”

“That’s why it’s free.”

Jarrett picks up the carton. I can feel him listening as he leaves us to it.

“I’ll make an appointment,” I tell her.

“With Dr. Holder. An actual appointment, not a reminder to make one.”

“Would you like a confirmation number?”

“If they give you one.”

I shut the freezer. She takes two of the packs from me and puts them in the cooler, then reaches for the ones I am still holding. For a few seconds, we work around each other the way we always have.

Sutton arrives carrying a small potted plant in a box wedged with newspaper. Byron follows with a gift bag. I notice his hands first and resent that last Saturday has made me do it.

Jarrett is outside. Graves is standing near the ramp. Nobody moves toward anybody.

“The woman at the nursery said it’s hard to kill,” Sutton tells Rae. “I asked what she meant by hard.”

“What did she say?”

“She showed me something else.”

Rae laughs and accepts the box. “Thank you. I’ll try not to embarrass us.”

Sutton asks where she wants it, and Rae points toward the front passenger seat. Trina comes off the porch to negotiate room for her knees.

Byron gives Rae the bag. Inside is a cordless drill with a small case of bits. She looks at it, then at him.

“Mine?”

“Yours. So you can stop borrowing mine.”