Page 112 of Seasons of Love
I stand in the middle of my backyard and stare at the mess, struggling to see its potential.
The grass, or what I think is grass, is dead. Well, everything that looks like it may have once been a living plant is dead. Or at least looks dead.
There’s a shed at the far end of the backyard, but it’s got so many parts missing that I’m not sure I can call it a shed anymore. It’s more like an assembly of wooden planks, precariously joined by rusty nails and a collapsing roof.
I don’t dare approach it and see if there’s anything useful inside.
Even though I have a sizable backyard, there are properties on all three sides divided by tall wooden fences.
I like that it offers privacy, but I can’t imagine how much work it will take to make this into a semi-decent backyard I’ll actually want to spend time in.
Not that it’s a priority for me right now. I’ve been working on the inside of the house since I moved in because I’d rather spend the summer focusing on the part I use. But my meddling sister had to go and place an ad in the local paper to hire someone to fix the backyard for me.
The doorbell rings, so I go back into the house. All Alice said was that the guy she spoke to would be here at some point in the morning, so that might be him.
I open the door, and I’m wrong. So wrong.
“Wow, you could be happier to see me,” Alice says, following me inside.
“Yay, how nice to see you,” I say sarcastically.
She goes straight to my coffee maker, which was her housewarming present for me. I’m sure she only ever comes to visit so she can use it.
“You’re cranky. Things aren’t going well with Tyler?” she asks. “You seemed to really hit it off.”
“Like a hammer on a nail.”
She scrunches her face. “I don’t need the details, thank you very much. I just want to know if you’ve had any dates. If he’s…the one…?”
I laugh. “Christ, Alice. I met the guy a week ago. Even if we hit it off in the way you’re hoping, don’t you think it’s a little too early to be talking about ‘the one?’” I ask, making quote signs.
She scoffs, adding cream to her coffee. “Max was my one straight away.”
“That’s because you’re slightly deranged, and he was way too slow on the uptake. He’s been plotting his escape since.”
She throws her stirring spoon at me after licking it and hits me even as I try to dodge it. “Damn you.”
She grins at her victorious throw, but then her expression changes. “So, what did you mean? You didn’t hit it off with Tyler? You seemed to get along so well.”
“We did…do.” I walk over and give her a one-armed hug because no one gets in the way of her coffee. “Tyler and I hit it off as friends. We both agreed during dinner that we didn’t feel right for each other.”
“Why not?”
I shrug. “Sometimes, you just know these things. But you did something really amazing, little sister.”
“I did?”
“Yes. I helped Tyler in the soup kitchen this week, and it was a really enlightening. I’ve wanted to help the community here for a while. I didn’t know how, but I guess volunteering with Tyler is a start.”
She smiles. “He’s a really good guy. Does so much for others, but I don’t think anyone ever does anything for him.”
“Alice…” I warn.
“No, I’m not playing Cupid again. I’m just saying.”
The doorbell rings again.
“You expecting someone?” She waggles her eyebrows as if she doesn’t know and doesn’t totally intend to interfere with the plans for the backyard.
