Jade Clark:I’m sorry??? Slightly used??? By who???
Kerry Winsor:You never did tell us what happened to your wife, Hugh! PLEASE tell me it’s not what I think this is!!!
Tammy Jane:What the hell, old man?
Hu Gh:I didn’t use it for its intended purpose!!!! Y’all leave my wife out of this. She just left me!
Marjorie Brown:You’re not getting any younger, Hugh. Maybe you should keep it. I bet you’ll have a use for it soon!
Jade Clark:MARJORIE OH MY GOD
Hu Gh:YOU BETTER NOT BE CALLIN’ ME OLD!!! YOU AIN’T A SPRY CHICKEN EITHER!!!
Aday later,I pulled up to my apartment building.
Normally, I’d have been thrilled to be back home, but this time, it felt different. Instead of seeing the place where I went to relax, I saw a three-story white building that I spent time at.
When had that changed?
“Wow, it’s loud,” Grace said as she looked around.
“We’re near a big road.”
“All of them look like big roads,” she replied with a laugh. “It’s not bad. It’s just different.”
She’d probably said that just for me. But I’d noticed how the noise had gone up since we got into town. Grace’s house was an oasis. There was no one around for what felt like miles. Here, everyone was so close together you could hear everything they were doing.
“Definitely different.”
“I bet you’re glad to be back for a little while, even if it is to wrap up.”
I looked around once more. I enjoyed the work I did here, and the time spent with Clyde. But the rest? I didn’t miss the cars or the loud neighbors I had below me. I didn’t miss the traffic or the way that I couldn’t see nature.
“Strawberry Springs isn’t so bad.”
“Really?” she asked with a raised eyebrow.
“There’re good parts. Even if the people love to be up my ass.” I tried to mutter it, but it was weird not expecting someone to waltz up and ask about my day. Here, they wouldn’t. They would walk right past me and not look twice.
“Well, you have a break from it,” she said. “Are you ready to show me your bachelor pad?”
“Hopefully it’s not too bad.” I knew it wasn’t as cozy as her place was, but I had put art up, at least.
My apartment was on the third floor, and as we walked up the steps, I made a plan for what I wanted to keepversus what I wanted to get rid of. I was used to these things, and it took me far too long to realize Grace had paused.
“Hang on a second.” She gasped. “I’m ... just needing to catch my breath.”
I ran back down, feeling like an idiot for leaving her behind. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah. The baby’s just pressing on my lungs. I promise I’m notthisout of shape.”
“It wouldn’t matter if you were. These stairs are rough for almost anyone. I should have thought about it.”
“I’ll be fine.” She tried to wave me off, but I wasn’t having that.
“Come here,” I said, and before she could try to lie again, I picked her up bridal style.
“D-Dean!” She was still breathless, but her cheeks were faintly red.