placed more food onto the table. He eyed a splatter of cream-cheese icing on the wall. He rubbed his sore cheek. Why couldn’t Leon find another way to control his rage?
The loud guzzle of the vacuum cleaner ended when Adrian turned it off. She wrapped the cord around the plastic hook. “All done. What else do you want me to do?”
He took a deep breath. His head still ached. Maybe he should take some more aspirin. He pulled her over to the table. “Could you un-wrap these paper plates and place them at the end of the table?” His voice wavered. She touched his arm.
“You sound awful.”
“It’s been an awful day, Adrian.”
She ripped the plastic wrap off of the plates. “You know, I’ve been doing pretty bad since my roommate left and got married. I miss having a sighted person around to take me to work every day and to do grocery shopping and errands.” Adrian’s calm cool voice filled the room.
The thought of Leon’s crude behavior evaporated like a fine mist as he focused on Adrian’s problems. “You know I-—”
She reached over, felt around until she found his arm, halting his speech. “I know you’re willing to help. I appreciate how you’ve helped already, but, I really don’t want to take advantage of you.” She paused, setting more plates onto the table. “I have a cousin who’s moving in to help me. She’s having some problems at home and she feels it’s time to move out.” She gripped the stack of plates. “She’s twenty five, so she’s a little bit younger than us. She’s always lived with her mother and her sisters. She’s never lived on her own. She’s found a job down here and everything, but she’s not used to the area. I was hoping you could show her around when she moves in.”
He blinked, rubbed his sore jaw. “Hold on. I’m going to get some ice for my face.” He went into the bathroom and turned on the light. “Good grief.” He glared at his complexion. His eyes were red and ringed with dark circles. His cheek sported an angry blue-black knotted bruise. He touched his sore cheek, wincing from the pain. Still plagued by Leon’s behavior, he went into the kitchen. He grabbed some ice and shoved it into a sandwich bag, placed a washcloth over it, and held it to his sore jaw.
He returned to the living room. Adrian had finished setting out the plates. She’d made herself comfortable on the couch. Taking a few deep breaths, he pushed Leon out of his mind, again focusing on Adrian’s news. “So, you’re trying to set me up with your cousin?”
She shook her head so fast, a few strands of hair escaped from the fashionable bun at the nape of her neck. “No. I know you’ve been sad since your dad passed. I’m just trying to get your mind off of it.” She stopped speaking, placed her hand on his arm. “I’ve been praying for you every day since your dad died.”
“Thank you.” The simple words warmed his heart, making his grief a bit easier to deal with.
He eyed his friend. She sat up straight, her small hands now folded in front of her. He’d been worried about her over the last few weeks, helping her out when he could, but it’d been hard. He’d had to work more hours in the bakery after his dad had gotten sick. Now that he knew she’d have a roommate, he wouldn’t worry about her so much. “So, when’s your cousin supposed to arrive?”
Chapter 3
Sterling pulled his car into his driveway. He turned off the ignition, closed his eyes. Whew, he needed to refuel his energy before going inside. What a rough day. Surprising he’d made it to work on the day after his dad’s funeral. He peeked at his watch. It was four o’clock and once he was inside, he needed to catch a quick nap before settling into his evening routine. The bakery had been packed. Several of his regular customers expressed their sympathies. He’d been busy, baking pies, cakes and cookies all day. When his assistant had closed out the register, he’d been pleased with
The loud guzzle of the vacuum cleaner ended when Adrian turned it off. She wrapped the cord around the plastic hook. “All done. What else do you want me to do?”
He took a deep breath. His head still ached. Maybe he should take some more aspirin. He pulled her over to the table. “Could you un-wrap these paper plates and place them at the end of the table?” His voice wavered. She touched his arm.
“You sound awful.”
“It’s been an awful day, Adrian.”
She ripped the plastic wrap off of the plates. “You know, I’ve been doing pretty bad since my roommate left and got married. I miss having a sighted person around to take me to work every day and to do grocery shopping and errands.” Adrian’s calm cool voice filled the room.
The thought of Leon’s crude behavior evaporated like a fine mist as he focused on Adrian’s problems. “You know I-—”
She reached over, felt around until she found his arm, halting his speech. “I know you’re willing to help. I appreciate how you’ve helped already, but, I really don’t want to take advantage of you.” She paused, setting more plates onto the table. “I have a cousin who’s moving in to help me. She’s having some problems at home and she feels it’s time to move out.” She gripped the stack of plates. “She’s twenty five, so she’s a little bit younger than us. She’s always lived with her mother and her sisters. She’s never lived on her own. She’s found a job down here and everything, but she’s not used to the area. I was hoping you could show her around when she moves in.”
He blinked, rubbed his sore jaw. “Hold on. I’m going to get some ice for my face.” He went into the bathroom and turned on the light. “Good grief.” He glared at his complexion. His eyes were red and ringed with dark circles. His cheek sported an angry blue-black knotted bruise. He touched his sore cheek, wincing from the pain. Still plagued by Leon’s behavior, he went into the kitchen. He grabbed some ice and shoved it into a sandwich bag, placed a washcloth over it, and held it to his sore jaw.
He returned to the living room. Adrian had finished setting out the plates. She’d made herself comfortable on the couch. Taking a few deep breaths, he pushed Leon out of his mind, again focusing on Adrian’s news. “So, you’re trying to set me up with your cousin?”
She shook her head so fast, a few strands of hair escaped from the fashionable bun at the nape of her neck. “No. I know you’ve been sad since your dad passed. I’m just trying to get your mind off of it.” She stopped speaking, placed her hand on his arm. “I’ve been praying for you every day since your dad died.”
“Thank you.” The simple words warmed his heart, making his grief a bit easier to deal with.
He eyed his friend. She sat up straight, her small hands now folded in front of her. He’d been worried about her over the last few weeks, helping her out when he could, but it’d been hard. He’d had to work more hours in the bakery after his dad had gotten sick. Now that he knew she’d have a roommate, he wouldn’t worry about her so much. “So, when’s your cousin supposed to arrive?”
Chapter 3
Sterling pulled his car into his driveway. He turned off the ignition, closed his eyes. Whew, he needed to refuel his energy before going inside. What a rough day. Surprising he’d made it to work on the day after his dad’s funeral. He peeked at his watch. It was four o’clock and once he was inside, he needed to catch a quick nap before settling into his evening routine. The bakery had been packed. Several of his regular customers expressed their sympathies. He’d been busy, baking pies, cakes and cookies all day. When his assistant had closed out the register, he’d been pleased with
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