Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 113319 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113319 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
“Ew, it has rats?”
“See? Immediate reaction. And no, it doesn’t. Though I’d choose rats over animated dolls and garden gnomes…but we didn’t get that choice.”
“I can’t believe you left Edgar at home,” Austin said as he took the two bottles of wine from me. “Or that Cyra and Hollace said they’d stay and watch him.”
I shook my head about Edgar. There was no way in hell I was bringing him anywhere near my ex in-laws. Besides, it was on him to figure out that gnome situation.
“I think Cyra wants revenge on the gnomes, and Hollace is taking one for the team by making sure they don’t cause too much havoc. He’s the best at talking her out of terrible, destructive ideas.”
“Oh, look, Mom.” Jimmy pointed at one of the old trucks in the driveway. A rusty, worn-down trailer was parked beside it. “That old Wagoneer is gone. The one with the weeds growing up out of the floorboards.”
I lifted my eyebrows, glancing around to see if it was poking out from around the house. Didn’t appear to be, and it didn’t run, so it couldn’t have gone far.
“Did he finally get rid of it?” Jimmy asked, stepping up onto the creaky and cracked wood of the porch.
“I can’t imagine he did.” My dad never got rid of anything. He collected and collected and just piled the new things up.
Jimmy opened the faded brown door with the orange-brown paint covering decades-old scratches from a dog long gone. Duct tape covered a crack in the stained-glass window.
“Duct tape fixes everything,” Austin murmured, looking at the patch.
“You know how Kingsley’s house was immaculate?” I asked, edging around a lemon tree in a large pot that blocked part of the entryway. “This will be nothing like that.”
My dad sat in the far corner of the living room with an iPad balanced on his large belly and his hands on the armrests. The TV blared from not far away, but Dad was wearing headphones and couldn’t hear it as he watched the iPad screen. A couple of corners of his green blanket stuck out from under his legs, and even while we stood there, we heard why we christened it his fart blanket. He was at least clothed. Small miracles.
Austin looked at the deer heads mounted on the wall and then at the many pieces of furniture placed around the living room, three steps down. Most of the pieces were from a matching black leather set, but one orange couch circa 1970 sat in front of a sliding glass door that no longer opened. A large potted plant stood on the bricks in front of the fireplace, and the coffee table held two huge stacks of magazines.
“Dad,” I called, stopping at the steps leading down into the living room. “Dad!” I waved my hand. Nothing. “Let’s go find Grandma.”
She was at the stove with her hair in curlers, wearing faded maroon sweats covered in holes and bleach stains. Our movement caught her eye because she glanced up. Her expression turned joyful as she set down her spoon.
“Jimmy!” She hugged him before clamping her hands on his cheeks and kissing his forehead. “I’m so glad you could come for dinner! I’d thought you were supposed to be at your dad’s?”
“I’m going over there tomorrow,” he said, looking around for a place to put the beer.
“Oh here, let me take that. I’ll put it in the cooler in the garage. Are you hungry? Do you need a snack? I didn’t make any clam dip today because we’ll have it on Christmas, but I do have a cheese ball if you want that.”
“I’m okay,” he said, opening the pantry. “I’ll just have some chips.”
It was my turn for a hello. She smiled at me and gave me a hug before beaming at Austin.
“And here is Austin!” She put out her arms for a hug, and it occurred to me that I’d better stop her from doing that when she met Mimi. “I’m so glad you could come.” She patted his shoulders before stepping back. “Jessie talks so much about you. I hear you two have moved in together?”
“Yes.” I hooked my arm around his, filled with joy and pride. Our relationship felt more real, somehow, now that I was bringing Austin into what I thought of as my past life. My non-magical existence.
“Well, that is just great news. I knew you were perfect for each other.” She beamed at me. “Want a beer?”
Having a beer soon after walking through the door was basically a rite of passage in this house. It was just what one did.
“Sure,” I said as Austin pulled his arm from mine and wrapped it around my waist.
“Austin? Beer?” She picked up the case from the counter, pausing to get his answer.
“Please,” he replied.
“We can just take it from there.” I pointed at the case she held, stepping forward to help.