Chapter 4

Carol stepped away from the door.

"That's not what I asked."

Danny lifted his duffel.

"It's what you meant."

He left before she could answer.

At Nana Ruth's, he put the box on her kitchen table.

She set a glass of water beside it.

"Do you want to talk?"

"No."

"Do you want company?"

He nodded.

She sat across from him until after midnight.

Neither of them opened the box again.

For the next two weeks, Danny drove to work from her house.

He brought groceries home on Fridays.

She complained when he paid for them.

He put the receipt beneath her sugar bowl anyway.

Carol called every evening.

Some nights, he answered.

She asked about his tires.

His lunch.

Whether Nana Ruth's furnace was working.

She didn't ask about the letter.

Vince sent one message.

I'll answer anything whenever you're ready.

Danny left it unanswered.

On the first Saturday in December, Hannah met him at the farmhouse.

Carol had agreed he could collect more clothes.

The driveway held only her car.

No Vince.

Danny carried two laundry baskets downstairs.

His mother stood beside the kitchen counter.

"I made coffee."

He set the baskets near the door.

"I've got a few minutes."

Hannah stayed in the kitchen with them.

Carol poured three cups.

For a while, they talked about Nana Ruth's porch steps.

Then Carol glanced at Danny.

"Your sister thinks I'm a terrible person."

Hannah put down her cup.

"I think you threatened him."

"I was upset."

"You still said it."

Carol looked back at Danny.

"I shouldn't have."

He nodded once.

She waited.

He didn't offer anything else.

Outside, wind rattled the garage door.

Danny turned toward the sound.

"I want to keep using the shop."

Carol rested both hands around her mug.

"For what?"

"What I used it for before."

"Your dad's gone."

"I know."

Hannah looked down at the table.

Danny kept his voice level.

"Fixing my truck."

He rubbed a callus with his thumbnail.

"Small jobs after work."

"You're not starting a business out there."

"I'm not asking to."

He pointed toward the garage.

"Your property, your tools."

Carol looked surprised at the words.

"I can pay rent for the space."

"You can't afford rent somewhere else."

"Not an apartment."

He pushed his coffee aside.

"I can afford a little for the shop."

"What about living here?"

"I'm staying with Grandma."

Carol turned her mug slowly.

"You could come home."

"Has anything changed?"

"I just apologized."

"For Thanksgiving."

"What else do you want?"

Danny looked at Hannah.

Then he faced his mother again.

"I want you to stop saying you did it for me."

Carol's eyes filled.

She blinked hard.

"I was scared."

"Of Dad finding out?"

"Of losing everything."

The refrigerator clicked off.

Danny waited.

Carol pulled a paper towel from the roll.

"I thought if you knew, you'd stop being Frank's."

Hannah stared at her mother.

Danny's hand settled over his father's watch.

"That wasn't yours to decide."

"I know that now."

"Do you?"

Carol didn't answer.

He stood and picked up the baskets.

"Think about the shop."

"I don't want your money."

"I don't want a favor you can take back."

She watched him walk to the door.

That Tuesday, she called with an offer.

A six-month rental agreement.

One hundred dollars a month.

Garage access through the side yard.

No customers, no overnight stays.

Frank's larger tools would remain her property.

Danny stood in the auto-parts stockroom, listening.

"Put the hours in writing, too."

"Fine."

"And a key."

"You still have the house key."

"Then I'll trade you."

Carol went quiet.

He waited beside a shelf of oil filters.

Finally, she said,

"We're having supper at church Christmas Eve."

Danny leaned against the shelf.

"I know."

"Your grandmother's coming."

"So am I."

"We could all sit together."

He looked toward the clock.

His break was nearly over.

"Maybe."

"I want people to see we're still a family."

Danny straightened.

"What does that mean?"

"It means this shouldn't follow us everywhere."

"Nobody's following you."

"The neighbors know."

"They were there."

"And Hannah barely speaks to me."

"That's between you and Hannah."

Carol drew a breath.

"Frank knew."

Danny's fingers tightened around the phone.

"Don't."

"He chose to stay."

"He wasn't choosing a wedding for you."

"I'm not asking you to make a speech."

"Then what are you asking?"

Her answer came quickly.

"Just stand with us."

Danny looked at the time again.

"I can't promise that."

For several seconds, he heard nothing.

Then Carol spoke.

"If you want the shop, I need you to stand with us at Christmas."