magnitude. This purchase would drain it and then some. She’d given us back our thousand we’d loaned her for her deposit, with an extra two hundred thrown in ‘for interest’, but even with that, we didn’t have much disposable income.
“Maria, that’s very generous of you, but I couldn’t—” Ryan began.
“Ryan, I mean it. I’ve been single all my life and I’ve worked since I was twenty years old. You’re my family, the only family I have. Who else am I going to spend my money on? I want to help you. I won’t take no for an answer. Besides, I came into some money recently from a good investment I made, so go ahead and put in an offer on the house. I’ll be more than happy to give you the money down and more, if needed.”
“Oh, Mom! Thank you!” I shrieked happily, thinking about how Gran had all but accused Maria of being an opportunistic gold-digger. Well, I had solid proof she was wrong, and I took perverse satisfaction in that.
We walked downstairs and Mom took Benjie outside to explore the deep back yard and that awesome tree. Joshua got a call so he pulled out his cell phone and stepped into the living room, leaving me and Ryan alone in the kitchen. We looked around together, and I felt awed that such a place, so quickly, could be our own. It was a bit surreal.
I looked up at Ryan. “Do you really want to do this? It’s happening really, really fast.”
“I’m worried about accepting that money from Maria. I’m just not sure it’s the right thing to do.”
“You heard her. She said she wouldn’t take no for an answer. And we can save to pay her back. I don’t care if she came into some money, as she put it. I wouldn’t feel right unless we paid her back. So, really, what do you think?”
“I’m ready if you are, honey. I know this is important to you.”
“Well, yeah, but I still worry that it might be moving too quickly for Benjie.”
“When we had our talk at home, he promised to give this a try and to tell us if he’s uncomfortable about anything. I told him we’d take all the time we needed to make it easy on him. He’s a good kid. I think he’ll be fine.”
Joshua poked his head into the kitchen. “Are you guys ready? I have to head back to the office, so I’ve got to lock up here and get going.”
“Sure, but give us one more minute, ok?” I asked.
He nodded and left the room again. It was time to mention the idea I had to Ryan to see if he’d be ok with it.
“Ryan, how do you feel about dogs?”
“Excuse me?”
“Benjie needs a puppy. We’ll have the room for one, and I think it’s important for him to have something all his own.”
He thought for a moment and nodded. “Jesus. A new baby, a new house and a new puppy. I’m starting to think we’re moving too fast for me.” He chuckled. “Ok, but after we move in and get settled, ok?”
“Deal.”
“Happy, Mrs. Ashford?”
“You have no idea.”
“Yes, I do. I feel the same way.” He pulled me close and held me tight. I cuddled into his warm bulk and sighed, sheer happiness bubbling up inside me, making me feel slightly giddy.
Until I heard the scream that came from the back yard.
Chapter 12
Ryan and I raced toward the rear of the house and flew out the sliding glass door that led to the back yard. Mom was in a heap on the ground, and Benjie stood over her with a terrified look on his face.
“Daddy, Catie, come quick!” he screamed.
We ran to them as fast as we could and crouched down next to Mom. Her eyes were closed, her breath shallow. She appeared to be unconscious.
I leaned in and listened to her heart. It was faint, but it was beating. What had happened to her? What the hell was going on? This couldn’t be lactose intolerance still, could it? A feeling of foreboding was building inside me, and I knelt down at Mom’s head and stroked her hair back from her face with one hand, and checked the pulse at her wrist with the other.
Ryan’s cell was already in his hand
“Maria, that’s very generous of you, but I couldn’t—” Ryan began.
“Ryan, I mean it. I’ve been single all my life and I’ve worked since I was twenty years old. You’re my family, the only family I have. Who else am I going to spend my money on? I want to help you. I won’t take no for an answer. Besides, I came into some money recently from a good investment I made, so go ahead and put in an offer on the house. I’ll be more than happy to give you the money down and more, if needed.”
“Oh, Mom! Thank you!” I shrieked happily, thinking about how Gran had all but accused Maria of being an opportunistic gold-digger. Well, I had solid proof she was wrong, and I took perverse satisfaction in that.
We walked downstairs and Mom took Benjie outside to explore the deep back yard and that awesome tree. Joshua got a call so he pulled out his cell phone and stepped into the living room, leaving me and Ryan alone in the kitchen. We looked around together, and I felt awed that such a place, so quickly, could be our own. It was a bit surreal.
I looked up at Ryan. “Do you really want to do this? It’s happening really, really fast.”
“I’m worried about accepting that money from Maria. I’m just not sure it’s the right thing to do.”
“You heard her. She said she wouldn’t take no for an answer. And we can save to pay her back. I don’t care if she came into some money, as she put it. I wouldn’t feel right unless we paid her back. So, really, what do you think?”
“I’m ready if you are, honey. I know this is important to you.”
“Well, yeah, but I still worry that it might be moving too quickly for Benjie.”
“When we had our talk at home, he promised to give this a try and to tell us if he’s uncomfortable about anything. I told him we’d take all the time we needed to make it easy on him. He’s a good kid. I think he’ll be fine.”
Joshua poked his head into the kitchen. “Are you guys ready? I have to head back to the office, so I’ve got to lock up here and get going.”
“Sure, but give us one more minute, ok?” I asked.
He nodded and left the room again. It was time to mention the idea I had to Ryan to see if he’d be ok with it.
“Ryan, how do you feel about dogs?”
“Excuse me?”
“Benjie needs a puppy. We’ll have the room for one, and I think it’s important for him to have something all his own.”
He thought for a moment and nodded. “Jesus. A new baby, a new house and a new puppy. I’m starting to think we’re moving too fast for me.” He chuckled. “Ok, but after we move in and get settled, ok?”
“Deal.”
“Happy, Mrs. Ashford?”
“You have no idea.”
“Yes, I do. I feel the same way.” He pulled me close and held me tight. I cuddled into his warm bulk and sighed, sheer happiness bubbling up inside me, making me feel slightly giddy.
Until I heard the scream that came from the back yard.
Chapter 12
Ryan and I raced toward the rear of the house and flew out the sliding glass door that led to the back yard. Mom was in a heap on the ground, and Benjie stood over her with a terrified look on his face.
“Daddy, Catie, come quick!” he screamed.
We ran to them as fast as we could and crouched down next to Mom. Her eyes were closed, her breath shallow. She appeared to be unconscious.
I leaned in and listened to her heart. It was faint, but it was beating. What had happened to her? What the hell was going on? This couldn’t be lactose intolerance still, could it? A feeling of foreboding was building inside me, and I knelt down at Mom’s head and stroked her hair back from her face with one hand, and checked the pulse at her wrist with the other.
Ryan’s cell was already in his hand
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