Page 35 of In Sheets of Rain

12

Get Out Of The House

“It’s been busy,” Sean said over the phone. “Three R4s and two R5s since midday. If this keeps up, I won’t be able to finish that chapter you gave me.”

“There’s time,” I offered.

“I told Derek I’ll stay late for him tomorrow. He’s got a thing he has to go to, and he can’t get a shift swap. You don’t mind, do you?”

“We were going to go look at a new car,” I reminded him.

“There’s time,” Sean said with a chuckle.

The station alarm sounded in the background.

“Shit,” he said, the line became scratchy as he no doubt pulled out his pager and fumbled with his phone. “Another fucking R4. It’s crazy, I tell you. Talk later?”

“OK.” He’d already disconnected.

I stared at nothing for a while and then switched on the PlayStation. Crash Bandicoot started up with familiar tones, soothing whatever had felt roughened inside.

* * *

Iwas walking back in the door with arms laden when Sean drove his Toyota Camry into the drive. I watched as he parked it behind my Honda Civic. He didn’t look up, too busy answering his cell phone. He laughed at something the caller said. Then nodded his head and reached toward the ignition in his car. His eyes shot up over the steering wheel and connected with mine.

The call ended with a few short words, and then he was out of the vehicle and walking toward me.

“Groceries?” he said, nodding at the bags in my arms. “Are there more in the car?”

“Yep,” I said and walked inside.

I was putting the cans of tomatoes away when he placed the last of the groceries on the bench. He walked over and kissed me on the side of my head and then said, “I’m taking a shower. I’m bushed.”

I didn’t see him again until eight that night.

* * *

“Good sleep?” I asked as I sipped my wine.

“Yeah. Feeling much better. What did you do today?”

“I test drove a car.”

“Which one.”

“The RAV4.”

“I thought we agreed on the CRV.”

“I like the RAV4.”

“Don’t be silly. It’s nowhere near as good as the CRV; you know that. I’ll go with you tomorrow, and we’ll test drive the CRV.”

“I like the RAV4.”

“Derek’s wife drives a CRV. He highly recommends it. Great safety rating. If that one in Albany is still for sale, we should get it. They said they’d give a good trade-in on the Honda.”

“There’s a RAV4 in Takapuna that looks good.”