“Hey, Dad.”
“Hey,” his father replied. “I got a call from the old lady Wilson. Do you have time to squeeze her in this afternoon? She needs her lawn fertilized.”
“I’ll make time, no problem.” Mrs. Wilson was one of his father’s friends from the senior center. While his dad might refer to Samantha Wilson as old, they were the same age.
“She seems to think I’ll be the one to stop by. That woman couldn’t be more blatant if she tried, making every excuse under the sun to spend time with me. I wouldn’t want to encourage anything like that.”
“You mean to say she’s sweet on you? Dad, go for it.”
His father chuckled. “If I want romance in my life, I’ll watch the Hallmark Channel.”
Phil grinned. Like him, Phil’s dad was a one-woman man.
* * *
—
Joan went about her day, checking the clock every now and again for the time. Her hair appointment was coming up that afternoon, followed by dinner with Nick. This was more to do in one day than she’d had scheduled in months. That encouraged her and convinced her she was making progress.
She was sitting in front of the latest jigsaw puzzle when her phone buzzed. Thinking it might be Nick, she answered without looking.
“Hello.” If it was Nick, she wouldn’t be overly disappointed if he needed to cancel. She’d keep her hair appointment, though.
“Is this Joan Sample?” a man with a deep, rich voice asked.
“Yes. Who’s this?”
“I’m Phil Harrison. You left me a voice mail earlier today.”
Joan’s cheeks instantly filled with color. “I…I didn’t leave my number, how did you…” Unsettled, she left the rest unsaid.
“Your number showed up on my phone.”
“Of course.” How foolish of her to have forgotten about caller ID.
“I’m sorry to hear your HOA is giving you trouble.” He sounded sincere, kind.
“Yes, I fear my lawn has become something of a jungle.” She didn’t mention the condition of her flower beds, as that felt like a personal failure.
“I’m here to help.”
“I’ve never had a lawn service before. My husband always took care of such matters, but unfortunately, he died a few years back.” She swallowed tightly and recovered quickly. This man seemed to inspire confidence, his voice soothing and caring. “I have a lawn mower. It’s top of the line. Jared always insisted on buying the best.”
“We have our own equipment, but thank you. I’m sorry to hear about your husband. It’s hard, isn’t it?”
“Very.” Not wanting to discuss her grief, she quickly added, “My son was able to mow the yard a few times last year…” Joan kept speaking, knowing it wasn’t a good idea. Everyone knew not to give out personal information to a stranger, and here she was blurting out the details of her life.
“I’d be happy to stop by and give you a quote, if you’d like.”
“Yes, please, that would be appreciated.”
“Are you available later this afternoon?”
“Ah…” She stopped herself from mentioning that she would be away from the house. No need to set herself up for a burglary. “Tomorrow would be more convenient.”
“Sure thing. Let me check my schedule,” he said, and was silent for several seconds. “I have several commitments tomorrow, but I can come around six, if that isn’t too late.”
“That would be perfect.”
“Great, then I’ll see you at six tomorrow. May eighteenth.”
“May eighteenth,” she repeated, and then remembered that was the anniversary of the date the Mount Saint Helens volcano erupted. She’d been just a kid back then, and she recalled watching the ash fall from the sky. She and Emmie had collected it and stored it for years in a mason jar. Funny how memories like that floated into her mind.
“See you then,” Phil Harrison said.
“Thank you.”
“My pleasure.”
The call disconnected and a warm sensation came over Joan. Phil Harrison sounded like such a nice man. She’d be cautious and get more than one bid, although she already liked him and hoped he lived up to the image she had of him in her mind.
Chapter 5
Joan arrived ten minutes early for her hair appointment. The shop was abuzz with activity. Chatter hummed across the room as women and a couple men filled the stations, with stylists doing a variety of tasks involving hair. Joan couldn’t keep from smiling. It was as if the pandemic had never happened. Life had returned to normal. It had felt anything but normal for so long that this small reminder was enough to boost her spirits to the point she could almost forget.
“I’m Joan Sample,” she announced, as she stepped forward to the desk where the receptionist sat. “I’m a bit early.”
The young woman greeted her with a welcoming smile. Her name tag identified her as Jordan. “No problem. Take a seat and Bailey will be with you in a few minutes. Would you care for something to drink while you wait?”
“I’m good, but thanks.” Joan chose a comfortable chair and noticed the wide assortment of magazines on the coffee table in front of her. She reached for People and absently leafed through it, astonished that she didn’t recognize a single celebrity. They were all so young.
“As I live and breathe, it’s Joan Sample,” Charlene said, walking toward Joan. Her smile was wide, and her eyes sparked with delight. While the salon owner had been Emmie’s high school classmate, she’d been Joan’s friend, too. They hadn’t socialized much, but Joan had been a regular at the salon. The two had lunched whenever Charlene could get away from the shop and Joan was able to leave the office.
She stood to greet her old friend. The two women briefly hugged. Taking hold of her shoulders, Charlene leaned back as if to get a good look at Joan. “Other than needing a decent haircut, you haven’t changed a bit.”
Oh, but Joan had changed in myriad ways. She might resemble the old Joan on the outside, but inside she was a completely different woman, one she hardly recognized herself. One she wrestled with on a daily basis, struggling to navigate this unfamiliar world in which she’d found herself thrust.
Jordan approached them. “Bailey is ready for you now.”
“It’s good to see you,” Charlene said, as she returned to her station.
“You, too,” Joan replied, and she meant it. She shouldn’t have waited so long to make an appointment. “When you have a minute, I’d like to ask you about your boarder.”