Body Shot (Last Shot)(84)

“Oh, thank you. You’re such a sweetheart. Have a seat.”

Hayden dropped into one of the wicker chairs. Wow, sitting and visiting with her aunt was unusual these days. Usually, when she came over she was buzzing around cleaning and cooking. “The yard looks nice, as always.”

“It is beautiful.” Aunt Gina gazed out over the lush grass and bright flowers.

“Oh, hi, Hayden.” Uncle Colin strolled out onto the patio. “I didn’t hear you come in.”

She rose and moved to hug her uncle. “I snuck in.”

He laughed and hugged her back.

“I hear you were doing laundry.”

“I was. I’m learning. It’s not that hard, actually.”

Hayden smiled.

“Would you girls like some iced tea?” Uncle Colin asked.

Hayden frowned briefly, glanced at her aunt, then said, “Sure. Want me to get it?”

“No, no. You sit. I’ll get it. Then we can talk.”

Huh. What was going on? Hayden smiled and sat again.

“How is work going?” Aunt Gina asked.

Hayden sighed, and related the news about losing out on the funding. She rubbed the back of her neck, which had developed rocklike knots. “So that’s why I had to end things with Beck.”

“What?” Uncle Colin returned with three glasses of tea. “End things with Beck? Why?”

Here they went again. “It was distracting me from work,” she said briefly. “So what did you want to talk about?”

Uncle Colin sat too, and he and Aunt Gina exchanged glances. “We’ve been talking a lot this week and we’ve decided we’re going to sell the house.”

Hayden’s jaw fell. “What? Really?”

“Yes.”

“But your yard…”

“I know.” Uncle Colin rubbed his forehead. “It pains me to have to leave it. But this week…well, after talking to your young man last week, I did some hard thinking.”

“You mean Beck?”

“Yes. We had a little talk out here one day, and he made me think. It’s been hard for Gina since her fall, and it’s been hard for you, trying to help us on top of all your other responsibilities. And I’ve been…well, in denial, I guess, that things are changing. Hiding in my yard, working on the lawn and the shrubs and the pond…when what I should have been doing was stepping up to help out with my share of things inside the house.”

Hayden gazed at her uncle wordlessly. Wow.

“So this week, I learned to do laundry, and tried to keep on top of the dishes. Gina helped me make some easy things for dinner. Between the two of us we managed. But hell, it’s a lot of work, and I didn’t even attempt to clean the bathrooms.” He grimaced. “Scrubbing a toilet’s not my idea of fun.”

“I don’t think it’s anyone’s idea of fun.” Hayden smiled. “You said before that you could afford to hire someone to come in once every week or two, to do some of that, but you didn’t want some stranger in your house. Would you reconsider that?”

“Yeah. Even if we sell the house, we’re going to need to make sure it’s spic-and-span to show it. We’re thinking about moving to one of those seniors’ complexes—where they make your meals and clean for you. But we’d have our own apartment.”

“Oh my God, really?” Hayden sank back into the chair in relief. “That would be so great for you.”

“Would you help us look at some of them?” Aunt Gina asked. “I hate to bother you, because you’ve done so much already, but it’s a little overwhelming.”

“Of course I will! Do you maybe want Jeff and John to come and have a look before you decide?”

“I don’t think we need them to see it.” Aunt Gina pursed her lips. “But I think we’ll ask them to come help us move. We have to get rid of a lot of stuff.”

Now Hayden felt a little overwhelmed. Much as she’d wanted this for them, there was a lot of work to be done to make it happen. Getting rid of a lifetime’s worth of possessions was not going to be easy. And yes, her cousins needed to step up and help out. But somehow it would get done.

“You’re okay with giving up your yard, Uncle Colin?”

“Not really.” His smile was wry. “But I think there are places that have patios or grounds where I could putter around. I’ll plant some big pots, or something.”

“I’m sure there are. Should we go online and look?”

Her aunt and uncle had a computer, though they didn’t use it much. They emailed with their sons, and Aunt Gina had been learning more about Facebook since being laid up, but that was about it. Hayden could search for places on her phone, but that might not be best for them. So they moved inside and into the main floor room that had been turned into an office.