“What’s that supposed to mean?”
He turned his gaze to me. “Who knows? This is Andrea we’re talking about. She doesn’t know what it means until after shit happens, and then it all makes sense.”
I knew she needed someone to care for her. She’d been through so much. I still couldn’t get over her mother treating her like a disease. What the fuck was that? Maybe that was what Andrea was referring to. What’s been dragging her down, lately. Discovering that she has sisters, and then five seconds later watching their backs retreat as their mother ushered them away from her … horrifying. I didn’t think I’d ever get over watching her lose it.
The old house. Something happened there, too. I didn’t know if she knew those people, but she felt like she had to hide from them. What was she hiding?
“Hi, Lee!” The tiny, blonde, bundle of energy rocketed her body at me like she hadn’t seen me in forever, snapping me out of my daze.
“Andy, my love.” I gave her a squeeze.
“She’s not your love, she’s mine,” Ben growled.
“He knows that.” Andrea released me and kissed her husband. The envy I used to feel was long gone, no longer required. “Stop beating your chest, he has his own woman. How are you, Lee?”
“Talented and hung like a horse. I keep telling you, you picked the wrong man.”
She beamed while Ben scowled. “Nope. I picked the right one. He gets the job done and his swimmers are strong little buggers.”
“Gross, Andy. Why are we talking about his swimmers?”
“First one to the egg makes Baby Ben,” she sang, her eyes twinkling.
“Wha? Are you … Really?”
“Yup. Four months. You’re going to be an uncle, Lee.”
“No wonder you need more storage. Congrats, guys.” I kicked up some sawdust as I crossed the garage to give Ben a handshake and a slap on the back. “You’re naming him after me, right?”
“Fat chance of that. When you have a little ranga of your own, you can name him after you, and let him share your stash of sunscreen.”
“You bastard. You’re just jealous because you can’t play dot to dot when you’re bored.”
“Boys!” Andrea edged towards the door. “Are you staying for lunch, Lee? I just bought some bread rolls and a cooked chook.”
“Sounds great. I’ll help you.”
“Aw, thanks. You’re so sweet to look after the pregnant lady.” She blew me a kiss and disappeared again.
“Make sure you aim the chisel away from your dick. Sounds like Andrea might need it after all. You know what they say about pregnant chicks.” I gave Ben one last slap on the back as he told me to fuck off, and headed inside after Andrea.
I did want to help her, but I also wanted to pick her brain. She already had all the food spread over the counter, and was busy chopping tomatoes. I couldn’t see any sign of pregnancy yet, but she was wearing a loose top over her shorts. I bet Benny had noticed.
“Have you been feeling sick? You look as healthy as ever.”
“I’m totally fine. I didn’t find out until a few weeks ago. My appetite is huge, though. That’s what finally tipped me off. I’ve been so busy with unpacking and working at the day care, that I haven’t been paying attention. Oh, and my boobs are sore.”
“Do you want me to rub them better?”
“You wish, gutter brain. Don’t you have another set of boobs to fondle?”
I probably had a dumb look on my face as the memory of sucking on Veronica’s nipples seized my mind. “Mmm.”
“Okay, keep it clean. How is Ronnie?”
“She’s … beautiful. I’m in love with her and I’m pretty sure she feels the same way.”
Andrea handed me the rolls to butter, while she tore up some lettuce. “Pretty sure? Not certain?”
“Well, she hasn’t said it, but I feel it … I think.” Now, I wasn’t so sure. I cursed when the knife gouged into the bread a little too far.
“Hey, I didn’t mean to make you doubt yourself. If it’s any help, I think she’s in love with you, too. She looks at you the way you look at her … but there’s something off.”
Andrea opened the bag of chicken, and ripped off chunks of flesh with the tongs like it was never a living thing. Like it never had blood pumping through its veins. Like she just did with my heart.
“It’s a sinking feeling in my gut, when I see her. I don’t know if it involves you or what, but … there’s something wrong. Sorry, I can’t be more specific.”
“She’s had a rough time of it. Worse than what I’ve had to deal with, and she only has her Granny to lean on. She keeps things close to her chest. I don’t know how much she shares with her grandmother.”
“Does she share things with you?”
I think back to when she told me about her parents. How it all came out a little like she was reciting a shopping list. I didn’t expect her to spill her guts for me. Some things were too painful to rehash. But what about the old house in the city? She wouldn’t talk about it. At all. “Not everything.”
“I think you have your work cut out for you. She’s worth it, though. Right?”
“Yeah. Yeah, she is.”
“Is there anything else you can do to help her, to show her what she means to you? That you’re not going to run away?”
I watched Andrea’s hands as they packed the fillings into the rolls, and thought of all the times Veronica and I had cooked together. She’d been helping me paint, helping me study, doing all the activities I suggested. It’s all been for me.
