She took off her cat-eye glasses and let them hang down her chest from their beaded necklace, her floral shawl blowing in the breeze as she turned toward me.
“Monny, my brother, my Liem’s father, uses a wheelchair now.” She sighed heavily, suggesting there was a lot more to it. “It has been quite an eye-opening experience. Just as moving here and spending time at the Locc with the, ah…olderpeople has been.” She flicked her hand again, as if separating herself from the classification. “Anyway, my Gilbert says you’ve been a tremendous help to him, and Jillie says you were interested in more work? I hope I’m not being presumptuous.”
That was a lot more people talking about me than I was comfortable with, but I needed to call bullshit on one of them.
“Ari, I’m sorry, but there is no way your husband said the word ‘tremendous.’”
She tossed her head back and laughed loudly, the sound somehow musical, but it cut off abruptly as she gripped her head and let out a small groan of pain.
“Are you okay?” I asked, patting her awkwardly on the arm.
She squeezed her eyes shut and massaged her temples. “Yes, dear. I get migraines from time to time. I’m afraid with the season changing, they’ll come more frequently.”
“We can do this another time,” I assured her. “I’ll be around.”
For years and years, if I were lucky.
Or very unlucky,my intrusive thought generator supplied.
She looped her arm through mine and tugged me further across the grass, surprising me so much that I just went along with her. “Can I ask you the same question, dear? Are you okay?”
I narrowed my eyes. Had Gil said something to her? Even if he had, there was no way I was spewing my issues, so I just patted her hand again. “All good.”
Dropping my hand, I fussed with the loose strings on the hem of my jean shorts to keep it busy.
I had to stop patting this woman.
“So, what I need your help with, dear Ireland, is, well… everything.” She came to a stop and gestured to the grass and the sun high above us. “This is the perfect spot for the greenhouses, but what we need to do is find money for it and willing hands to maintain it. The actual building of the structure won’t be a problem. My Gil and Bub are excellent at that sort of thing and are more than up for the task.”
I had no idea who Bub was, but by the name alone, I guessed he might be a fellow retiree.
“So, how do we find the money?”
“Fundraising,” she said simply. “There are also grants available for this type of thing, but there is too much red tape and waiting for that.” Her expression turned contemplative. “And I don’t want to wait. I want to start as soon as possible. Jillie assures me that if we can raise a certain amount, Live Oak will match it.”
We came to a stop in the middle of the green space, wind blowing and birds singing from the multiple live oak trees that dotted the entire campus.
“You would be my assistant of sorts,” she explained, not put off by my silence. “It’s a paid position. And if you’re up for it, we can start Monday. I already have a notebook of ideas. I have no patience for the internet, so that’s where you would come in.”
I nodded, a slow smile forming on my lips as I realized the universe may have actually been throwing me a bone. “Okay.”
She beamed. “Just give me your phone number, and I’ll call you tomorrow to set our first meeting. Granted, this….” Her words trailed off as she closed her eyes tight and swayed.
I grabbed her arms, keeping her steady.
Was something in the air today? Was there an air quality warning I’d missed?
“You need to go home, Ari,” I said seriously. “I think Gil is at the Locc. Do you want me to go get him?”
“No, no. I’ll just have?—”
“Aunt Ari! Ire!” a sweet, masculine voice called.
We turned to find Liem approaching us with more enthusiasm than I’d ever seen, which was saying something. Because this guy? Hewasenthusiasm, wrapped in an unexpected package.
“What are you two doing out here?” he asked, seeming to float toward us.
“My Liem,” Ari greeted her nephew, those two words full of so much love that it made my heart squeeze. “That’s our business.”
