"We're going to have to park a mile away and walk," Jack grumbled.
"No, we won't. Eleanor said to come to her house. It's only two streets from town hall."
Oscar saw our truck pull up, so we had to go inside for a glass of lemonade. Eleanor was pretty as a picture in a yellow dress and a straw sunhat with a yellow ribbon. Bill wore a blue-and-white shirt with khakis, and Oscar was decked out in a red, white, and blue T-shirt, shorts, and sneakers.
Jack thanked Eleanor for the lemonade and listened carefully while Oscar told him all about how he'd been researching motorcycle repair at the library and online.
"I got him a book, too," Bill said proudly.
The change in Oscar was so significant I waited until the guys went out on the porch and drew Eleanor aside. "What happened?"
She knew immediately what I was talking about.
"Jackhappened. Well, once Bill found out the truth, he had a serious talk with his daughter and son-in-law. They're still getting divorced, but they had a long video call with Oscar and apologized to him for trying to hide things from him by sending him here. They're going to let him spend the rest of the summer with us?—"
"Are you okay with that?" A twelve-year-old took a lot of energy.
She smiled. "I am, actually. He and Zane are getting along so much better now. I really hope Jack meant it about letting Oscar help with the motorbike, because he'll be so disappointed if it falls through."
"Jack always means what he says. Believe me, he'll be in touch with Oscar after today to set something up."
She hugged me. Because I'd known her forever, and hugged her long before my talent kicked in, it was okay. As far as I could figure, people I'd hugged before that first vision were grandfathered into being safe from my gift.
"Should we go?"
"Why areyougoing so early? Most of the stuff isn't even set up yet."
She sighed. "Ruby called and asked if I could help with a 'few small things.'"
"And you're wearing a dress?" I glanced down at my work clothes, and Eleanor laughed.
"Oh, grasshopper. You must learn from the experts. If I'm dressed like this, she can't ask me to crawl around beneath the bleachers setting up extension cords."
Jack opened the door for us, his eyebrows raised. "She did that to you?"
"And much worse, over the years. Even long before she was mayor, she was president of this or chair of that, and I got 'voluntold' to do a lot."
Bill grinned. "I think part of why Ruby was so happy at our wedding was she knew she'd gained another person to commandeer."
"Okay, troops," I said, saluting. "Let's go see what few small things await."
"Me too?" Oscar said, all but jumping up and down with excitement.
Jack walked over to the truck and pulled out his toolbox. Then he reached back in for a smaller version and held it out to Oscar.
"Seems to me that a fellow who's going to help rebuild a motorcycle needs his own tools."
Oscar's mouth fell open, and he froze.
"For … for me?"
Jack made a show of looking around. "Do you see anybody else who's going to help me with that bike? Or the work that we need to do today?"
"No! It's me, it's me!" Oscar raced over and took the toolbox from Jack with such awe and reverence it made me tear up a little.
"He's going to be a great dad," Eleanor whispered.
This just made me choke.
