Page 43 of Wilde Abandon
“Kitchen sink.A pipe broke.And the faucet leaks.”
Melody headed to the kitchen, noting how slow Tanya was to follow.At first she thought maybe it was because Tanya was mad about her being here.But the second Tanya got close to the little table by the window, she nearly fell into the seat.
“You okay?”
“The treatment wears me out.I wake up tired.Every little thing feels like a chore some days.”Tanya rubbed at her forehead with her index finger and thumb.
“I’m sorry to hear that.Do they think the treatment is working?”Melody wasn’t clear on what type of cancer Tanya battled, but by the pallor of her face and dark circles under her eyes, it was taking a toll on her.
“At this point, the treatment is just prolonging my life.Though it’s not much of one, if you ask me.I’m stuck in this house just like I’ve always been.”
“Maybe you can visit Fox in Boston.”
She rolled her eyes.“I think Fox wants to keep me as far away from his new life as he can.”
Can you blame him?She kept that to herself.
Tanya’s irritated tone said she knew all too well Fox remained leery of Tanya’s intentions.
Melody noticed the toolbox on the counter, then squatted in front of the open cabinet under the sink.Several bottles of household cleaner and dish soap had been taken out of the cabinet and placed on the floor.The pipes were fairly simple.One came out of the garbage disposal and went into the wall.Two pipes went to the hot and cold water up to the sink knobs.The sink trap was loose, the pipe cracked.Water and sludge coated the bottom of the cabinet.
She looked around the kitchen and spotted the roll of paper towels.She grabbed a half dozen and laid them over the mess.She eyed the toolbox with the hammer right on top and frowned.
“How’d this happen?”
“Sink got clogged.I tried to undo the pipe and made things worse.”At least she owned up to that part.
Melody had a suspicion the hammer had something to do with the cracked pipe.“Any chance you’ve got some spare pipe and pipe glue around here?”It was a simple fix with the right parts.She didn’t want to have to go all the way to town to get them and come back.
“Check the storage room in the barn.Lots of odds and ends in there.”
Melody stood as Tanya started working on a chocolate glazed donut.
She spotted the half pot of coffee on the counter and a mug next to it.She poured a cup and held it up to Tanya.“Cream or sugar?”
Tanya’s eyes went wide, then she shook her head.“Why are you being nice?”
“Because I care about Fox.And apparently he cares about you enough to upend his life and come here to help you.”
Tanya sneered.“Like you’re not telling him to steer clear of me every chance you get.”
“I did tell him that’s what you deserve.But the man has a good heart despite all the shit that’s been done to him.He could be bitter and angry and take that out on others.Instead, he’s kind.Maybe because he’s known so much hurt.He knows what that feels like and doesn’t want to inflict that on others.”
“I wasn’t a bad mother.”
“No one believes that.Not even you.You hurt him.And you need to own that.”
“Like you own what you did.”
“Saving him from you is the best thing I ever did, even if it meant I lost him for a while.”
Tanya’s gaze narrowed.“You were with him this morning when I called.”
“You think I was fiercely protective of him when I was eight?That is nothing compared to how I feel about keeping him safe and happy now.”
“You love him.”
“I always have.I always will.”