Page 23 of Second Chances

“I think we can lend a hand. We might want to change first.” She motioned towards Simona’s dress.

“You know where I live.” He squeezed her hand lightly. “I’ve got to hit the hardware store first anyway.”

She smiled. “Thanks, I…” She shook her head. “I don’t normally unload like this on strangers.” He winced slightly and she smiled. “Men I have a scheduled first date with,” she corrected, and he chuckled. “I guess you got me at a vulnerable time.”

He lifted her hand and brushed his lips across her knuckles. “Then you can count lunch as our first date.”

She smiled. “And this was our first kiss?” she teased.

His smile slipped slightly as he thought of brushing his lips across hers. What it would feel like. How she would respond to his touch. Something told him that she’d come alive. That she’d be more than anything he’d experienced before. He knew that he’d want to savor that moment.

“No.” He shook his head. “Our first kiss will be far more private and far more… than this.” He heard her breath hitch before he stood up, and he glanced towards Simona one last time to make sure the girl was safe. “I’ll see you soon.”

She nodded and he turned to walk away.

At the hardware store, he purchased the items he believed he’d need to make the repairs along with a coloring book and a box of crayons that he spotted at the checkout stand.

An hour later, he was covered in sweat and water from a new busted pipe in his shower area when his doorbell rang.

“Come in,” he called out as he held his hand over the shooting water to keep it out of his face.

Since he hadn’t had a chance to clean the upstairs of the house yet, he’d taken to sleeping in the only bedroom on the main floor. It was small, but still perfect enough for him. The bathroom in the hallway on the other hand, was the one giving him real problems.

He knew that if he couldn’t get this bathroom fixed, there was no use trying one of the three upstairs.

“Todd?” Olivia called out.

“Back here,” he replied, trying to get the wrench, which just happened to be out of his reach.

“Oh my!” Olivia said when she walked into the bathroom. Then she was beside him, a towel and the wrench in her hands.

He watched in amazement while she expertly turned a small red valve under the counter until the water stopped spraying in his face. He hadn’t even seen the connection, let alone known what it was for.

“How’d you do that?” he asked, using the towel she handed him to wipe his face.

She chuckled. “After a year of living in an old house, I learned how to turn off the water.” She smiled and sat on the edge of his tub as she looked at the damage.

“You saved my bacon.” He sat down on the wet tile and leaned against the wall. “Where’s Simona?”

“Here.” The little girl appeared in his bathroom door. “This your house?”

“Yup.” He smiled.

“You’re all wet.” She frowned over at him.

He laughed.

“There’s a hole in your wall.” Simona frowned as she leaned closer to look at the disaster that used to be his bathroom.

“Yup. But your mommy is here now, helping me fix it.” He brushed a finger down her nose.

“Mommy fixed our broken toilet,” she said and then leaned closer and lowered her voice. “I flushed a bear down it and water kept coming up. What did you flush down the toilet?”

He smiled. “Nothing. I think the pipes just aren’t used to having water in them. The water has been off in this old house for years.”

“Oh,” Simona said, seeming to lose interest. “I have a movie.” She held up a bag.

“Right.” He hoisted himself up and then tossed the towel in the sink. “I’ll show you how to work the television.” He held out his hand, and she placed her little one in it and followed him out into the den.