He was here for over a month, feeling his way through the fog and rain, tripping over my moods, veering around the boys with their lack of privacy but keen spatial awareness, who come in right close when you need them and hover on the edges when you don't. Here for a month trying different things and having good talks and feeling productive only to be faced with my uncontrollable, reluctant stonewalling in the next blink of his brown eyes. But now with renewed lockdowns here and a fresh wave of the pandemic, he is headed home.
Bye, Everett.
In any case, we had a good time, he gave me a fair amount of new perspective and he also made me somehow more keenly aware of things I had refused to acknowledge before. He and Ben had a good reunion, and Duncan too, who probably needed some time with him more than anyone, as our poet goes so easily off the rails and needs to be talked his way back. He went to the same place Ben went and loves Everett to pieces too.
Ben has once again needlessly yet profusely apologized for throwing Everett into the Collective. He said he had a sudden inspiration and wanted to do something.
Especially when there are ghosts in the water, ghosts on the beach, ghosts in the orchard and ghosts in the dark, Bee. His face belies his jovial tone. Hahahah it's so funny but I'm scared, is what that says.
He is grateful his problems are black and white. He said as much, more than once. He understands so much about me but at the same time the part he doesn't truly understand frightens him. It frightens all of them, save for Caleb and Lochlan, for the most part, even though that's a lie and it frightens them too.
But they simply switch gears and operate as if I am a child and it works great, an endeavour that most of the others refuse to engage in and that's when they retreat to the sidelines. It's practiced motion to them, and it works and that's all that matters.
I told Everett not to feel sorry for me.
Look around. What is there to feel sorry about?
That you don't feel comfortable in your own skin.
I never have, so it's not like I know what I'm missing.
He grinned, tightly enough that I caught it but not enough that the expression didn't reach his eyes. I got a big long hug, then Ben got one too. Then Duncan for good measure.
***
Ten minutes later the doorbell rings and I thought maybe Everett forgot something. I haven't had time to check his rooms yet to make sure because when I am free I will strip the bed and the bathroom of their linens and make the room up for the next guest, whenever that may be.
But I open the doors and it's Ransom.
They're going to finally finish the pool. He has everything, sorry for the delays. It's a new architect, same company and once we sign the papers they can start/resume/DO SOMETHING.
Where is Emmett? I consider telling him we just had an Everett leave and what is with the old fashioned names? I love it.
He has covid.
Really?
He's fine. Asymptomatic but he'll be off until at least the twelfth or maybe it was the twentieth. I can't recall.
Anything we can do for him?
You can message him and ask.
I'll do that.
Are you doing this build now or is Caleb?
I can.
Alright. May I unpack this here or in the kitchen?
Here is fine. I pull my mask out of my pocket so he can show me what he needs to. He puts his own on and comes into the foyer.
He gets out all of the plans and paperwork and his iPad that will have a finished render of what this all will look like. I sign everything and he says abruptly that he doesn't need a deposit. I confirm, as I already paid it to the company when they made the previous ugly pool enclosure. I told them to keep it as part of the new one.
Ransom looks surprised that I know what I'm doing. He gives me credit for nothing. Yes, alright then. We'll resume this weekend since the pouring has had ample time to set.
It's Easter. Seriously?
That way it will be finished by the ninth. I have a big project beginning after that.
This isn't big?
This is ridiculously huge. That's why I need it done before the next big one.
Well, don't rush.
The schedule is fine. It's not a rush job, Bridget.
I'll get Caleb to weigh in for you. I may not be able to give it all of the attention it deserves this week.
Got him. He visibly relaxes. Appreciate it. We'll be here Thursday to start. I''ll let Caleb know the time.
(Jesus fucking Christ, Ransom.) Sounds good.
Take care, Bridget.
Bye, Ransom.
***
Duncan is incorrigible and lights up a blunt the moment the sun goes down. We are watching a movie together. Don't worry, he did great in rehab and is down to one or two smokes a week. He's never going to give them up completely but he polices himself a lot better than he used to and he is too cute to fight with about it, though Ben doesn't find that and fights with Duncan every time it comes up.
Bye, Dunk.
He is asleep twenty-five minutes into the movie so I turn it off and go to see what Dalton is doing. Dalton is the night owl. He is reading and makes space for me to come into his bed and cuddle with him, which I do gratefully. It's cold downstairs and I'm still in my warm-day clothes.
Or I was, anyway up until that moment. Dalton has other ideas.