old and climbin’ out her window at night. I’m at my wits’ end with that one. Truly.”
“When do courses start?”
“Ongoing.”
Erin paused. She didn’t know if what she was about to say was madness, genius, or both. “I can help out a bit, you know.”
“What the hell are you on about?”
“There’s no reason I can’t do a bit of your grocery shopping if you’re so sure Lucy will be useless.”
“She’d pocket the money, that one.” Sandra shook her head emphatically. “There’s no way I’d let you help out, Little Miss Goody-goody. You’ve got your own course to concentrate on.”
“True,” said Erin, plucking thoughtfully at her lower lip as she tried to think of other ways to help Sandra. She was finally taking the first step to get free of Larry, and Erin wanted to help facilitate that in any way she could.
“There’s got to be something I can do.”
“I know how you can help,” Sandra said, shielding her eyes from the sun.
“How?”
“I need to put down an emergency contact in case Larry Jr. gets sick or hurt at football camp. I’m not putting his father down, that’s for shit sure. Can I put you down?”
“Of course.”
Sandra looked relieved. “That’s a load off my mind.”
“I just hope I don’t run into Rory.”
“You can handle it. Give him a good kick in the ball sack and be on your way.”
“Shoulda done that when I saw him the other day.”
Sandra shook Erin’s arm. “You waited until
now
to tell me?”
“There’s nothing to tell. He was taking the PJ tour and I was coming back from the shops in Moneygall, and didn’t Mr. Eagle Eye spot me across the road and come running over.”
Sandra was breathless with excitement. “What happened?”
“I told him to leave me alone.”
“How did he react?”
“He backed off, miraculously.”
“Ha! For now. He was just testin’ the waters.”
“Well, the water’s freezing, I can tell ya.”
Sandra gave a small grimace. “I hate to tell you, Er, but telling him to leave you alone is kind of lame-o, you know?”
“Why?” Erin asked crossly. “What should I have said?”
“I think ‘go screw yourself till it falls off’ would have been more effective, but that’s just me.”
“That’s more your style than mine.”
“How’s he looking?”
“The same, I guess. I didn’t really look.”
You didn’t really have to. “The same” meant handsome as hell.
“He was always a looker,” Sandra said with a sigh.
“Then you go look at him,” Erin retorted.
Sandra looked surprised. “Don’t have a nervo.”
“I’m not!”
“Then why’d you go all sharp on me? Like it irked you I found him attractive!”
“It just bothers me that you can find anything good about him.”
Sandra looked skeptical. “If you say so.” She pushed off the wall. “Best go back and see if that old crow Edith Cruise is done hogging the dryers. It’s just her and that dozy husband of hers. I don’t see why she needs three dryers. I’ve half a mind to pull her stuff out of one of ’em.”
“The last time you did that to someone, they tossed some bleach in one of your loads, remember?”
“Yeah, yeah. If I ever won the lottery, the first thing I would do is buy a washer and dryer. The second thing I would do is go for liposuction.”
“You don’t need it, but I know that’s going in one ear and out the other.” Erin hugged Sandra. “I’ll give you a ring tomorrow, all right? Maybe I could come over, bring some pizza for us and the kids.”
“You should be out and about, Erin. Not hanging with your married friend and her brood.”
“There’s no one to go out and about with.”
“I bet Ja—”
“Shut it.”
“Don’t be tryin’ to find Mr. Right online now,” Sandra shouted as Erin started down the street. Erin grinned, looking back over her shoulder at Sandra. Sometimes theystill acted as if they were twelve. And as far as Erin was concerned, there would always be comfort in
“When do courses start?”
“Ongoing.”
Erin paused. She didn’t know if what she was about to say was madness, genius, or both. “I can help out a bit, you know.”
“What the hell are you on about?”
“There’s no reason I can’t do a bit of your grocery shopping if you’re so sure Lucy will be useless.”
“She’d pocket the money, that one.” Sandra shook her head emphatically. “There’s no way I’d let you help out, Little Miss Goody-goody. You’ve got your own course to concentrate on.”
“True,” said Erin, plucking thoughtfully at her lower lip as she tried to think of other ways to help Sandra. She was finally taking the first step to get free of Larry, and Erin wanted to help facilitate that in any way she could.
“There’s got to be something I can do.”
“I know how you can help,” Sandra said, shielding her eyes from the sun.
“How?”
“I need to put down an emergency contact in case Larry Jr. gets sick or hurt at football camp. I’m not putting his father down, that’s for shit sure. Can I put you down?”
“Of course.”
Sandra looked relieved. “That’s a load off my mind.”
“I just hope I don’t run into Rory.”
“You can handle it. Give him a good kick in the ball sack and be on your way.”
“Shoulda done that when I saw him the other day.”
Sandra shook Erin’s arm. “You waited until
now
to tell me?”
“There’s nothing to tell. He was taking the PJ tour and I was coming back from the shops in Moneygall, and didn’t Mr. Eagle Eye spot me across the road and come running over.”
Sandra was breathless with excitement. “What happened?”
“I told him to leave me alone.”
“How did he react?”
“He backed off, miraculously.”
“Ha! For now. He was just testin’ the waters.”
“Well, the water’s freezing, I can tell ya.”
Sandra gave a small grimace. “I hate to tell you, Er, but telling him to leave you alone is kind of lame-o, you know?”
“Why?” Erin asked crossly. “What should I have said?”
“I think ‘go screw yourself till it falls off’ would have been more effective, but that’s just me.”
“That’s more your style than mine.”
“How’s he looking?”
“The same, I guess. I didn’t really look.”
You didn’t really have to. “The same” meant handsome as hell.
“He was always a looker,” Sandra said with a sigh.
“Then you go look at him,” Erin retorted.
Sandra looked surprised. “Don’t have a nervo.”
“I’m not!”
“Then why’d you go all sharp on me? Like it irked you I found him attractive!”
“It just bothers me that you can find anything good about him.”
Sandra looked skeptical. “If you say so.” She pushed off the wall. “Best go back and see if that old crow Edith Cruise is done hogging the dryers. It’s just her and that dozy husband of hers. I don’t see why she needs three dryers. I’ve half a mind to pull her stuff out of one of ’em.”
“The last time you did that to someone, they tossed some bleach in one of your loads, remember?”
“Yeah, yeah. If I ever won the lottery, the first thing I would do is buy a washer and dryer. The second thing I would do is go for liposuction.”
“You don’t need it, but I know that’s going in one ear and out the other.” Erin hugged Sandra. “I’ll give you a ring tomorrow, all right? Maybe I could come over, bring some pizza for us and the kids.”
“You should be out and about, Erin. Not hanging with your married friend and her brood.”
“There’s no one to go out and about with.”
“I bet Ja—”
“Shut it.”
“Don’t be tryin’ to find Mr. Right online now,” Sandra shouted as Erin started down the street. Erin grinned, looking back over her shoulder at Sandra. Sometimes theystill acted as if they were twelve. And as far as Erin was concerned, there would always be comfort in
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