Read Online Bygones by Lavyrle Spencer - Free Book Online

deli-food container, covered it with milk from the otherwise empty refrigerator, took a plastic spoon, and returned to his mattresses, where he propped his pillows against the wall, turned on the television, and sat down to eat.
    He wasn’t up to either evangelists or cartons, however, and found his mind returning to the perplexing string ball of family relationships he was trying to unlmot . He felt lonely, and hurting some, and wondering where to go next in his life. How to be a father to .randy, and how to make it through this wedding, and what to make of these nostalgic thoughts he’d been having about Bess, and even what to think about being a grandfather.
    He showered, shaved, and dressed, then tried working awhile at his desk, in one of the other two bedrooms, but the silence and emptiness were so depressing he had to get out.
    He decided to go shopping for some furniture. He sure needed it, and at least in the stores there’d be people.
    He went to Dayton’s Home Store on Highway 36, thinking he’d simply pick living-room furniture and have it delivered, but discovered that just about everything would have to be ordered and would take six weeks to six months to arrive. Furthermore, he had no idea what he wanted or what would look good in his condo.
    It was twilight when he headed home, a melancholy time of day. He parked in the underground garage. Taking the elevator up, the idea hit him. You need a decorator, Curran.
    He knew one, too-knew a damned good one.
    Course, this could be just an excuse to call her.
    And fat chance she’d believe he really needed his place furnished; she’d think he was nosing around for something else, and he’d look like a jerk.
    It took him until
eight o’clock
to work up the courage to dial his old number. Bess answered on the third ring.
    “Hi, Bess. It’s Michael.”
    A long silence passed before she said, “Well . .
    “Michael.”
    “It was a nice supper last night.”
    “Yes, it was.”
    The ensuing silence became awkward. “So how’s Randy today?”
    “I haven’t seen much of him. We went to church, and he left right afterwards to watch the game with his friend.”
    “Did he say anything about last night-about us?”
    “Yes, he did, as a matter of fact. He said he hoped you wouldn’t make a fool out of me again. Listen, Michael, is there something in particular you wanted? I brought some work home to do this evening, and I’d like to get back to it.”
    “I thought you wanted us to be civil to each other for the kids’ sake. I’m malting the effort to call you, and you start slinging insults!”
    “You asked me what Randy said, and I told you!”
    “All right . . . .” He calmed himself.
    “Let’s just forget it. I’m sorry I asked about him, and besides, I called for something else.”
    “What?”
    “I want to hire you to decorate my condo.”
    She paused a beat, then burst out laughing. “You want to hire me to decorate your condo?”
    His mouth got tight. “Yes, I do. I need a decorator. Do you want the job or not?”
    “First of all, let’s get one thing straight. I’m not a decorator, I’m an interior designer. I’m a
U.
of
M.
graduate with a four-year degree.”
    “All right, I won’t make that mistake again. Madame Interior Designer, would you care to design the interior of my condo?”
    “I’m no fool, Michael. I’m a businesswoman. I’ll be happy to set up a house call. There’s a one-time forty-dollar trip charge for that, which I’ll apply to the cost of any furniture you might order.”
    “I think I can handle that.”
    “Very well. I have next Friday morning open at nine.”
    “That sounds fine.”
    “Just so you’ll know, the house call is primarily a question-and-answer period so that I can get to know your tastes, budget, life -style-things like that. We’ll just talk, and I’ll take notes.”
    “Okay. I’ll tell you how to get here.”
    “I already know.”
    “You do?”
    “Randy pointed it out to