River’s new “home” with a certain amount of disquiet. “It’s a little bit musty,” she commented. “Are you sure that there’s not mold behind the panels?”
“I didn’t think of that,” replied River, standing beside her. “I just thought it needed to be aired out a little.”
“And it’s very dirty. Must have been occupied by a raccoon or a man.”
River pouted. “Hey, now! Nothing a little bit of elbow grease can’t cure.”
“I don’t think this trailer is safe to live in. I would like my son to do a mold test before you move in. Let me take you back to the motel.”
“Can’t. My bungalow’s been rented out. Eva’s all booked up.”
Mary put her hands on her hips while peeking into the fridge. “There’s something black and foaming in there. That’s nasty. The former tenant didn’t even clean out the fridge. This rental is a disgrace.”
She looked at River and then at the trailer. “That settles it. Get your bag and come on. We’re leaving.”
“Where we going?”
“You can’t stay here, that’s for sure. I’ll take no guff from you, mister. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but you’ll have to bunk at my house until Mike does the mold test. If the trailer passes, then I’ll help you clean it up. Then and only then will you move into this place.” Mary dusted her dirty hands on her pants.
“Naw, it’s all right for an old guy. All I need is a place to lay my head and whip up a plate of eggs and a cup of java in the morning.”
“If you’re old, then I’m old, too. I’m not ready to be put into that category just yet. But you have had a heart episode or whatever it was. You’re still on the mend. You can’t stay in a filthy and possibly mold-ridden place. Now get your gear and let’s go. I’m not telling you again.”
River grabbed his bag. “Yes, ma’am,” he gushed, delighted that his plan was working even better than he had hoped.
He was going home with Mary.
The sky was the limit now. Anything could happen.
20
M ike and Eva pulled up to Mary’s dock. He jumped out and tied the boat up while Eva and Jenny stayed on board.
His mother had called and asked that he stop by on their way out on their snorkeling trip. He thought she might had made something to eat for their outing, so he was surprised to see a man perched on a stool at his mother’s breakfast bar, chowing down some of his mother’s Belgian waffles and bacon.
Mike deliberately knocked on the glass back door a little too loudly, slowly opened it, and stuck his head in. “Hello?” he said curiously.
Mary was at the stove and turned around with a spatula in her hand. “Mike! Glad you made it. I’m making some scrambled eggs. Would you like some?”
Mike pointed to the boat. “Oh, ah, thanks, but we are on our way out for our picnic and snorkeling trip. You said you wanted me to stop by.” He gave River a strange look.
“Oh, I don’t think that you have met Mr. Egan. He is the one who has helped Jenny. River, this is my son, Mike.”
River leaned over and shook hands with Mike. “Nice to meet you. I’ve met your lovely wife and daughter. I think the world of Jenny.”
“Thank you. I know I’ve heard quite a lot about you, but none of it from my mother.” Mike gave Mary a quizzical look as he said this.
Mary could feel herself blush. “Mr. Egan, ah, River has decided to stay in Key Largo. He’s rented a trailer down the road at the RV park, but I think the trailer has mold. Would you test it for him?” Mary continued to rattle on nervously. “Since he’s helped Jenny so much, I insisted that he stay in the guest room. So, will you test it, Mike?”
Mike couldn’t help but notice the glow on River’s face as Mary stumbled on. “Of course I can.”
“Now listen, Mike, I’ll be happy to pay the going fee for your service,” stated River.
“That’s not a problem. I’ll be happy to do it for Mom–and for you. We’ll talk about it tomorrow morning, but I’m
“I didn’t think of that,” replied River, standing beside her. “I just thought it needed to be aired out a little.”
“And it’s very dirty. Must have been occupied by a raccoon or a man.”
River pouted. “Hey, now! Nothing a little bit of elbow grease can’t cure.”
“I don’t think this trailer is safe to live in. I would like my son to do a mold test before you move in. Let me take you back to the motel.”
“Can’t. My bungalow’s been rented out. Eva’s all booked up.”
Mary put her hands on her hips while peeking into the fridge. “There’s something black and foaming in there. That’s nasty. The former tenant didn’t even clean out the fridge. This rental is a disgrace.”
She looked at River and then at the trailer. “That settles it. Get your bag and come on. We’re leaving.”
“Where we going?”
“You can’t stay here, that’s for sure. I’ll take no guff from you, mister. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but you’ll have to bunk at my house until Mike does the mold test. If the trailer passes, then I’ll help you clean it up. Then and only then will you move into this place.” Mary dusted her dirty hands on her pants.
“Naw, it’s all right for an old guy. All I need is a place to lay my head and whip up a plate of eggs and a cup of java in the morning.”
“If you’re old, then I’m old, too. I’m not ready to be put into that category just yet. But you have had a heart episode or whatever it was. You’re still on the mend. You can’t stay in a filthy and possibly mold-ridden place. Now get your gear and let’s go. I’m not telling you again.”
River grabbed his bag. “Yes, ma’am,” he gushed, delighted that his plan was working even better than he had hoped.
He was going home with Mary.
The sky was the limit now. Anything could happen.
20
M ike and Eva pulled up to Mary’s dock. He jumped out and tied the boat up while Eva and Jenny stayed on board.
His mother had called and asked that he stop by on their way out on their snorkeling trip. He thought she might had made something to eat for their outing, so he was surprised to see a man perched on a stool at his mother’s breakfast bar, chowing down some of his mother’s Belgian waffles and bacon.
Mike deliberately knocked on the glass back door a little too loudly, slowly opened it, and stuck his head in. “Hello?” he said curiously.
Mary was at the stove and turned around with a spatula in her hand. “Mike! Glad you made it. I’m making some scrambled eggs. Would you like some?”
Mike pointed to the boat. “Oh, ah, thanks, but we are on our way out for our picnic and snorkeling trip. You said you wanted me to stop by.” He gave River a strange look.
“Oh, I don’t think that you have met Mr. Egan. He is the one who has helped Jenny. River, this is my son, Mike.”
River leaned over and shook hands with Mike. “Nice to meet you. I’ve met your lovely wife and daughter. I think the world of Jenny.”
“Thank you. I know I’ve heard quite a lot about you, but none of it from my mother.” Mike gave Mary a quizzical look as he said this.
Mary could feel herself blush. “Mr. Egan, ah, River has decided to stay in Key Largo. He’s rented a trailer down the road at the RV park, but I think the trailer has mold. Would you test it for him?” Mary continued to rattle on nervously. “Since he’s helped Jenny so much, I insisted that he stay in the guest room. So, will you test it, Mike?”
Mike couldn’t help but notice the glow on River’s face as Mary stumbled on. “Of course I can.”
“Now listen, Mike, I’ll be happy to pay the going fee for your service,” stated River.
“That’s not a problem. I’ll be happy to do it for Mom–and for you. We’ll talk about it tomorrow morning, but I’m