Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 88290 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88290 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
“Perfect,” Sam said, picking up his backpack to follow him upstairs.
“So, Dad, how many apartments do we have to go look at so far? I’m excited to see them all. Harper and Jake are pumped too.”
“About that,” Sam groaned.
“You haven’t had time to look?” Kola asked, sounding disappointed.
“Oh no, I’ve looked, it’s just gonna take a bit longer than we thought to find something close to school and in your budget.”
“Really? What about the loft apartment?”
I lost them for a minute, as I stayed in the kitchen to start making the meatloaf.
“Rats?” I heard my son shout.
I couldn’t stop smiling. I was so glad to have him home.
That’s it. Hope you have a wonderful Pride month, and I will talk to you all again in July. There will be Father’s Day to report on, Fourth of July, and of course, the ongoing hunt for the perfect apartment. See you then.
JULY 2023
Welcome to He Said, he said for July 2023. Before I get to Father’s Day, Litha, or solstice as most people call it, and the ongoing great apartment hunt, I have to tell you all what happened the Friday before. It was maybe a bit after seven when the doorbell rang, and when I went to answer, I found a man and a woman there. He was younger than me, maybe mid or late thirties, and the woman had to be in her late fifties, early sixties. They both looked nervous or worried, hard to tell which. Maybe both. Either way, I felt bad for them.
“May I help you?”
The man cleared his throat. “We’re looking for Sam Kage.”
Before I could even get my next question out—because with Sam’s job, I didn’t let just anyone in my front door—the woman spoke up.
“My mother used to know his, and Regina, that’s his mother, she called and gave us this address.”
Sam hated when his mom just told people where he lived. I was thinking she was in for another “talk” with him. I didn’t mind it. Anyone who knew Regina wasn’t out to do him harm; they were normally just blasts from the past who Sam had no interest in knowing anymore. It would be interesting to see how this one would go.
“Sam does live here,” I said, standing aside so they could walk by me. “Please come in and have a seat in the living room.”
“Thank you,” the woman said quickly.
I noted that they both moved a bit hesitantly, but walked to the couch and took seats.
“May I offer you both something to drink?”
“Oh no,” the woman rushed out. “We just need to speak to him.”
“Certainly,” I said, walking to the kitchen, then into the laundry room, finally out to the screened-in area of our porch before opening the screen door and leaning out. He and Kola and Harper were having a beer, all watching Jake as he messed with the swing he’d made years ago. Jake was checking to make sure it was still in fine working order before Hannah went up on it. She was casually weeding at the moment, inspecting the roses and checking to make sure the hydrangeas didn’t need water.
“Sam, can you come in here?”
He turned to me. “Why don’t you come out. You were supposed to grab a sangria and join us.”
“Well, we have some guests.”
“Who?”
“I don’t know,” I answered, shooting him a look. “But they want to talk to you.”
“Lemme understand, you left strangers in the house?” He stood up as he asked the question, scowling at me. “You should have just yelled.”
“Because that’s so classy,” I told him.
He groaned and followed me back in, giving my ass a pat since I was walking in front of him and he never missed an opportunity. One of the many things about him that I love.
When we reached the living room, both the man and woman stood up, but Sam told them to sit, which they did, and then he took a seat in his recliner while I stood beside his chair.
“If we could have some privacy?” the woman said to me.
“No,” Sam said immediately before I could move or say a word. “This is my husband, and whatever you have to say, he can hear.”
“Your husband?” She seemed surprised. “You’re gay?”
He groaned. “I’m bi actually, but who cares. Who are you and why’re you in my house?”
She gasped, because yes, that quickly he was annoyed, and when he got his hackles up, he got a bit spicy, as Hannah normally pointed out. “I’m Linda Spivey. Don’t you remember me?”
“No,” he assured her in that clipped tone he had that nobody liked.
“Oh, sorry, Linda Colborne,” she rushed out. “We went to high school together.”
He nodded. “Yeah, okay. Sorry. What can I do for you, Linda?”
She took a breath. “I just wanted to introduce you to your son,” she said, turning to the man beside her. “This is Robert.”