The Hero (Thunder Point #3)(28)

“Maybe not for too much longer.”

When Sarah was gone, Spencer stayed behind. He started to envision furniture in the rooms he could see. A table for four in the kitchen. A sofa and chair and bookcase in the living room. A toy chest. A blackboard on the kitchen wall by the back door for schedules or shopping lists. A thick rug in front of the fireplace. He’d never been much for decorating; it had never mattered to him very much. For some reason he wanted this little nest to be safe and cozy for Devon and Mercy. He wasn’t entirely sure what she was running from, but he wanted her running to something decent.

He could have left. He should have left, but he stayed. It was almost five when she arrived with her daughter. He went to stand in the open doorway and when she saw him, she looked confused.

“Spencer?” she asked. She was wearing her scrubs and tennis shoes. He backed into the house wordlessly and let her enter. She put her hands over her mouth in awe. “Spencer!” she gasped.

He realized what she thought and said, “Oh, no—I didn’t do this. I helped, that’s all. It was Rawley. He wanted to help out so the rest of us came along. They had to get back to the beach—people start showing up, looking for drinks and sandwiches and deli pizza at about four.”

“Who did this?” she asked in a soft voice. “Who?”

“Well, it was Rawley, Cooper, Sarah. And I helped.”

She looked him over. “Helped?”

He was a dirty mess. He laughed. “I did everything Rawley told me to do.”

She glanced around. “My God...”

“The bedrooms aren’t done. Well, they’re swept and mopped, but Rawley’s got some paint for the walls. It’s boring. It’s just ‘renter’s white.’ But I think he’s finished patching walls. And if I could just brag a little, I hauled trash and painted the kitchen....”

“Oh, my God,” she said. “It’s immaculate. It’s shining.” And then her eyes filled with tears. “I can’t believe you guys did this for me.”

He gave a shrug. “You’re Rawley’s cousin, so I guess we’re all family. And it’s not like I had to work today....”

She looked down for a long moment, frowning. Just what she didn’t want—another extended family. She wanted friends. Spencer couldn’t know how much the idea of everyone being one big family caused her to cringe inside.

Mercy came in the door carrying her books and her blanket. She stood there, oblivious. Apparently a three-year-old couldn’t see the improvement. Then Devon lifted her eyes to Spencer’s face. There were tears on her cheeks. “Do you know how long it would have taken me to get this far?”

“Yeah.” He laughed. “I do.”

“You’re not going to understand this, but I’ve had great kindnesses given me but the price has been... Well, never mind that. ‘Thank you’ will just never be enough.” She wiped the emotion off her cheeks.

“Devon, I want you to stop right there. There’s not going to be a bill. It was just us being good neighbors, that’s all. I don’t want you to think you owe anyone anything.”

“Thank you,” she said.

“But you’ll probably want to start with that—just ‘thank you.’ The rest of the bucket brigade is at the beach. I need a shower. I have to check on Austin, make sure he hasn’t driven anyone crazy. I’m going to take off—I’m really ready for a cold beer.” He headed for the door and she stopped him.

“Thank you, Spencer.”

“I was glad to help out.”

Seven

Devon drove to Cooper’s to thank the rest of the cleanup crew and, as she thought about it, she had to acknowledge that there was a difference between people helping one another in a small town, and relying on each other in a commune. And she had so much to give in return—even managing the doctor’s office, she could be of help every day. She could extend herself the extra mile, making sure those people who called or came in received the best she had to offer.

Then she remembered something she had known long ago—that kindness wasn’t only demonstrated by giving material things or labors. There were the simple gestures that people forgot, that were so important—a little extra time, a smile, patience, conversation, gratitude. These were the things Aunt Mary had valued, she had never had much by way of material wealth but she’d been one of the most generous people Devon knew.

She reminded herself of these things as she walked into Cooper’s, holding Mercy’s hand. She went first to the kitchen to find Rawley. “You wonderful sneak,” she said. “I can’t believe what you did!”

He turned from the sink. “I just meant to put a dent in it for you,” he said. “But all them others just jumped in. Looks darn good, don’t it, though?”

“Darn good. Thank you. You are certainly my guardian angel.”

He grinned at her and if she wasn’t mistaken, flushed a little bit. “Ain’t no one ever called me that before.”

“Can I buy you a beer?” she asked.

“Girl, I don’t drink nothin’. I don’t make all that much sense without ever takin’ a drink. Those others, though—they’d prolly take your beer money.”

She just laughed at him.