Second Chance at Love

Second Chance at Love

It had been ten years since I had driven the streets of my hometown. A few things had changed; new houses, a road or two I didn’t remember, a big new motel down by the river where I had ridden my horse as a teenager.

It also looked the same. Bob’s Footlong where I had my first job at fifteen, the park where I had my first real kiss, the hardware store my aunt and uncle owned. They lived in Arizona now and my cousin, Roger, now owned and ran it. I pulled into a parking spot near the store.

My daughter woke up, “Are we at our new house, Mama?”

“No, honey. We are stopping to say hello to my cousin. Do you remember me telling you about Roger?”

Brianna nodded and giggled. “He put frogs down your back.”

Roger was two years older than me and friends with my best friend’s brother. Justin and Roger use to torture Judy and me as only older brother’s can do.

“Yes, he did when I was little.” I laughingly said, “But he’s all grown up now like I am. Let’s go say Hi; he’s never met you.”

 Bri nodded and we went in.

The store hadn’t changed much in the hundred years or so it had been in business. The floors were still wide wood planks that creaked when you walked on them. The nails, screws, and bolts were kept in little drawers along the walls, the aisles were narrow and crowded with everything from house and garden supplies to kitchen things. As kids Roger and I would play hide and seek running up and down the store.The little bell jingled as we walked into the store.

“May I help…Billie? Hey kid, when did you get in?” he came around the counter and gave me a welcoming hug. “And who is this?” he asked looking at Brianna.

“This is Brianna, my daughter.” I answered. “And we just got into town to answer your other question.”

“I’ll be five in two weeks.” Brianna said, “Mama bought me a house.”

Roger and I shared an amused look.

“Really?” he said to her, kneeling down to her level, “I have two boys. One who will be five in a couple of months.”

“For real?” she asked, her eyes getting big. “Is he gonna put frogs down my back?”

Roger looked at me and raised an eyebrow, “Been telling stories?”

I laughed, nodded and said “We really need to get to the house and unpack. It‘s a really long drive from Pennsylvania.”

“I’ll call Judy and let her know you’re here. We live just around the corner from you.” said Roger.

“How do you know where I live?” I asked.

He laughed and said, “You have lived in the city too long. Your realtor goes to the church ladies group my mom used to go to. When you bought your parents old house, she called Mom and told her, who then told me.” Then his smile faded and he asked me, “you do know it has been a rental for the past ten years, don’t you? The last people really did a number on it.”

When my ex-husband left us and I decided to move back home, I applied for teaching jobs throughout all the school districts and was very happy I was offered a job at my old elementary school. When I called the realty company and found the house I grew up in was for sale I placed an offer on it right then. Now a month later I drove from Pennsylvania to California with a four-year-old.

I sighed and said “I know. I have seven weeks before I have to go back to work, so I am hoping to get the house in shape before then.”

I agreed to have dinner with Judy and him that night, then I took Brianna’s hand and walked back to the car.