Chapter 17

All Dad’s clothes that were still useable went in garbage bags, and were stored in his closet. The floor was swept and mopped. The rest of the house was easy, by comparison. Rhys had done a lot while I was gone to keep things clean as much as possible, but it was still a lot for one person to handle.

The laundry room wasn’t bad, mainly because the only people who ever used it were either Rhys or me. The front yard was cut by the time Lee came over that evening, and there was a neat pile of trash and yard trimmings for pickup. I decided to move the mattress to the side of the house for the time being.

“Wow, you guys have been busy,” Lee exclaimed as he walked into the house in the evening with cartons of mouthwatering food.

“And we’re hungry!” Rhys stated, almost knocking Lee over in his haste to get the bags and stack them on the table.

“Slow down, boy. You had food two hours ago,” I chided him.

“I’m still hungry. I think I’m gonna like your new boyfriend.”