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understanding, she moved her mug forward. As he poured, she added, "He couldn't get over the way you
talked when he first met you. What was it he kept calling you-"
"Dictionary Dave." He laughed and settled on the floor next to Annie.
"That's right! He said you knew so many fancy words that he'd make a mint playing Scrabble with his
friends if he knew all of those words. And what else...oh right, he said you never used contractions. Well,
this isn't getting the painting done. Is it?"
He refolded the napkin and set his mug down. "What next, boss?"
David's attempt at humor failed. Annie was too annoyed with his compulsion to refold the napkin until
perfect. It reminded her of how different they really were-and always would be. "Let's measure the wall
around the window to be sure we have enough paint. It looks like a pain-in-the neck job."
"Not for a professional-"
She glared at him before he could finish. Maybe he was attempting humor again, but his comment
irritated her. Maybe he was reiterating that she should have hired someone to do the repairs. "Look,
David, I've managed to fix the refrigerator's shelf by myself, reseeded the lawn, and last week even
changed a cracked handle on the commode." She looked at the darned adorable pout on his full lips.
Maybe she should have hired someone. Her intent to remind him of how capable she'd become as a
single parent had only seemed to cause more hurt for David. And it probably hurt him to realize that not
only couldn't he have done those things, he never had anyone to teach him how. She touched his arm
and said, "I didn't mean to imply that you couldn't-"
He looked at her and said, "I couldn't. But Annie...." He covered her hand with his other one. "I am
proud of you."
They spent the rest of the day working in the living room but didn't finish the repainting. Annie worried
they'd never be done in a month's time. They had to work faster. When she got the chance, she would
have to run the numbers though the calculator again. Hopefully she could afford the repairs, new
supplies for her dishwasher invention, and to pay her attorney's bill real soon.
Because she knew darn well-her heart couldn't take this tug-of-war much longer.
* * *
Annie dialed Attorney Landry's number after hitting the "plus" button on her calculator. "May I please
speak to Attorney Landry?" she asked the receptionist. After the woman explained he was in a meeting,
Annie set up an appointment to see him in two days. She hung up and flung the receiver into the cradle.
Two days and she'd know more about her patent process!
"Annie, dinner is ready," Popi called through the door.
"Oh gosh, Pops, I forgot it was Wednesday." She ran to the door and swung him in an unexpected circle.
Her grandfather always came over to help out, making Wednesday his special day to join them for a
dinner that he cooked. Normally Annie used the extra time to work on her inventions, but today she had
to paint.
"Please, Annie. Do you want to be wearing my supper?"
She let go. "No, silly, and I thought you said dinner was ready now."
Popi untied his apron and took it off to reveal his favorite red wool vest and gold pocket watch he'd
earned after retiring to spend time on his inventions. "It is, pumpkin, but tonight is bingo, you know."
"Oh, right. Forgot it was the last Wednesday of the month. I was just so happy, Popi. I'm going to meet
with my patent attorney and find out about-"
Popi's eyes sparkled as if he'd be getting a patent for one of his own projects. "Which one?"
"The one for the Stayput."
Popi started toward the front door. "Is that the snow thingie?"
Annie rested her elbows on the banister, dropped her head into her palms. "No," she said with a sigh. "I
haven't named, or perfected, that one yet." A chill chased up her spine when she pictured David
sprawled out beneath that invention. She shuddered. "This one is the netting that goes in the dishwasher.
You remember, to keep the plastic cups and bowls from turning over and filling with sudsy junk?" Popi
nodded, but he looked as if his feet couldn't wait to move. Unlike David, her grandfather and Maxi were
the best supporters of her ideas. But all Popi probably cared about right now was getting a seat near
Father McDonough in the church basement so her grandfather could hear the bingo numbers being
called out.
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