Fortuity (Transcend 3)

“I have a flat tire. The car started to shimmy as I pulled into the neighborhood.” She frowns, carrying groceries with the kids. “My car is weeks old and it already has a flat.”

I set my empty glass on the counter and wipe my sweaty brow. We have a huge yard that took me two hours to mow. I might have to get a riding lawn mower.

“I’ll change it and take it tomorrow to get it fixed.”

“You’re going to change a tire?” Gabe asks, setting the bag of groceries on the floor by the pantry.

“Yes. You want to help me?”

“Yeah.” He grins.

“Cool. Let’s go check it out.” I nod toward the door. “Morgan, help put the groceries away, please.”

“I will. I just need to pee.” She wrinkles her nose before heading toward the bathroom.

As I take a step toward the garage to follow Gabe, Gracelyn hooks a finger into the waistband of my exercise shorts.

I turn, giving her the once-over as she stares at my bare chest for a few seconds before lifting her gaze to mine. “Can I help you?” I smirk. “The kids are awake, but I could make them take the dog for a long walk. And I’m sweaty, but I know you kind of like that.”

She wets her lips. “Mmm … I do, but that’s not it. I just want to say thank you.”

“For what?”

“For showing Gabe how to change a tire. Kyle was going to show him how to do that … and change the oil … and stuff like that. But …”

I nod. “I’ve got this.” Dropping a kiss on her lips, I grin. “We’ve got this.”

When I get to the garage, Gabe’s standing by the flat tire with his hands on his hips and his head cocked to the side. “I think we need a wrench.”

“We do.” I rest my arm around his shoulders and inspect the tire with him. “And a jack. And a spare tire.”

Together, we change the tire. It reminds me of my dad teaching me. By the time we finish, I make sure we have some dirt and grease on our hands and face to make it official. Gabe snaps a picture of us and posts it for his friends to see.

“Thanks, buddy. Good job.” I give him a fist bump. “Let’s get washed up and see if Gracelyn needs help with dinner.” I start toward the door to the house.

“Nate?”

I turn. “Yeah?”

Gabe’s face scrunches and he stares at his feet. “I have to tell you something.” He wrings his hands together. It feels serious, so I take a seat on the steps by the door.

“What’s up?”

“I like it here. I … didn’t think I would. But I do. I like my room. I like that you let me decorate it however I wanted to. The tree house is awesome. And my first day of soccer went well. The coach said I’m a really good player. And the other kids were nice. And Joby likes to sleep with me instead of Morgan. I know that makes her mad, but I like it because we never had a dog. Then today…” he glances up “…you let me help you with the tire.”

I nod. “I’m glad you like it here. I like you being here. I like the family we have now. And maybe we’ll have to get another pet, so Morgan stops whining about Joby choosing you.” I wink at him.

Still … he has a painful look on his face.

“I did something I don’t think I should have done.”

“Hey.” I pat the spot beside me on the step. “Come here. You can tell me anything.”

Gabe drags his feet to me and plops down beside me with his head bowed. “Morgan really wanted me to move here. She begged me. But I didn’t want to move. It didn’t seem fair that I had to be the one to leave my friends when I’ve had my friends longer than she’s had her friends. So … she paid me.”

“Paid you? What do you mean?”

He glances over at me. “She said she had three thousand dollars that was hers, just hers from all of her birthdays and Christmases away from her grandparents.”

“Yeah …” I say slowly. My parents and Jenna’s dad and siblings put aside money for her since they couldn’t give her presents when we were traveling. My mom has it in a fire safe at her house.

“She gave it to me. It’s under my mattress.”

“Okay. Can I ask how much she paid you?”

He shrugs. “All of it.”

What the fuck?

I’m not mad. I’m … I don’t even know.

“She told me I could buy so much stuff with it like a new bike, new Rollerblades, tons of soccer stuff, games, and more ice cream than I could ever eat. But I had to promise to never tell a single soul or I’d have to give all the money back. She said with … something that meant more money.”