The sheriff’s cell phone rang, and he answered it quickly. He let out a long sigh before responding. “It’s okay. I’m on my way.” He ended the call and shook his head. “Duty calls. Bandit got out again. I’m giving Mrs. Weaver a ticket this time. Twice in one day. It wouldn’t be so bad if the damn dog didn’t insist on taking a dump in the neighbor’s prized roses every damn time it got loose.”
“Wait… isn’t Ms. Beulah her neighbor?”
The sheriff let out another long sigh. “Yep.”
“Dang. Let the war of the old maids begin. Oh, I wonder if we can call it War of the Roses take two?”
“I’m glad you think it’s funny. I’m going gray because of those two.”
“If I were you, I’d tell Mrs. Weaver that you heard talk that she was going to be disqualified from the Rose Festival.”
“What?” Sheriff Zane paused as he carried his plate to the sink. He shot a look at Jefferson like he’d gone crazy.
“Well, if Bandit is sabotaging Beulah’s roses and they both always enter the Rose Festival….”
“Huh. I wonder if that’ll work.”
“You underestimate the importance of winning a ribbon for your roses.”
The sheriff huffed out a laugh. “Apparently so. I’ll give it a try. Thanks for the meal, Jefferson Lee. You take care of yourself.”
“I will. See ya, Sheriff Zane.”
The sheriff tipped his hat and walked out the front door. “Lock this behind me,” he called over his shoulder.
“Yes, sir.” Jefferson saluted as he replied.
JEFFERSON HOPPED
out of the shower the next morning to find his phone already ringing. Let the games begin. He wrapped a towel quickly around his waist and grabbed the phone off the sink.
“Hello.”
“Jefferson Lee! Good morning.”
His uncle was entirely too perky for a man in the hospital. “Morning, Uncle Sherman.”
“Well, you certainly don’t sound as if you had a good night’s sleep.”
“I’m good. Just got out of the shower.”
“Oh, well, then, I don’t suppose you’ll be able to make the list I need.”
“Probably not right this second. I don’t think I closed the drapes last night, and I’d be giving the neighbors quite the show.”
Uncle Sherman chuckled. “How about I call you back in fifteen minutes or so? I do have some things I need you to bring to the hospital when you come. You are coming up here, aren’t you?”
“Of course. I’ll head that way as soon as I get dressed and find some coffee.”
“Good, good. Okay, I’ll call you back soon.”
They ended the call, and Jefferson hurried to his room to get dressed. He’d not even bothered to unpack the night before and had no idea what exactly Trent had thrown in his suitcase while he’d showered yesterday. He’d managed to pull on his briefs and a pair of jeans when his phone rang again.
“Oh crap,” he muttered as he looked at the display. He pushed the button and reluctantly accepted the call. “Hi, Mom.”
“Why, good morning, Jefferson Lee.” The ice in her tone told him exactly how much trouble he was in.
“Would you believe me if I told you I was getting ready to call you?”
“No, I certainly would not. Because you weren’t, were you?”
Jefferson coughed. “I would have.”
“I’m sure you would have. It just seems a shame that I have to get a call from Charlotte Crofton telling me that not only is my brother-in-law in the hospital but also that my son has arrived in heroic fashion to care for him. It seems Clover had the decency to call her mother with such important news, and Charlotte had to let me know we were in her thoughts.”
“Aww, crap.”
“Language, Jefferson Lee.”
“Sorry, Mom. I should have called you last night. Everything was so crazy I didn’t even stop to think.”
His mother sighed into the phone. “What happened?”
“I was on the phone with Uncle Sherman when he fell. He’ll be okay, but he’s broken his leg and has a concussion.”
“Poor dear. You’re sure he’ll be all right?”
“I am. He called me a minute ago. I’m heading up to the hospital in a few.”
“I’m sure he’ll need some assistance with a broken leg. I’ll make plans to head up there for a few weeks.”
Double crap.
“Well, why don’t you let me see what the doctor has to say first? I’ll get an update this morning. Besides, I plan on being here for a few days.”
“Hmm. Well, I do have a historical society meeting tomorrow and a planning meeting for the art society gala I’d hate to miss later this week.”
“I promise, I’ll tell you if we need your help, okay?”
“Sounds good. But if I hear from someone else….”
His head would roll. Got it loud and clear. “Understood, Mom.”
“And make sure I know things before your Aunt Augusta. Your aunt will gloat if Quincy tells her things before you tell me.”
“Yes, Mom.”
Jefferson ended the call and tossed the phone on the bed. Good grief. He dug through the open suitcase until he found a T-shirt and sweater combo he liked, then pulled both on. After another quick trip to the bathroom to fix his hair and brush his teeth, Jefferson made his way downstairs.
Sissy meowed at him from her perch on the corner of the sofa.
Right.
Breakfast for the cat, then coffee for him before Sherman calls back with his list. What a morning.
JEFFERSON CARRIED
the bag he’d packed for his uncle into the hospital room and dropped it on the end of the bed. “Morning, sunshine.”
Sherman glared at him. “This is undignified.”
“What is?”
“I’m not allowed into the restroom on my own for fear I will fall. Unbelievable. I am perfectly capable of standing over a toilet, for goodness sakes.”
Uh-oh.
“I’m sure they’re just being on the safe side.”
Uncle Sherman scowled and crossed his arms over his chest. “Last night was one thing. I was nice and loopy from the pain medication. But today? This is too much. Far too much.”
“Okay. Let’s talk to the doctor and see what’s going on.”
“
Fine
.”
Oh look, he’d received his second arctic chill tone of the day, and it wasn’t even nine in the morning. Must be a new record.
“So I brought everything you asked for. And I talked Mom out of coming down. You’re welcome.”
“Oh Lord. The last thing I need is your mother hovering.”
“She means well.”
“I know, but she thinks because I’m a bachelor I don’t know how to take care of myself. This is not going to help her opinion of me at all.”
“Don’t worry about it. She’ll get caught up with some scandal at the ladies’ meeting and you’ll be forgotten.”
Sherman scoffed. “Did you bring the binder?”
“Yes, Uncle Sherman. I brought the binder. And all the highlighters. And the notecards. What do we need all of this stuff for anyway?”
“You have no idea what it takes to run the blog, Jefferson. Why, the social media aspect alone is hours of work.”
“Wait. There’s social media? You mean like Facebook?”
“Yes, Jefferson Lee. I mean like Facebook. For goodness sakes, don’t you have a degree in communications? Didn’t you discuss the social media phenomenon at all and its importance to modern marketing?”
“Uncle Sherman, I am terrified by that last sentence. Honestly. Frightened. If you call me a whippersnapper, I’m leaving.”
Uncle Sherman finally cracked a smile as Jefferson’s phone rang again.
He sighed and dug in his pocket. “This thing hasn’t stopped today.”
He may have forgotten to call his mother, but at least he’d remembered to let his boss know he had a family emergency during his frantic drive down the day before.
“Hey, Joyce. Did you get my message?”
“I did, Jefferson. How’s your uncle?”
“He’s doing well, considering. I’m at the hospital now. He’s got a concussion and a broken leg, but he’ll be okay.”
“That’s good to know.”
“I hope it’s okay if I take a few days off.”
“Well, that’s why I’m calling.”
“Uh-oh. You need me to head back?”
“Not exactly. I’m sorry, Jefferson, but your position has been eliminated. I just got word on Friday that I was to give you two weeks’ notice today.”
Jefferson’s breath hitched, and he sank down in the chair next to Uncle Sherman’s hospital bed. “Well, that’s not what I was expecting.”
“I know, and I’m sorry. I spoke to Human Resources this morning, and they’re willing to start your severance now, if you’d rather. I can have someone send you your things.”
“Yeah. We can do that.”
“Again, I’m sorry, Jefferson.”
“I appreciate it, Joyce. I really enjoyed working with you.”
“The same to you. And know that you can count on me for a reference.”
“Thank you,” Jefferson said before he hung up the phone.
Uncle Sherman sat up in the bed, wincing as he tried to swing his broken leg over the side.
“Jefferson Lee?”
“I’m okay.”
“Nonsense. What happened?”
“I’m officially unemployed.”
“What? Not because you came here?”
“No. I guess I would have been given two weeks’ notice when I went in today. Dammit. It took months to get that job.”
“I’m sorry, Jefferson Lee. What can I do to help?”
“I don’t know. My brain is spinning. But hey, bright side. I can help you for a while. I can hunt for a job here as easy as I can back home.”
“You’re welcome to stay with me for as long as you need. I like having you around. You know that.”
“I know. Thanks, Uncle Sherman.”
Before they could continue, Dr. Alley entered the hospital room.
“Jonathan! Please tell me you have good news,” Uncle Sherman said. He sent a worried glance Jefferson’s way before turning his attention back to the family doctor they’d known for years.
“Morning, Sherman. Good and bad news to report. We’re sending you home today, but you’re going to have to stay off that leg for the next few days until the swelling goes down. We’ll need to adjust the brace at that point. You’ll have it on for at least six weeks, and we’ll have you in physical therapy for a few months after that.”
“Months?” Uncle Sherman asked.
“You heard me. You’re going to need to get some help around the house. I could recommend a rehabilitation center, but I have a feeling you’ll want no part of that.”
“You’re right there.”
“I thought so. You can put the word out to the folks in town that you’ll need some help. I’m sure we can figure something out.”
Uncle Sherman made an indelicate sound and scowled menacingly at the doctor. “I will be
fine
.”
“I’m sure you will be, especially if you do as I say and don’t be the stubborn old coot I know you can be.”
Jefferson cackled as Uncle Sherman began to sputter.
“He called you an old coot. That’s worse than a whippersnapper.”
“Jefferson Lee, do not make me call your mother.”
“Oh, that threat has no weight right now. None. I’m not afraid of my mother, but you should be.
Months
of help. Just imagine it. She could come and stay at your house. Be there for you twenty-four seven. Heck, I bet she’d even have to help you in the bathroom. Sponge baths, oh favorite uncle of mine. Sponge. Baths.”
Uncle Sherman gasped in horror.
Jefferson snickered. “That’s what I thought.”
Dr. Alley smothered his laugh with his hand, then coughed to further hide the sound. When he’d composed himself, he gave Uncle Sherman a stern look. “I’m serious, Sherman. What’ll it be? Rehab center, or can I count on you to follow the rules?”
Uncle Sherman crossed his arms over his chest and glared. “I’ll follow the rules, but I don’t have to like it. I have responsibilities to this town, you know. I have work to do.”
“And I’ll be here to help,” Jefferson said. “Especially now. So don’t worry.”
“Good. I’ll get the release paperwork started. We’ll schedule a follow-up appointment in a few days so I can check the fit once the swelling in your leg goes down. Until then, stay off the leg. The nurse will be by with further instructions as well as a couple prescriptions. Any questions?”
“Not that I can think of,” Uncle Sherman answered.
“Okay. You know how to reach me if you need me.”
Dr. Alley left the room, and Jefferson waited for Uncle Sherman’s temper to cool for a minute. Once his uncle appeared to have settled a bit, he lifted up the thick binder he’d brought with him and plopped it on the edge of the bed. “Want to start explaining all this blog stuff to me while we wait?”
Uncle Sherman blew out a breath. “I suppose so. At least from home, I’ll be able to help you more. This is difficult for me, Jefferson Lee. I don’t like being helpless.”
Jefferson reached out and grabbed his uncle’s hand. “You aren’t helpless. You just need a little help. There’s a big difference. Remember a couple years ago? I was in a panic over not getting a job. I had bills to pay and no job. I’d run through my savings and was about to get evicted because I was too proud to ask for help.”
Uncle Sherman squeezed his hand. “Silly boy. Like I’d ever allow you to be homeless. You needed a hand up not a hand out. That’s what family is for.”
“Exactly. And I’m just returning the favor. So how about we enjoy the fact that we get to spend some extra time together and forget for a while that I’m unemployed and you’re under the weather.”
“That sounds like a good idea. Now, let’s discuss the importance of Pinterest for a moment.”
BY THE
time Jefferson returned to Uncle Sherman’s house, his head was spinning with pins and tweets and posts, oh my. The mayor had shown up at the hospital as the nurse was explaining the no-stairs rule to Uncle Sherman. It nearly led to another blowup on his uncle’s part before Charles pointed out that the downstairs study could be converted into a temporary guest room. The nurse gave them a number where they could order an adjustable hospital bed that would be easier for Sherman to get in and out of, and before an even bigger explosion occurred, Jefferson hightailed it out of the hospital to get the room ready for the bed’s delivery.