Episode 912: Hold Up

“Okay,” Tansy said, adjusting the backpack strap on her shoulder. “Hi. How come you’re here? Are you meeting my counselor?”

“Nope. I was just out grabbing something from an auto supply place for your dad.” He hadn’t wanted to show up and bump into her for no reason and have Tansy feel ambushed so when Lucy, and Tansy’s parents had nominated him for this mission he’d decided to run this actual errand, maybe then she wouldn’t sense a set-up.

“When I realized I was near your school, I thought it’s the end of the day and maybe I’d spot my favorite person outside.” He waved a small white bag from the bakery down the street. “I brought Valentine’s cookies.” Some of Tansy’s favorites, heart-shaped chocolate cookies with a generous helping of bright pink frosting.

“It was nice of you to think of me,” Tansy said, “but today’s one of my animal shelter days. I have to go, but my dad likes that bakery almost as much as I do. He’ll probably give you a raise if you show up at his office with those cookies.”

“We could eat while I walk you to the shelter.”

“I can walk by myself and I really do need to go, so-”

“I know you can walk by yourself,” he said. “But I’m by myself so much of the time and since I can get back to the garage that way, even if it’s a little more roundabout, I wouldn’t mind, it would be nice to have company.”

He knew it would make Tansy feel guilty and he did feel guilty about that, but the important thing was to find a way to read out to her.

“Okay,” Tansy said. “We can walk together but then I have stuff to do.”

“Great,” he said. “It’ll be good to catch up since you've made yourself scarce lately.” It would be good if she really was going to the animal shelter as she claimed, and better still if she’d worked things out there and was ready to talk about it.

Episode 913: Mean