“Zach, you there?” Darla asks over the CB attached to my dash and I grab it holding down the button.
“Just pulled into the lot. What’s up?” I take my hand off the handle of the door and wait for her reply.
“Aubrey just called. She needs you at home.”
I frown. “Did she say why?” The kids know that when I’m working, if they need anything, they go either across the street to May’s or Aaron’s house unless it’s an emergency.
“Something about your neighbor and Louie,” she says, sounding confused.
“Fuck. Send Paul to my place,” I bark, starting my truck back up and throwing it in reverse. I back out quickly then gun it out of the lot.
As soon as I reach the street, I speed up until I’m in front of the house then slam on the brakes. Hopping out, the front door to my house opens, and Shelby, Hunter, Aubrey, and Steven all step
out onto the front porch. I notice Shelby’s dressed much the same as she was the other morning, wearing short sleep shorts, a tank top, and no shoes. Hunter is wearing a hoodie, a pair of sweats, and sneakers. Aubrey and Steven are still in their pajamas, which they would be, since the clock just hit nine and in the summer they don’t roll out of bed until after eleven most days.
“What’s going on?”
“Um,” Shelby mummers, looking like she doesn’t know what to say.
“Louie is in their house,” Aubrey cuts in, and my eyes go to her.
“Come again?”
“Hunter didn’t know about Louie,” Shelby says quietly, wrapping her arms around herself. “He was out on my deck and didn’t shut the sliding door when he came in to eat breakfast.”
“I did shut it,” Hunter defends, looking at his mom. “I shut it behind me.”
“Louie’s in your house?” I repeat in disbelief.
“Well, I don’t know for sure if it’s him, but a bear is in the house. He came into the kitchen when I was setting pancakes on the table. I didn’t stop to ask him his name. I just grabbed Hunter and ran for the door.”
“Jesus.” I look next door, knowing that could have been bad, really fucking bad. Shaking my head, I look at Aubrey. “Gorgeous, take Shel inside and get her something to wear.”
“Sure, Dad.”
She smiles, as Shel mutters, “That’s okay. I’m okay.”
“It’s not even sixty out, baby. You don’t even got shoes on.” Her eyes change ever so slightly before dropping to her bare feet, where she asks, “How are we going to get him out of the house?”
“We’re not doing anything. You and the kids are gonna go settle in, while I wait for Paul to get here,” I say, and her eyes soften in a way that catches me off guard.
“Who’s Paul?” Hunter asks, and my attention goes to him.
“He’s a mechanic an—”
“I don’t know much about bears, but I don’t think a mechanic will be able to do anything about getting one out of my house,” Shel says, cutting me off while her lips twitch and her eyes dance. She knows damn well who Paul is.