Free The Last Goodbye by Sarah Mayberry

behind a magnet on the fridge door.
    She ran her fingertips over the embossed lettering on the card, thinking about his silver-gray eyes and broad shoulders, then she punched his number into her phone.
    “Tyler speaking.”
    His voice sounded incredibly deep and low over the phone.
    “It’s me, Ally. The social worker’s just been.”
    “That was quick.”
    “She said she didn’t want to hold things up at her end.”
    A weary sigh came down the line. “Which means Dad’s probably been throwing his weight around again.”
    “He seemed okay when I saw him this morning. I think he understands he can’t go home until the doctors are happy with his recovery from the surgery, sohe’s been making an effort to eat more and he’s been paying attention to his physiotherapist.”
    “Listen, thanks, Ally. I appreciate you helping out like this.”
    Ally glanced down at the notes she’d taken. “I’ve got a list of her recommendations, if you want to hear them?”
    “Sure. Thanks.”
    “She’s suggested safety rails at both the front and rear steps as well as in the shower. And she would like to see a handheld showerhead in the bathroom and a bath chair for your father to sit on if he’s feeling weak.”
    “Okay.” He sounded as though he was making notes. “Anything else?”
    “She said the bedroom doorways were wide enough to allow them to install a hospital bed, if one is required at a later date, but that Bob’s own bed would be fine for now.”
    “That’s good to know.”
    “I wasn’t sure if you wanted to do the work yourself, being handy and everything, but she’s recommended a local guy and I took the liberty of making a quick call. He can take care of everything on Friday, if you want him to, or the following Monday.”
    There was a short pause. “Friday, you said?”
    “Yeah. He said he could fit you in in the afternoon. If it’s a problem for you to get here, I can let him into the house, since I’ve still got your spare key. It’s no big deal.”
    There was another short silence. “That’s very generous of you.”
    “It really isn’t. It’ll take two seconds to let him in. And you’ve got enough on your plate.”
    She waited for him to tell her to butt out. Or to ask why she kept inserting herself into his and Bob’s lives. Usually she confined her do-gooding to her advice column, but for some reason she couldn’t seem to stop herself where Bob and Tyler were concerned.
    “I read your column today,” Tyler said instead.
    It was so not what she’d expected him to say that it took her a moment to respond. “Did you?”
    “Yeah. The bit about the guy who dresses as a woman.”
    “Right.”
    “Turns out that all my staff read you, too.”
    “That’s nice. I think. What did they say about the cross-dressing guy?” She could imagine the comments that must have been flying around. Especially in a very macho environment like a workshop.
    “Turns out my senior cabinetmaker has a cousin who works as a drag queen.”
    “Well, there you go.”
    “You must get some pretty weird letters.”
    “I get some very weird letters. But underneath the weirdness, it’s amazing how much the same we all are.”
    “How so?” Tyler asked.
    “Everyone wants to be accepted. Everyone wantsto belong. Everyone wants to love and be loved. To feel valued.”
    “Is that what you want?”
    Ally thought about the way she’d taken it upon herself to call the handyman today, and the way she’d thrust herself into Bob’s affairs. “I think everyone wants to feel connected, in some small way,” she said quietly.
    “I guess.”
    She heard the rustle of paper at the other end of the phone, as though he was shifting things around on his desk.
    “So, do you want me to let this guy in?” she asked.
    “If you don’t mind. It’d be one less thing on my list. We’re snowed under at the moment—”
    “Then don’t think about it again. I’ll get the guy to bill you at your factory address,