Free Tragic Renewal by Marlina Williams

One question from me for now, who’s taking care of the animals?”
    “Silly me, I totally forgot to tell you. The neighbor, Noah Givens, has been watching them. He was friends with Cara and helped her with some work before… well before you know. He’s a carpenter, so I bet he’d be willing to help with anything you might need.”
    “You know, Cara mentioned something about him helping her with a rotten spot on her porch right after she moved in.”
    “Oh, and, I’m sad to say when I spoke to him yesterday, he said Ziggie, the giant Akita with the sad eyes? He said he thinks Ziggie is depressed and the only thing that cheers the dog up is when he brings his four year old son, Grayson, over to visit.”
    “Interesting, one more puzzle I’ll have to figure out. Thank you so much for all you’ve done. Would you mind coming with me to see the property? I’m a little… uh leery of how I will handle being in Cara’s space right now.”
    “Absolutely, let me get my coat and I’ll lead the way.”

Nine
    Noah shook his head as he listened to his mom, Connie, gab on the other end of the phone.
    “Son, it’s time you put yourself out there. It’s been over two years and you’ve been moping around like that flighty creature of a human you called wife is ever going to return. You know I never did like that woman, good riddance. Anyway, I’ve set up a date for you with Jamie Watson on Friday. Pick her up at 7:00 at her house, she’ll be waiting.” Connie, pushy by nature, never considered her son might not want to date Jamie Watson.
    “Seriously Mom?” Noah replied as frustration tinged his words. “I’m a grown ass man.” He clamped his palm over his mouth as he searched for his son, hoping Grayson didn’t hear the curse. Relieved when he didn’t spot his son, he continued. “I’m capable of finding my own dates. Quit trying to run my life.” Noah was immediately contrite for talking forcefully to his mom, but sometimes her plans overran the bounds of normal and she needed to be prodded back to her place as mom, not matchmaker.
    The gap of silence told Noah he had hurt her feelings. “C’mon Mom don’t be upset, I will find someone when it’s time. Right now I’m focused on raising your grandson, remember him?”
    “How could I forget that little boy who needs a mother?” Connie’s petulant reply annoyed Noah, but he chose the easier route of making his mom happy rather than stirring the fire ant’s nest that was her nature.
    “Here’s what I will agree to, but I need your solemn promise this is the last date you will set me up on,” Noah paused as he waited for her agreement before continuing.
    He fought his urge to fill in the empty air with more words while he waited for her stubbornness to wane.
    “Okay, tell me what you’re agreeing to,” she said with defeat. “I promise I won’t set you up on any more dates.”
    “I will take Jamie out this Friday, but you need to understand that it’s a single date and I’m not interested in her. I never have been. She’s a nice woman, but she’s not for me.”
    “How can you not like her? She’s gorgeous, has giant boobs, and from what I understand she doesn’t mind putting out.”
    Noah’s face turned baboon butt red at her last statement. Connie was missing some major filters when it came to her son.
    “First of all Mom, you need to stop gossiping with your pinochle group, and second, gross. You shouldn’t be talking to me about those things.”
    Connie giggled like a school girl. “I know I shouldn’t, I like imagining how red your face is right now. You were always so easy to embarrass. Don’t worry, son, my solemn vow stands. No more fix up’s after this one. From now on, I’ll leave you alone and let you choose who to date.”
    Noah rubbed his hand through his thick black hair, cut short to keep its natural curls in check. “Mom, I need to go so I can hunt down my missing son. You know he likes to get into things when I’m