July 1981
"Are you sure you can get the time off? I don't know how long we're gonna be gone," Gus asked.
"I'm sure. They told me it was alright, that the new girl could cover for me, and to call when I had some idea of when we'd be back. They're so good to me there," Lois assured him. Demi and Sam were with Stacy as she went down to the car with her small bag. The guys followed, with a couple of brown paper bags with some drinks and snacks.
Gus took the bags and placed them in the back of his old station wagon. He came around as Lois and Stacy were hugging the others, saying goodbye.
"We'll only be gone for a few days, hopefully," he told them. "Just long enough to deal with the house, and...," he paused. "Well, with his body."
They said their goodbyes, then got in the car. Lois was in the front passenger seat, and Stacy sat behind Gus so the girls could see each other and talk on the drive south. They waved as they drove away.
"Gus?" Stacy asked as they headed down highway five. "Why did they wait a full day to call us?"
"Well, I guess because they didn't know where we were. They told me your friend, Anna, gave them the number. I think it was only dumb luck Billy across the street saw the cops at the house and asked what was going on. He knew you and Anna were friends and she might know where you were. It was good you gave her our number after you got here."
"They didn't tell you anything else about what happened? To daddy?" she asked, her voice subdued.
Gus looked in the rear-view mirror at his sister, seeing the hurt in her face as she looked out the window at the passing farmlands and orchards.
"They didn't say much. He was in a car accident. He was drunk, three times over the legal limit apparently. Thankfully, no one else was hurt."
She sighed. "Thank God for that." She looked up at his face in the mirror. "So what are we gonna do down there?"
"Well, I've been thinking about that. There's a few things we have to handle. I think the first is to find a lawyer who can help us figure this stuff out."
"Anna's dad is a lawyer. He's always been very nice to me, said I was a good influence on his daughter," she chuckled. "Not that she ever did anything bad. I think he was just glad we were close friends."
"Cool, we'll talk to him right away when we get down there." He drove for a bit, thinking. "We'll have to deal with the stuff in the house. Figure out what to keep, what to sell, or give away." He sighed. "We'll have to get the house sold, too. Hopefully, the lawyer can help us find a real estate agent to handle the details."
Gus shook his head. "I don't know what else there might be. We'll see when we get there and talk to the professionals."
---***---
They pulled up in front of the small, one-story house. The overgrown grass and peeling paint on the house gave it a neglected appearance. An empty trash can sat on the curb, the lid flipped open.
Getting out, Gus stood there and looked at the front door. "I never thought I'd ever see this place again." Lois came up and took his hand. Stacy was standing on his other side and put her arm through his, pulling him close.
"Let's do this," he said, and walked up the steps to the door.
Stacy let them in with her key and looked around, taking in the state of her childhood home. "Well, I've seen it worse."
They walked around as a group, maintaining some sort of contact, as if going through a haunted house and expecting something sinister to jump out at them at every corner. They ended up in the master bedroom at the back of the house.
An unmade king-sized bed took up most of the space. A dresser with one drawer open, socks hanging out, stood against the far wall below closed curtains that allowed a sliver of light to pass through a small gap.
"It all comes down to this," Lois said softly, a tear running down her cheek. Gus held her, his arm around her shoulders. "Just... stuff. That's what's left over."
"That, and memories," Gus said with an edge in his voice. Stacy looked in the master bathroom, then came back out.
"We should call Anna, see if we can talk with her dad," Stacy suggested as they headed back to the front of the house.
---***---
A few hours later, Gus, Stacy and Lois walked out of an office building, a thick manilla envelope tucked under Gus' arm.
"I think it's gonna be okay," he said to no one in particular.
Stacy nodded and took his free hand, her fingers interlacing with his. The three of them walked down the street to the car and got in.
"It's good he knows a real estate agent with experience dealing with this kind of thing," Stacy said, remembering the complicated conversation they'd just had with her friend's dad.
"Yeah, I'm glad she can stop by tomorrow morning to look the place over. Tell us what we need to do. I sure don't." Gus sighed as they got to the car.
"Can you believe he's doing this
pro bono
?" Lois asked.
"What does that mean?" Stacy asked her.
"It means he's helping us for free," Gus answered.
"Oh, that's sweet! Anna's parents were always so nice," Stacy said.
They drove on and Lois looked over at a store. "Hey, why don't we stop in and pick up some stuff to cook? I don't know how long we'll be here, but we can't afford to eat out every meal."
They agreed, and he pulled into the grocery store parking lot.
---***---
They sat on the old couch together, Gus between the two girls. He turned to his sister. "That was delicious."
"Yeah, thanks for making supper," Lois said as she looked around Gus.
"Aw, it was nothing. Just some hamburgers and stuff." Stacy leaned back, propping her feet on the coffee table.
"Well, it hit the spot," Gus said and burped. The girls giggled, and Stacy slapped his arm.
