“Not yet,” he said. “I still mix up the meat eaters.”
He giggled, and I stepped closer.
“Everything okay?”
Mrs. Adele tucked the envelope behind the rest of her mail. “Just bills, honey.
They come whether you invite them or not.”
“Do you want me to read anything? Or go over anything?”
“No, Carmen. Thank you.
But Elias handles most of it now.”
She nodded. “Since my eyes got worse, he put everything online.”
“Is he nearby?”
“Two hours away.” She gave a small laugh. “He’s busy.
I just hope he remembers the electric bill. It’s due today. These companies don’t wait for old ladies to find their reading glasses.”
That made me pause.
“Mrs.
Adele, if anything feels off, knock on my door.”
“Oh, Carmen.” She patted my arm. “You have Oliver, work, groceries, bills… I won’t be another thing for you to carry.”
Oliver looked up at her.
“Mom carries heavy bags all the time.”
Mrs. Adele smiled. “I know.
That’s why I won’t add another one.”
I should have pushed harder.
Three nights later, Oliver stopped in the hallway with his toothbrush in his hand.
“Mom.”
“Mrs. Adele’s porch light is still off.”
I looked out the window. Her little house sat dark.
No porch light, no kitchen lamp.
“She might be sleeping early,” I said, but even I didn’t believe it.
“No.” Oliver disappeared into his room and came back holding his green piggy bank. “She says porch lights help people find their way home.”
I glanced at my own bills beside my coffee.
Oliver saw them. “Are we out of money too?”
