The Path to Gratitude
Chapter 1
Joe looked at his watch. His heart sank. "I'm a dead man." He snuck a glance over his shoulder and saw it was still clear. "Maybe I can finish this up and get outta here before I get caught." He poured the last of the black liquid from the plastic container and screwed the top back on. "Done!" With a satisfied grin, Joe wiped his hands on the dirty rag and slammed the hood of the car. Spinning on his heel, Joe gasped. He'd been caught.
"I must be losing my touch. I didn't hear you come in."
Vanessa glared. "We talked about this, Joe."
Hands up, Joe tried to placate his girlfriend. "I know, Babe, I know."
"You promised."
He took a breath, thinking he could still salvage the situation, but began to cough. And cough. And cough. He heard Vanessa take a few steps and felt her hand patting his back.
"And this is one of the reasons why."
"I know," Joe squeaked out between bouts of coughing. He leaned on the car behind him and tried to catch his breath.
"You promised – no more working on cars for a while. You've been working non-stop for weeks now. You're lucky if you get home before nine and then you're out here in the garage working on cars for people." Vanessa stepped back, disappointed. "You're spreading yourself too thin, Joe. And now you're getting sick."
Joe sighed inwardly. She was right. They'd talked about it. Business at Hardy Investigations had suddenly exploded, requiring everyone to work overtime. Joe couldn't remember the last time he actually had a day off. Neither had anyone else. Frank, Fenton and Sam Radley, along with Joe, had been working seven days a week. And it wasn't going to let up anytime soon. He had promised Vanessa he would stop working on cars until work slowed down.
Normally, Joe found working on cars to be very relaxing. It helped him unwind after a long day. He never turned down a friend or family member who asked for an oil change, a tune up, or new brakes. He enjoyed helping people out with routine maintenance and minor repairs. He also knew, in some cases, if he wasn't able to do it, it wouldn't get done. Joe never accepted money for his work and, with the cost of labor, some of the people he helped out wouldn't be able to maintain their cars if he didn't step in.
Joe glanced around the small but well kept garage with pride. The walls were filled with top of the line tools and equipment that he had acquired over the years. He could probably open his own auto mechanic shop if he wanted to. He also thought of the irony. The reason he and Vanessa were able to afford this house, located right on the beach, was because Joe performed routine maintenance on the cars of the elderly couple who rented it to them, as well as minor repairs on the house. In return, their landlords had slashed the monthly rent quite a bit.
Joe reached down and grabbed the rag resting on the hood of the car and wiped his hands, avoiding Vanessa's gaze. He wasn't sure how it happened. Most likely it was his inability to say no, but lately his mouth seemed to be have made a lot of promises that he was now wondering if he could keep. For weeks now, after getting home from work, he'd go straight to the garage where a car was waiting patiently for his magic touch. Sometimes he was out here until midnight, only to get up at the crack of dawn the next day for work. He had promised Vanessa he'd take a break and politely decline when someone asked for help with their car, at least until work slowed down to a more normal pace. It had turned out to be harder than he thought it would.
Vanessa leaned against the car next to him, her voice softer now. "I know how much you want to help your friends but you're working yourself to death." She nudged his shoulder and Joe turned to look at her. There was true concern and worry in her eyes. "You're working ten hours or more at the office. You come home and head straight out here to the garage. I can't remember the last time we had dinner together. I hardly ever see you anymore. But what really worries me is that cough. You've had it for two weeks now and it's not getting any better. You need to rest."
On cue, Joe turned his head and coughed again. "Sorry."
"See what I mean?"
"It's nothing, Babe, really."
Vanessa rolled her eyes and pushed off the car, walking towards the door that connected the garage to the house. Joe followed, turning off the light and locking the door.
"Have you taken anything for it today?" Vanessa stopped at the kitchen table and picked up her cell phone.
"Yeah, this morning." He didn't bother to mention it hadn't seemed to help much. "Who are you calling?"
"Your mom. You still need to shower and change. We're never going to make it on time."
Joe took the phone out of her hand and put it back on the table. He held both her hands in his and pulled her closer. "I'm the reason we're going to be late, I'll call her." He leaned closer, resting his forehead against hers. "And no more working on cars. At least until after the holidays."
Vanessa leaned back and stared at him, hope warring with doubt. "Promise?"
Joe held up the first two fingers on his right hand, left hand over his heart. "From this day forward, I solemnly swear to say "no" to anyone who asks me to work on their car. No matter who it is. Scout's honor."
Vanessa laughed, a sound Joe realized he hadn't heard in awhile. "Were you ever a Boy Scout?"
"Frank was. Me, not so much." He turned and headed for the stairs. "I'll be ready in fifteen minutes."
"Scout's honor?"
"Of course!"
Vanessa's laughter floated up the stairs after him. "Hey, I'll drive so you can grab a cat nap on the way."
"Good," Joe thought, yanking the t-shirt over his head. He'd try the cough medicine again on the off chance it might help this time but it had a tendency to make him drowsy. At least with Vanessa driving, he wouldn't worry about falling asleep at the wheel. Leaning in to turn on the shower, he started coughing again. "Not that I can get much sleep with this stupid cough."
Arriving at the familiar, well -kept colonial that his parents had owned for as long as he could remember, Joe felt a smile start to tug at his lips. There was something comforting about visiting home, especially around the holidays. Even though he saw his parents frequently and worked with his father, it was these moments of pure relaxation and hanging out with the people he was closest to which made the fall and winter holidays the best time of the year.
Seeing his smile, Vanessa reached over to the driver's seat and gently squeezed Joe's hand. "I'm glad to see you're finally allowing yourself time to relax. FINALLY," she emphasized. "Let's try to get you to do more of that, okay?"
With a quick wink, followed by yet another cough, Joe teased, "Oh, don't worry, Babe. I'm sure you can help me relax later."
Blushing, Vanessa couldn't help but smile. This was exactly what Joe needed at the moment. Truth be told, she was excited to start the holiday season off as well. This first "Meeting of the Minds" was becoming a tradition over the past several years, a time when they, along with Joe's parents, and his brother Frank and his fiancee Callie, got together to iron out the details of how the holidays would work. With family members on all sides and friends too numerous to count, it was truly the most special time of the year.
"Hey! There's Callie!" Joe enthusiastically noted, simultaneously opening the driver's side door. Vanessa watched as Joe bounded up to her best friend and his soon to be sister-in law, enveloping her in a big hug. Only a few steps behind came Frank, with his laptop case in one hand and a big platter of cookies in the other. Vanessa giggled as she watched Joe try to sneak a few cookies, only to have his brother shake his head in what she recognized as a look of affectionate disapproval. Watching all three people whom she loved laughing and teasing filled her with warmth and gratitude.
Opening her own door to follow everyone inside, she couldn't help but to hope that this was the best holiday season ever. If only Joe would allow himself more moments like this, she pondered ruefully. Brushing the nagging fear that these moments of fun and relaxation would be only temporary, Vanessa smiled. I might as well enjoy it now, then.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
A few hours later, the Hardys, along with Vanessa and Callie, were seated in the living room.
"So I'm furry, and I'm not a lion. Wait." Joe paused dramatically, standing up and pointing to his head. "Am I a tiger?"
Frank rolled his eyes at his younger brother, who had insisted that this year's planning session game would be Hedbanz. "Yes, Joe. You're a tiger. Now can we please finish discussing the time for Thanksgiving din…"
He was cut off by Joe breaking into a ridiculous dance and fist pumping. "Yes! Yes! I TOLD you I'd be the first to guess what I am."
"I'm very proud of you, Joe," Callie managed to respond somewhat seriously. "I was afraid of what your next guess would have been."
Joe laughed and winked at Callie. "Thank you, Sis. At least someone here appreciates my talent."
Frank interjected. "You, too?" he asked Callie. "Between the two of you, we'll never get any plans made!"
Callie sighed dramatically before speaking. "You're right, Frank. Sorry. I thought you had scheduled in 10 minutes of fun this evening, though. My bad." She immediately blew him a kiss to let him know that she was teasing.
Ruefully, Frank shook his head. "I'm sorry. You guys are right. It's just been so busy at work recently and I guess I've been overly stressed."
"Both of you have been!" Vanessa acknowledged. "Come on. The best way to plan for an amazing holiday is to discuss the menu. And, if the delicious scent coming from your mom's kitchen is any indication, she may have already started experimenting with some recipes!" Grabbing Callie by the hand to accompany her into the kitchen to talk with Laura and finalize the plans for Thanksgiving in less than three weeks, she turned around quickly. "I think you two can schedule in a good 20 more minutes of fun!" Blowing Joe a kiss of her own, the girls headed out of the room, leaving the brothers together.
"Have I been that bad?" Frank asked, dejected. "I thought that I had been doing okay until I realized that I think I've seen Callie about four nights over the last three weeks."
"Me, too!" Joe found himself agreeing instantly.
"I didn't realize you saw Callie that often," Frank responded, deadpan, before letting out a little laugh.
Joe smiled, too. It felt good to be here, talking about nothing, playing silly games, NOT thinking. As Frank told another awful joke, Joe found himself laughing again, which immediately led into a cough from which he had a hard time catching his breath.
After a few moments, he felt his brother's hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay?"
Joe could only nod, trying to breathe deeply and to resume a normal, or even slightly less red, color, to his face. He held up a finger to indicate he needed a moment.
When he looked up, he saw Frank's dark eyes flashing with concern. "Joe? How long have you had that cough? You might need to see a doctor."
Sensing the tension in his brother's voice, and having finally caught his breath, Joe shook his head. "Nah, I'm fine. Just late hours and no time to rest."
"You're sure?" Frank queried, and Joe nodded. It always touched him how much Frank looked out for him. But, never one to revel in a serious moment too long, he took two quick strides across the room, reached down, and grabbed a card, immediately inserting it into a rounded piece of plastic, and then bounded across the room, placing it on top of Frank's head. He placed a second crown on his own head.
"What the-?" Frank began, but Joe covered his own lips in a shh gesture, and immediately interrupted. "You get one question, and I WILL win again," Joe insisted, a twinkle in his eyes.
Chuckling, Frank sat down. "Am I a living thing?" he asked, finally.
Joe just smiled.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Much later that evening, all of the plans had finally been made. Thanksgiving dinner would take place at 4:00 at the Hardy's home, although Joe and Vanessa would be responsible for the appetizers and Frank and Callie would take care of the desserts. Joe had just managed to convince his mother that his parents should host on Black Friday as well, considering how many leftovers there would be.
"With you?" Vanessa teased.
"Hey! I'm a growing boy!" Joe responded, in mock indignation.
"Growing in the wrong direction," Frank teased. It had been a long-standing joke with everyone that, despite Joe being in great shape, he could out-eat anyone, with possibly the exception of Chet Morton, one of their oldest childhood friends.
"Anyway," Joe cut in. "So, there'll be all of us, Callie's parents, Andrea, Biff, Chet, Tony, Phil, and their significant others…"
"Well, honey," Laura, Joe's mother, kindly cut in. "While I'm grateful that this house can hold so many people, we are close to 50 at this point. We may want to consider cutting off the guest list here."
"MOM, you're no fun," Joe pouted.
Vanessa laughed. Joe was the biggest kid of all. And Thanksgiving to him was the startup of the holiday season, a sacred day to celebrate all things home-cooked, family-oriented, and football-infused.
Resigned, Laura shrugged her shoulders. Every year she tried to limit the guest list, and every year it got longer. And, every year, that was because of Joe. Still, she had to play along. "I suppose we might be able to squeeze in just a few more," she acquiesced.
"Yay!" Joe got up to hug his mom. "Thanks, Mom. You're the best!"
"For someone who's not fun…" Laura teased.
As the conversation and laughter continued, Laura got up to make everyone more food. Joe noticed Frank speaking quietly to Callie, and he seemed a bit worried.
"Are you okay?" he asked his brother.
"I'm fine," he answered. "Except that I'm trying to make sure that Callie is, too."
"Why? You okay, Cal?" Joe asked, immediately concerned as well.
"I am 100% fine. Your brother is just overly concerned about me is all," Callie responded lightly.
"I'm not," Frank answered. " I just want to make sure that you're safe. So come on. Answer."
Frank looked at Callie. "Did you take your car in today?"
Callie nodded but sighed. "I told them the brakes have felt funny lately. They said they're backed up and won't be able to work me in for at least a week." She shrugged. "I told them it doesn't happen all the time, just once in awhile. I have an appointment for next Wednesday. Jake, the one who normally works on my car, took a look and said they should be fine until then."
Frank frowned and stabbed at his salad. "I don't like the idea of you driving around if the brakes aren't working properly."
"He said they'd be fine until then," Callie repeated.
The table grew quiet for a few moments until Frank spoke again. "Joe?"
Joe's stomach tightened. He knew what was coming. He also knew what he had promised Vanessa. He knew he couldn't say no.
Avoiding Vanessa's gaze, he met his brothers. "I mean, I'm sure I could take a look. It wouldn't take me long. No problem."
Frank sighed with relief. "Thanks so much, Joe. I just want to make sure she's okay."
"Really, Joe, you don't have to," Callie emphasized. Vanessa had shared her concerns recently about Joe working so much both at his real job as well as the constant hours he was spending helping everyone else at the garage. While she hadn't shared those details with Frank yet, the last thing she wanted to do was burden Joe with any more to do.
"It's just this once!" Joe insisted, coughing slightly again. He finally turned to Vanessa. "I promise. And it's for CALLIE," he pointed out.
"Oh, Joe," Vanessa replied. "I know, but…"
"It's okay. I wouldn't want my sister-in-law...almost.. getting hurt. No problem, Callie."
"Thanks, Joe. I owe you one," Frank answered, sincerely. Then, to lighten the mood, he added, "Like another round of Hedbanz?"
"Awesome!" he replied, and headed into the other room before anyone could follow him.
Plopping onto the couch and enjoying the brief silence, Joe closed his eyes. He HAD been working too hard and Vanessa was right; he DID have a hard time saying no. He also was starting to feel worse than what he was letting on, though he had no time to see a doctor. But, it was Callie. What choice did he have? Vanessa would have to understand… wouldn't she?
Hearing the sounds of his family coming to join him now, he could only hope that, in the end, everything would end up okay.