Chapter 4: House Call
A few hours earlier
"Wow that stuffed burger was delicious. Well Tamora, I think we have a new place to eat. Good music, reasonable prices, excellent service, and not to mention friendly people," Tamora said to herself. A smile graced her lips it seemed to be the first time she actually smiled. It was getting dark and she made her way home. The night air felt so good and relaxing. Opening her door she decided to take a shower. Grabbing her clothes she began to head to the bathroom. Her faucet sink in her bathroom began to drip and suddenly it splashed everywhere. "Oh man!" she cried and tried turning the water off and it seemed to work. But to her dismay there was a mess of water on the floor. She headed to the laundry room to grab some towels and cover the floor with them. "Where did I put that card for that handy man company? Oh, never mind I remember the number," Tamora grumbled her good mood now diminished.
She grabbed her phone and called the number. A dial tone came on and within a few minutes a voice came on. "Hello Fix-It Company, this is Jane speaking. How may I service you?" asked a woman's voice. The voice sounded elderly and almost familiar but Tamora couldn't place the voice anywhere.
"Yes, hello my name is Tamora Calhoun, my faucet is broken and I need it repaired immediately," she said trying to be polite.
"Of course dear, just tell me your address and I will send someone over," Jane said calmly.
"I live on 122 Oak Street," Tamora said sighing.
"Okay dear someone will be arriving within ten minutes," Jane said.
"Thank you," Tamora said.
"Anytime dear and have a wonderful night," Jane said and the line went dead. Tamora just hung up the phone and waited on the couch. Sure enough within ten minutes the doorbell rang. She got up and opened the door and was shocked at who was on the other side of the door.
Present time
"Uh hi Tamora I mean Ms. Calhoun. I heard you needed a faucet fixed," Felix said nervously.
"Wait a minute I thought you worked at a restaurant?" Tamora asked suspiciously.
"Oh I do ma'am but you see that is one of my family's business the other business is my Daddy's Handy Man Company," Felix explained.
"Of course the card I remember now it said Fix-It Handy Man Company and the restaurant was called the Fix-It Ranch," Tamora said feeling foolish. "That explains a lot," she added.
"Glad we have that established now may I please come in?" Felix asked reminding her of why he was here.
"Oh sure please do come in," Tamora said stepping aside so he could enter. She now noticed that he only came up to her waist for she was sitting down the first time she saw him.
"So, where is this leaky faucet of yours?" he asked looking around. "By the way nice place when did you move in if you mind me asking?" Felix said blushing a bit. At the same time he was scolding himself for being nosy.
"It is fine I moved here today," Tamora explained.
"Wow you unpacked quickly," Felix said.
"Uh thanks anyway here is the faucet, sorry about the mess there was water everywhere," she said.
"It is okay," he said and got down on his knees, holding a flashlight and looked at the faucet. "Oh here is the problem ma'am, your seal wore off. No wonder it was exploding on you. Here let me go out to my truck and I will get some more seal for you and it will be right as rain," he said grinning. He went outside and Tamora saw a blue pickup truck parked behind her jeep. Felix came back with some stuff for her faucet and the seal was in place. "There that should hold her," he said. Tamora turned on the water and the faucet was working perfectly once again.
"Thanks Felix I mean Mr. Fix-It," Tamora said smiling.
"You can just call me Felix, Mr. Fix-It was my dad," Felix said blushing a bit more. After the faucet was fixed Felix offered to help clean up the mess. Which Tamora was about to refuse but accepted for it was a mess. With Felix's help it was done within minutes.
He is really cute when he blushes, Tamora thought. Whoa Calhoun, where did that come from? Brad died just a year ago and you are already looking at other men. Knock it off Felix is just being nice let's not make a big deal out of how cute he is when he blushes shoot I thought it again, Tamora's mind scolded her.
Wow her eyes are so beautiful, like sapphires, whoa Felix no, no you are not doing this to yourself. Tamora uh Ms. Calhoun just needs her faucet fixed not to be hit on. Besides she probably doesn't even like you and remember the last time you fell in love. No, don't be stupid she is not nor would she ever be interested in a pipsqueak like you, his mind told him. Felix looked around trying desperately to change the moment. His eyes landed on a picture of two people. "Hey these people look nice," he said.
"Oh that is my dad and mom. My dad was a soldier and my mom was a school teacher," Tamora said proudly.
"Really my dad was a common handy man and my mom worked at a bakery. So, was being in the army big in your family? I noticed a few medals along the other wall," he said softly.
"Well if you want to stay for a cup of coffee, I could tell you if you are interested?" Tamora said.
"Uh I don't know I mean I am working, it may not be professional," Felix said rubbing the back of his head.
"Easy shorty, I am asking if you want some coffee, not to sleep with me," Tamora said in a joking voice. Felix's eyes widened and he was now a crimson color. "That was a joke supposed to laugh," she said biting her lip to keep from laughing.
"Right well I guess one cup wouldn't hurt," he said. He sat down and she did too drinking some hot coffee. He added some cream and sugar to his. "So, you were an army brat I am guessing," Felix asked.
"Not really my dad died when I was a baby and my mom died of cancer when I was 20 and I have no other family," Tamora said frowning.
"Geez that is tough, my dad died about two years ago of a heart attack," Felix said.
"Sorry to hear that," Tamora said frowning.
"So, what made you want to join the army?" he asked.
"Well mostly it was because I wanted to be a hero like my dad. So, I enlisted when I was 18 trained for many years and I became a Sargent by the time I was 23. Then for a few years I quit and decided to make a new life for me. I heard some nice things about this place figured it was a good place to start over," Tamora said. She had no idea why she was spilling her guts like this. I mean it took some of her men years before they knew she even had a Mom that died of cancer. In the army she was silent, calculated, and didn't get distracted. But just being with Felix made it easy to talk for maybe it was his easy going nature. "Okay tell me some things about you," Tamora said.
"Alright I grew up here my whole life. I have a younger brother; you met him named Bobby and a baby sister named Megan. She is married to my brother in-law Kurt and has a five month old girl named Anna. I have an older cousin named Ralph, well technically he was adopted but he is my cousin I don't care what anyone says. He is single but adopted a little girl my well she is my cousin but she calls me Uncle Felix so I say she is my niece. Her name is Vanellope and I have another cousin a baby cousin named Kelly. She is single and loving it. I have my mother, you heard her over the phone, and my aunt and uncle. And we all work at the family restaurant and I run my dad's handy man company," Felix said.
"Wow seems you have a lot on your plate," Tamora said politely.
"Yeah my family can be a bit crazy but I wouldn't trade them for anything. They got me through some very dark times," Felix said. Just then he looked at his watch and said, "Oh shoot I have to go sorry but it is really getting late and I have to open the restaurant tomorrow. Sorry for keeping you up so late, have a good night Ms. Calhoun and if your faucet gets broken again just call me or come by the restaurant," Felix said grabbing his stuff and headed out the door.
"Bye Felix drive safe," Tamora said waving. He waved back and jumped in his truck and soon drove away. She smiled and shook her head as she said, "What a goof but he was sweet to help me clean up the bathroom". Then she closed and locked her door and took her intended shower and soon drifted off to a for once peaceful sleep.
Author's Note: Hope you all enjoyed this chapter and please review.