I felt like I was intruding on a private moment. “Look, no harm done. We’ll just need to fix up the yard a bit.”
Margaret nodded quickly. “Of course. We’ll pay for everything. Again, I’m so sorry.”
“There’s no need to pay,” I replied, “the exercise will do me good. Plus, my wife and I have been talking about putting in a pool—maybe now’s the time!”
Margaret laughed, and as I turned to leave, George caught my arm. “Frank, I… thanks. Really.”
I smiled, squeezing his shoulder. “Don’t mention it. And hey, if you ever want to grab a beer sometime, give me a call.”
George looked surprised, then grateful. “Yeah, I’d like that.”
As I drove home, I felt disappointed, but also strangely connected. George’s hope had been contagious.
When I got back, Karen was up, looking better but confused. “Where have you been? And what happened to our yard?”
I sat next to her on the couch and told her everything. By the end, she was shaking her head but smiling.
“Only you, Frank,” she said, kissing my cheek. “Only you would spend all night digging for treasure with a stranger.”
I laughed. “Yeah, well, maybe I found something after all.”
Karen raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”
“Not gold or jewels,” I said. “But a reminder that sometimes, the real treasures are the connections we make. The stories we share.”
Karen rolled her eyes but smiled. “That’s cheesy, even for you.”
“Maybe,” I admitted. “But I was thinking… why don’t we invite George and Margaret over for dinner next week?”
Karen paused, then nodded thoughtfully. “You know what? That sounds nice. But first, you’re fixing that hole in the yard.”
I groaned, but I couldn’t argue. As I headed out to survey the damage in daylight, I smiled. Life might not have hidden treasures around every corner, but it sure has its share of unexpected adventures.
And sometimes, that’s treasure enough.
