Benjamin had worked his hands raw, but he refused to slow down. He grunted with each heave of the shovel before hefting the load off to the side. Mr. Stern didn’t need the fence completed until springtime, but Benjamin welcomed the physical activity. He paused once to wipe his forehead and noticed Mee-Kyong coming out the back door. “I thought you might be thirsty.” She passed him a glass of water. Benjamin drank the cup dry. “You’ve been out here all afternoon,” she remarked.
“Just working.” Benjamin set the glass down, suddenly forced to admit how tight his muscles were. He stretched from one side to the other and then arched his back until he was looking up at the bright sky. Self-conscious, he straightened up. “Need something?”
Mee-Kyong was still leaning against the side of the hous
