“Maggie, hello.It’s JenniLynn.”Her laugh was breezy.“I told you I’d call you in a few days.”
“You did.”Maggie glanced at the calendar on the wall.The Monday two weeks from now was circled in red.Her next doctor’s appointment—the one that would clear her to go back to work.It would give her the freedom to choose what she wanted to do.And, for the first time, the choice wasn’t clear.
“So, do I have a volunteer coordinator?What do you say, Maggie?”
She nibbled on her lower lip, torn.“Honestly?I can help you for the next two weeks, but I can’t commit to more until then.”
“Two weeks, huh?”There was a pause.“I’ll take it.You are a lifesaver.You really are.Can you come by my place tomorrow?”
Maggie jotted down some notes and confirmed JenniLynn’s address before hanging up.Surprisingly, she was excited.It was a part-time job with low stress.Well, low stress for her.
One of the kitchen cupboards closed behind her and she turned, expecting to find Mike.“Hey, Mom.”She smiled at her mother.“Have a good day?”
“Long.Busy.No complaints.”She gave her a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek.“Who was that?”
“JenniLynn Garrett.”
“Oh, she is a doll.Nice that you’re connecting with some old friends.”Her mother filled a glass of water and took a long drink.
“She’s okay.”Mike shrugged.“A doll is kind of stretching it.”He slid the plate with her peanut butter sandwich over to Maggie.
“Thank you.”She nodded at Mike and bit into half the PB&J.“It’s more like work, Mom.I’m going to help her with her campaign for the next two weeks.It’ll give me something to do.”
“Really?Out of all the candidates, she’s got my vote.”Mike leaned against the counter.“That’s cool, Mags.”
“Oh, hon, that is wonderful.”Her mother hugged her again.“Who knows, maybe you’ll love it so much you’ll want to stay here.”
Which was pretty much the reaction she’d expected from her mom.She and Mike exchanged a smile before she said, “It’ll be nice to feel like I’m contributing again.”
“You’re in no place to contribute too much.”She paused, leaning closer to whisper, “So don’t start having too many sleepovers with Braden Parker.Or you’ll be too tired to do much else.”
She covered her face with her hands.“Mom.”She was mortified.
“What?Why are you blushing?Are we not supposed to talk about this?You’re a grown woman with wants and desires and I say more power to you.”She gave Maggie a one-armed hug.“It’s perfectly natural.And, so you know, I’d much rather you stayed here because you’ve fallen in love.A job is fine but you deserve the love of a good man,Maggie.”Her mother patted her cheek.“I’m going to take a shower.Mike said we’re having company for dinner so I want to look my best for my future son-in-law.”
“Mom,” she said again.“I’m going to check on Cody.”She carried the other half of her peanut butter sandwich with her.
She found Cody in his bedroom at his desk.“How’s the homework coming along?Need any help?”She set the half sandwich on his desk.
“Nah.”Cody smiled up at her.“Thanks.I’m good, Ma.”He took a big bite of the sandwich.
“You sure?”She fisted her hand to stop herself from ruffling his hair.
He nodded, talking and chewing at the same time.“You and Braden have fun last night?”
She sat on the edge of his bed.“We did.”Was now a good time to mention the whole big brother thing?It needed to be done.She took a deep breath.“Hey, sweetie, you said something the other day about Delilah.”
“She is so weird.”But he laughed.“Was I that goofy when I was five?”
“I think all five-year-olds are goofy.But you were so cute.You liked to stomp around the house in Grampa’s boots—which went all the way up to the middle of your thighs.You had boots of your own but you thought Grampa’s were cooler.”He’d been short for his age so wearing too big boots had him tripping and falling over and over.“You said you were a big cowboy like Grampa so you could wear his boots.And you did, too.Holding your toes up so they wouldn’t slip off.Do you remember that?”
He shook his head.“I guess I was weird, too.”
“Not weird.Precious.”She missed the days when he’dclimb into her lap and let her play with his curls.Some days it felt like yesterday, others it felt more like a lifetime ago.
“You think you’ll have more kids, Ma?”
“More kids?”Where had that come from?“I don’t know.I hadn’t really thought about it.”
