Son of a Preacher Man

chapter Twelve


Nadya’s bladder woke her up long before she was ready to leave the comfort of J.T.’s arms. A reluctant glance at the clock on the nightstand let her know it wasn’t worth trying to fight it and go back to sleep. J.T. had to leave for work in about forty-five minutes, and being a man, he’d get up in about half an hour and be ready to go. If she didn’t want to stroll into Mary Ellen’s house looking like the whore of Dale, she’d need to get in a quick shower first.

Of course, her suitcase was still in the truck, which complicated matters. Tip-toeing to his dresser, she grabbed one of his T-shirts and slipped off to the bathroom. The toothbrush he’d given her on her last visit was still there, so she was in good shape.

A sensual shiver raced down her spine as she remembered the last time she took a shower in here. Making love with a strong man lent itself to all sorts of positions not available otherwise. She’d always wished to be a few inches taller and maybe make it to five six or five seven, but the way J.T. carried her around like she weighed nothing made her appreciate her small size.

Geez, if she didn’t stop daydreaming about J.T. she’d crawl right back in bed with him and she’d never get a decent cup of coffee.

Hmm, what a debate—a desperately needed cup of coffee or another round of J.T.’s sexual magic. She’d taken two steps towards the bedroom before her common sense asserted itself. J.T. wouldn’t appreciate being late, and now that the whole town knew she was sleeping here, she didn’t want to give them any ammunition to harass him with.

J.T.’s T-shirt fell mid-thigh on her and covered up her lack of underwear. At the rate he was destroying her clothes, she’d have to go shopping before she went back to New York. But damn, it was so worth it.

The morning sunlight trickled through the tree branches and gave the kitchen a cheery glow. She’d spent many mornings with her mama in this very kitchen, getting ready for school. It seemed as natural as could be to start a pot of coffee and search the fridge for something for breakfast.

The pickings were slim. A few eggs, some milk, the sack of groceries from last night and beer. Not any fruit or vegetables in sight. No yogurt or bagels either. She examined the contents of the grocery sack and pulled out the hard rolls, cheese and ham. At least she could work with those. The potato salad just didn’t seem like breakfast food to her so she put that back on the shelf. There was plenty of room for it.

Before long, she had a mug of coffee in her hand and was frying up the ham for an egg sandwich. When she heard the shower stop, she poured a mug for J.T. and cracked another egg into the pan.

“I think I must be in heaven,” he said as he wrapped his arms around her. “Coffee already made and a beautiful woman in my kitchen making me breakfast.”

Her body instantly responded to his nearness, sending zings of pleasure straight to her core. She had to tamp down the pleasure or he’d definitely be late for work. “Oh please, you can’t tell me you haven’t had plenty of volunteers to bring you breakfast in bed. I’ve seen the way every woman in this town looks at you. One flash of your dimples and you’d have a line down Deer Creek Road of women bringing you coffee.”

He took his mug and sat at the table. “That’s why I moved here in the first place. I lived in town for a while, and every time I opened my door there was someone who just wanted to drop off a plate of cookies or brownies or whatnot.”

“And of course, being the gentleman that you are, you’d let them in and visit with them for half an hour.”

“Exactly. I couldn’t get anything done. And it was really uncomfortable.”

“Poor baby. It’s so hard to be the object of so many women’s dreams.”

“It’s not as funny as it sounds.”

Nadya put the ham, egg and cheese on a grilled roll and slipped it onto a plate for him. “Well, this doesn’t rival Mary Ellen’s biscuits and gravy, but it’ll hold you over better than a slice of toast.”

As she leaned over to put the plate on the table in front of him, the T-shirt rode up, exposing her naked butt. She tugged the material down, but not before J.T. noticed. He let out a whistle of appreciation and ran his hand over the curve of one cheek.

“Yup, definitely heaven.”

“I’m glad you’re happy. But maybe when you finish eating you could go out to the truck and get my suitcase? I don’t think Mary Ellen would appreciate my present attire as much as you do.”

He continued to fondle her butt, those long fingers stroking her gently. She could feel herself getting wet and ready for him. Her breasts were full and heavy, and she closed her eyes and moaned as he feathered closer and closer to her hot center.

The shrill ringing of his cell phone broke the spell and she jumped away from his wicked hand.

“McBride,” he all but growled into his phone.

Nadya’s hands shook as she crossed to the sink to wash the dishes. One touch of his hand and she was putty, all common sense thrown to the wind. She stared out the window over the sink, trying to collect herself and calm her raging hormones.

A movement by the wood pile caught her attention. She didn’t see anything else, but something or someone was there at the edge of the bushes. Her breath caught and old fears returned in a flash. How often had someone come sneaking up on them when she was growing up here? Instinctively, she turned toward the living room where the shotgun used to hang over the fireplace.

“I’ve got to go,” J.T. said as he hung up. “What is it? What’s wrong?” He was by her side in a flash.

“I saw something move, out there by the bushes. It’s gone now, but it brought back some bad memories for me. It was probably just a deer or something, but old habits die hard.”

“Wait here. I’ll go check it out.”

“Finish your breakfast, really. I’m sure it was nothing. I just get jumpy sometimes.”

“I have to go out to get your suitcase anyway. I’ll be right back.” He gave her a quick kiss and headed out the door.

She didn’t know why, but nervousness clutched at her stomach as she watched him from the kitchen window. What if someone was out there? With a gun?

“Stop being ridiculous,” she chided herself. But still, she breathed a sigh of relief when he came back into the cabin with her suitcase.

“I didn’t see anything, but with all this heat, the ground is baked harder than a rock, which makes it hard to see any footprints.”

“I’m sure it was nothing.” She wheeled her suitcase towards the bedroom while he finished the rest of his egg sandwich.

She heard the plate clang against the sink and then he was leaning against the door jam. “Trust your instincts. I know you haven’t been here for a while, but you know the rhythm of the forest. If something seems off, it probably is. Don’t second-guess yourself.”

“You’re scaring me.”

“Good. If you’re a little afraid, you won’t take chances. Someone is out to hurt you. I don’t want to see that happen.”

“Me either.”

“Woman, you have the sexiest damn underwear. I don’t know whether to be pleased I get to see you in it or jealous about who you bought them for.”

“I bought them for me. Most of my clothes I get on consignment, so when I buy something new for myself, I make sure it’s something I really like. Something that makes me feel pretty.”

“Trust me, it works. Come on, if you don’t get covered up soon, I’ll never get to work.”

“And would that be such a bad thing?” she teased, using a little extra wiggle as she pulled on her shorts.

“I have a crapload of work to get done today and tomorrow if I want to enjoy my day off. And I plan on enjoying it right here with you. In bed. Taking off those panties that make you feel so pretty and showing you how effective they are.”

Tingles sparkled through her body like her blood was made of soda water. An entire day in bed with J.T.? She might just die from heart failure. But what a way to go!

“Makes me wish I had my car back so I could make a run into Canton and hit Victoria’s Secret.” She looked around for her purse and remembered it was in the truck still. “I guess I’m all set, but speaking of my car, what happened to it?”

“I had it towed to Al’s. He’s going to let me know if he can fix it or if he’ll have to tow it to Canton.”

“Great. Looks like I’ll be without wheels for a while.”

“Then consider me your chauffeur. Your limo awaits.”

She laughed and followed him outside. As she waited for him to open the truck door for her, the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. She had the nervous feeling someone was watching her.

Shaking it off, she climbed in and buckled up. It was probably just her imagination, and even if it wasn’t, they were headed into town anyway. If anyone was watching the house, they’d be watching an empty one.



Nadya was surprised to see Bill’s truck in the driveway when J.T. dropped her off, then she remembered it was Saturday. Wow, one week of vacation and she was already losing track of the days. Of course, a hell of a lot had happened in that one week. She’d found out the identity of her father, reconnected with Mary Ellen, faced down some of the women from her past and fallen back in love with J.T.

Whoa! Back the truck up!

Good sex, great sex even, did not equal love. She needed to keep her head on straight if she wanted to go back to New York relatively heart-whole.

“Keep your cell phone on you, not in your purse. I’ll touch base with you throughout the day and let you know if I’m going to be late. I have to go out of town for a bit this morning, but I should be back sometime this afternoon.”

“I think I’ll survive without you. It’ll be tough, but I’m strong.”

“Smart-ass.”

“You love my smart ass,” she shot back as she unbuckled her seatbelt.

“I surely do.” He pulled her close for a kiss. “Be careful. Keep your phone on. Don’t be afraid to call if something seems off.”

“I’ll be fine. Go, or you’ll be late to work and they’ll blame me.”

He waited until Mary Ellen opened the door and waved to him before he backed out of the driveway. As Nadya watched him pull away, she also saw curtains twitch on either side of the street. The phone lines would be buzzing early today.

“I feel like I should charge admission for the show y’all are putting on just by J.T. dropping you off on my front stoop,” Mary Ellen said as she ushered Nadya inside.

“I’ve seen dead bodies cause less of a stir in New York City.”

“Auntie Nad! Auntie Nad!” Billy ran down the hall and latched onto her legs. “I missed you. Mama said something bad happened to your car and Uncle J.T. was going to take care of you because you were sad. I’m sorry your car got hurt.”

“Lord, child, let her get in the door. And to think, you’re my quiet boy.”

“It’s okay.” Nadya detached him from her legs and squatted down to his height. “My car got hurt, but I’m okay. Uncle J.T. just wants me to be safe.”

“’Cause that’s his job. A police ocifer keeps people safe. He’ll catch the bad guys and throw them in jail.”

His little face was so serious in his belief of right and wrong, Nadya had to bite back a grin. “I’m sure he will.”

“Did you have breakfast yet?” Mary Ellen asked. “I’m making cheese grits, eggs and sausage.”

“I haven’t had grits in years. But I had breakfast with J.T., so I’m good. I will not eat any more carbs today. I will not eat grits and sausage, no matter how good it smells. I will be strong and fit into my clothes.”

“Honey, you worry too much. I’m sure you burned off plenty of calories last night.”

Either Nadya was getting used to Mary Ellen’s bawdy talk or she was too satisfied to blush, because for once she was immune to the taunt. “And I plan to burn off many more tonight, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to gorge myself on fat and carbs.”

“We’ll see about that. My mama’s making lemon meringue pie for tomorrow’s dinner, and I’m making my famous twice-baked potatoes.”

“And everyone always said I was the bad influence on you.” Nadya picked Billy up and headed into the kitchen.

Bill read the paper next to Hunter who sat in a booster seat. Bits of toast were scattered around the toddler like confetti. Sydney sat patiently under the table, eagerly awaiting the next fallen morsel. The radio was on a country station, and the familiar cadence brought Nadya back to the days when Mr. Farley sat in that same spot and Mrs. Farley bustled around the kitchen humming to the radio. Memories and longing washed over her, choking her with emotion.

She put little Billy down on the bench seat and helped herself to a mug of coffee. “I think I’ll take this and sit on the patio so I don’t give in to temptation. Y’all eat your breakfast and let me know when the coast is clear.”

“Coward,” Mary Ellen called after her.

It was early enough in the morning that the heat wasn’t overwhelming. Butterflies fluttered over the potted flowers on the edge of the patio. A small, gray bird splashed in the bird bath and others chirped in the bushes. Nadya tried to let the calm wash over her tumultuous emotions and soothe her frazzled thoughts, but it wasn’t really working.

This whole week she’d been pushing thoughts of her father away, telling herself she’d deal with them later. She’d skirted around the issues she hadn’t wanted to face and focused instead on the moment. At some point she’d have to confront all the crap circling around in her brain or it would come back to bite her in the ass.

Okay, she was a professional, she knew how to organize and deal with emotional issues objectively. First, she knew who her father was. How did she feel about that?

Angry. He was a selfish bastard. Just because he left her some money and some land didn’t absolve him of his guilt. He’d used and abandoned her mother, and she hoped he rotted in hell for it.

Okay, so much for being objective. Moving on. How did she feel about being back in Dale?

Conflicted. On the one hand, seeing Mary Ellen and spending time with her and her family had been great. She was head over heels in love with those boys, and she and Mary Ellen had picked up their friendship as if the ensuing years had never happened. She’d been surprised both at how sad she felt to see the town in decline and how much she enjoyed spending time with Opal and Jemma.

On the other hand, certain aspects of the town brought back a cold fury that wasn’t hidden as deeply as she’d thought. Much of her anger at the town had been for her mother. The absolute unfairness of Dale’s treatment of her mama infuriated her. When J.T. suggested her mama brought some of it on herself, Nadya thought she might have to kill him right then and there.

But was there a kernel of truth in his otherwise idiotic statement? Tala had encouraged the townspeople to view her as mysterious and foreign. Part of that was because she was a foreign entity in this white-bread town. But another part of it could have been a defense mechanism. Growing up, she’d been taught to distrust Outsiders. The gadzé were to be taken advantage of, or to make money off of. Living among them, she’d known she’d never be one of them, so why bother trying? And if it tweaked the noses of the proper ladies of the town, all the better.

Nadya heaved a sigh. There was no changing the past. She’d always hated people who blamed all their problems on their parents. It annoyed the ever-living hell out of her to hear people whine that they couldn’t make something of themselves because their parents were divorced or their father was an alcoholic or their mother abused them. She’d smugly thought about how she’d pulled herself up from poor gypsy trash to become a lawyer. If she could do it, so could they.

But how much baggage had she held on to? Hadn’t she had a chip on her shoulder about the town of Dale most of her life? Hell, she’d bought a freaking BMW instead of putting the money towards her college loans just to flaunt her success. Idiot. Look what that had done for her, creating a target for some a*shole to hit.

She put her empty cup on the ground and wandered around to the boys’ swing set. Dale was Dale, just a small town in north Georgia. It wasn’t any more evil than any other small town. There were good people and bad people and some people who just looked the other way. If it wasn’t for people like the Farleys, her mother never would have survived.

Sure, there were people like the Campbells and Branson Taylor, but there were also people like Jemma whose father fixed their porch and put a new roof on their cabin for the cost of materials in thanks for finding Tommy. For all the men who tried to sleep with her mama, there were also men who treated her politely.

Damn, it was hard to let go of that image she’d kept in her mind all these years. Every time she’d felt overwhelmed by the sheer amount of work it took to get through law school, she’d motivate herself by thinking of all the people who’d doubted her. As time had gone on, she’d forgotten the teachers and other folks who’d encouraged her. She’d forgotten that the good times far outweighed the bad.

Which brought her to J.T.

Her stomach flipped at the thought of him. Was it really less than a week ago that she’d first seen him? She’d thought then the emotions she’d felt were leftover from when she was eighteen. When he’d pursued her, she’d been flattered and excited, and maybe a little intrigued about what could have been.

But what did she feel now?

Too much. Way too much.

Her heart skipped a beat as she remembered waking up in his arms like it was the most natural thing in the world. Yesterday at the park when he’d played with Hunter, it didn’t take much imagination to put herself there with him and a toddler of their own.

The fact that she longed for that image instead of running in fear from it shook her more than she wanted to admit. God, where had this come from? Sure, she’d thought she’d get married and have kids someday. But there was too much to do now to even think about dating seriously, forget marriage and a family. Back in New York, she had to work her butt off, not just to pay her bills, but to keep pace with all the other lawyers in the firm. Everyone wanted to move up the ladder, and you had to work twice as hard as the next guy if you wanted to stand out.

This was her first vacation since she’d graduated from law school four years ago. She’d worked sixteen-hour days, worked nights, weekends, whatever was asked of her in order to move up in the company. She had more lucrative clients now and didn’t live hand to mouth, but was she really living? Or just getting by? What was her goal? What was she working for?

Nadya pushed the baby swing and sent it gently swaying. If someone had asked her a week ago what she was working for, she’d have been able to answer without hesitation. She wanted to keep climbing up the company ladder until she was eventually a partner in the firm.

And then what? Have a house in Connecticut? A house that she’d never see because she’d be working sixty hours a week and weekends trying to keep her position? An empty house because she had no time to date?

But she liked her job. She enjoyed the challenge of manipulating a contract for her client’s best advantage. Trial law held no interest for her. She liked the intricacies of contract law.

And Dale didn’t exactly have a need for another lawyer in town.

What? Where the hell had that thought come from? Was she seriously thinking about staying in Dale? Panic crept into her brain. What were her emotions doing to her while her hormones were running the show?

Grasping the frame of the swing set, she clung to it for support. Her head was abuzz with conflicting thoughts.

Of course she was going back to New York. Her job was there, her apartment was there and she had friends there. She’d worked too hard to throw it all away.

Worked too hard for what? To continue working until she died of a heart attack at fifty? Alone? She had real friends here and a chance for more. Did she really want to throw that all away for a job?

But what if J.T. didn’t want more? He’d agreed with her when she’d insisted on no promises. He might just have wanted to finish what they’d started at the creek all those years ago. If he’d been anything like her, he had to have wondered what it would be like. Would she still want to stay in Dale if it wasn’t for J.T.? It was a question she just didn’t have an answer for.

As the thoughts in her head spun round and round, she caught a flash of light reflecting from the open kitchen window. The witch’s ball she’d given Mary Ellen sparkled in the sunlight. Nadya could see Mary Ellen washing dishes through the screen door. Bill came up behind Mary Ellen to rub her belly. The baby must have kicked because he jumped and they both laughed.

He put his mouth onto the great mound of her stomach and Nadya heard him say, “Hello, baby, this is your daddy.”

The wave of longing that hit Nadya almost brought her to her knees. She wanted what Mary Ellen had so much she could taste it. A nice home, beautiful children and a husband who adored her. And it wasn’t like Mary Ellen had given up her job. She still worked and managed to balance a business and children. The two didn’t have to be mutually exclusive.

Unless you worked in a firm like Nadya’s.

God, she couldn’t think about all of that now. Quite simply, the whole mess scared her half to death, and she just didn’t want to deal with it. She’d had quite enough self-reflection for one day. Confronting her issues hadn’t solved a damn thing so she’d keep dancing around them for the time being, thanks all the same.

“’ti Nad! ‘ti Nad! Push me!” Hunter had managed to sneak out of the house—and his clothes—and held his arms up to her. His chubby little belly pooched out over his diaper, and his blond hair stuck up all over the place.

“I have a feeling your mama is going to be looking for you, little man,” she said as she scooped him up. He smelled like grape jelly and little boy. When she blew a raspberry on his belly, he laughed and kicked his legs.

“Swing me!”

“Yes, sir.” She buckled him into the swing that looked like his booster seat and gave it a gentle shove. Hunter clapped his hands and rocked back and forth, laughing all the time.

“There you are, you little devil. I went to get a washcloth to clean him up and he pulled a Houdini on me.” Mary Ellen joined her by the swing set, still holding a damp wash cloth.

“This one takes after you. He’s gonna give you a run for your money.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? I was an angel.”

“Right. You were stubborn as a mule, and I thank God for it. Anyone less obstinate wouldn’t have stood by me all these years.”

“Hello, pot? It’s me, kettle, calling.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know. I have my own mulish streak.”

“And the Grand Canyon is just a ditch. Come on, let’s get this guy cleaned up. Bill wants to go over some of the stuff the developer won’t tell you, but you don’t have to do it if you’re not ready.”

Oh, yeah, the land she’d inherited. She hadn’t faced that either. Maybe working sixteen-hour days wasn’t so bad. It didn’t give you much room for introspection.

“No, I want to know all the facts. Hornblower will be back on Wednesday, and I’m sure he’ll want to get a feel for where I stand on the offer.”

“Where do you stand, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“I wish I knew. I’ve avoided thinking about it.”

“I guess if anyone could make me not think about seven-hundred and fifty thousand dollars, J.T. McBride could.”

“You better not let Bill hear you say that.”

“Say what?” Bill asked as they walked into the kitchen. He nodded to the open windows.

“That I lust after J.T.’s body,” Mary Ellen said.

“You and every other woman in this town. I thought it was something serious.”

“I’m going to wrestle this guy into some clothes. I’ll try to keep the boys out of your hair for a while. Where’s Billy?”

“Looking for his Wiffle ball and bat. I told him we could play after I talked with Nadya.”

“Try not to break anything this time.”

Bill rolled his eyes but didn’t say anything as Mary Ellen left the room. He had three piles of papers in front of him on the table. One pile had colorful pictures in a glossy collage and the other two looked like reports in plastic covers.

“This,” he said, handing her the colorful pamphlet, “is the material Nokas is giving to the town council and the environmental groups and anyone who will listen. It shows models of the homes they are going to build if they get permission.”

Nadya flipped through the brochure and saw high-end appliances, granite countertops, hardwood floors, all in beautifully decorated rooms with lushly appointed furnishings. The specs called for four- and five-bedroom homes with three full bathrooms, including an optional Jacuzzi tub. On the last page was a drawing of the prospective neighborhood and lots.

In the picture, Deer Creek Road was wider, leading to a two-lane road that went straight through her—or rather J.T.’s—cabin. The creek wasn’t even shown in the drawing, but it looked like one of the lots had a potential house either on it or close by.

She forced back her emotions and focused on it objectively. What were the implications of such huge homes on the area? And did she even care?

“What would that many houses do for Dale?”

“How so? Ecologically or economically?”

“Personally. How does it affect you and Mary Ellen?”

He sat back and sipped at his coffee. “In the short term, it would be great for the store. All those workers need to get something to eat every day. The developer said they’d hire local labor, so some of the guys around here who’ve been out of work since the mill closed will have jobs again. More money coming into the town means more money spent at her store.”

“And in the long term?”

“Nadya, you live in New York City. You know the type of people who can afford those homes. Do you think they’ll be satisfied with what Dale has to offer? There are no restaurants, entertainment or shopping unless you drive into Canton.”

“But there’s plenty of real estate. If there was a demand for those shops, someone could fill the need.”

“Maybe. But for how long? How long do you think it’ll be before those folks in their big fancy houses stop enjoying being an hour away from all the conveniences they’re used to? A year? Three? Then what?”

“I don’t know. What do you think?”

“I think they’ll either wipe the town center off the map and build a shopping mall or knock it down and build a four-lane highway. Either way, Mary Ellen’s store is gone.”

“What are those?” she asked, pointing to the other two piles of paper.

“This is a report by the environmental firm Nokas hired to evaluate the impact development would have on the ecosystem of the state forest.” He handed her a folder. “This is an independent evaluation the forestry service requested.”

“You don’t expect me to read these, do you? Can you give it to me in a nutshell?”

“It’s about what you would expect. Nokas’s report says the impact will be minimal. That there is enough viable forest for this area to be developed without eliminating any natural species. It mentions nothing about the impact of hundreds of people using a dwindling water table or creating that many septic tanks. Never mind the pollution from that many cars, and that’s after the diesel engines get through spouting their filth into the air.”

“And the independent report?”

“Basically says the water table can’t supply the minimum requirements for that many wells and the destruction of that many acres of forest will have a detrimental impact on both the wildlife and air quality.”

“How can they be so opposite?”

“Because it all depends on what factors you use to calculate the impact. And who’s paying for the report.”

Nadya put her head in her hands and moaned. “Is there anything else you want to tell me about this?”

“Just that when word gets out you have a say in this, the shit’s gonna hit the fan.”

“You mean with the environmentalists?”

“With everyone. Half this town thinks this development could be our salvation. More houses means more kids and more tax money so we could open up the school again. It also means jobs, and there are a lot of folks around here who need ’em.”

“And what does the other half believe?”

“Besides the environmental impact, there are some folks who just plain don’t like change. They don’t want to see Dale become part of the urban sprawl that’s steadily creeping out of Atlanta.”

“I really hate my father right about now. It’s like everything about him is somehow tainted. ‘Here, you can have your childhood home, but you’ll have to wade through a property war first to get it’.”

“It’s not all up to you. The state is fighting it, and the town will have to vote on it too.”

“Then how can Nokas offer me almost a million dollars for the land?”

“It’s a drop in the bucket to them. They buy up property all the time in the hopes of developing it at a future date. If they can’t do anything with it, they’ll sell it off for a loss and take it as a tax break.”

“You seem to know an awful lot about this.”

“I made a point of researching Nokas and his practices when he first started sniffing around. I can’t say I like the man. He’s a tad too shady for my taste.”

“Great, something else to worry about. At least dealing with his ilk is something I’m used to.”

Bill laughed. “Yeah, you’ve been dealing with slimy characters like him all your life from what Mary Ellen’s told me.”

“I’ve had my share. But I’ve also seen some pretty great characters too. Mr. Farley for one.”

“I guess you’re right. I got lucky having him for a father-in-law. Not that he didn’t make me work for it.”

“You appreciate what you work for.”

“You must be talking about Daddy,” Mary Ellen said as she carried a clean and dressed Hunter into the kitchen. Billy tagged along behind her with an oversized, red plastic bat and a plastic ball the size of a grapefruit.

“Yup,” Nadya said with a smile. “Remember how he made us get twice as many driving hours in before he’d let us take the test to get our licenses?”

“How can I forget? He was nice to you. He used to clutch the chicken bar and slam on the imaginary brakes with me. He’d get me so nervous I almost drove into the garage door.”

“You almost drove into the garage door because the cross-country team was jogging by and you were checking them out in the rearview mirror.”

“I was not!” Mary Ellen protested.

“Son, I think it’s time we went outside and did manly stuff like baseball.” Bill herded little Billy to the back door.

“But not Hunter, ’cause he’s just a baby.”

“He can watch from the swing set.”

“Just make sure the gate is locked or he’ll be down the street before you know it,” Mary Ellen called after them. “I love my boys. But I really hope this one’s a girl. I need to even the odds a little. Come keep me company while I fold some laundry. It’s my greatest wish that I will one day have an empty hamper, an empty sink and an hour to myself.”

“How do you do it? I mean, take care of the boys and work at the store and keep the house clean too. Aren’t you exhausted?”

“Always. But it’s a balancing act. I love being home with the boys, but if I didn’t get into the store for a while, I’d go stark raving mad. Going to work gives my brain a little exercise and gives me a chance to feel like I’m actually accomplishing something.”

“How can you say that? I’m amazed at how much you accomplish in an hour.”

“You’re so good for my ego. I know I keep a good house. My mother wouldn’t have had it any other way. But it doesn’t end. There’s no finish line. When I’m done with this load of laundry, there’ll be another waiting. The dishes are done, but the sink will be full before you know it. It’s like being on a hamster wheel—you run and run and run but don’t get anywhere.”

“Work can be like that too.”

“Don’t I know it? But that’s the point. Going in to work gives me a sense of satisfaction and makes me realize how much I love being home with my boys. Spending all morning with the boys makes me appreciate having a few hours to myself to work on the books at the store. See? It all balances out.”

“I guess it does. And you still have the energy to make fantastic dinners and breakfasts for your family.”

“Only since you’ve been here. I’ll admit, half the time we have spaghetti and jarred sauce or grilled cheese if Bill works late. If I made meals like this all the time, I’d have no energy left to seduce my husband.”

“I must be getting used to you, because that didn’t even faze me.”

“Hey, it’s all part of the balance. And it’s fun.”

“Amen to that, sister.”