A Million Little Things (Mischief Bay, #3)

“What? That’s wonderful. Since when? Oh, my goodness, you must be thrilled.” Pam had known there wasn’t anything wrong with him, but she was pleased to have confirmation. “Just words or whole sentences? Do you have it on video?”

“I don’t, but Kirk does. He talks to Lucas and at the day care center.” Jen’s mouth twisted. “He won’t talk to me.”

“I don’t understand.”

Her daughter grimaced. “Jack will have a conversation with everyone but me. I guess I know him too well. He can tell me what he wants by not speaking. Apparently it’s not uncommon.”

“I thought it mostly happened with siblings close in age.”

“It does, but here we are.”

Pam knew that Jen struggled with so many issues. She worried that some of them were her fault. She, too, had been an anxious mother—at least with her firstborn. By the time the boys had come along, she’d calmed down. But Jen hadn’t had a second child yet.

“Are you all right?” Pam asked.

“I’m dealing. I temper my frustration with the knowledge that he’s perfectly fine. I ask him to use his words and one day he will. Later, when he’s a teenager and sassing me, I’ll remember his not talking and be nostalgic.”

“You’re so calm,” Pam admitted. “It’s impressive.”

“I believe the word you’re looking for is surprising.” She shrugged. “The medication helps, I’m sure. I’m also taking some supplements and taking a few minutes every day to clear my head. Eventually the little things start to add up. At least that’s what I’m telling myself.”

It was like her daughter had finished growing up while she’d been away, Pam thought. And while she was happy that Jen was figuring it all out, she had to admit she felt a little left by the wayside.

“The day care decision was a part of the talking?” she asked.

“It was more the realization that Jack has to have more to his life than just me,” Jen admitted. “I really do need to go back to work.”

Pam remembered their heated conversation when Jen had asked her to take care of Jack full-time and she’d refused. “I could look after him some,” she began.

Jen shook her head. “Mom, it was wrong of me to ask you to be responsible for my son. Kirk and I need to handle the situation. You’ve always been generous with your time and I appreciate that. I’m not saying I’m never going to ask. Of course I am. You and Jack have a great relationship. But I need to expand my child care circle, so to speak.”

“You’re doing so well.”

“I’m mostly faking it, but I’m moving forward. That’s what we’re supposed to do, right? Nothing stays the same.”

Pam knew what her daughter meant but still felt oddly judged by the statement. As if Jen’s progress pointed out how her life hadn’t changed much at all in the past couple of years. After John’s death there had been nothing but change. Since settling into her new routine, there had been a lot of sameness.

She’d told herself stable was good, however, listening to Jen, she found herself questioning the assumption.

“How’s your brother?” she asked, to distract herself.

“Brandon’s great. I talked to him last week.”

Pam picked up a cookie and broke off a small piece for Lulu. “Very funny.”

“Oh, you mean Steven. He’s great—so is Zoe.”

Pam waited. Jen smiled at her.

“You’re not going to talk about them?” Pam asked.

“Nope.” Her humor faded. “You’re wrong to get between them, Mom. I think Steven’s serious about Zoe. I know you’re worried about him getting hurt and you have legitimate concerns about what it means for her to be pregnant with another man’s baby, but here’s the thing. What if it all works out? What if they fall madly in love and get married? For the rest of their lives, they’ll look back on this time and remember how you weren’t there for them. Is that what you want?”

Pam folded her arms across her chest. “He’s going to get hurt.” She said the words as firmly as she could, yet there seemed to be a bit of a question in her voice. A whispered...what if Jen was right and she was wrong?

“Fine. Let’s say he is. So what? He’s a big boy. He’ll get over it. Better to be supportive of him now than wait to say ‘I told you so’ later. You love him, Mom. Be there for him.”

“I’m not sure I agree with you. If he wants to be safe...”

“He doesn’t, Mom. He wants to be in love with Zoe.”

Pam pressed her lips together. There were so many things she could say, so many responses. But how many of them made sense in the face of Steven falling in love?

“I just don’t know,” she admitted. “He’s wrong. I feel it in my bones.”

“You have to let it go. I beg you—at least think about what I said. You’ve always been close with each of us. I’d hate for that to change.”

Pam sniffed. “Are you telling me that my son will choose that woman over me?”

“In a heartbeat, Mom. In a heartbeat.”





Chapter Twenty-Two

Zoe had to admit that watching a good-looking guy do manual labor on a spring afternoon was a great way to spend her time. Steven had already completed two of the raised beds in her garden and was just finishing up the third. Next up would be a simple irrigation system that would allow her to water the beds with a single turn of a handle. Between now and the project being finished, all she had to do was figure out exactly what she wanted to plant.

“Is Mason going to use this as a giant litter box?” Steven asked as he screwed the last board in place. “Or is that okay in the world of organic produce?”

Zoe sat on a blanket in the shade, Mason next to her. She stroked her cat. “Mason is a litter box kind of guy. He doesn’t do dirt. I guess no one taught him that the outdoors is basically a giant cat litter box, so we’re safe from him.” She smiled. “My neighbors are mostly dog people, so I think it’s going to be okay.”

“Good.” He reached for one more screw.

Not exactly a romantic conversation, but one that was practical. She watched Steven work, grateful he was concerned about her and the garden.

“I’ve got a friend who owns a pickup,” he told her. “I’ll borrow it to pick up the dirt this week. The guy at the nursery said it would be in Tuesday.”