job and a new pair of shoes. She
cursed her luck on losing the Bottega Venetas. They were the only luxury she
had allowed herself from her lone but large paycheck from Galbraith.
“I will let you know. Maybe we can go shopping for shoes
this weekend,” Hallie suggested.
Linda smiled and took Hallie’s arm in hers.
“Now you are talking my language. Come into the kitchen. We
will surprise her with her Mommy.”
Hallie appreciated Linda’s energy and outlook. She needed a
positive influence right now. She was not normally dispirited, but the day she
had longed for had come and the disappointment was enough to overwhelm her.
No sooner had the door opened when she heard an
ear-splitting scream.
“Mommy!”
Macy rushed up to her and tackled her legs. Hallie realized
that it seemed her daughter had grown since she had last seen her. How does
this happen? When Jake left, she was two. Now she was getting ready for
pre-school and growing a half inch per week.
“Whoa there, Macy-girl!”
Whenever Macy was around, Hallie had a difficult time not
smiling. It seemed that this was a common ailment amongst those who experienced
Macy in all her glory. She was contagious. Infectious.
“I told you Mommy would be home soon,” Linda said. She put
her elbows across the island and her knee up on a stool. Her smile took in her
whole face. Hallie looked up at her.
“Thanks for watching her, Linda. I owe you so much.”
Linda waved her off.
“You introduced me to Tom. Count us even.”
Hallie scoffed. She rubbed her hands in Macy’s chestnut
hair.
“Hardly an even trade.”
“Mommy?”
Hallie looked down to see Macy’s bright green eyes staring
up at her. Hallie knew she was putty in Macy’s hand. She hoped that Macy did
not realize that. Her teen years would be unbearable if she knew that dangerous
fact. Hallie wondered if it was a common condition among families, this
strength in weakness.
“Yes, Pumpkin.”
“Can we go to Swizzle’s before it closes?”
Hallie smiled. She wanted to refuse, but Macy was a sucker
for cake batter flavored yogurt.
“It’s the least I can do for you. I am so glad to see you
again.”
Linda made her way for the door.
“It appears my work here is done. I will leave you two to
your ice cream. Ms. Linda has her own dessert to look forward to tonight,” she
said. She reached back and kissed Hallie on the cheek.
Hallie smelled strawberries.
“Take care, hon.”
“Bye Miss Linda!” Macy chimed. In her head, Macy was
probably already choosing her toppings. Hallie envied the simple choices of
children.
Chocolate chips or caramel cream? Heck, why not both?
Linda left and Macy wanted to show her what she had drawn.
Hallie sat on the stool with her elbows on the table while
Macy retrieved her masterpiece from her overnight bag. Hallie ran her hands
through her hair and attempted to put on her Mommy Face. The face that would
tell Macy that she was the only thing in the world that mattered. The face that
denied that Hallie was lonely and missed Macy’s father. The face that lied.
Macy joined her and plopped a large, thick piece of canvas
up on the surface of the island.
“I drew this at Miss Linda’s! She has colored pencils AND
watercolors. I mixed them! It is our family.” Macy said proudly.
Hallie beamed in spite of herself. Then she looked at the
picture her daughter had painted and she felt her resolve slip. She fought back
a sob.
“It’s lovely, honey,” she said. To cover the tears that
flowed from her face, she hugged Macy. It was not totally insincere. Hallie
hugged her because in all the world, Macy was her jewel.
She closed her eyes and tried to get the image out of her
head. What upset her was not what Macy had painted but what she had omitted. Macy
had swirled together watercolors for the sky and the house that was obviously
theirs. Out front in colored pencil were Macy, Hallie, and Miss Linda.
Chapter 8
Wasted Days and Wasted Nights
Tom
cursed her luck on losing the Bottega Venetas. They were the only luxury she
had allowed herself from her lone but large paycheck from Galbraith.
“I will let you know. Maybe we can go shopping for shoes
this weekend,” Hallie suggested.
Linda smiled and took Hallie’s arm in hers.
“Now you are talking my language. Come into the kitchen. We
will surprise her with her Mommy.”
Hallie appreciated Linda’s energy and outlook. She needed a
positive influence right now. She was not normally dispirited, but the day she
had longed for had come and the disappointment was enough to overwhelm her.
No sooner had the door opened when she heard an
ear-splitting scream.
“Mommy!”
Macy rushed up to her and tackled her legs. Hallie realized
that it seemed her daughter had grown since she had last seen her. How does
this happen? When Jake left, she was two. Now she was getting ready for
pre-school and growing a half inch per week.
“Whoa there, Macy-girl!”
Whenever Macy was around, Hallie had a difficult time not
smiling. It seemed that this was a common ailment amongst those who experienced
Macy in all her glory. She was contagious. Infectious.
“I told you Mommy would be home soon,” Linda said. She put
her elbows across the island and her knee up on a stool. Her smile took in her
whole face. Hallie looked up at her.
“Thanks for watching her, Linda. I owe you so much.”
Linda waved her off.
“You introduced me to Tom. Count us even.”
Hallie scoffed. She rubbed her hands in Macy’s chestnut
hair.
“Hardly an even trade.”
“Mommy?”
Hallie looked down to see Macy’s bright green eyes staring
up at her. Hallie knew she was putty in Macy’s hand. She hoped that Macy did
not realize that. Her teen years would be unbearable if she knew that dangerous
fact. Hallie wondered if it was a common condition among families, this
strength in weakness.
“Yes, Pumpkin.”
“Can we go to Swizzle’s before it closes?”
Hallie smiled. She wanted to refuse, but Macy was a sucker
for cake batter flavored yogurt.
“It’s the least I can do for you. I am so glad to see you
again.”
Linda made her way for the door.
“It appears my work here is done. I will leave you two to
your ice cream. Ms. Linda has her own dessert to look forward to tonight,” she
said. She reached back and kissed Hallie on the cheek.
Hallie smelled strawberries.
“Take care, hon.”
“Bye Miss Linda!” Macy chimed. In her head, Macy was
probably already choosing her toppings. Hallie envied the simple choices of
children.
Chocolate chips or caramel cream? Heck, why not both?
Linda left and Macy wanted to show her what she had drawn.
Hallie sat on the stool with her elbows on the table while
Macy retrieved her masterpiece from her overnight bag. Hallie ran her hands
through her hair and attempted to put on her Mommy Face. The face that would
tell Macy that she was the only thing in the world that mattered. The face that
denied that Hallie was lonely and missed Macy’s father. The face that lied.
Macy joined her and plopped a large, thick piece of canvas
up on the surface of the island.
“I drew this at Miss Linda’s! She has colored pencils AND
watercolors. I mixed them! It is our family.” Macy said proudly.
Hallie beamed in spite of herself. Then she looked at the
picture her daughter had painted and she felt her resolve slip. She fought back
a sob.
“It’s lovely, honey,” she said. To cover the tears that
flowed from her face, she hugged Macy. It was not totally insincere. Hallie
hugged her because in all the world, Macy was her jewel.
She closed her eyes and tried to get the image out of her
head. What upset her was not what Macy had painted but what she had omitted. Macy
had swirled together watercolors for the sky and the house that was obviously
theirs. Out front in colored pencil were Macy, Hallie, and Miss Linda.
Chapter 8
Wasted Days and Wasted Nights
Tom
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