it all over again. It was all so
beautiful. She had to admit, only to herself of course, that as she saw it all
in her mind’s eye, she saw it all as a backdrop to Drake’s gorgeous smile. “Did
you know that he has a disabled uncle?”
“He mentioned an uncle
to me; I don’t believe he told me he was disabled.”
“He’s paraplegic. Drake
says he does a lot for himself, but I get the feeling Drake does a lot for him,
too. He also seems to be quite the animal lover.” She lowered the fish into the
skillet with the warming olive oil on the stove.
Brenda waited until
she’d covered it with a lid before she said, “You seem to be warming up to
Drake.”
Sophie shook her head.
She wondered why all of a sudden her mother seemed to want to play matchmaker;
she’d never done that before. Was she afraid that Sophie’s biological clock was
ticking?
“I am warming up to him,
Mom … as a friend. He’s a nice guy and I had fun with him today, but don’t get
it into your pretty little head that it’s going any further than that.”
Brenda took the plates
and silverware off the counter and carried them to the center island. As she set
them out, she said, “Okay, I promise not to push either of you, but can I ask
you why?”
Sophie lifted the lid
and used the tongs to turn the fish. She was quiet for a long time, trying to
decide how to word her feelings so that they didn’t upset her mother. When she
put the lid down and turned around, she said, “Mom … now is just not a good
time for me to get in a relationship.”
“But you do plan on it someday?”
Sophie took her mother’s
hand, then led her over to the island and sat down. Brenda settled down on the
other stool and Sophie asked her, “Why is this suddenly an issue for you, Mom?”
“It’s not an ‘issue.’ I
just hate seeing you so unhappy.”
“You think that I’m
unhappy?”
“You hardly ever smile
anymore. You have such a beautiful smile, it’s a shame.”
Sophie squeezed her
mother’s hand. “I’m sorry I’ve given you that impression and made you worry. I
am happy though, Mom! I’m so happy! This is what I’ve always wanted. I’m just really
feeling a lot of pressure right now. I know that outwardly I don’t show it, but
I am so grateful for everything I have … most especially you. I will try harder—”
“It’s not about me,
Sophie. I know you love me and I feel blessed to be a part of this with you.
I’m just afraid you’re going to let your youth pass you by, and once that
happens, you can’t get it back.”
Sophie nodded. “I hear
you, Mom. In four weeks, this place will be up and running, and I will start
spending some time getting to know some of the folks in town and try to make
some new friends.”
“You promise?”
Sophie smiled. “Pinky
promise,” she said, holding her little finger out. Brenda took it with hers the
way they used to when Sophie was a little girl. “Now, let’s eat some fish and
talk about your future for a change.”
Brenda snorted and
Sophie laughed. She had to admit that she felt much lighter than she had in
weeks. Nothing had really changed other than she’d let her guard down for a few
hours. Maybe there was something to be said for deviating from the plan every
now and again.
****
Drake finished loading
the last of his vegetables and herbs in the truck and had just helped Hooter up
into the bed. When Hooter was younger, there’d be no stopping him from jumping
in and out of the truck, but he was getting up there in age, so sometimes he
needed a little boost. He was about to head up to see if his uncle wanted to go
when he heard Mac calling to him from the house. Drake walked the five hundred
feet and found Mac sitting on the front porch holding the kits, one in each
hand. “What’s wrong?” he said before he noticed Mac was smiling from ear to
ear.
“Watch …” He held the
one in his right hand up, and the cute little guy stretched out his long nose
and nuzzled
beautiful. She had to admit, only to herself of course, that as she saw it all
in her mind’s eye, she saw it all as a backdrop to Drake’s gorgeous smile. “Did
you know that he has a disabled uncle?”
“He mentioned an uncle
to me; I don’t believe he told me he was disabled.”
“He’s paraplegic. Drake
says he does a lot for himself, but I get the feeling Drake does a lot for him,
too. He also seems to be quite the animal lover.” She lowered the fish into the
skillet with the warming olive oil on the stove.
Brenda waited until
she’d covered it with a lid before she said, “You seem to be warming up to
Drake.”
Sophie shook her head.
She wondered why all of a sudden her mother seemed to want to play matchmaker;
she’d never done that before. Was she afraid that Sophie’s biological clock was
ticking?
“I am warming up to him,
Mom … as a friend. He’s a nice guy and I had fun with him today, but don’t get
it into your pretty little head that it’s going any further than that.”
Brenda took the plates
and silverware off the counter and carried them to the center island. As she set
them out, she said, “Okay, I promise not to push either of you, but can I ask
you why?”
Sophie lifted the lid
and used the tongs to turn the fish. She was quiet for a long time, trying to
decide how to word her feelings so that they didn’t upset her mother. When she
put the lid down and turned around, she said, “Mom … now is just not a good
time for me to get in a relationship.”
“But you do plan on it someday?”
Sophie took her mother’s
hand, then led her over to the island and sat down. Brenda settled down on the
other stool and Sophie asked her, “Why is this suddenly an issue for you, Mom?”
“It’s not an ‘issue.’ I
just hate seeing you so unhappy.”
“You think that I’m
unhappy?”
“You hardly ever smile
anymore. You have such a beautiful smile, it’s a shame.”
Sophie squeezed her
mother’s hand. “I’m sorry I’ve given you that impression and made you worry. I
am happy though, Mom! I’m so happy! This is what I’ve always wanted. I’m just really
feeling a lot of pressure right now. I know that outwardly I don’t show it, but
I am so grateful for everything I have … most especially you. I will try harder—”
“It’s not about me,
Sophie. I know you love me and I feel blessed to be a part of this with you.
I’m just afraid you’re going to let your youth pass you by, and once that
happens, you can’t get it back.”
Sophie nodded. “I hear
you, Mom. In four weeks, this place will be up and running, and I will start
spending some time getting to know some of the folks in town and try to make
some new friends.”
“You promise?”
Sophie smiled. “Pinky
promise,” she said, holding her little finger out. Brenda took it with hers the
way they used to when Sophie was a little girl. “Now, let’s eat some fish and
talk about your future for a change.”
Brenda snorted and
Sophie laughed. She had to admit that she felt much lighter than she had in
weeks. Nothing had really changed other than she’d let her guard down for a few
hours. Maybe there was something to be said for deviating from the plan every
now and again.
****
Drake finished loading
the last of his vegetables and herbs in the truck and had just helped Hooter up
into the bed. When Hooter was younger, there’d be no stopping him from jumping
in and out of the truck, but he was getting up there in age, so sometimes he
needed a little boost. He was about to head up to see if his uncle wanted to go
when he heard Mac calling to him from the house. Drake walked the five hundred
feet and found Mac sitting on the front porch holding the kits, one in each
hand. “What’s wrong?” he said before he noticed Mac was smiling from ear to
ear.
“Watch …” He held the
one in his right hand up, and the cute little guy stretched out his long nose
and nuzzled
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