His Bundle of Love / the Color of Courage by Patricia Davids Page A

care like the rest of the world does.”
    “You don’t always have to be the hero, Mick,” Alice said quietly.
    “I’m not trying to be a hero here.”
    “Are you sure?” Mary asked. “First you follow in Dad’s footsteps in the same job that got him killed. And no offense, Mom, but then, Mick insists on moving you in with him after the accident. As great as that is, Mick, I think you’re putting your own life on hold. You were only eight when Dad died, but you were determined to be the man of the family.”
    Mick rose from the table with the pretext of refilling his coffee cup. He’d become the man of the family because, with his dying breath, his father told him he had to.
    “My life isn’t on hold, and Mom is welcome to stay here as long as she wants.”
    “Because you promised Dad you’d always look after her,” Mary stated.
    He whirled around, barely noticing the hot coffee that sloshed over his hand. “Leave Dad out of this!”
    “Please, children, don’t fight,” Elizabeth pleaded.
    Mick stuck his stinging knuckles under the tap and turned on the cold water. “Mom is here because we all decided it was the best solution. As for my work—I like being a firefighter. It’s my life, Mary. Just because I didn’t choose a nine-to-five job like your boring businessman husband doesn’t mean it’s a waste. Money isn’t everything.”
    “As usual, I see you don’t intend to listen to anything I have to say. If you wanted my advice, you would have asked for it instead of telling me after the fact. Mother, I hope you can talk some sense into him.”
    Biting back his retort, Mick turned around. “I’m sorry, Mary. I don’t want to argue. I do want your support in this.”
    “And I can’t give it. A child needs a mother and a father. You’ve got no business trying to raise one by yourself.” She rose and headed out the back door, letting it slam behind her.
    “You shouldn’t have said that about Rodger,” Elizabeth chided.
    “Oh, pooh.” Alice waved her mother’s objection aside. “He is boring and Mary was the first one to notice.”
    “No, Mom is right.” Mick dried his hands. “I let Mary get under my skin, and then I say something that makes her mad.”
    “Mary was born mad,” Elizabeth added quietly.
    Mick and Alice turned to stare at her in astonishment.
    After glancing from one to the other, she straightened. “Well, it’s true. It’s the red hair.”
    Mick laughed. “My hair’s red. Do you say that about me?”
    Alice snorted. “Mom has never said an unkind word about you from the day you were born. Frankly, it irked me. Nobody’s that perfect.”
    “Mom doesn’t know the half of it,” he retorted.
    Elizabeth grinned at him. “Don’t be too sure about that.”
    “No,” Alice said, “you, little brother, are too good for your own good.”
    “Would you rather I lie, drink, steal and swear? That’s not a very Christian attitude.”
    “What I’d like is to see you go a little wild once in a while. Skip church on Sunday. The place won’t fall down.”
    “Alice!” Clearly appalled, Elizabeth gaped at her daughter. “Just because you don’t go to church on a regular basis is no reason to tempt Mickey to give it up.”
    Rolling her eyes, Alice asked, “Are you tempted?” When he shook his head, she turned to her mother and spread her hands. “See? All I’m saying is that he needs to have a little fun in his life. He’s way too serious.”
    She rose and crossed the room to stand in front of him. “If you’re determined to do this, fine. Just make sure you’re doing it because you want this, and not because you think this is what Dad would want you to do. Otherwise, much as I hate to say it, I’m with Mary on this.”
    * * *
    “Good news, Mick.” At the NICU the following morning, Sandra came across the room to greet him. “We pulled Beth’s chest tube today. She’s doing fine.”
    “That is good news.”
    “Would you like to hold her?” Sandra