Pretend Mom by Rita Hestand Page A

She
changed into a pair of patched jeans, and a loose fitting
comfortable cotton top. Grabbing a pair of thick socks, and an old
pair of faded tennis shoes, she dressed, knowing the boys were
probably already waiting for her.
    Oddly enough, they hadn't seemed in too
big a hurry when she bumped into them in the hall, but perhaps they
were merely giving her plenty of time. Not rushing her. She liked
the way they considered her feelings all the time. Thoughtful boys,
they would someday make thoughtful husbands.
    She noticed their waders as she caught
them strolling through the hallway later. Will had a large potato
sack thrown over his shoulder as he dashed downstairs.
    "We'll have to wait a few minutes. Mike
and Amanda are on their way over," Tom announced with a
smile.
    "Mike? And Amanda?" Dixie shrieked in
surprise.
    "Sure, sis, you know he always goes
frog giggin' with us. He loves frog legs, and he won't eat them
unless he catches them himself. Ms. Ferris, his housekeeper, cooks
them up for him. Actually, I think he really likes to catch them.
You should see him. He's good at it, too. And Amanda loves to tag
along."
    "I'd forgotten you told me he went with
you," she barely mumbled, a wave of panic washing over her. Twice
in one day was asking for trouble.
    Will seemed to sense her apprehension.
"I guess you thought we were going by ourselves. It's just that Mom
doesn't usually like us going out so late to the creek bottoms by
ourselves—she worries. So Mike and Amanda started going with us.
But we could call him and un-invite him, if you want us
to."
    Both boys stared at her, waiting for an
answer.
    "Oh, no, don't be silly," she said,
gaining her composure once more. "Actually, I'm the outsider. Why
don't I stay home?" She saw them looking at her strangely. How
could she get out of this without giving herself away? "I mean, it
really isn't a sport for girls, anyway, is it?" she said
hastily.
    "You can't stay home. Don't you know?"
He looked at his sister incredulously. "Mom's havin' Bernie over
tonight. I sorta planned the whole thing. So we'd all be gone, you
know? They don't get much alone time, and I think Bernie is having
a hard time working his way up to askin' her. You've got to go with
us, sis! And that's that! We think Bernie is really getting serious
about Mom and we like the idea."
    "You really like this
Bernie?"
    "He's not so bad. He sure can tell some
stories. He seems to like us all right. Mom likes him a lot. And we
like the way she lights up when he's around. You know how women
get, all smiles and everything. She's a lot easier to get along
with."
    Dixie scolded them with a frown. "Mom's
not hard to get along with, and both of you know it. I think you're
growing up too fast. I can't believe you two are involved in a
matching-making caper."
    Will nodded.
    If Will and Tom already gave their
approval of Bernie, why did Emily need hers?
    She was so absorbed in her thoughts;
she didn't see Mike and Amanda staring up the stairway at her. How
long had he been there?
    "Dixie's coming with us," her brothers
chorused down the stairs.
    Even Mike seemed to find it odd, from
the look on his face.
    Dixie felt challenged. She placed her
hands on her hips and dared Mike to say one word. "Well, I used to
go with them before you came along, you know."
    Surprisingly enough, he broke into a
broad, captivating grin. "Really, that's great. Just see you take
care of yourself, and keep up with us," he commanded. "This isn't a
picnic, you know."
    "I'm pretty good at frog gigging, I'll
have you know."
    "This I've got to see." Mike
laughed.
    With one raised brow, she took him on.
My goodness, the way she drooled over Mike Dalton these days,
anyone would think she was interested. Determined not to swoon over
the bulging muscles where he rolled his sleeves, nor the way his
faded jeans hugged his hips, she snubbed him as she walked by him,
winking at Amanda.
    "It's a wonder Janet Wilkinson didn't
follow you out here, Mike. Everybody in