by Carrie Carr
"You, but," Amanda stammered. "Why do you do that?"
"What?"
Holding out her hand, Amanda waited until Lex took it. "Ruin a perfectly good pissed off."
Lex laughed and tugged Amanda across the console and into her lap. "Self-defense." She nibbled on her wife's neck. "We've got some time to kill before we can pick the girls up at school. You want to go park someplace secluded and fool around?"
"Probably a better idea than getting caught here in the parking lot of the Baptist Church." Amanda stole a quick kiss and moved to her side of the SUV.
LORRIE OPENED THE door for Melanie, and waited patiently while she got in. She heard Melanie exclaim happily and hurried in behind her to see what caused the outburst. "Momma! Are you not grounded no more?"
"She still has to behave herself," Amanda said. "No riding for a few more weeks and no lifting or too much bending. But Momma's going to be fine."
"That's awesome." Lorrie fastened her seatbelt and squirmed to get comfortable. "Where's Eddie?"
Lex flipped her visor down and looked in the mirror at Lorrie. "You mean he's not back there with you?"
Melanie's eyes grew large. "Did you lose him?"
"Behave," Amanda said, slapping Lex on the arm. "Your Aunt Ramona and Uncle Hubert wanted to keep him while we went to the doctor."
Lorrie put her hands on her hips in an uncanny impression of Amanda. "I don't want them to go home tomorrow. Why can't they stay?"
"They have their own home to go to, honey. But they promised to come and visit." Amanda pulled away from the curb. "Should we take pizza home tonight?"
Both girls cheered their agreement.
After a stop at the local pizza shop, the grocery store for everyone's chosen ice cream and Lex's new prescription, the family headed for the ranch.
Melanie took her favorite book out of her backpack and read quietly to herself, while Lorrie stared solemnly out the window.
Although she enjoyed the silence, Amanda couldn't help but be worried about their oldest. "Lorrie, is something wrong?"
Lorrie shrugged, but kept quiet.
"Just what we need," Amanda said softly, so only Lex could hear, "another you."
Lex shook her head, but grinned. "Lorrie?"
"Yes, ma'am?"
"What's bothering you?"
"Jerry's back in school," Lorrie said.
Lex started to turn around, but the twinge in her back stopped her. "Is he picking on you again?"
"No. He's been real quiet, but he told Joey his gramma won't tol'rate him gettin' into trouble no more." She sighed. "But I still don't like him."
Amanda glanced in the rearview mirror. "His grandmother? What about his mother?"
"I dunno. Joey said that Jerry had to live with his gramma now."
Amanda didn't want to discount her daughter's feelings, but also didn't want her harboring bad thoughts. "Lorrie, I know you've had trouble with Jerry in the past, but try and be nice, okay? Maybe he's lonely and needs a friend."
Lorrie frowned and wrinkled her nose, but wisely kept silent.
Melanie put down her book. "Can Uncle Hubert and Aunt Ramona live with us?"
The subject change caused both parents to do a double-take. Lex was the first to recover. "No, sweetheart. They live in Oklahoma."
"But, maybe they live there 'cause they don't live here."
Lex looked at Amanda, who shrugged. "Okay, what?"
Melanie rolled her eyes as if her parents were idiots. "I asked Uncle Hubert, and he said they have to live in Okleyhome 'cause that's where their house is. But if they had a house here, they could live here. Can't they stay in our house? I'll share my room with them."
Amanda bit her lip to withhold her laughter. "Go ahead, Momma."
"Thanks a lot." Lex scratched the back of her neck in a nervous gesture. "Um, okay. Do you like spending the night at your grandparents' house?"
"Uh-huh. It's a lot of fun."
"How would you feel if they wanted you to stay there all the time?" Lex asked.
Melanie frowned. "But I live with you."
Lex nodded. "Why wouldn't you want to stay with them?"
"'cause I'd miss you and Mommy." Melanie pointed to Lorrie. "And Lorrie, and Eddie and all my toys."
"Yep. At home is where all your stuff is, and everyone else who loves you, right?"
Lorrie nodded. "Aunt Ramona would miss her daddy, and Uncle Hubert has a job in Oklahoma. Right, Momma?"
"That's right. Just like you don't want to be without your family, neither does Aunt Ramona and Uncle Hubert." Lex felt proud of herself until Melanie asked one final question.
"But aren't we their family, too?"
Amanda snickered. "She's got you there."
"Shhh," Lex ordered. She turned her head so she could see Melanie, who sat in the seat behind Amanda. "Let's just say that they like where they live, and leave it at that, okay? Maybe someday they'll change their mind."
"Cheater," Amanda whispered.
"Brat," Lex said, just as quietly. She felt like cheering when Amanda turned onto the familiar graveled road. "Thank god."
"Bwawk, bwawk," Amanda teased.
Lex pointed a finger at her. "Keep it up, woman."
Amanda checked the rearview mirror, pleased to see the girls' attention elsewhere. She stuck her tongue out at Lex.
"That's so mature." But Lex was smiling. "Wait 'til we get home."
HUBBERT HUMMED A lullaby as he gently rocked a fussy Eddie in his arms. They were alone in the living room, since Hubert had convinced Ramona to spend the afternoon drinking coffee at Martha's. "Sssh, little man. Don't cry." He tried to get the baby to take his pacifier. After a moment, Eddie accepted the pacifier and settled down. "See? Daddy made it all right."
"Daddy?" Ramona asked, as she stepped into the living room and sat next to him. "Are you having second thoughts?"
"No, of course not. It was just a slip of the tongue."
Ramona edged closer and caressed the baby's head. "It's a little late, anyway. We filed the signed papers last week." She smiled when Hubert passed Eddie over to her.
"I know. Really, I'm fine with him being here." But Hubert couldn't take his eyes off his son.
"Honey, if you truly want a child--"
"No. We've discussed this, and you're right. Neither one of us is really up to the task of raising a kid. He's a lot better off here, with two loving parents and a pair of sisters who adore him."
"But you're going to miss him, aren't you?"
"Yeah. More than I ever expected." Hubert cleared his throat. "I'm going to miss those two crazy girls, too. I never thought I'd enjoy being Uncle Hubert."
Ramona leaned into him and put her head on his shoulder. "I know what you mean. All three of these kids quickly worked their way into my heart, and I didn't even like kids before."
He laughed. As tough as Ramona talked, Hubert knew she was a softy. "I wish I still had my old place here. Then we'd have somewhere to stay when we visited."
"Have you ever thought about going back to bookkeeping?"
"Nah. Who wants an ex-con as an accountant?" Hubert sighed. "But I do miss it."
The back door opened and two pairs of feet ran down the hall.
"No running in the house," Amanda yelled after them.
Ramona turned her head and saw the girls. "How was school today?"
Melanie was the first to come around the sofa. "Hi! We made Christmas trees out of tree cones," she said proudly.
"Tree cones?" Hubert asked.
Lorrie sat beside Hubert. "Pine cones."
"Ah." Hubert smiled when Melanie crawled up into his lap. "What else did you do today?"
"Me and Ray kicked the ball, but then we had to line up for cal, cala, um, jumping jacks and stuff. And when we all yelled, it was loud inside." She placed her head over Hubert's heart and relaxed. "You smell nice, Uncle Hubert."
He blushed and chuckled. "Thanks. Aunt Ramona picked out my cologne. Why were you yelling inside? Didn'
t you get into trouble?"
"Nope. We was in the gym, 'cause it's too cold to go outside and play. The older kids get to play basketball, but we're too small."
Lorrie sat on the arm of the sofa beside Ramona and looked at the sleeping Eddie. "And if you come over where we're playing basketball, you little kids always get hurt. I'd let you play, though."
Melanie looked at Lorrie with something akin to hero worship. "You'd help me win?"
"I'd show you how to throw the basketball right," Lorrie said. "Maybe when it gets warmer, we can put a basketball goal on the barn."
Lex came slowly into the room, relying only on a cane. "Maybe on the garage. Not the barn." She sat in the overstuffed loveseat perpendicular to the sofa. "Does this mean you're giving up softball?"
"Uh-uh. Softball's in the spring, basketball's when it's too cold to play outside."
Ramona laughed. "What do you do in the summer, Lorrie?"
"Everything," Lorrie said emphatically. "Right, Momma?"
Amanda joined the family and sat beside Lex. "That's the truth. I like the slower pace of winter, myself."
"I don't blame you in the least," Ramona said.
Lorrie's one-track mind would not be deterred. "Momma? Since it's cold outside, can we put a basketball goal in the hay barn? It's big enough."
"Where would we put the hay, lil' bit?"
"Um, upstairs in the barn?"
Lex shook her head. "You want me to go upstairs every time I need a bale of hay, just so you can play basketball inside?"
"Yes?" Lorrie gave her a hopeful look.
"Sorry, kiddo. That's not going to happen. But we'll see about pouring a concrete pad this spring beside the garage, how's that?"
Lorrie grinned and moved to sit on the arm of the loveseat next to Lex. "Awesome." She carefully put her arm around Lex's neck. "Is this okay, Momma?"
"It's perfect."
Hubert watched Lorrie snuggle as close to Lex as she could. He
exchanged looks with Ramona and gave her a slight nod, acknowledging once and for all that his son was in the best hands. "Uncle Hubert?" Melanie said, "Will you ever change your mind about living here?" Not used to the lightning fast way a child's mind worked, Hubert was caught off-guard. "Um, what?" "Momma said that you live in Okleyhome 'cause that's where your house is. Didn't you have a house here?" "Uh--" "If you had a house here, you'd live here, right? And you said the other day you had a house here before. So why did you move away?" "Mel, that's enough. Uncle Hubert and Aunt Ramona live in Oklahoma, and that's that."
Hubert held up his hand. "It's okay, Lex." He shifted Melanie on his knee so he could see her face. "A few years ago I did some stupid things." He silently conveyed his regrets to Lex and Amanda with his eyes. "I had a house here, but because I was selfish and mean, I lost it. Then I traveled to Oklahoma. For once I was innocent, but couldn't prove it. So I spent a few years in jail to pay for someone else's mistake."
"You were in jail?" Lorrie asked, surprised.
"Yes, I was. And even though I didn't do what they said I did, I pretty much deserved it, anyway. When I got out, I met your Aunt Ramona and she helped me start my life over."
"Wow," Lorrie said. "Did you kill someone?"
"No. The police found a packet of drugs in my car. Someone had tossed them in when I wasn't looking. I've been a bad man, but I've never done drugs."
Melanie got off his lap and went to sit by Amanda. "Why were you bad?"
Hubert sighed. "I don't know. I used to believe it was because I was jealous. But I think that's just an excuse." He brushed his hand over his beard. "I thought people would respect me if I acted a certain way, but they didn't." He lowered his gaze, unable to look anyone in the eyes.
Ramona put her hand on Hubert's leg in an attempt to console him. "You've changed, sweetheart. Being here is proof of that."
Amanda stood. "Hey, girls, how about helping me set the table for dinner? We brought pizza, remember?"
"Yay!" Melanie started to follow her mother and sister, but stopped and walked over to Hubert. "I don't think you're a bad man, Uncle Hubert." She crawled onto the sofa and kissed him on the cheek. "I love you."
Hubert blinked in surprise. "Love you too, sweetheart." His voice broke on the last word, but his smile was bright.
Once Amanda and the girls left, Lex cleared her throat. "You didn't lose your house," she said quietly.
"What?" Hubert asked, his own voice still hoarse from emotion.
"I said, you didn't lose your house." Lex got up and went into the office. A moment later, she returned with an envelope, which she handed to Hubert.
He opened the envelope and stared at the papers in his hand. "I don't understand."
"When I first found out that you'd left me your house with two mortgages, I told the bank to go ahead and foreclose. But after Amanda and I talked about it, I made an arrangement with them and paid the house off." Lex lowered herself onto the loveseat again. "God, it's been a long day."
"That's right. How did the doctor's visit go?" Ramona asked.
Lex sighed. "After being poked, prodded and twisted, the brilliant," her voice dripped with sarcasm, "surgeon decided that all I needed was more rest, and my back should heal okay on its own."
Hubert put the papers back in the envelope. "That's great news, sis." He waved the envelope. "Now, about this."
"Don't argue with me, Hubert. I don't even know what kind of condition the house is in. It's been vacant since you left town. We pay a guy to go over once a month and mow the yard, but that's about it."
"But, Lex. I can't accept this. Not after everything."
Lex shook her head. "Well, I sure as hell don't want it."
"Then why did you keep it?"
She shrugged, looking a lot like one of her kids. "I honestly don't know."
When Hubert opened his mouth, Ramona patted his leg. "The proper response is 'Thank you, Lex,'" she said gently.
Hubert blushed. "Uh, yeah. Thank you, Lex." He waggled a finger at her. "You should be more careful, though. Leave us a house and we might make good use of it, someday."
"Why do you think I gave you the key?" Lex asked.
He had no answer for that. Hubert looked at Ramona. "So, do you feel like taking a little drive?"
"I'd love to," Ramona answered.
WITH THE HOUSE finally quiet for the night and Eddie tucked away in his crib across the room, Amanda curled up in bed beside Lex. "God, I love this time of night."
"Me, too." Lex raised her left arm so Amanda could snuggle closer. "Ahhh. This is perfect."
"Yeah." Amanda closed her eyes. "Do you really think Hubert could move back and start up his old business again?"
Lex was quiet for a moment as she thought about the question.
"I mean, Somerville already has an accountant. And it's not like he's going to welcome Hubert back with open arms."
"Well, old Ted's getting up there in age. The last time I talked to him, he mentioned something about wanting to retire and raise a few head of cattle."
Amanda rolled so she could prop her head on her raised arm. "Really? And when was this?"
"Oh, I don't know. Maybe six months ago." Lex's mouth slowly curled up into a smile. "Why?"
"But, didn't you buy most of Ted's land a few years ago, when he was having financial trouble?"
"Yep."
The implications all came together for Amanda. "Do you think, if the right terms presented themselves, Ted would say, consider retiring and turning his accounting business over to someone else?"
"Hmm. You know, when you put it that way it makes sense. I wish I would have thought about that." Lex grunted when Amanda pinched her arm. "Hey."
"You are so busted, Ms. Smartypants." Amanda poked Lex in the ribs for good measure.
Lex captured Amanda's hand and held it close to her chest. "You keep poking me like that, you're gonna end up regretting it."
"Oh, yeah?"
"Yep." Lex brought Amanda's hand up to her li
ps and began to lightly kiss her knuckles and fingers.
Amanda moaned. "Lex."
"Uh-huh?"
"You'd better not," she gasped as soft lips hit a very sensitive spot on her wrist. "Oh, god."
Lex continued her careful assault. "Hmm?"
"What about your back?"
With a growl, Lex pulled Amanda over onto her. "What back?" She started to nip a path down Amanda's throat.
"Um, oh, yeah." Amanda raised her head as Lex ripped open her pajama top, causing buttons to scatter all over the bed. "Never mind."
THE FOLLOWING MORNING, breakfast was a somber affair. Both girls picked at their plates, doing their best to stall.
Lex realized what they were doing. "Melanie, Lorrie. You need to finish your breakfast. We have to leave for the bus in about ten minutes."
"But, Momma," Melanie said, "we want to stay until Uncle Hubert and Aunt Ramona leave. I want to say goodbye."
Lorrie nodded. "I don't want them to go." She gave her aunt and uncle her most pitiful look.
"Honey, we have to go home sometime." Ramona patted Lorrie's hand.
Amanda came into the kitchen with Eddie. "Why are you girls still at the table?"
The children looked up guiltily.
"Lex?" Amanda sat beside her. "They still need to get washed up so we can leave."
"I know. But--"
Amanda handed Eddie to Ramona. "Girls, take your plates to the sink right now and run upstairs."
Melanie frowned and shook her head. "I don't wanna go."
"Me either," Lorrie said.
The first sign that they were in trouble was when Amanda put her hands on her hips. "Girls."
"Nooo," both whined at once.
"One," Amanda began to count. No movement. "Two."
Melanie and Lorrie looked at each other.
"Three."
Eyes wide, both jumped from their chairs and grabbed their plates.
"Four."
Dishes clattered in the sink, and two blurs raced from the room, a frisky Freckles not far behind.
Hubert covered his mouth to keep from laughing out loud. "What happens when you get to five?"
Amanda shrugged. "I don't know. I've never gotten that far."
Lex laughed. "And that's why you're in charge." She turned to Hubert. "I hate to sound like the kids, but I'm not ready for you to go."