Mom had just turned fifty-two and was about as pretty as they came. The years had been good to her, and her spirit was as free as Frankie’s.
“Sly, Ma. Real sly.”
She laughed. “Oh, everyone needs a little push in the right direction every now and again. Speaking of, how was last night?”
I shrugged. “Uneventful.”
That felt like a bold-faced lie.
But the last thing I needed to do was mention Rynna moving in across the street. Mom would hop on that so fast that I’d never hear the end of it.
I set Frankie back on her feet, scooting her in the direction of her room. “Go get your stuff, Sweet Pea.”
She took off down the hall, and I straightened and looked at my mom. Obviously, she was dying for any juicy details she could get.
“Met Ollie and Kale for a couple of drinks then called it a night,” I told her.
A long, restless night.
A pucker formed on Mom’s lips. “You’re no fun. Here I am, nice enough to have your daughter over for the entire night, and you don’t even do me the service of having a wild night on the town. You know I’ll be having one tonight.”
Amusement shook my head. “You really are a terrible influence. I think I’m going to have to rethink these sleepovers.”
She pressed a hand over her heart. “You wouldn’t dare.”
“Don’t test me.” It was purely a tease.
Everything about her softened. “How are my boys?”
A smile ticked up at the corner of my mouth. “Good. Kale has the weekend off, so I’m sure he’s off making up for any fun I’m not having. Ollie is...it was twelve years yesterday.”
A soft puff of air blew from her mouth. “Oh...I didn’t even realize. How is he doing?”
“As well as can be expected, I guess.”
Or maybe worse than could be expected. I didn’t fucking know.
God knew that it still ate me alive.
A beat of silence hovered in the atmosphere, that same sadness that was always there, lurking in the background, before Frankie broke it. She came bursting back into the living room with her backpack bouncing on her shoulders, a poster board in one hand and her doll clutched to her chest with the other.
“Look it, Daddy.”
Proudly, Frankie lifted her painting that was nothing but thick swashes of color.
“That’s beautiful, Sweet Pea.”
“What are we gonna do today?” she dove right in. “You wants to go swimming?”
I swung her into my arms. “Is that what you want to do? Go to the lake?”
She grinned that grin. The one that knocked all the foolishness free and the sense back into me. My heart heavy and full.
Devoted.
“Yes!”
I ruffled a hand through her rebellious hair. “Then, it sounds like we’re going to the lake.”
