“There you go. It was hard for me to give that to you, but I did.”
“Because everything is bigger now. I can do it more efficiently. I’ve got software that you don’t even know how to use.”
Her mother narrowed her eyes. “Don’t throw that in my face about being old.”
She threw her hands up. “I didn’t.”
“But you wanted to. I’m letting you handle the finances, because you’re right, you’re more equipped and on top of things. You and Gabe and your father. But I’m still here dealing with staffing and other issues that you don’t have time for in the office. Regardless of what you think, you can’t do it all. No one can anymore. Do you have time for more? Be honest.”
Her shoulders slumped. “Not really.”
“And do you want to go out in the field and start learning more about the actual work being done? Because last I knew you resisted that.”
Her lips twisted in frustration, the growl barely being contained. This talk wasn’t going the way she’d hoped it would. “I know I’ve got to do it. There is still time yet to learn that end.”
“There is. And that is why I’m here. We are always busy and I’m catching up from taking some time off this summer. Dad and I are going away next week. A vacation you and Gabe pushed on us.”
“Don’t forget Jayce.” Her twin lived in Charlotte and didn’t work for the family construction firm.
“And Jayce. He doesn’t count. He calls to put the nail in the coffin when you and Gabe gang up on us. You all got your way and we are going to Italy.Youget your way more than you want to let on. But this time, I’m not backing down. When I want to slow down, I’ll do it.”
Oh boy, her mother just crossed her arms with a solid nod of her head. Jocelyn knew that move. She had it herself. Not even an army tank could get her mother to budge.
“I just don’t want you getting sick again.”
Her mother sighed, her shoulders relaxed, her arms dropped. “It was twenty years ago, Jocelyn.”
Her mother had cancer when she was in high school. It was hard to witness the treatments, hair loss, the exhaustion, nausea and weight loss. Even Gabe didn’t want to leave for college having stepped up to do more around the house and putting her and Jayce in line to do the same.
“I know.”
Her mother walked to where Jocelyn was sitting at her desk and put her hand out. Jocelyn stood and got a hug.
“We are all still traumatized. I get it. But I’m healthy as a horse and strong as ever. You need to let that toxic stuff go.”
“Proof of it is the crap you’re giving me now.”
Stacy McCarthy gave her one more tight squeeze with a short laugh. “That’s right. You’re not winning this. If you want me to back off, step up more.”
“Or we can promote or hire people.” She knew. She did the budgets.
“Nope. I expect better from you. Why pay someone else for what I’m doing and doing better than they could?”
She laughed. “You’re not cocky in the least.”
“Good thing I passed that on to my daughter. Now, we are done with this conversation. Gabe said he’s ordering lunch, so give him your order.”
Jocelyn didn’t need the reminder of lunch. That was what started this entire conversation with her mother.
She walked into her brother’s office next to hers, shoulders slumped, a frown firmly in place, her dejection written all over her. He leaned back in his chair, grinning like theTitanicwas unsinkable, rubbing his palms together as if dusting them off.
“Like taking candy from a baby.”
“You suck,” she said after she turned and shut the door. “I think you set me up to get a free lunch.”
“You were in here bitching about Mom being underfoot lately. Rather than just telling her you’re feeling as if she doesn’t trust you, right away, you jump into early retirement again. That’s on you for not reading the room and being honest.”
“Jerk,” she said.
