“Not at all. Put your water on and have a seat.”
She turned the heat on high and sat on a stool across from her mom. “What are your plans for today?”
“Visit Hunter and then Dad wants to shop for a new sofa.”
The mention of her brother dampened her good mood. “How is he?”
“As good as can be expected.” Mom frowned and pushed away her mug. “Last week he mentioned attending a Bible study.”
“That’s good.”
“He’d love to see you. He asks about you every visit.” The hopeful gleam in Mom’s eye couldn’t be disguised.
“I will… soon.” The kettle whistled. She left her seat and made her hot chocolate, then sat down again and stirred the sweet drink. “I know I don’t have any room to talk about bad decisions, but it’s hard to reconcile him now with that brother I knew and looked up to.”
Mom licked her lips, a smidgen of nervousness in her tight smile. “I understand. Not a day goes by I don’t ask myself where I went wrong as a mom.”
“You did everything right. Hunter and I are adults and made those decisions on our own.” She attempted a sip, but the hot chocolate was too hot. “I take full responsibility for being immature and selfish. Being the youngest, I always had a lot of attention, then suddenly it was all on Hunter after his arrest. I was stupid and tried to regain my share of attention by acting out, then got in too deep.”
“Oh honey, I never realized.” Mom clasped a hand over hers. “Hunter’s DWI shocked all of us, and we were just trying to keep afloat. I should have done a better job of watching over each of you.”
“No, Mama, I wasn’t putting the blame on you at all, but giving an explanation of what happened. I and I alone am responsible for my choices.” Her fingers curled tightly around the mug’s handle. “You and Dad have been amazing, the best parents a girl could ask for. And had I been thinking clearly, I would have realized you wouldn’t abandon me. You would have stood beside me like you did with Hunter, and like you have with me now.”
“That’s what a parent does. Nothing can strip the love a parent has for their child," Mom grinned and gave her a pointed look. “Even when they give us a full head of gray hair.”
A baby’s cry emitted from the monitor. Trixie looked at the screen and saw Alice rolling in the crib. “Duty calls.”
“I’ll get her. Sit and enjoy your hot chocolate while you can.” Mom stood and kissed her cheek. “I can’t get enough of my little girl.”
Trixie didn’t argue. Mom and Alice had formed a strong bond over the last month, and Trixie would take the extra minutes of serenity.
Three hours later, she sat in the rocker wishing to have that peaceful moment back. Alice’s breakfast of bananas and sweet potatoes hadn’t agreed with her and made her a gassy, uncomfortable baby constantly crying. Trixie gave her a few of the liquid drops that were supposed to ease the bubbles in her, but it hadn’t helped.
After trying every trick she knew, she sat down with her and tried to rock her to sleep for a nap. Her heart hurt watching her normally happy baby scrunch her face in preparation for a scream. Rocking her didn’t help, so she tried laying her down in the crib and turned on the lullaby bear.
She left the bedroom she shared with Alice and went to the living room for her phone and to text Jessa. Considering the way Alice acted today, going out to lunch with Jessa would have to wait. She squelched her disappointment as she sent the text. Jessa and Phoebe had taken her into their lives without hesitation, but the relationship wasn’t the same. Not because of them—her sisters had been nothing short of wonderful—but she held back, struggled with feelings of unworthiness.
Her phone vibrated with an incoming text.—Not a problem. I’ll swing by town and pick up something from the diner and bring it to you.
—I love you! That would be amazing.
—Any special requests? Are Mom and Dad home? I’ll bring them lunch too.
Jessa’s generosity and flexibility awed her. She prayed one day she’d become more like her.—They went to see Hunter, and whatever’s cheapest.
Months of living frugally had changed her. Even if someone else paid, she had trouble splurging. When her parents offered to buy a crib, she’d picked out the cheapest one that had high reviews. She’d taken a gift card to a department store and shopped off the clearance racks.
She needed a job. Her parents had stepped in and been a tremendous help, but she couldn’t sponge off them forever. Unfortunately, winter in Jasper Lake wasn’t prime hiring time. If she didn’t find something soon, she’d have to look in Farthington, which meant a longer drive and more time away from Alice.
Speaking of… Alice hadn’t made a peep in several minutes. Trixie tiptoed into the bedroom and saw Alice asleep with her arm cuddling her blankie. She smiled, relieved to see her daughter comfortable at last, even if in sleep. She grabbed the monitor and quietly left the room. After a half hour, she started watching for Jessa so she could meet her at the door before the bell rang.
When she spotted Jessa’s car coming up the driveway, she went to the door and waited several seconds to open it in order to keep the cold air out.
Jessa held up a large brown paper bag. “Your gourmet lunch awaits.”
She laughed. “I wouldn’t call it gourmet, but there’s no better comfort food than Tippy’s.”
“Ain’t that the truth.” Jessa came inside and closed the door with her hip. “How’s Alice?”
