“His sister moves soon, right?”
“Tomorrow. That’s why I’m moving in on Sunday.”
“Right,” Mom frowned again.
“How about—” I draped my arm across her shoulders “—we head downstairs for some lunch and sit outside. Shelve all our worries for a couple of hours.”
She huffed before giving me a slow nod.
“Who knew that you and your brother would give me most of my gray hair as adults?” She breathed out a sigh as she grabbed her cane.
I tried not to be so concerned when my brother went on missions without contact. He was smart and good at what he did, but I could only imagine what it felt like to not really know what your son was doing or where he was for long periods of time.
Then I’d shown up at her door with a face full of bruises, looking for a place to hide out and get my life together.
I still hadn’t, but I’d try to be the kid who didn’t keep my mother up at night from now on.
“Stella!”
I turned my head to find Bennie charging at me.
“Hey, kiddo.” I bent to give her a hug.
“I knew it was you because your hair is so long,” she said, beaming at me from where she clutched my thighs like a vise. This tiny kid was a big ball of love and, as Lee had told me, didn’t know a stranger. I’d only spent one eveningwith her, but she greeted me as if she’d known me all of her seven years.
I never remembered having such an open heart, even when I was that little. Time and disappointment had only made it snap tighter over the years.
“This is my mom,” I told her. “I’m sure Daddy told you she lives here too.”
“I can’t believe how grown up you are from the last time I saw a picture of you,” Mom said, bending to meet Bennie’s gaze.
“I’m seven now,” Bennie said, craning her neck to where Lee and his mother and sister were coming up behind her.
“Yes, you’ve gotten so big,” Mom said, cupping her chin.
“I’m the smallest person in my class,” Bennie said, her lips curving down.
“Oh, that’ll change,” Mom said, waving a hand. “I was the smallest person in my class too.”
I bit back a smile, not wanting to say that that probably didn’t make Bennie feel any better since my mother was still a little bit of a thing. Gary and I had taken after our father, who hadn’t been that tall but was above Mom’s five feet.
“Remember, small doesn’t mean anything, like I told you,” Lee’s mother said, smiling down at her granddaughter as she made a slow approach toward us. “What’s in here—” she tapped her head “—and in here—” she pointed to Bennie’s chest “—are what matters. And you have plenty.”
Her eyes were glossy as she lifted her head.
“Hi, Stella. And nice to see you, Paula. Think you can show me the ropes when my kids finally leave me alone here?” She swiveled her head toward Lee and Debbie.
“Yes, I know you’re in a rush to get rid of us, Mom,” Lee quipped, stepping toward my mother. “Nice to see you, Mrs. P.” Lee bent to give her a hello hug.
“For goodness’ sake, Lee.” Mom swatted his shoulder as she pulled away. “You’re over thirty with a kid of your own. Can’t you call me Paula?”
Lee crinkled his nose at Mom.
“I don’t think I can.”
Mom let out an audible sigh.
“You raised a good kid, Dottie.”
