“Okay, I guess. Alfonso doesn’t talk very much. I think it’s because he’s new. Maria is real quiet, too.”
“Is your crew helping them adjust?”
“Yeah,” he said, taking a sip of his orange juice. “Best we can.”
“Alfonso plays the violin,” Devon added. “Zoey asked him to be in the band, but he said no.”
“That was real nice of her,” Lily said.
“Yeah,” Devon agreed. “She said she’s going to ask him again after he’s been here longer. Maybe he’ll say yes.”
Trent watched with interest as Amari helped himself to more scrambled eggs and grits. He was beginning to eat them out of house and home, much in the same way Trent had done to Tamar at that age.
“Anybody going to eat those last two pieces of bacon?” Amari asked.
Lily chuckled. “Go right ahead, Mr. Hoover.”
He seemed confused by that.
“Vacuum-cleaner company,” she explained.
He looked embarrassed but added the bacon to his plate anyway. “I’m a growing kid.”
And he was. By Trent’s estimation, he’d grown at least two inches over the summer, but he still had a ways to go to equal Trent’s six-foot-two or his bio dad Griffin’s six-foot-four. Griffin was also Trent’s cousin, but when Trent adopted Amari, his heritage had been unknown.
Trent hadn’t heard from Griffin in a few weeks. He and his motorcycle could be anywhere in the country, but he always checked in eventually, so Trent expected he and Amari would be hearing from him soon.
They finished the meal, and the boys hurried off to get their coats and backpacks. Sheila Payne was running the carpool to school this week.
“Have a good day,” Trent said, once they were ready to depart.
“You too, Dad. You too, Mom.” And they were out the door.
As he and Lily cleaned up and fed the dishwasher, Trent asked, “What do you want for Christmas?”
She paused and then shrugged. “No idea. How about surprising me?”
“Come on. You must have something in mind.”
“I don’t, Santa, and since I’ve been a very good girl,” she said saucily, “I expect my gift to reflect that.”
He rolled his eyes.
“What do you want?” she asked.
“How about surprising me?”
“You copying off of me?” she asked, hand on her hip, sounding like one of the kids.
“Yes, ma’am.” He walked over and draped his arms around her waist. “And since I’ve been a very good boy, I expect my gift to reflect that.”
“You are a mess. You know that, right?”
“But you love me madly.”
“Good thing I do. Kiss me, July. We need to get to work.”
He followed orders, and when they reluctantly parted, she said, “You can wrap me up a couple dozen of those to put under the tree.”
“Noted.” He gave her another. “We need a play-hooky day.”
She grinned. “I think so, too.”
“How about today?” He waggled his eyebrows.
She gently pushed him away. “Get behind me, Satan.” But then she took out her phone.
“What are you doing?”
“Texting Bernadine to tell her we’re going to be two hours late.”
He threw back his head and laughed.
When she was done, she raised her gaze, said, “Race you!” and took off running for the stairs. He was right behind her.
When Bernadine received Lily’s text, she smiled at their antics and headed out to her truck to pay a quick visit to Kelly. Bobby and Barrett were on their way to Topeka to look at a high-tech gizmo Barrett was considering buying, so everything on the business side of the town’s life was being taken care of.
Which was more than she could say about her personal life. She still wanted to smack Mal. This whole mess revolving around Rita Lynn was so childish and uncalled-for. Who cared about who slept with whom forty-five years ago? Genevieve was so angry at Marie, she’d asked Bernadine to have an apartment building built so she could move in. Having had a slight verbal tussle with Marie herself a few years back, when her ex-husband Leo came to town, causing trouble, she knew Marie had a temper. What she didn’t know was that her temper could nurse a grudge tied to an event that happened back when the earth was still cooling. So stupid. And when Mal tried to explain to her that this had nothing to do with his feelings for her or lack of feelings for Rita Lynn but with his manhood and how best friends don’t sleep with another friend’s girl, she was done. She planned to stay done until he woke up, smelled the coffee, and acted like he had some damn sense. Were they all still in high school, she’d be looking to lay this at Rita Lynn’s door, but everyone involved was over fifty, most over sixty, and it wasn’t Rita’s fault. She’d come back to reunite with a son she thought dead, for heaven’s sake, not to be blindsided by an ancient petty squabble that ended with her throwing a glass of ice water in Marie’s face.
Bernadine was done.
Kelly answered her knock on the door. “So are you and the family all settled in?” Bernadine asked after settling herself on the sofa in the trailer’s nicely furnished front room.
“We are, and thanks again, so much.”
“You’re welcome. Now that Bobby has a job, it’s time to get you on your way, too.”
The twins were in their jumper chairs watching a Sesame Street video while she and Kelly discussed the salon Kelly wanted to open. They discussed how many stations she might need, and what type of equipment. Bernadine was impressed with how clear and concise the young woman’s ideas were on everything. It was apparent she’d been thinking of opening her own salon for some time. She was also licensed.
“You’ll have to make some calls to see whether the license is transferable,” Bernadine pointed out. “Lily can help you get with the right agencies if you get stuck.”
“I should probably be able to do that on my own.”
“Can you use a computer?”
“No.”
“We’ll get you some training. You have your high school degree?”
Another no, and an explanation. “I dropped out when I was sixteen, and after I had the babies, there was no time to go back and finish.”
“I’m not judging, but you’ll need to have your GED before I’ll even think about giving you the opportunity to be the owner.”
“I understand.”
“You’re going to need some business classes along the way, too. The community college has some great programs. Once you get your GED, I’ll have you sit down with Jack James, and the two of you can come up with a plan.”
“Thinking about going back to school is scary.”
“No scarier than trying to run a business without the proper business skills.”
“You’re right.”
Bernadine took in the twins responding happily to Big Bird singing. “We may need some day care for them, too.”
“I know. I had a chance to talk to Leah after the town meeting. She offered to babysit when she could, but she thought she might need some kind of training. And of course Ms. Genevieve offered to watch them whenever I needed help.”
“Leah’s in school during the day, so Genevieve will probably be a better fit, but we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. I’ll check on some training for Leah. I assume you want to begin as soon as possible? I know the ladies want you to.”
“I do.”
“See about the license, and we’ll go from there.”
Bernadine glanced around at the house. There were a few dishes on the counter and a few baby toys scattered around the floor, but other than that the place was as spotless as it had been the day they moved in. “Christmas will be here soon. You and Bobby need to get a tree.”
“That isn’t necess
ary. The babies don’t know anything about the holidays.”
“This is your first Christmas in your new place and in your new life. I’ll send somebody over with a tree, and sometime this week I’ll get Tamar or someone to take you shopping for ornaments.”
“But—”
“Kelly. Just say yes.”
She dropped her head. “Okay. Yes.”
“And I’ll have Lily order you a laptop.”
Kelly opened her mouth as if to protest, but Bernadine shot her a look, and she closed it. “Crystal can come by after school and get you going on the computer. If you know how to work your phone, getting up to speed on the computer won’t be that hard.” She eyed the young woman. “Do you have any concerns, need anything else?”
“No, ma’am. We’re all straight.”
“Okay, then let me get going.”
Kelly walked her to the door. “My mother said Bobby and I would never have a good life. I think we’re going to prove her wrong.”
“I think you’re right. Call if you need anything.”
“Will do.”
Over at the school, Amari was trying to work up the courage to do what Brain had suggested and ask Kyra to sit with him at the movies Friday night. He’d snuck glances at her all morning and caught her sneaking looks at him a couple of times too, but still he worried. He didn’t want to ask her and have her say no, but whatever was going on inside him seemed to have a mind of its own. It kept whispering Ask her, ask her, to the point where he wanted to yell, Shut up!
After lunch, as they were walking back to the classroom, he couldn’t stand it any longer. He called out, “Hey, Kyra. Wait up. Need to talk to you a minute.”
He watched Leah and Brain pass a look between them, but they kept walking, giving him the privacy and space he needed.
She stopped. “Yes?”
He almost bailed, but pressed on. Praying his voice didn’t crack, he asked, “Do you want to sit together at the movies Friday night?”
She looked off for a moment, then back at him, and said more words than he’d ever heard her say before. “I like you, Amari—I really like you. You’re cute and you’re funny and nice, but boys are a distraction, and I can’t be distracted if I want to grow up and be a thoracic surgeon. Okay? Thanks for asking, though.”
Stunned, he stared. He didn’t even know what a thoracic surgeon was. He looked down at his Timbs, drew in a breath, and cursed himself for being so damn stupid. “Sure, Kyra. You . . . um . . . stick to studying.”
In the classroom, Brain met his eye expectantly. Amari responded with a quick negative shake of his head and took his seat. Leah must’ve seen it too. Looking shocked, she stared at Kyra, who had her head in her book.
“Let’s open our math books,” Mr. James announced, so Amari did.
Lying on his bed after school, solemnly tossing a Nerf football in the air, Amari felt stupid and, yeah, sad. He’d taken a chance and put himself out there, and Kyra Jones had chopped him off at the knees. He hated girls.
His mom stuck her head in the door. “Hey. How’d your day go?”
He shrugged. “It was okay.”
“You look a little beat down, baby.”
“I’m good,” he lied.
She said nothing for a moment, and then came in and sat on the edge of bed. “So how’s your quest to win the hand of the fair Kyra going?”
He studied her for a moment. “Did Dad tell you?”
“No, I figured it out on my own. It’s one of my mom superpowers.”
He cracked a smile. “I don’t even know if it’s worth your time.”
“Helping you figure stuff out is always worth my time, so shoot.”
“Okay, so I know I’m not old enough to go out on like a real date, but Brain suggested I ask her to sit with me at the movies.”
“And?”
“She crushed me like a bug on the sidewalk. She was nice about it and everything. Said she liked me, thought I was cute, but basically boys were a distraction. She wants to be a thoracic surgeon, and I guess the two don’t go together.”
“Hurt your feelings, huh?”
He nodded.
“I’m sorry you got your feelings hurt.”
“Me, too.”
“I don’t think I’ve heard of a fourteen-year-old who didn’t have time for boys, but I suppose that’s better than being so boy-crazy she can’t think straight. There are enough of those in the world already. Tell you what, don’t be too down on yourself. Somewhere in your future is the girl you’ve been looking for. You’re cute, funny, and smart in ways that a lot of boys your age aren’t.”
“That’s what she said, except for the smart part. I had to come home and Google what a thoracic surgeon was.”
“And?”
“It’s a medical doctor who operates on the heart, lungs, esophagus, and other organs of the chest.”
“Thanks. I learned something today.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Unfortunately this won’t be the only heartache you’ll have before that really special girl shows up; life always sends us more than one.”
“Great.”
She leaned over and placed a kiss on his forehead. “You’ll be okay. Might take a minute or three. You never know, she might just change her mind.”
“Thanks, Mom. You and Dad make an awesome parenting team.”
“We’re learning as we go.”
“What’s he cooking for dinner?”
“I believe catfish, sweet potatoes, and steamed broccoli. His favorites.”
“Mine, too. Tell him to cook extra.”
“Will do. Get your homework done, and I’ll call you when dinner’s ready.”
Alone again, Amari didn’t feel a whole lot better, but at least he knew he would live.
Downstairs, Trent looked up from the seasoned cornmeal he was dredging a filet in. “Amari okay?”
“Kyra stepped on his heart.” She told him the story.
“A distraction?”
“Yes.”
“Interesting.”
“I thought so, too.”
Devon came into the kitchen and asked, “When are we going to put up the Christmas tree?”
“Saturday,” Trent told him.
“This Saturday?”
“Yes.
“Are we going Christmas shopping, too?”
“Yes. Christmas shopping, too.”
“Yes!” he said, executing an exaggerated fist pump.
During their first Christmas as a blended family, they’d gone to the mall, done their shopping, had lunch, and then come home and put up their tree. Trent and Lily decided to make that a tradition. Having grown up in foster care, Amari had never experienced the excitement tied to the holiday. Devon said he and his grandmother used a small tabletop tree she’d found at the Goodwill. Trent assumed that was because money had been tight.
Trent and Lily had both grown up with all the excitement and holiness of the season, and they wanted to make memories for their sons, so the shopping and the tree had become the first of their family traditions.
“What do you want for Christmas, Mom?”
“I don’t know, Devon, whatever you get me will be fine. But there is something special I want you to do.”
“What?”
“After we put up the tree, I want you to read the Christmas story from Luke.”
“In the Bible.”
“Yes. I’m making it a July family tradition. That okay with you?”
Trent’s heart swelled. His Lily Flower was so awesome.
“Yeah, Mom, that’s way okay.” Devon rushed over, gave her a big hug, and whispered, “Thank you.”
“You’re very welcome. Now go tell Amari it’s time to eat. Then the two of you get the table set.?
??
“Yes, ma’am.” He looked to be the happiest boy on the planet when he hurried out of the kitchen.
“You rock, baby doll,” Trent told her. “What a great idea.”
“Thanks. My mama used to say, ‘Jesus is the reason for the season,’ and we need to be reminded of that. This way our kids always will be.”
CHAPTER
12
Friday morning, Bernadine pulled into the lot of the Power Plant and wondered why there were so many vehicles there. Usually she was the first to arrive, but these cars and trucks were idling with their engines running, and their drivers were inside. Perplexed, she got out of her truck. The moment her boots made contact with the salted, snow-cleared pavement, vehicle doors swung open and men piled out and began to approach. Alarmed, she fumbled for her phone, intending to call for backup, but upon seeing Lyman Proctor, the grizzled president of the Franklin Chamber of Commerce, she relaxed. “Morning, Mr. Proctor. You scared me there for a minute.”
“Morning, Ms. Brown. Sorry to alarm you, but we need to speak with you.”
She glanced around at the stern faces of the group accompanying him and realized some were familiar. The temperature was twenty-five degrees, and the wind was blowing. Way too cold to discuss anything outside. “Okay. Come on in.”
She unlocked the door. One of the men politely held it open to let her enter first, and she thanked him, all the while wondering if this meeting had anything to do with their crazy-as-a-bedbug mayor.
Inside, as the men removed their coats and took seats, she sent a text to Trent, asking that he come to the office immediately. She had a feeling he’d be needed. While she waited for her Keurig to do its thing so she could have coffee, she asked Mr. Proctor, “What’s this about?”
“Astrid.”
Her assumption had been correct. “She’s your mayor, Mr. Proctor. I can’t see how I can help.”
“We want to move our businesses to Henry Adams.”
Stunned by that, she took in the determination in their faces. That she was momentarily at a loss for words was an understatement.
Proctor said gently, “Let me make the introductions first, just in case there’s someone here you don’t know.”