CHAPTER 13
Christina found the house so quiet with Jess and the men gone. She would have loved to play with Lady Penelope, but the stubborn Yorkie still had her nose stuck in the corner.
“How long is she going to stay like that?” Christina asked Sarah, who lingered in the kitchen, Lacey at her side.
Sarah shrugged. “Long as she figures it takes to punish you.”
Christina already felt punished.
Sarah must have seen her fallen expression. “Don’t worry, the dog’ll get over it.” She turned toward Penny. “Hear that, Lady P? You’re a
dog
.”
Maybe. But she clearly thought she’d descended from royalty.
Mrs. Dearing came into the kitchen and bustled about, making a list of things to get at the store. “Okay, I’m ready, Sarah, let’s go.” She turned to Christina. “Want to come with us, hon?”
“No, stay and play!” Lacey stood up on her toes. “We can color.”
Which should she do? Either way, someone wouldn’t be happy with her.
“Oh, have mercy, I have a headache.” Maddy appeared in the family room, headed for the kitchen. She opened a cabinet and pulled out a bottle of pain reliever.
“Oh, dear, I’m sorry.” Mrs. Dearing frowned. “Somethin’ we can get you at the store?”
“No, these’ll do.” Maddy stuck two pills in her mouth and gulped them down with water.
“Maybe I should stay,” Christina said. “I’ll watch the kids, and Maddy can rest.”
“Oh, goody, I’m gonna go pick some colorin’ books!” Lacey skipped down the west wing hall, then veered into the play room. Christina could hear one of Pogey’s video games already running.
“That sure is nice of you, Christina.” Mrs. Dearing picked up her purse. “You sure you’ll be all right?”
No. “Sure.”
“Okay. Thank you.” She checked the clock. “Jess has been gone about forty-five minutes. If they go to the seafood store and come straight home, she’ll be back in a half hour or so.” She turned to Maddy. “You lie down now, hear? Get rid of that headache before everybody gets home.”
“Don’t worry, I’m goin’ back to bed.”
Mrs. Dearing and Sarah disappeared down the hall toward the garage.
Maddy put the bottle on the shelf. “You’re a darlin’, Christina.”
“No problem. Do you get headaches very often?”
In childhood Christina had a lot of stomach aches. They’d gone away when she fled her parents’ house.
“Not really. But they’re doozies when I do. Best thing is to take some aspirin and lie down.” She raised her voice toward the play room. “Lacey, y’all keep it quiet in there now.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Alex, don’t you fight with your cousin.”
“Yes, Mama,” Alex’s little voice squeaked.
Maddy ambled off down the east wing hallway.
For a moment Christina stood in the empty family room, watching Penny. The Yorkie must have sensed most everyone had gone. She peeked over her shoulder, spotted Christina, and gave her a hard look.
“Hi, Penny. Will you please forgive me?” Christina took a step forward.
Penny’s ears went back. She turned around and faced the corner.
Great. Christina couldn’t even get the dog to like her. And the day had just begun.
“Christina, come on!” Lacey’s voice filtered from the play room.
“Coming.”
Soon she was ensconced at the large play table, coloring with the girls. Books and crayons littered the table, as well as child scissors, paper, pens, and pencils. Mrs. Dearing sure kept the place well stocked. Pogey sat on the floor cross-legged, eyes locked on his TV video game. Lacey and Alex played quietly awhile, then started squabbling about who would color a fairy princess on a certain page. Their argument got louder and louder. Christina started to sweat.
“Shh, you have to be quiet. You don’t want to wake up your mom, Alex.”
“But I want the picture!” She pushed out her lips in an exaggerated pout.
This little girl was spoiled. If Christina ever had kids, she’d love them like crazy, but she’d wouldn’t stand for this. “Well, you can’t have it if you’re going to fight about it.”
“You can’t give it to Lacey!”
“Why can’t she?” Lacey looked just fine with the idea.
Christina reached for the picture. “I’ll take it and not give it to either of you.”
“
You’re
not my mama.” Alex narrowed her eyes.
Oh, please. Pogey kept on playing his game, no help at all.
Christina took a deep breath and manufactured a smile. “No, I’m not. But I’d like to play without fighting, and your mom needs to rest.”
“We
are
playing, and
I
want the picture.” Alex pushed up from the table, her face dark. “I’m gonna go tell.” She stomped toward the door.
“No, wait!” Christina swallowed. “How about if we get something to eat?”
Alex turned back and eyed her with suspicion. “Like what?”
Christina thought a minute. “I’ll bet there’s some apple pie left.”
Lacey screwed up her face. “Apple pie after breakfast? My mama’d be mad.”
Great. Which mother to have angry at her, Maddy or Sarah?
Maddy would be in the worst mood, given her headache. Besides, Christina felt sorry for her. “Well, maybe we’ll do it and not tell.”
Lacey slid a look at her brother. “Pogey’ll tell.”
“Pogey doesn’t even hear us.” The boy was totally lost in cyber land.
Lacey and Alex exchanged looks. Alex unfolded her arms. “I want some pie.”
“Okay, let’s go.” Christina got up before they could change their minds. They followed. She led the girls into the kitchen, praying she’d find some apple pie. She was in luck—half of a pie still sat in the refrigerator.
“I want ice cream with mine,” Alex whined
Of course she did. Christina gritted her teeth and opened the freezer door.
Quickly she fixed the plates and set them before the girls. Since Alex was having ice cream, of course Lacey had to eat some too. They both happily dug in, Lacey swinging her feet. From the look on her face, she was pleased as punch to be getting away with something her mama would never let her do.
This couldn’t be setting a good precedent. But Christina would have to worry about that later.
The girls continued to eat, no fighting. Maybe, Christina thought, she just might get away with this before Jess got home. If the girls would just finish. They were taking forever. Alex took a bite about every other minute.
The front door opened. Christina tensed.
Lacey’s head jerked up. Her mouth was full of pie. “Izza my ma?”
No way, Sarah couldn’t be back that soon. Besides, she’d be coming in from the garage. “I’ll check.” Christina bounced up.
On her way through the family room she vaguely noticed Lady Penelope sleeping in her doggie bed. Apparently Christina’s punishment was over.
She rounded the corner. Jess stood in the front hallway, purse over her shoulder. Carrying three paper bags, which were strangely moving. Anger tightened her lips. In fact every muscle in her body looked hard as granite.
Wonderful.
She held up the bags almost in defiance. “Lobsters.”
“Oh.”
“And Tamel is
not
comin’ to dinner, if you’d like to know.”
Oh
. Christina nodded awkwardly.
Jess eyed her. “So what’s wrong with
you
?”
“I … nothing.”
“Uh-huh.” She stomped past Christina, lugging the bags. “Everybody’s crazy today.”
Christina trotted behind, heart tripping. As they entered the family room, Christina glanced at the girls. They sat at the table, no plates, no pie, gazes fixed on their aunt. Guilt all over their faces.
Jess halted. “What’s goin’ on with you two?”
Lacey raised innocent eyebrows. “Nothin’.”
“Why’re you just sittin’ there?”
Alex shrugged.
Jess turned to face Christina. “What’s goin’ on? Where’s their mamas?”
Christina could hardly find her voice. “Sarah and Mrs. Dearing are at the store. And Maddy’s in bed with a bad headache. I was tryin’ to keep the girls quiet …”
“Apparently you succeeded. I’ve never seen ’em just sit at a table before. What’d you do, feed ’em Prozac?”
Alex jerked. Her hands flew beneath the table, as if grabbing for something. A clatter sounded on the kitchen tile floor. Alex’s face registered shock, then dissolved in tears.
“Oh!” She let out a wail.
Jess tipped back her head, as if accusing the heavens for her rotten day. “Alex,
what
?”
Christina ran to Alex’s side and pulled back her chair. Her half eaten slice of pie and ice cream glopped on the floor, the plate shattered. A fork lay underneath the mess.
“
Look
at my
clothes!”
Alex’s voice rose as she pointed. Half of the food smeared across her bright yellow shorts and the bottom of her blue shirt. She cried louder.
“Shh!” Panic gripped Christina. She placed her palms on Alex’s cheeks. “Don’t worry, I’ll clean it up.”
“I’m all
diirrrr-teee!”
“Please
be quiet.”
“Waaaahh!”
“Good grief, Alex, can it!” Jess marched into the kitchen and dropped her bags in the sink.
Alex shook off Christina’s hands and cried louder.
Surely Maddy could hear. Christina cast a pleading look to Jess. “I promised Maddy we wouldn’t wake her up.”
Jess strode over to Alex and pulled her off the chair. “You want me to make you sit in the garage all by yourself? ’Cause I’m in no mood to put up with you.”
Alex shook her head.
“Then shut up.”
The little girl gulped and clamped her mouth closed, breathing hard.
“That’s better.” Jess straightened and focused on Lacey. “You eatin’ pie too?”
Lacey hesitated, then nodded.
“Well, get it off your lap before you lose it.”
The near empty plate appeared on the table, along with a fork.
Jess thrust a hand on her hip. “What’re you doin’ eatin’ pie in the mornin’?”
Alex swiped at her face and sniffed. Any minute she’d start wailing again. She focused on her lap and pointed to Christina.
Oh, God, help.
Jess swung to Christina. “This what you do in Texas?”
“I just … I needed to keep them quiet, and they were fighting …”
Jess raised a mocking hand—
Of course, what else could you do?
“Whatever. Clean ’em up, would you? I gotta go stick these lobsters in the garage sink.” She towered over Alex. “And don’t you
dare
start cryin’ again. You wake up your mom with a headache, she’s liable to whack you one.”
Christina’s eyes widened. Maddy wouldn’t do that. Would she?
Jess yanked up the bags and barged down the hall toward the garage.
Christina’s legs felt shaky. “Okay, Alex.” She tried to keep her voice calm. “Let’s get you cleaned up.”
Alex shot her an accusing stare. “I have to put on different clothes.”
“That’s fine—”
“How’m I gonna do that without wakin’ up my mama?”
Oh. Right. Her stuff was in Maddy’s room.
“Lacey, can she borrow some of your clothes for a while?”
“She’s smaller ‘n’ me.”
“I don’t
want
her shorts, I want
mine
.” Alex’s pout roared back.
Christina heaved a sigh.
Why
hadn’t she gone to the store? “Okay, tell you what. I’ll wash and dry your shorts and top right now. You should be able to put them back on soon.”
But not before Sarah and Mrs. Dearing came back from the store. Not good. This was going to get worse.
“What’m I supposed to do while you’re washin’ ’em?”
“Do you have anything in another room?”
“How ’bout you wear my nightgown?” Lacey sounded like the older, wiser cousin. “You like it.”
Alex frowned at the table. “Okay.”
Relief surged through Christina. She hugged Lacey. “Thanks so much, big girl.”
Lacey looked proud of herself. “I’ll go get it.” She scampered on mice feet toward the east wing.
Christina began to clean up the mess on the floor. She’d have to throw the broken dish away. Mrs. Dearing would surely notice a plate missing.
Jess appeared, carrying empty paper bags. She still looked sour. “Don’t worry about the plate.” She waved a hand. “Happens every reunion. I’m goin’ up to my room.”
Lacey came back, toting a bright pink nightgown. Alex stripped off her offending clothes and slid into it.
“Okay.” Christina wiped the last of the food off the tile. “Can you girls go back to coloring now and not fight? Don’t use the fairy princess page. Both of you do something else.”
“Oh, she can have it.” Lacey’s voice bulged with tolerance. She headed down the hall, still in her helpful role of older cousin. Alex followed.
“Where’s the washer and dryer?” Christina called after them. She had to do this in a hurry.
Lacey pointed toward the garage. “Down there.”
Christina scurried down the hallway. The garage sat empty, both cars gone. Neatly packed boxes lined built-in shelves on the far side. Toward the back was a door. Christina hurried through it and found a good sized laundry room. Dryer, washer, and a huge deep sink beyond that at the far end. Ironing board and iron. A long line of cabinets with plenty counter space for folding.
Fast as she could, she dumped the clothes in the washer, followed by soap from a nearby box of detergent. Flipped the machine to its smallest load, warm water, and turned it on. Water swished into the machine.
She staggered back through the garage. In the kitchen she gulped a glass of water.
Now …
breathe.
She leaned against the counter, dreading the moment when the two women came home. And Maddy got up. They’d all be so mad at her. Jess was already ticked. Not to mention Penny.