She frowned slightly. “Are you sure you’re really ready to move on?”
“Come on,” he said. “We already have. There are a couple of things I worry about. The kids. I’ve been holding Becky in place by threatening her that I’d tell the kids if she didn’t do things my way. I wasn’t being mean. I don’t want them exposed to her lifestyle. I don’t want them in the house she used to entertain men. I wasn’t going to have her in my bed. In fact, I drove all the way to Denver for a checkup to make sure she hadn’t passed any of her little escort business on to me. I didn’t want her staying overnight at all. Luckily the kids barely noticed because she doesn’t come that often and we’re all like ships passing in the night. But, Lola, what about the kids? I have to tell them, don’t I?”
Lola visibly withdrew. “Oh... I don’t know...”
He was shaking his head. “I hate pretending. I hate covering up things. You know, my great-great-grandfather was a bootlegger and people still whisper it. I have an uncle who had two families, but no one knows the other family and everyone snickers. They have a million little rat holes they can’t talk about. I’m so torn. I don’t want my kids not to know the truth but I don’t want to screw them up with it, either. When I knocked up Becky in high school, my dad went real hard on me. He told me to get jobs, work, save my money, take care of my family. He didn’t exactly reach out. Then when Becky was pregnant the second time my mom took me aside and said, ‘Do your best and we’ll help where we can. Your dad should be more understanding—when we got married you were a bun in the oven.’ So you know what? I told Jackson—I told him I didn’t regret a thing, that my life with my family was precious to me, but he should use his head and plan his children better. Then he might not have to work so hard to take care of them.”
“Every family has those things,” Lola said.
“They don’t have to tell the neighbors, but shouldn’t they know the truth? That’s how we’ve gotten along so far—being honest. Telling the truth.”
“I don’t know,” she said again. “This one might be too much for kids. Even adult kids.”
“And the other thing—can you be with a man like me? I made some awful mistakes...”
She smiled gently. “I don’t see many mistakes in there, Tom. You loved your wife, you didn’t want a divorce. Bless her little heart, she lost a good man. I bet she’s sorry about that now.”
“I don’t think so,” he said. “Although I do believe she wanted it all—independence and freedom as well as a family, a variety of men who could take her to fancy places and the one at home she practically grew up with.”
She leaned toward him and gave him a small kiss on the cheek. “You are my everything,” she said. “I can’t imagine one more thing I would need.”
“You can live with a man who slept with his ex-wife, the hooker, for years?”
She gave him an amused smile. “I don’t think you should do it anymore.”
He growled and pulled her against him. “God, I love you. You’re the best thing that ever happened to me.”
“When we figure out a way to shuffle all these kids around and find a place where we can be together, I’m not sure I can share space with your ex-wife.”
“We’ll figure that out. The kids are real close to moving on. I don’t want them to go far—we’ll always have room for them, but... Brenda graduates from high school next year. I’m going to buy her luggage...”
Lola giggled.
“I’m going to talk to my kids...”
“Easy does it, Tom. Let’s concentrate on one thing at a time. I’m going to tell my boys that after a year of dating, we’re talking about making a commitment, but we’re not rushing our families. I just want them to know. I owe it to them that there be no surprises.”
“Like any of them would be surprised...”
“Take it slow, Tom. I worry about your girls and how they might take the news about their mom. No matter how she lives her life, she loves them and they love her. Guard that. It’s precious.”
“Why don’t you tell them for me,” he suggested.
“Nice try.”
* * *
Sedona Jones Packard couldn’t bring her family to Colorado on such short notice, but she would not be kept away from Sierra’s wedding, small and simple though it might be. She arrived on Saturday for the Sunday afternoon ceremony.
“I’m very happy you made it,” Sierra said, embracing her. “And if you try to improve or help in any way, you will be banished.”
“Just tell me what you’d like me to do,” she said.
“Did you bring a dress?” Sierra asked.
“Of course!”
“Then tomorrow at three thirty you can put it on and at four o’clock you can be our witness. Connie’s brother is standing up for him and you, my sister, will be my matron of honor.”
“Oh, Sierra! You do like me!”
“I love you, but you do get on my nerves. You’re so bossy!”
“Not anymore,” Sedona said. “I’ve cured much of that. I don’t have to have my way all the time anymore.”
“Wonderful. Then get comfortable, play with the baby, visit with your brother, relax and enjoy yourself.”
“I’ll help with dinner,” Sedona said.
“Cal’s making dinner tonight. Family only.”
“I’ve got it,” Cal yelled from the kitchen.
So Sedona had a glass of wine, visited with Maggie and Sierra, was caught up on all the family gossip—like how Sierra met and fell in love with Connie—and then when she could stand it no longer, she migrated to the breakfast bar, where she could watch Cal at work.
“Will you be turning the flame down on those potatoes pretty soon?” she asked. “You aren’t going to boil those beans, are you? Because if you steam them...” Cal glared at her. “Point me to the good dishes and I’ll set the table.” Then, less than three minutes later, she asked, “Are you sure these are the good dishes?”
Thus, Sedona was banished from the kitchen. But by a unanimous vote, she was elected to clean up.
Sedona was indefatigable. When Dakota arrived, they hugged and greeted each other; he asked about her husband, Bob, and the kids, then she said, “So, what’s this about you being a garbage collector?”
“It’s an excellent job with great benefits and pay,” he said.
“And when will you put your education and experience to use?” she asked.
Sierra called Sully. “The sooner you can get over here and occupy Sedona, the less likely one of us will kill her.”
Sully arrived at Cal and Maggie’s a little earlier than he had planned, but it became obvious right off that it was not so much to be helpful as to figure out what was going on. He had met Sedona briefly when Cal and Maggie got married but he’d never seen the Jones siblings gathered like this, without a lot of other people around. He asked for a tall iced tea, then sat back and observed. Sedona was telling Cal how to make the dinner, quizzing Dakota about his future plans, insisting that Sierra go over her plans for the wedding day. After a little of this, he took Sedona’s elbow in his grip and escorted her to Cal’s patio.
“Sit down here and tell me about yourself,” Sully said. “I’ve had a lot of time with your brothers and sister but I hardly know you at all.”
Sedona sat in a lawn chair and proceeded to tell him about her husband, Bob, her son, Travis, and daughter, Rayna, about Little League and swim club and her husband’s business, which was a successful architecture firm that designed everything from skyscrapers to luxury homes. She elaborated on the kids: one had glasses like his father, the other scared her to death with her love of diving from the high board. She didn’t stop talking for twenty minutes.
“You must have a lot of experience in a lot of things,” Sully said.
“I suppose,” she said. “Why do you say that?”
“You’re full of advice,” he said. “I know a little about your folks. They sound like pretty interesting people. Why do you suppose each one of you four kids is so accomplished? I think someone should know the formula and write a book about it,” Sully said.
“Well, there’s no good explanation. We weren’t exactly raised to be independent as much as we never had much parenting. Your story is probably more interesting. How do you explain raising a neurosurgeon?”
Sully laughed. “Girl, I take no credit for that whatsoever. Maggie’s mother and stepfather saw to her schooling and her discipline. I counted myself lucky if they let her come for a visit. My ex-wife left me when Maggie was only six and kept us separated for years. She said I was a terrible father and she was probably right. I think Maggie is who she is in spite of me, but thank God I didn’t hold her back too much.”
And just like that, tears gathered like storms in Sedona’s eyes and she started crying. Rivers flowed down her cheeks and she used her napkin as a tissue to mop up the tears and blow her nose.
“Here, now,” Sully said, reaching out and patting her knee.
Sedona babbled something unintelligible.
Sully opened the back door and called to Maggie. Maggie came to the door with a perplexed look on her face but then took in the sight of Sedona sobbing.
“Oh dear God,” Maggie said in aggravation. “What did you say to her?”
“I just asked her about herself. She was telling me about her husband and kids, who, by the way, are perfect and exceptional.”
Maggie crouched beside Sedona, pulling her into her arms. “What is it?” she asked gently. “Tell me what’s wrong.”
With a hiccup of emotion, Sedona looked at Maggie. “We’re separated!” she said in a stressed whisper. “Bob moved out, left me and took the kids. He said my perfectionism was going to be the end of us all. I don’t know what in the world I’m supposed to do.”