Adding Up to Marriage by Karen Templeton

the aforementioned construction paper projects. Withgreat effort, Doughboy lifted his massive head from his customary nap spot in a pool of sunshine by the patio door. Duuuude, make it stooooooop…
    â€œIf only I could, boy,” Silas muttered, yanking back the door to find his brother—shirtless, even though it stopped being warm ten degrees ago—sawing planks on a makeshift sawhorse while up in the tree Jewel was happily hammering away, singing at the top of her lungs.
    â€œHey, bro,” Noah yelled over, shoving his safety glasses up on his sweaty forehead, a look only he could pull off and look good. Correction: Only he, Eli and Jesse could pull off and look good. “Whaddya think so far?”
    â€œOf…?” Silas asked. Even though the hammering in the tree kinda gave him his first clue.
    At that, Jewel popped up like the little Disney critter she was, all smiles and exuberant waves. From six feet over the ground. The hard, rocky ground that could easily break small limbs.
    From the back of the yard the boys raced over, those small limbs churning and flapping like mad. “Uncle Noah an’ Jewel are building us a tree house! ” they both yelled at once, and Silas equally apportioned his glare between his brother and his new nanny.
    â€œBoys, why don’t you go inside and get Popsicles?”
    â€œBut we just had a snack,” Tad said, even as, with a stage-whispered “Ssh!” Ollie yanked his baby brother across the yard and into the house.
    Silence descended. As did Jewel, down the sturdy new ladder nailed into the mulberry’s trunk. Thumbs hooked into her jeans’ pockets underneath a neon pink hoodie, she walked over to Silas, Noah promptly joining her. “I thought you’d be pleased.”
    â€œPleased?” he practically bellowed. “A tree house? For cripes’ sake, Tad’s only four —”
    â€œBut you said yourself—” ignore the tears, ignore the tears “—how great the mulberry was for a tree house!”
    â€œWhen on earth did I say that?”
    â€œThe first day I sat for the kids! Remember? I mentioned how the tree was perfect, with those nice low branches, and you agreed!”
    â€œI was making idle conversation, for crying out loud! Not putting in an order!” To avoid the imminent waterworks, Silas turned on Noah. “And how in the hell did you get dragged into this?”
    â€œShe asked me to help?” his brother said. “And what’s with the wadded boxers, anyway? We had a tree house—”
    â€œAnd both you and Eli broke your arms falling out of it!”
    Scratching his head, Noah gave a sheepish grin. “We didn’t so much fall as we sorta jumped. Although say one word to Dad and you’re dead meat—”
    â€œNot making me feel better.”
    â€œBro. We were in middle school. And there were no safety rails. Not that that would’ve stopped us, probably—”
    â€œI’m sorry,” Jewel said in a small, defeated voice. “I thought…” She walked over to the picnic table and sank onto the bench, rubbing her arm. “I thought I was doing a good thing. Honestly. Especially when Noah got right on board—”
    â€œThere was your first mistake,” Silas muttered.
    â€œHey!” Noah said, and Jewel almost smiled. Then she sighed.
    â€œThe boys are going to climb the tree, anyway, you know. At least now they’ll have a good, solid way to get up there. And a safe, secure place to be once up. See?” she said, pointing. “Safety rails.”
    â€œAnd we could put barbed wire around the top so theycouldn’t climb over,” Noah said, backing up and laughing, his hands raised, at Silas’s incredulous expression. “Just kidding, geez! Lighten up, man.”
    Lighten up? As if. However…air rushed from his lungs. The tree’s very existence was an invitation to climb it. As