a little. Mom, do you ever think about the future and what it’ll be like when Jenna and me are all grown up?”
Lacey smiled. He was finally opening up a little. Now wasn’t the time to start correcting his grammar. “I think about it all the time. I’ve been putting away money for college since the two of you were born. You’re both so smart I want you to have the opportunity to be whatever you’d like. Then, I hope you’ll find love and settle down. Mostly, I want you to be happy.”
“What about you?” Jerrod asked. “What will you do then?”
“I’ll be fine.” Lacey reached across the table and took his hand. His hands were so much bigger than they used to be. They were calloused and scarred by hard work. He was becoming a man, not someday, but soon. “Maybe you guys will live close by so that I can visit you often.”
“What about love, Mom? Don’t you ever think about having someone to love?”
“I’ll always have you and Jenna. Someday I hope to have a few grandchildren too. That’s more love than any woman could hope for.”
Jerrod gave her a stern look. “You know that’s not what I meant. Stop treating me like a little kid.”
This time, Lacey was the one to turn away. “Exactly what are you getting at?”
“I want to know if you still love my father as much as you used to.”
The abrupt question almost made Lacey gasp. She tried to hedge around the subject. “I know this conversation is way overdue. And, I do want to answer all your questions. I promise I will soon, but I need a little more time.”
“I just need a yes or no, Mom.” Jerrod’s voice was lower than she’d ever heard it. “That’s all I need to know right now.”
“The answer is yes,” Lacey whispered. “I still love him just as much.”
Jerrod squeezed her hand. “Thanks. I didn’t mean to give you a hard time. You know how much I love you. I don’t even mind doing these dishes by myself if you’d like to soak in the tub for a while tonight.”
Lacey gave her son a big hug before she went to her room. She sat on her big empty bed and wished she had someone to cuddle up to, someone she could share her thoughts with. She wished that person could be Alex.
The chances of that happening got slimmer with every day that passed without a phone call. She hadn’t heard a word from him since he’d left on Sunday.
Would he be back this weekend, or had he walked away again? There was only one way to find out.
Lacey took the business card out of her nightstand and looked at it. A. J. Benson, he didn’t even use his given name anymore, at least not in his world. Everything had changed about him except the way he made her feel. He made her feel alive again, full of promise and passion.
She picked up the phone next to her bed and dialed his cell phone number. She didn’t know where he might be at this time of the evening. A recording came through the receiver. “All circuits are busy at this time. Please try your call again later.”
She hung up. It wasn’t unusual for the lines to be busy at the end of the workday. Then she remembered what Alex had said before. He didn’t leave work until after dark. She dialed his office number.
“Thank you for calling East Coast Land Development,” his assistant’s voice said on a recorded message. “Our Orlando headquarters is closed, due to relocation. All current clients will be contacted within the coming week. If your call is urgent, please contact the satellite office nearest you. As always, East Coast Land Development is glad to assist in your future growth.”
Lacey’s hand felt numb as she placed the receiver back into the cradle. What did that mean? Alex hadn’t said a word about relocating. Was his office moving to another building in Orlando, another city, another state? Why hadn’t he said anything? Why hadn’t he called? Was this the reason for his odd behavior Sunday?
Lacey realized that her breaths were short and shallow. The room seemed to
Lacey smiled. He was finally opening up a little. Now wasn’t the time to start correcting his grammar. “I think about it all the time. I’ve been putting away money for college since the two of you were born. You’re both so smart I want you to have the opportunity to be whatever you’d like. Then, I hope you’ll find love and settle down. Mostly, I want you to be happy.”
“What about you?” Jerrod asked. “What will you do then?”
“I’ll be fine.” Lacey reached across the table and took his hand. His hands were so much bigger than they used to be. They were calloused and scarred by hard work. He was becoming a man, not someday, but soon. “Maybe you guys will live close by so that I can visit you often.”
“What about love, Mom? Don’t you ever think about having someone to love?”
“I’ll always have you and Jenna. Someday I hope to have a few grandchildren too. That’s more love than any woman could hope for.”
Jerrod gave her a stern look. “You know that’s not what I meant. Stop treating me like a little kid.”
This time, Lacey was the one to turn away. “Exactly what are you getting at?”
“I want to know if you still love my father as much as you used to.”
The abrupt question almost made Lacey gasp. She tried to hedge around the subject. “I know this conversation is way overdue. And, I do want to answer all your questions. I promise I will soon, but I need a little more time.”
“I just need a yes or no, Mom.” Jerrod’s voice was lower than she’d ever heard it. “That’s all I need to know right now.”
“The answer is yes,” Lacey whispered. “I still love him just as much.”
Jerrod squeezed her hand. “Thanks. I didn’t mean to give you a hard time. You know how much I love you. I don’t even mind doing these dishes by myself if you’d like to soak in the tub for a while tonight.”
Lacey gave her son a big hug before she went to her room. She sat on her big empty bed and wished she had someone to cuddle up to, someone she could share her thoughts with. She wished that person could be Alex.
The chances of that happening got slimmer with every day that passed without a phone call. She hadn’t heard a word from him since he’d left on Sunday.
Would he be back this weekend, or had he walked away again? There was only one way to find out.
Lacey took the business card out of her nightstand and looked at it. A. J. Benson, he didn’t even use his given name anymore, at least not in his world. Everything had changed about him except the way he made her feel. He made her feel alive again, full of promise and passion.
She picked up the phone next to her bed and dialed his cell phone number. She didn’t know where he might be at this time of the evening. A recording came through the receiver. “All circuits are busy at this time. Please try your call again later.”
She hung up. It wasn’t unusual for the lines to be busy at the end of the workday. Then she remembered what Alex had said before. He didn’t leave work until after dark. She dialed his office number.
“Thank you for calling East Coast Land Development,” his assistant’s voice said on a recorded message. “Our Orlando headquarters is closed, due to relocation. All current clients will be contacted within the coming week. If your call is urgent, please contact the satellite office nearest you. As always, East Coast Land Development is glad to assist in your future growth.”
Lacey’s hand felt numb as she placed the receiver back into the cradle. What did that mean? Alex hadn’t said a word about relocating. Was his office moving to another building in Orlando, another city, another state? Why hadn’t he said anything? Why hadn’t he called? Was this the reason for his odd behavior Sunday?
Lacey realized that her breaths were short and shallow. The room seemed to
Similar Books
