Once in Every Life

Until now, Tess vowed. Somehow she'd change that; somehow she'd bring laughter and love into these walls.

Laughter. That was the key. She had to teach Jack to laugh. It seemed like a simple thing, too simple, but Tess was certain that everything hinged on that. If he could let go of his anger long enough to laugh, or even to smile, maybe the real Jack would come out of hiding.

But how to make him smile? That was the question that had kept her awake half the night. But about ten seconds ago she'd dusted off a jar of pickles, and it had come to her.

Do the unexpected. Get him off guard, and keep him off guard. She'd done it once already, when he'd interrupted her bath. Seeing her naked had shaken him up so badly, he'd forgotten to be mad for a while.

Now she just had to get him that off balance with her clothes on.

It would work. She was certain of it.

All she had to do was figure out what he expected of her. And do the opposite.

Tess was waiting on the porch for Savannah and Katie when the girls got home from school. "Hi, girls!" she yelled cheerily, waving.

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Savannah gave her a tentative smile and waved back. "Hi, Mama."

Tess plucked up her heavy skirt and hurried down the steps, crossing the grassy yard to meet them. "I've been waiting for y'all to get home from school. I've got a great idea."

Katie perked up. "Really? What?" Tess linked arms with each girl, and together they walked toward the house. "You'll see, but first I want to ask you a few questions."

Both girls immediately tensed, their brisk walk slowed to a hesitant shuffle, then stopped altogether.

Kneeling in the grass, Tess gathered them close. "Don't be worried. It's nothing major. I just wondered what things are usually like around here." Two blank stares.

Tess tried a more specific question. "I mean, what does your daddy expect around the house?"

Savannah frowned in thought. "You mean like having supper on time?"

Tess grinned. "Exactly! So your daddy expects his meals on time. What else?" "Well, he likes things quiet." "Uh-huh. What else?"

Savannah shrugged. "I dunno. He don't like messes." Tess's grin softened to a thoughtful smile. "You're right about that." She turned to Katie. "Can you think of anything he expects, sweetie?"

Katie's eyes bulged in surprise, as if she couldn't believe her mother was asking her for advice. Then she screwed up her little face in deep concentration. "Nobody's 'posed to touch his tools 'n' stuff in the barn." "That's perfect, Katie. Just perfect!" Disbelief rounded the little girl's eyes. "It is?"

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Tess nodded. "The best. And now, here's the hard part. What does he expect of me?"

They both answered at once. "Yelling."

Tess laughed happily. "No problem. I hardly ever yell. Now," she said. "How about that game?"

"Are you sure?" Savannah asked, eyeing Tess warily. "Daddy don't like games like this."

Tess gave her a look of complete innocence. "But everybody likes hide-and-seek."

"I like hide-and-seek," Katie piped up, her pudgy pink fingers wrapped tightly around the bunch of spoons Tess had given her.

"There, you see," Tess said to Savannah. "Everyone likes hide-and-seek. Now, Katie, you go hide the rest of the silverware while Savannah shows me again how to baste this damned bird without getting burned. Then wash up your hands and go get your daddy."

Jack wiped the gritty dirt off the pitchfork's prongs and carefully hung it on the barn wall. The perfectly aligned pitchforks, hoes, rakes, and other farming instruments glinted dully in the late afternoon's fading light. Turning away, he eased the hammer from his belt and hung it on its hook above the workbench. It hung perfectly straight in its place alongside the trowel.

"Daddy, supper's ready!"

"Supper?" Jack turned away from the workbench and saw Savannah standing just outside the barn door. A gentle breeze rustled her skirt and lifted the curly ends of her long hair. Her cheeks were flushed, and there was a brightness in her eyes he hadn't seen in a long time.