“I am too, and I know I have the right person in that job.”
“Yeah, so take as much time as you need. We’ve got things under control.”
Mom smiles. “You don’t know how happy I am to know that. Not that I ever doubted it.”
“Well, you don’t have to.”
“Good.” She takes a sip of her coffee. Then she looks at my father.
What’s going on?
“So,” Mom says, “I’ve decided to retire. Effective immediately.”
I have to stop my eyes from popping out of their sockets. I set my mug down with a shaking hand, nearly spilling coffee on the table. “Did I hear you right? You’re fifty years old, Mom. Not anywhere close to retirement age.”
“You heard me right. Dad and I had a lot to talk about while he was recuperating in the hospital. And we’ve decided…we don’t want to miss one more minute of our lives together. We want to spend more time with each other, not less. He can’t give up the orchard, not yet. Not until Brianna is a little older and more established. But I can give up the city attorney’s office because I have the best attorney in Colorado ready to take my place.”
I look at my mother, and then I look to my father. I don’t know what I’m searching for… Maybe some indication that this is all a big joke, because I can’t imagine that it can possibly be true.
“Mom, you love working.”
“But I love your father more. I almost lost him, Donny. I’m not going to waste another moment of our time together.”
“Working isn’t a waste of time. You love being an attorney.”
“I do. I was a damned good one for twenty-five years. I’ve made my mark, and now it’s time for you to make yours. There are other things for me to do now. I want to be home. Taking care of your father when he needs me. I may just do some writing. Maybe start a business.”
I open my mouth to speak, but no words emerge. I have no idea what to say. I’m shocked, to be sure, especially since my mother has always encouraged all four of her kids to reach for their dreams and make their own way in the world. She was a working mom all her life. None of us suffered for it. We were well cared for, and she and Dad spent a lot of time with us on the weekends.
“Are you sure this is what you want?” I can’t help asking.
“I know it’s a little off brand for me,” she says, “but I’m sure.”
“Trust me, son,” Dad says. “She and I had a lot of words about it. I even tried to talk her out of it because I wasn’t sure she could be happy as a housewife. But she won’t be just a housewife. She’s got lots of other things to do, and I have to also tell you, I’m looking forward to seeing her more often.”
“If you’re both sure.”
“We are,” Mom says. “I’m truly happy about the decision. I’m already thinking about ideas for a legal thriller.”
“I’m sure you’ll write a great one. Then you can be the second member of the family who’s a published author, after Aunt Melanie.”
“Maybe I will be. I also want to help Marjorie. She and I are thinking about an event-planning business.”
“Serving grilled cheese and tomato sandwiches and chocolate cake?” I chuckle.
“Ha-ha, good one. She’ll be the cook, of course. I’ll work on the business side.”
“Starting a business. Writing a novel. I had no idea you had such aspirations, Mom.”
“To be honest, neither did I. I thought I would practice law until the day I met my maker. But Marjorie has been after me for a while to put together a business plan with her and Ava, and the idea for a novel has been percolating in me for years now. I never thought I’d find the time to do either, but now, with you here, I can do all that and be here with your father more often.”
Darla bustles in then. “Sorry, Miss Jade. That was my mother. Unfortunately, she broke her hip, and I’m going to need to ask for a few days off.”
“Of course, that’s no problem. Will you be back for the party Saturday evening?”
“I’m not sure.”
“No worries. I can manage,” Mom says.