“Thank you. It’s new, and after all these months, it’s been nice just to be around him, soaking up his presence. Anyway, what are your plans for today? I can stay home if you need help around the house?” I ask her.
“None of that. I have enough time to clean, cook, and pester Nurse Ratchet when she’s working with your daddy. I swear that woman wouldn’t know a kind hand if it bit her in the ass.” I’m not sure if that’s the case or if Momma doesn’t like what she’s’ doing and can feel she’d do a better job.
“Why don’t I sit with Daddy today? You get out of the house for a bit. I’m all caught up, and I know for a fact you haven’t hung out with Creed’s mom in a long time.” I arch my eyebrow at her. I’m not sure if she’ll take the bait, but I hope she will.
“You and your brother, y'all must be sick of seeing more of me or something because just last week, he told me to go out and get my hair and nails done. When have you ever known me to get my nails done? The hair yes, but nails? He’s lost his mind, that boy.”
“Well, at least I was smart enough to suggest hanging out with Mrs. Montgomery.” Momma really could use a girl’s day out, along with a good pampering.
“That’s because you’re smart. I think your brother needs some smoothing around the edges if he ever plans on settling down. At the rate things are going, it’ll be you and Creed who give me grandbabies first.” This causes me to blush because Creed and I are in fact doing nothing in the prevention department when it comes to children, albeit a little bit backwards in what our small town thinks, but that’s okay. We’re doing us, not them.
“Hmmm, we’ll see about that.” I don’t agree or disagree with her, but the smile that takes over her face, yeah, she’ll be expecting that to happen, and soon.
“Fine, you sure you don’t mind sitting with Daddy today?” It takes everything I have not to roll my eyes at her. Of course I don’t mind.
“No, let me go wash up and change. Then you’re free to go about your day. I’ll see if Creed wants to eat supper with us.” Heck, if it means Mom will go out and breathe today, I’ll even cook dinner.
“Thank you, honey. You’re the best daughter.” She stands up, excited and ready to get her morning started.
“You’re welcome and, Momma, I’m your only daughter.” We both laugh at her joke and my statement, the heaviness lifting around us, finally. Now, if we could get Daddy back up and at it, then life would be blissfully perfect.
Thirteen
Creed
“No shit,” I say into the phone. I’m out of town for the night. I was worried shit was going to get hard on Laney, but she’s taking it like a champ, and hopefully we don’t have to do this too often. It seems Mr. Spencer is doing much better lately, so much so that he’s taking small steps and then was sitting up in a wheelchair.
“Yeah, I’m so excited. Mom is happier than a pig in shit. Rhett’s being ridiculously nice to everyone, and my stuff is all taken care of. So, now I’m in bed, talking to you.” I can hear the joy in her voice.
“I’m glad to hear it, sugar. I know everyone is happy. Nurse Ratchet still around?” Apparently, when my mom and Mrs. Spencer went out, she let everyone know what she thought about the nurse taking care of Mr. Spencer. This is life in a small town though. I wouldn’t change it for the world.
“How’s your day going?” Laney asks on the other end of the line.
“Hot. I’m ready for winter, that’s for damn sure. After today I shouldn’t be out of town for a while. I wouldn’t be now if it weren’t for the outage from a freak storm that took out over a hundred thousand customers’ power.”
“Don’t hope for that to come too fast, or we’ll be freezing our asses off.” Like I said, taking this shit like a champ.
“Better to be cold, so I can warm you up. Missing you something fierce. Not sure how we did this for so long before now.” My day was long and hot. Lots of pissed-off customers, some more thankful, bringing us food and drinks when we don’t have time to stop and eat. Hell, tonight we’re lucky to be in a hotel. There are some days we work eighteen hours, sleep in our trucks, and don’t get a hot shower or a bed for days on end.
“Creed.” I hear the desire ripping through her body, that restlessness she seems to always have when I tell her anything about my emotions. Makes me realize how much Laney needs to hear what I’m saying. And I’d be a fool not to tell her.