than ten
minutes, say hi to Dorothy and leave. Today they hadn’t even bothered to get
out of the car. With a sigh and frown, Jamie shook her head. Unbelievable. A
heart to heart with her husband’s brother was overdue and necessary. “Look at
you. Looks like you got a few things.”
Maddie smiled widely. “Check this out, Mom.” She opened a bag and took
out Ghirardelli chocolates, a purple cashmere sweater and a pair of True
Religion jeans. “Aunt Susan bought them for me. She said they’ll be perfect for
next fall. Her personal shopper picked them out just for me. And Uncle David
took me to the bookstore and he got me a bunch of new books I can’t wait to
read. They’re in my suitcase at the door. Can you bring it in for me? It’s kinda
heavy.”
“Sure, sweetie. Sounds like you had fun.” A tightness crept into her
shoulders and neck. The jeans alone had to have cost over a hundred dollars.
“I had a great time. We saw the new movie with Matt Damon in it, and then
last night we watched Mamma Mia again on DVD, and we ate at Auntie Sue’s
favorite restaurant. It was the best Mexican food ever,” she squealed.
“That’s wonderful, honey.”
“Where’s Grandma? I want to tell her about it, even though she won’t
remember.”
“Waiting for her suitor.”
Maddie smiled. “Who is it supposed to be tonight?”
“Dean, of course.”
Maddie rolled her eyes. “Should have known. Oh, my gosh. I can’t believe
I almost forgot, but the best part this weekend was that Aunt Susan got a
horse.”
“She got a horse?”
Maddie nodded. “It’s amazing. He’s soooo beautiful and sweet. He’s
sorrel, which Aunt Susan explained is like a reddish brown, and he has a blaze
on his face, and he jumps!”
Jamie remembered that Susan grew up riding horses and as a young woman
rode on the show jumping circuit, but her prized horse had been injured badly,
resulting in his having to be put down, so she’d gotten out of the horse world.
Apparently she’d gotten back in. “Great. That’s wonderful.”
“It is, Mom. She said that I can come and ride with her sometimes. I want
to go again next weekend. They said that I could. Aunt Susan even said that
she’d get riding lessons for me!”
The muscles in Jamie’s neck and shoulders tightened further. “Honey, I
think that’s great, but we need to talk about this, and right now my friends
are coming over.”
“But Mom. I can tell you’re going to say no.”
“I didn’t say no. I said that we need to talk about it, but not now.”
“But I want to.”
“Nevertheless, I need you to either go in and watch TV with Grandma, or
read one of your new books, or find something to do in your room. We will
discuss this later. I am expecting company soon.” Jamie stood up straight and
then, oh no, that smell. Burning . The duck!
“Señora Jamie!” Nora yelled.
“I know, I know.” Grabbing hot pads off the counter, she pulled open the
oven to see that things were only a tad crispy but not burnt. She took the duck
out and pulled at a wing. Hmmm. Not at all appetizing and nothing like the
photo in the cookbook.
As if on cue, Nora grabbed the hot pads and the duck from her and dumped
it into the trash. She headed to the fridge and took out cheeses and some
fruit, and went to the cupboard for crackers. Jamie turned off the stove. So
much for duck a l’orange and saffron mashed potatoes.
“Mommy.” Maddie placed her hands on her hips.
“Not now, Maddie.”
Jamie turned in time to see her storm off toward her room. Great way to
welcome the kid home, but Susan and David obviously weren’t doing her any
favors. Horses! Now it was horses!
Jamie kicked the trash can and Nora’s eyebrows went up in scorn. “I know.
I know. Don’t look at me like that, though.”
Nora seemed to understand her this time as she turned away and sliced up
the cheese. Jamie gave up trying to play blue-ribbon hostess, and went upstairs
to change out of the t-shirt that was now
minutes, say hi to Dorothy and leave. Today they hadn’t even bothered to get
out of the car. With a sigh and frown, Jamie shook her head. Unbelievable. A
heart to heart with her husband’s brother was overdue and necessary. “Look at
you. Looks like you got a few things.”
Maddie smiled widely. “Check this out, Mom.” She opened a bag and took
out Ghirardelli chocolates, a purple cashmere sweater and a pair of True
Religion jeans. “Aunt Susan bought them for me. She said they’ll be perfect for
next fall. Her personal shopper picked them out just for me. And Uncle David
took me to the bookstore and he got me a bunch of new books I can’t wait to
read. They’re in my suitcase at the door. Can you bring it in for me? It’s kinda
heavy.”
“Sure, sweetie. Sounds like you had fun.” A tightness crept into her
shoulders and neck. The jeans alone had to have cost over a hundred dollars.
“I had a great time. We saw the new movie with Matt Damon in it, and then
last night we watched Mamma Mia again on DVD, and we ate at Auntie Sue’s
favorite restaurant. It was the best Mexican food ever,” she squealed.
“That’s wonderful, honey.”
“Where’s Grandma? I want to tell her about it, even though she won’t
remember.”
“Waiting for her suitor.”
Maddie smiled. “Who is it supposed to be tonight?”
“Dean, of course.”
Maddie rolled her eyes. “Should have known. Oh, my gosh. I can’t believe
I almost forgot, but the best part this weekend was that Aunt Susan got a
horse.”
“She got a horse?”
Maddie nodded. “It’s amazing. He’s soooo beautiful and sweet. He’s
sorrel, which Aunt Susan explained is like a reddish brown, and he has a blaze
on his face, and he jumps!”
Jamie remembered that Susan grew up riding horses and as a young woman
rode on the show jumping circuit, but her prized horse had been injured badly,
resulting in his having to be put down, so she’d gotten out of the horse world.
Apparently she’d gotten back in. “Great. That’s wonderful.”
“It is, Mom. She said that I can come and ride with her sometimes. I want
to go again next weekend. They said that I could. Aunt Susan even said that
she’d get riding lessons for me!”
The muscles in Jamie’s neck and shoulders tightened further. “Honey, I
think that’s great, but we need to talk about this, and right now my friends
are coming over.”
“But Mom. I can tell you’re going to say no.”
“I didn’t say no. I said that we need to talk about it, but not now.”
“But I want to.”
“Nevertheless, I need you to either go in and watch TV with Grandma, or
read one of your new books, or find something to do in your room. We will
discuss this later. I am expecting company soon.” Jamie stood up straight and
then, oh no, that smell. Burning . The duck!
“Señora Jamie!” Nora yelled.
“I know, I know.” Grabbing hot pads off the counter, she pulled open the
oven to see that things were only a tad crispy but not burnt. She took the duck
out and pulled at a wing. Hmmm. Not at all appetizing and nothing like the
photo in the cookbook.
As if on cue, Nora grabbed the hot pads and the duck from her and dumped
it into the trash. She headed to the fridge and took out cheeses and some
fruit, and went to the cupboard for crackers. Jamie turned off the stove. So
much for duck a l’orange and saffron mashed potatoes.
“Mommy.” Maddie placed her hands on her hips.
“Not now, Maddie.”
Jamie turned in time to see her storm off toward her room. Great way to
welcome the kid home, but Susan and David obviously weren’t doing her any
favors. Horses! Now it was horses!
Jamie kicked the trash can and Nora’s eyebrows went up in scorn. “I know.
I know. Don’t look at me like that, though.”
Nora seemed to understand her this time as she turned away and sliced up
the cheese. Jamie gave up trying to play blue-ribbon hostess, and went upstairs
to change out of the t-shirt that was now
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