him for more than twenty years. Just because he’s turned out to be a low-down skunk doesn’t mean he can’t still twist you into knots.” She looked Maddie in the eye. “What did he do? Do I need to hunt him down?”
“I wish it were that simple. I wish a good swift kick or a smack upside his head would knock some sense into him, but I think he’s hopeless. Clueless, anyway.” Maddie shrugged. “How could I have been so wrong about him? For twenty years I lived with a man who was smart and reasonably sensitive. Now it’s as if he checked his brain somewhere and can’t remember where.”
“Well, we know he’s thinking with another part of his anatomy,” Dana Sue offered. “What did he do?”
“He was tied up at the hospital today, so he sent Noreen by to pick up the kids.” She twisted the tail off a shrimp with such force that both the shell and the shrimp went flying across the kitchen in opposite directions. She scowled at Dana Sue. “He sent that woman to my house to pick up my kids.”
“I can just imagine how that went,” Dana Sue said as she retrieved the scattered remains of the shrimp.
“I doubt it,” Maddie told her. “Tyler answered the door and told her to get the hell away from our house. Kyle ran upstairs and locked himself in his room and Katie burst into tears. It took me a half hour to calm her down. It’s breaking my heart to see how much she misses her dad.”
“And what did Noreen do during all this commotion?”
“Stood there wringing her hands and telling me she just doesn’t understand why the kids don’t like her anymore. I told her to ask Bill. I should’ve said that maybe even her little pea brain could come up with an explanation if she really tried.”
Dana Sue chuckled. “That would have been a nice shot.”
Maddie sighed. “One she deserved, but it hardly solves anything. I’m sure Bill is going to be on a tear once he hears how she was received by me and the kids. I’ll have to listen to another of his tirades about how we’re not giving Noreen a fair chance, that she’s in his life now, that she’s having his baby, that I promised to help smooth things over and now they’re worse than ever, and on and on and on.”
Dana Sue gave Maddie a penetrating look. “Something tells me you’re not this upset just because Bill’s going to have himself a hissy fit.”
“Of course not. I’m upset because my kids’ lives have been turned inside out and I can’t seem to do a thing to help them. I don’t even know where to start.”
“Where are they right now?”
“My mother’s taken them to Charleston to dinner and a movie.”
“Her idea or yours?”
“Mine, if you must know, at least the part about them spending the afternoon with her. I was desperate. I figured they needed a break from me as much as they needed onefrom Noreen and their dad. All this tension has taken a terrible toll on them.”
“And on you,” Dana Sue reminded her. “What are you doing for yourself?”
“Running to you,” Maddie said.
“If we had our spa, you could soak in the hot tub and have a massage,” Dana Sue reminded her.
Maddie frowned. “My thirty days have barely begun. Stop pressuring me. I really don’t need that on top of everything else today.”
“Just pointing out one of the advantages of going into business with me and Helen,” Dana Sue said mildly. “I could list more.”
“Not necessary. I think I have a handle on most of them,” Maddie admitted.
Dana Sue studied her intently. “Meaning?”
“Nothing,” Maddie said. “Ask me a couple of weeks from now.”
“You know you’re going to agree to this. You’re just being stubborn.”
“Maybe I’m just enjoying keeping the two of you dangling on the end of my hook,” Maddie retorted. “It’s rare that I have the upper hand.”
She finally popped one of the peeled shrimp into her mouth and savored the burst of spices. “Mmm, these are fantastic!”
Dana Sue chuckled. “I’m
“I wish it were that simple. I wish a good swift kick or a smack upside his head would knock some sense into him, but I think he’s hopeless. Clueless, anyway.” Maddie shrugged. “How could I have been so wrong about him? For twenty years I lived with a man who was smart and reasonably sensitive. Now it’s as if he checked his brain somewhere and can’t remember where.”
“Well, we know he’s thinking with another part of his anatomy,” Dana Sue offered. “What did he do?”
“He was tied up at the hospital today, so he sent Noreen by to pick up the kids.” She twisted the tail off a shrimp with such force that both the shell and the shrimp went flying across the kitchen in opposite directions. She scowled at Dana Sue. “He sent that woman to my house to pick up my kids.”
“I can just imagine how that went,” Dana Sue said as she retrieved the scattered remains of the shrimp.
“I doubt it,” Maddie told her. “Tyler answered the door and told her to get the hell away from our house. Kyle ran upstairs and locked himself in his room and Katie burst into tears. It took me a half hour to calm her down. It’s breaking my heart to see how much she misses her dad.”
“And what did Noreen do during all this commotion?”
“Stood there wringing her hands and telling me she just doesn’t understand why the kids don’t like her anymore. I told her to ask Bill. I should’ve said that maybe even her little pea brain could come up with an explanation if she really tried.”
Dana Sue chuckled. “That would have been a nice shot.”
Maddie sighed. “One she deserved, but it hardly solves anything. I’m sure Bill is going to be on a tear once he hears how she was received by me and the kids. I’ll have to listen to another of his tirades about how we’re not giving Noreen a fair chance, that she’s in his life now, that she’s having his baby, that I promised to help smooth things over and now they’re worse than ever, and on and on and on.”
Dana Sue gave Maddie a penetrating look. “Something tells me you’re not this upset just because Bill’s going to have himself a hissy fit.”
“Of course not. I’m upset because my kids’ lives have been turned inside out and I can’t seem to do a thing to help them. I don’t even know where to start.”
“Where are they right now?”
“My mother’s taken them to Charleston to dinner and a movie.”
“Her idea or yours?”
“Mine, if you must know, at least the part about them spending the afternoon with her. I was desperate. I figured they needed a break from me as much as they needed onefrom Noreen and their dad. All this tension has taken a terrible toll on them.”
“And on you,” Dana Sue reminded her. “What are you doing for yourself?”
“Running to you,” Maddie said.
“If we had our spa, you could soak in the hot tub and have a massage,” Dana Sue reminded her.
Maddie frowned. “My thirty days have barely begun. Stop pressuring me. I really don’t need that on top of everything else today.”
“Just pointing out one of the advantages of going into business with me and Helen,” Dana Sue said mildly. “I could list more.”
“Not necessary. I think I have a handle on most of them,” Maddie admitted.
Dana Sue studied her intently. “Meaning?”
“Nothing,” Maddie said. “Ask me a couple of weeks from now.”
“You know you’re going to agree to this. You’re just being stubborn.”
“Maybe I’m just enjoying keeping the two of you dangling on the end of my hook,” Maddie retorted. “It’s rare that I have the upper hand.”
She finally popped one of the peeled shrimp into her mouth and savored the burst of spices. “Mmm, these are fantastic!”
Dana Sue chuckled. “I’m
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