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“What are you looking at?” she asks.
“Nothing, just getting out of the way of the lightning,” I jest.
She swats at me. “Oh, you’re silly. I meant what I said. You were and are a good boy, Garrett Tuttle, even if you were always the rascal corralling your brothers into trouble.”
Placing a hand on my chest, she continues, “I’m your mother, and I know what’s in here. You have a big heart, and no matter how tough you act, a mother knows what’s in her son’s heart. Don’t worry; Ansley will come around. I’m on it.”
“What are you going to do, Mom?” I ask.
“Pray.”
“That’s not going to help,” I say.
“It’s not gonna hurt,” she insists.
Something about the way she says it makes me believe her. If God is going to listen to anyone, it’s Sara-Beth Tuttle.
I forgot how comforting just talking a situation out with her could be. I guess you’re never too old to want and need your mother.
When we make it to Graham’s house, the girls are in the kitchen, enjoying a glass of wine. The island is filled with takeout Chinese boxes.
Graham walks around and picks Taeli up.
“Ew, you stink,” she cries as he peppers kisses all over her face. She squeezes her eyes shut and pushes against his chest. “Go take a shower,” she demands.
He drops her to her feet and taps me in the gut as he walks toward the hallway. “Come on. I have some clean clothes that will fit you. I’ll hit the shower in the master, and you take the one downstairs.”
I look at Ansley. “See you ladies in a minute,” I say before following him.
Once we are cleaned up, we rejoin the girls. Graham opens a beer for us both, and we stand around the island, eating from the boxes with chopsticks.
“How did it go today?” Taeli asks.
“Good. We got a lot accomplished, thanks to Mom and Leona for coming through with the assist,” Graham says.
“I designed the flyers today, and the two of them plan to start distributing them tomorrow, so I hope you guys are able to pull it off,” Taeli informs us.
“We will,” I assure her.
Ansley looks at me. “It’s a really good thing you’re doing.”
“It’s not me. It’s the entire town,” I proclaim.
“Maybe, but it was your idea, and it was a good one. I know Lacey and Theo are going to be so happy to have Jesse there with them. Lacey needs his support. The last time Theo was going through chemo, it was very hard for her. She was exhausted physically, mentally, and emotionally. And Jesse was so stressed about making sure the bills were paid. It was heartbreaking,” she says.
“Yeah, I can’t imagine if it were Caleb. In that situation, the only thing a mom and dad should have to worry about is helping their child get well,” Taeli says.
“I agree.”
“More wine?” Taeli asks Ansley.
“One more glass, and then you need to cut me off. Work starts early in the morning.”
“Before you know it, you’ll be able to hire a manager.”
“I hope so. It will be nice to be able to come and go as I please,” Ansley says.
“That’s one of the best perks of being a business owner. One day,” Taeli says as she hands Ansley her wineglass and then turns to me and Graham.
“All right, fellas, we have three movies for you to choose from. Pretty Woman, Dirty Dancing, or Thor: Ragnarok.”
“Thor,” we say in unison.
They grin at each other.
“We knew you’d pick that one, but it’s okay with us. Chris Hemsworth is yummy!” Taeli bellows.
Graham looks at me. “Marvel finally figured out the perfect date movie formula. Superhero action movies with actors who are hot enough that women don’t mind watching them instead of a chick flick. God bless ’em.”
