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She woke when she heard a car door slam, and her first thought lingered on Blaine. A groan came out of her mouth, and she stood up to go find a restroom. After taking care of that, she joined her mother in the kitchen.
“Momma?” she asked as her mom got out a package of bologna.
“Sandwiches for lunch?” she asked. “The brownies will be done in only a few minutes, but they need to cool.”
“Sandwiches are fine,” Tam said, easing onto a barstool. Her back ached, and her mother looked at her when she groaned.
“How are you feeling?”
“My back hurts,” Tam said. “I’ve been working seven days a week for a few weeks to keep up with the orders.”
“I’ll get you some pills.”
Tam didn’t even try to argue. She let her mom get her the painkillers, and she sipped the sweet tea her mother put in front of her to swallow them down. She smiled at her mom, and it pinched her face.
Thankfully, her mom just turned around and pulled bread from the drawer. Tam took a deep breath and steadied herself. “Momma?”
“Yes, baby?”
“Did you and Daddy ever fight?”
“Definitely,” Momma said, shaking her head and laughing lightly. “He wanted to name you Ophelia.” She burst out laughing, and Tam reveled in the sound of it. “I won that one, thankfully.”
Tam would like her arguments with Blaine to be as simple.
Her mother turned and put a plate with a bologna and tomato sandwich in front of Tam. “I know that’s not what you meant, Tam.” She gave her a soft, kind smile. “I don’t know what happened with Blaine, but it’s as plain as the nose on your face that you love him.”
“Sometimes love isn’t enough, Momma,” Tam said. “I loved Hayes too, you know.”
This hurt worse, though. Tam knew it hurt worse, because she’d lost the man she loved and her best friend with only a few words.
Get out. We’re done. Don’t call me.
It was amazing to her that some three-word phrases could heal, and some could do so much harm.
“I know you did, baby.” Momma turned to the stove when the timer went off. She stuck her hands in a pair of oven mitts. “He wasn’t right for you, and I think you knew it. We told you our feelings, and you were so determined to have him.” She pulled the brownies out and put them on the stovetop. “Sometimes parents have to let their children do what they want.”
“You and Daddy are really good at that. Just look at Stacy.”
“Stacy.” Momma sighed and shook her head. “She’s a special breed of human.” She came around the counter and sat next to Tam. “So are you, Tam. You’resmartandbeautiful. You’re so talented, and you can do anything you put your mind to.”
“Thanks, Momma.” Tam put her hand over her mother’s.
“If you want to get Blaine back in your life, do it.”
“It’s not that easy, Momma.”
“Of course it is,” Momma said, her fingers tightening on Tam’s forearm. “You’re smart and beautiful. You know exactly what that man likes, and you know how to make yourself look amazing. You get over there, and you take his very favorite thing, and if you put your mind to getting him back, you can get him back.”
“He doesn’t want me,” Tam said, her voice choking again. “Just because I want him doesn’t mean he wants me.”
“He wants you,” Momma said. “I’ve seen that man look at you, Tam, and he doesn’t just want you. He loves you.”
“As a friend, Momma.” Tam looked into her mother’s eyes, desperation filling her. “He loves me as afriend. I want to be his wife, and I want to build a family with him.” She shook her head, the wonderful future she’d fantasized about going up in dust.
“Tell him that.”
“We were talking about marriage,” Tam said. “He said he’d take me to look at engagement rings.” She shook her head, the memories so painful. There was simply too much to explain to Momma right now.
