[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
on her lips.
Perfect, Brad replied.
She d had a harder time with this third pregnancy, so
it was no wonder that the birth itself should be more dif-
ficult necessitating a cesarean section after hours of
labor. She d been so exhausted she was barely conscious
of all that happened. She d seen the baby after he was
born, but he was whisked away to the pediatric team so
rapidly that all she remembered was whispering the
name she and Brad had picked for him Michael.
Brad had remained by her side the entire time, then
gone to the nursery with the baby while she slept.
He had a little trouble breathing at first, but he s
fine now, he said.
A nurse told me he s in an incubator.
Just for a while. Just to be sure. Brad paused. I
asked& and if you feel up to it, one of the nurses will
roll the incubator in here, so you can see him again.
Oh, yes. Yes!
MICK, AS HE SOON came to be known, was a charmer.
As a child he was never as robust as his elder brothers,
but made up for it with a sunny disposition, quick
GINGER CHAMBERS 135
humor and a willingness to take on anything. In no way
could Jillian claim that raising him was easier than her
other two sons. In some ways it was more difficult,
because he never saw a challenge he wasn t ready to
overcome. Of the three, he was in trouble more often
at school. He was always playing jokes and disrupting
the classroom by making the other kids laugh. And
getting angry with him when confronted by his cheerful
grin was hard.
MOM, IT S NOT GOING to be a problem, Mick argued
as he hiked himself onto the end of the kitchen counter,
his favorite place to sit in the room. Sean and Tony
started working for Dad after school when they were
fourteen. And if those two Neanderthals can do it and
keep up their grades, it ll be a breeze for me.
He ducked as Tony threw a corn chip at his head.
Watch who you re calling a Neanderthal, Tony
grumbled from his two years of age superiority.
I want to make some extra money, Mick said,
locating the chip and crunching down on it.
What for? Tony questioned. You got yourself a
girlfriend?
I might, Mick said, grinning.
Tony threw a series of chips that his younger brother
expertly caught in his mouth.
Boys& Jillian said reprovingly, looking up again
from her recipe book. Quit that.
The last chip hit its target, to be instantly chewed
and swallowed.
Come on, Mom, Mick pleaded. Dad says I can.
Then why are you asking me?
Because he s afraid of you? Mick joked.
136 ALL THAT LOVE IS
The idea that Brad might be afraid of her made
Jillian laugh. Stop stroking my ego.
Isn t that the vay to get vhat you vant? Changing
all the ws to a v sound, he rubbed his hands together
as an arch villain might.
Still laughing, Jillian caved. Oh, all right. If you
want to work for your dad that badly, do it. But your
grades had best stay up.
They will, Mick promised as he hopped down from
his perch. Thanks, Mom.
The next thing he did was to go straight over to
where his brother sat, grab the bag of corn chips off the
table and run out the back door as fast as he could, with
Tony in hot pursuit.
Fateful words. Words she would have given anything
to unsay a few weeks later.
IT WAS A NORMAL afternoon at the construction office.
Workmen had been in and out of the yard all day,
supplies had been loaded and trucked out, deliveries
accepted, subcontractors dealt with, city administrative
paperwork filed.
Jillian had always enjoyed working in the heart of
the bustle. She d enjoyed it since the boys had gotten
old enough to go to school. When Steffie arrived, she d
worked from home, doing this and that, until Steffie, too,
had reached school age. At that point, Jillian returned
to her part-time routine.
Her mother, of course, didn t understand how such
a job could be rewarding, didn t want to understand,
and always thought the position beneath her daughter.
But just as Jillian had done since childhood, she heard
her mom out and then did as she pleased.
GINGER CHAMBERS 137
Steffie had an after-school play date that afternoon,
so Jillian stayed at the office later than usual to
straighten out a problem with one of their main suppli-
ers. She was in the middle of the call when she heard [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl szkicerysunki.xlx.pl
on her lips.
Perfect, Brad replied.
She d had a harder time with this third pregnancy, so
it was no wonder that the birth itself should be more dif-
ficult necessitating a cesarean section after hours of
labor. She d been so exhausted she was barely conscious
of all that happened. She d seen the baby after he was
born, but he was whisked away to the pediatric team so
rapidly that all she remembered was whispering the
name she and Brad had picked for him Michael.
Brad had remained by her side the entire time, then
gone to the nursery with the baby while she slept.
He had a little trouble breathing at first, but he s
fine now, he said.
A nurse told me he s in an incubator.
Just for a while. Just to be sure. Brad paused. I
asked& and if you feel up to it, one of the nurses will
roll the incubator in here, so you can see him again.
Oh, yes. Yes!
MICK, AS HE SOON came to be known, was a charmer.
As a child he was never as robust as his elder brothers,
but made up for it with a sunny disposition, quick
GINGER CHAMBERS 135
humor and a willingness to take on anything. In no way
could Jillian claim that raising him was easier than her
other two sons. In some ways it was more difficult,
because he never saw a challenge he wasn t ready to
overcome. Of the three, he was in trouble more often
at school. He was always playing jokes and disrupting
the classroom by making the other kids laugh. And
getting angry with him when confronted by his cheerful
grin was hard.
MOM, IT S NOT GOING to be a problem, Mick argued
as he hiked himself onto the end of the kitchen counter,
his favorite place to sit in the room. Sean and Tony
started working for Dad after school when they were
fourteen. And if those two Neanderthals can do it and
keep up their grades, it ll be a breeze for me.
He ducked as Tony threw a corn chip at his head.
Watch who you re calling a Neanderthal, Tony
grumbled from his two years of age superiority.
I want to make some extra money, Mick said,
locating the chip and crunching down on it.
What for? Tony questioned. You got yourself a
girlfriend?
I might, Mick said, grinning.
Tony threw a series of chips that his younger brother
expertly caught in his mouth.
Boys& Jillian said reprovingly, looking up again
from her recipe book. Quit that.
The last chip hit its target, to be instantly chewed
and swallowed.
Come on, Mom, Mick pleaded. Dad says I can.
Then why are you asking me?
Because he s afraid of you? Mick joked.
136 ALL THAT LOVE IS
The idea that Brad might be afraid of her made
Jillian laugh. Stop stroking my ego.
Isn t that the vay to get vhat you vant? Changing
all the ws to a v sound, he rubbed his hands together
as an arch villain might.
Still laughing, Jillian caved. Oh, all right. If you
want to work for your dad that badly, do it. But your
grades had best stay up.
They will, Mick promised as he hopped down from
his perch. Thanks, Mom.
The next thing he did was to go straight over to
where his brother sat, grab the bag of corn chips off the
table and run out the back door as fast as he could, with
Tony in hot pursuit.
Fateful words. Words she would have given anything
to unsay a few weeks later.
IT WAS A NORMAL afternoon at the construction office.
Workmen had been in and out of the yard all day,
supplies had been loaded and trucked out, deliveries
accepted, subcontractors dealt with, city administrative
paperwork filed.
Jillian had always enjoyed working in the heart of
the bustle. She d enjoyed it since the boys had gotten
old enough to go to school. When Steffie arrived, she d
worked from home, doing this and that, until Steffie, too,
had reached school age. At that point, Jillian returned
to her part-time routine.
Her mother, of course, didn t understand how such
a job could be rewarding, didn t want to understand,
and always thought the position beneath her daughter.
But just as Jillian had done since childhood, she heard
her mom out and then did as she pleased.
GINGER CHAMBERS 137
Steffie had an after-school play date that afternoon,
so Jillian stayed at the office later than usual to
straighten out a problem with one of their main suppli-
ers. She was in the middle of the call when she heard [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]