Hometown Fireman. Lissa Manley

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СКАЧАТЬ lost sight of the power of faith and prayer recently, especially since his good friends Jake and Beth been left homeless in the wake of their house foreclosure, forcing them to sell all their belongings and move to Portland to live with Beth’s sister. Drew had sold that house to them and had felt so powerless when the lender had foreclosed. What kind of merciful God took so much away from such good, hardworking Christians?

      Mom went over to the oak kitchen table with the place mats. “She sure seems to love those dogs.”

      “Yeah, she told me she just started a rescue operation.”

      Mom paused. “Oh, wow. And now she has no place to house the dogs she’s rescued. I’m sure she feels doubly responsible for them since they’ve already been through so much.”

      “I’m guessing you’re right.” Ally seemed like the kind of person who took her responsibilities very seriously.

      “So, how did your interview go?” Mom asked as she headed back to the counter to get the plates and silverware.

      “Great, I think. Since I’ve already passed the physical, it’s just a waiting game to see if I get accepted to the academy.” There would be another opening at the academy next year, but with the tension between him and Dad ratcheting up, now seemed like the time for Drew to make the break from Sellers Real Estate; getting hired and accepted in Atherton as soon as possible had become a priority.

      “Looks like you’re going to be moving soon, then, just as you’ve always wanted.” She smiled genuinely as she dug a large spoon from the ceramic holder next to the stove. “Good for you, dear.”

      “I really appreciate your supporting me on this.” Drew reflexively clenched his hands. “Dad’s still completely against it, but what else is new?”

      “Well, your dad is having a difficult time with everything right now.” She opened the slow cooker and stirred the contents.

      “Is that why he moved into the garage apartment?”

      Very deliberately, it seemed, she put the lid back on the slow cooker and set the spoon in a spoon rest nearby. Then she turned, her jaw firm, chin raised slightly. “What’s going on between me and your father is not up for discussion.”

      This was her party line, so her statement didn’t surprise Drew.

      “It’s just that Dad—”

      “No, Drew, stop right there.” His mom held up a rigid hand. “Whatever problems you have with your dad started long before our current...issues, and I’m sorry for that, really I am. But I simply won’t put myself in the middle of what’s going on with you two.”

      Drew tightened his jaw until it hurt, then looked up at the ceiling. So be it; this discussion always ended the same way, and his mom was too stubborn to be convinced to open up about what was going on with her and Dad.

      “I’ve got to get dinner on the table,” she declared, effectively shutting down the discussion. Boy, she was good at that. She started puttering around the kitchen, as if the subject had never been mentioned. Drew fought the urge to push. She’d talk when she wanted to and not a second before. Maybe never, if what had been going on lately was any indication.

      Great.

      Bothered by their conversation, and his parents’ odd behavior in general, he decided to make his escape. He headed over to the far counter to grab his car keys, noting on the way by that Mom had, significantly, set three places at the table. One for herself. No place for Dad, seeing as he and Mom weren’t speaking and Dad had been subsisting on whatever he could heat in the microwave in the garage apartment. One place for Ally, of course. And one for...

      He snatched up his keys. “Mom, I’m not staying for dinner.”

      She turned and looked at him. “Why ever not? You haven’t eaten yet, right?”

      “No, but I’ve had a long day, and I’d like to get home. I still have some paperwork to do for the meeting with the Sullivans about their offer on the Mayberry house, and I’d rather not be burning the midnight oil tonight.”

      Dropping her chin, Mom gave him a look that mothers had perfected aeons ago, the one that made him feel about an inch tall.

      “What?” he said, even though he knew where this conversation was going. As in not his way.

      “Can’t you just stay for a bit?” She pointed in the general direction of the guest room. “That poor girl has suffered a huge loss today, and I think she needs all the support she can get.” She tsked. “I can’t believe you’d even think about leaving right away, given that we’ve been through the same kind of thing.” Then she muttered under her breath, saying something that sounded like...I raised you better than that.

      He cringed inwardly. Yep, there was the guilt trip she was so good at doling out. Trouble was, it was working, and, as usual, Mom was right. What was an hour of his time in the scheme of things, anyway?

      Besides, he was starving, and her slow-cooker concoction sounded a whole lot better than the frozen something-or-other he’d throw in the microwave when he got home to his apartment on the other side of town.

      He sighed. “Fine, I’ll stay.”

      “I knew you’d see reason,” she said, patting his arm. “We’ll let her sleep for a little while and then eat.”

      “Is Dad coming to dinner?” he asked, just to push the matter.

      Mom snorted under her breath. “When was the last time he’s been home for dinner?” she asked with a decidedly bitter twist to her lips. “And now...well, now he has to make his own dinner. In the garage.” And then she turned on her heel and continued puttering. Loudly.

      Drew paused, his brain clicking forward. Come to think of it, Dad hadn’t been around home much prior to moving out to the garage apartment. In fact, he been working killer hours for six months or so....

      Drew continued to speculate about exactly what was going on with his parents, and if he’d ever figure out how to win an argument with the mule-headed woman standing before him.

      Probably not, he concluded, and resigned himself to a dinner with his mom and the pretty dog rescuer resting down the hall.

      * * *

      Though dinner was delicious, Ally had no appetite whatsoever. So she pushed her food around and took a few bites, trying to act as if she was eating; the last thing she wanted to do was hurt Grace’s feelings.

      Ally wasn’t surprised that she couldn’t eat; she’d had to call her foster sister, Sue, and tell her that her uncle’s house had burned down. Sue had been understandably shocked and upset, and Ally had promised to keep her posted with details about the fire and how it had started as they became available. Sue was going to contact her insurance company about a claim.

      Drew was noticeably quiet through the meal, and he focused mostly on eating. Ally definitely sensed some kind of tension between him and his mom, mostly coming from his end of the table. She also noticed that Mr. Sellers was absent. What was the story there? No one offered an explanation, and she didn’t ask; it was none of her business.

      As soon as everyone was finished, even though she felt exhaustion pulling СКАЧАТЬ