Page 5 of From Rivals to I Do

I turn on the small radio on the shelf, and as “Chattahoochee” starts to play, I put on Mel’s old apron and begin to make breakfast for

the boys and I. I make us cheesy scrambled eggs, toast, and some bacon, and then pour each one of us a cool glass of milk.

It may be just after the holidays, but in Texas it’s still hot, and already that heat is trying to eek in through the window over the sink I

got open to stop the bacon I’m cooking from smoking up the house.

“Well, hello there,” I say as Noah lumbers in, still half asleep.

“Morning Dad,” he replies as he plops down in his spot, and I slide his plate in front of him. He’s never been much of a morning

person.

“Mornin’,” I reply. “You look like you had a rough night.”

“My ac stopped working in the middle of the night,” he replies with a yawn.

“Ugh,” I say, making a face. “I’ll take a look after we get the animals fed.”

“Well, look at you, looking all spiffy,” Zack says as he strolls into the room, the yin to Noah’s yang, chipper as ever, like a ray of sunshine

in the morning. Though I suppose that makes sense, it seems twins are usually that way. At least my two are anyways.

“He’s even pulled out the ol’ bolo tie,” Noah teases as he picks up a piece of bacon and chomps down on it.

“I got an interview at nine,” I reply as I hand Zack his plate and then sit down at the head of the table, my eyes drifting off to Melanie’s

old spot as the two boys talk amongst themselves.Sometimes, I swear I can still smell her perfume in the air. . .

“You alright, Dad?” Zack asks.

“Y-yeah,” I reply, snapping out of my memories of Melanie and I dancing in the kitchen and back to reality. “Just tired, I guess.”

“Well, don’t let your food get cold now,” Noah teases as he shovels a fork full of eggs into his mouth.

“About that interview,” Zack says.

“What about it?” I ask.

“Do you really need to interview someone just to muck stalls?” Zack asks. “It’s not like it’s rocket science or anything.”

“He’s got a point,” Noah chimes in, “it’s just basic chorin’.”

“Well, I don’t see either of you two volunteering to do it,” I reply as I take a bite of toast with raspberry jam. “It’s getting harder and

harder to get some of you to do your chores even,” I say as my eyes drift over to Noah, and Zack grins.

“Come on, Pop, cut me some slack,” Noah groans. “I just want to get to know Becky better.”

“Courtin’ Becky can come after chorin’,” I say with a chuckle, and Zack stifles a laugh as we all chat amongst ourselves, shooting the

breeze while we enjoy the rest of our breakfast. There’s only one thing missing that could make the morning better. But she’s been

missing a long time now. And even though that’s been my reality for so long, every day I wake up and she isn’t there is still as jarring

as the last.

“Alright, now just because I’m doing an interview doesn’t mean you two get to dilly dally,” I say as I get my fancy jacket on. “I’m going

---