Page 26 of Wishing for Love

“Yeah,” he said.

Before either of them could say another word, her phone rang on the counter. She moved over to see her mother calling.

“I should take this. It’s my mother.”

“Sure,” he said. “Do you want me to leave the kitchen?”

“No,” she said. “Hi, Mom. Happy Thanksgiving.”

“You too, Crystal. What are you doing today on your day off?”

“I’m cooking dinner for Phoenix and Elsie,” she said. “They are alone too.”

Her mother snorted. “You should get a day off. I hope he’s not taking advantage of things with you living there. You didn’t say anything about being a cook and maid, just a nanny. Talk about an easy job. You’ve got hours to yourself daily.”

“Mom,” she said. “I’d be alone today too and this is a nice way to spend it.” She rolled her eyes at Phoenix. She’d be able toexplain more of why she didn’t talk to her parents much when this call was over.

“You could have gone out. Maybe he should have taken you out since you’re doing so much work. He’s got the money by the sounds of it.”

She wished she didn’t tell her mother everything about her job. But her mother was always money hungry and thought her kids should be supporting her now that they were all out on their own.

She remembered how Taylor got so much crap dropped on her that she purposely got pregnant by Jack to live life easily with child support. There was nothing easy about what Taylor went through. No amount of money made the stress and heartache go away.

Then marrying Reed hadn’t changed her mother’s mind about Taylor’s motives in life. She still couldn’t figure out why her mother thought that of her older sister.

She knew the truth and that was all she cared about.

“That makes no difference to me. What are you doing today? Are you cooking?”

“I’m going to Anne’s house. She’s cooking and Kyle and his family will be there too along with Landon and Brittany. Kurt is going with Karla’s family. Heaven forbid he spends time with ours.”

She let out a sigh. Her mother always complained. “I’m sure Kurt will be there for Christmas. You know everyone splits holidays.”

“Whatever,” her mother said. “You should have come home. I’m not sure why you couldn’t afford the flight now. It seems as if you’ve got no expenses and are living for free plus making more money.”

“It’s not a good time,” she said. “We’ll see what happens around Christmas. And I need to go. I’ve got to check on dinner.”

“Bye,” her mother said and hung up.

She didn’t even get a chance to ask about her father because her mother was diving right into complaining as always.

“Sounded like a cheerful conversation,” Phoenix said.

“Always is,” she said. “I’m not sure my mother has ever said anything positive to me in life unless it had a sarcastic twist to it. My sister Anne is cooking today for her family, my parents, Kyle’s family and Landon and his fiancée. But Kurt is going to his wife’s family and my mother is annoyed. Everyone shares and splits holidays. She just can’t stand it, but she never offers to do anything to bring everyone together either.”

“Did she want you to go home?” he asked.

“She did, but it’s not like she was cooking or doing anything. And you need me here.”

“You could have gone,” he said. “I told you that. I would have worked it out for a few days. I’m working from home tomorrow anyway.”

“Trust me, I don’t want to go. It’s not worth it. I’ll think about it for Christmas, but I don’t really want to do it then either. If you’re going home though, maybe I will, unless I can stay here alone.”

“I haven’t thought much of Christmas,” he said, “but you live here now. Don’t even think you can’t stay here if I’m not.”

“Thanks,” she said. She hoped he stayed because she’d rather spend Christmas with him and Elsie whom she’d only known a short time than family that had been in her life forever.

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