Page 79 of The Art Of Starting Over

Devorah

While the men fished, Darcy, Devorah, and Maren shopped. After buying more than they needed, they headed back to Crow’s and started cooking. Devy had never cooked with another woman before, let alone someone’s mother. Everything she knew how to make, she’d learned by following recipes or from the various cooking channels. Not having a mother growing up had been hard on Dev, and she was determined to make sure Maren learned everything.

Darcy took control in the kitchen. Handing out directions. Offering suggestions. And showing Maren what it would be like to have a grandmother around. Not that Darcy would ever be Maren’s grandmother, but the sentiment was there. A few times during the day, Devy stood back and watched Maren and Darcy work. It was like they’d known each other forever and not just for a few hours.

A nine-year-old could only take so much cooking and eventually disappeared into her room with her new bestie, Cordelia, leaving Darcy and Devorah in the kitchen. While Dev breaded a hot dog on a skewer, Darcy peeled potatoes for a salad.

“You know we could’ve bought everything premade and gone to the mall,” Darcy said.

She was right, but Dev needed this, and Maren needed to see what it would be like to have some type of family around. Even if nothing came of her and Hayden, Devorah knew in her heart that Darcy and Lee would always be a fixture in Maren’s life. That was a benefit of small-town living.

“I’ve never cooked with anyone before.”

“Not even your mother-in-law?”

Devy shook her head. “She likes to have things catered, and the few times we hosted holiday dinners, she sat in the other room. It’s always just been me in the kitchen.”

“Your mother loved to cook,” Darcy said. “The CC Club should’ve done a better job filling in for her after she passed, but your dad ...” Darcy sighed. “He’s a stubborn old man who said you kids were just fine.”

“I’m not surprised. He’s very private.”

“Yes, he is. But that doesn’t excuse us from not stepping up and doing right by your mom. She was one of us. We owed it to her to make sure her children were taken care of.”

“I think I turned out okay.”

“You did, despite your father. I swear, that man.” Darcy shook her head. “If it wasn’t the sheriff’s department, nothing else mattered.”

Devy couldn’t disagree.

“This is nice,” Devorah said, moving the subject away from her dad. “Thank you for teaching Maren how to cook from scratch.”

“It’s a grandmother’s job to teach. Where did you learn?” She motioned toward the batter coating Devorah’s hands.

“Betty Crocker. All the cooking shows. Chad isn’t big on mindless television, so I’d leave it on educational programming. Cooking is educational.”

“He’s a boob.”

Devorah laughed. “He certainly is.”

“Bea Sherman likes to gossip.”

Devy snorted. “You all like to gossip.”

“True,” Darcy said with a sigh. “Bea’s concerned for you, though. She said you haven’t filed your paperwork yet?”

Devorah stabbed another skewered hot dog into the batter. She let it drip and then put it into a pot with hot oil. The sizzling sound was a bit too satisfying for her as she pictured Chad’s face in the pot.

“I haven’t, because I’m nervous. I’m afraid Chad will do something rash, like try to take Maren away from me. He already wants us to move back to Chicago to make things easier for him, and he says Maren doesn’t like it here. I fear if I file the paperwork, he’ll come get her, and then what?”

“Your father will not let him take Maren away.”

“No, I’m sure he won’t.”

“Hayden won’t either,” Darcy said as she moved around the kitchen. “He likes you.”

“I like him too.”

“No, Devorah. My sonlikesyou, and if you tell him I said as much, I’ll deny it.”

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