Page 8 of Big Island Neighbors
“Daddy’s not coming home!” Paige exclaimed.
Piper flinched backwards in surprise. When she turned to face her, Tara saw the same expression that was on her twin’s face: a gradual buildup of fear and confusion and grief.
Her shoulders slumped in defeat. She had wanted to wait - first until they had gotten a good night’s sleep, then until she had her own spiraling emotions under control, and then until they’d eaten a nourishing breakfast. But she had delayed long enough.
“Go get Cody,” she said quietly. “Time for a family meeting.”
Piper sprinted down the hall and pounded on her brother’s door.
“Okay, okay!” He jerked it open. “Dude! Where’s the fire?”
She said something that Tara didn’t hear, and Cody followed her into the kitchen. Then all three of her children were looking at her with worried expectation, and she felt a fierce longing for those baby days when their hurts and fears were so easily soothed.
“Let’s sit down.” She walked out to the dining table, which was cluttered with homeschool stuff and half-finished art projects. They mostly ate outside, or at the kitchen counter.
“Mom,” Cody said quietly, “you’re freaking us out.”
She nodded in acknowledgement, trying to gather her thoughts as they joined her at the table.
“Your dad decided that he’s going to stay at Grandma and Grandpa’s house a while longer.”
Piper’s eyes narrowed to a squint. “How much longer?”
“I don’t know.”
“What about his job?” Cody asked.
“He said that he doesn’t want it anymore.”
“Are you getting a divorce?” Paige’s voice cracked and wavered.
Tara met her eyes, pouring all of the love and compassion she could into that look. “I don’t know yet.”
Paige pushed away from the table and bolted out the back door.
Piper met Tara’s eyes for a brief moment and then went after her sister.
She looked after her babies, wishing that she could pull them into her arms and make everything better with a kiss. But they were eight years old, and life lately had been a constant back and forth between nestling close and breaking away. Going too soon might do the opposite of comforting them.
She would give them a few minutes, and then she would go find them and give them the biggest hug.
In the meantime, her teenager seemed to have turned to stone.
“Are you okay?” she asked softly. It was a stupid question, but she needed to say something, to offer a soft voice to the bleak silence.
Cody met her eyes, looking more worried than hurt. “What are we going to do?”
“We’ll be okay,” she assured him.
“What are we going to do without Dad’s job?”
She reached out and took his hand. “I’ll figure it out. We’ll be okay.”
He stood, and so did she. Then, to her surprise, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a crushing hug. That almost broke her, but she held together.
A single tear escaped her as she put her arms around her tall, compassionate son.
“We’ll be okay,” he echoed. “I’ll help.”
