Page 12 of Keep My Heart
‘Maybe it’ll be a boy next time,’ I kid.
‘Yeah, maybe,’ Matt says, looking over at Tessa and smiling.He’s always saying they’re done having kids but I think he secretly wants another one.
‘Do you think your mom knows about the party?’ Tessa asks me as she searches for something in the fridge.
‘I don’t think so. My dad’s pretty good at keeping secrets. He’s kept her out of the barn all week by telling her there’s a family of rats living there. He told her he sprayed the place with chemicals and that it’ll take a week for it to take effect.’
‘Eww, rats,’ Tessa says. ‘That’d keep me away too. The party’s in the new barn, right? The one they built a few years ago?’
‘Yeah, he’d never have a party in the old barn. It’s in rough shape. It’s just used to store equipment.’
A few years ago my parents built a barn next to the house that’s more like a regular building that was made to look like a barn from the outside. The inside has concrete floors, a beamed ceiling, and a large open space where we can set up tables to sell our products. There’s a room in the back that was made into a kitchen so Mom could make the apple pies, donuts, and other apple desserts we sell.
Tessa glances at Matt. ‘Honey, you got the marinade, right?’
‘What marinade?’
She sighs as she shuts the fridge door. ‘When you went to the store last night I asked you to get the marinade for the steaks.’
‘Shit, I forgot. I’ll go back and get it.’
‘Mommy!’ Bella yells as she runs into the kitchen. ‘Mia hurt her finger!’
We hear wailing coming from upstairs.
‘I’ll go check on her,’ Matt says, racing out of the kitchen.
‘What’d she do to her finger?’ Tessa asks Bella.
‘She was wearing your shoes and fell down.’
Tessa leans down to her. ‘Bella, I told you to stop playing dress-up with my high heels. They’re for mommies, not little girls.’
‘But they’re pretty.’
‘Go upstairs and be with your sister. See if Daddy needs help.’
She nods and runs off.
‘It’s always something with those two,’ Tessa says, laughing.
‘Yeah, I’m not sure I could handle that, although you and Matt make it look easy.’
‘Trust me, it’s not easy.’ She rolls her eyes, smiling. ‘Not even close. But we love it.’ She opens the fridge. ‘I can’t believe he forgot the marinade. Maybe I could just make one.’
‘If you want, I could go to the store.’
She turns back. ‘Would you? I hate to ask, but Matt’s probably going to be up there awhile and—’
‘I’m happy to do it. Just tell me what you need.’
She gets out her phone. ‘I’ll text it to you.’ She sends the text. ‘Let me get you some money.’
‘Forget it. It’s on me. Need anything else while I’m there?’
‘No, just the marinade. You can take Matt’s car.’ She grabs the keys from the drawer and hands them to me.
‘I’ll be back in a few minutes. Call if you think of anything else.’
