Page 11 of A Twist of Faith
“I heard that, Mama,” Rainey called from inside.
Mama lowered her voice, gray eyes a-twinkle. “I don’t know where in the world she gets that stubbornness from.”
Reece looked heavenward and laughed. “It’s a wonder.”
“Dada home?” Brandon rounded the corner of the doorway, blond hair haloed by the sun. His toddling legs wobbled in the turn, but he caught himself and offered his cherubic smile until it dimpled in each chubby cheek. The boy looked too pretty really, and was a painful reminder of all Reece had lost. Jana’s ultimate betrayal.
“Right here, little fella.” With Lou still pressed to one side, he knelt to lift Brandon with the other arm. The boy snuggled up next to Reece’s face and planted a sticky kiss on his cheek. Yep, he didn’t need nothing else, especially some high-class city girl. “What’s Granny been feeding you, boy?”
“Granny couldn’t move as quick as usual, and Brandon got into pie innards before I could swipe them.” His mama held open the screen door to the kitchen, with Reese close behind, a kid in each arm.
The scent of fresh baked apple pie warmed him from the outside-in. There was no place like Mama’s house.
“He’s a smart boy.” Reece dropped Lou to her feet and used his free hand to ruffle Brandon’s head. “Food before play.”
“More like play with the food.” Mama nodded to the white handprints decorating one row of cabinets. “That boy reminds me of his daddy.”
In actions only. Brandon’s pale hair and Scandinavian green eyes looked nothing like Reese, and sometimes, the ache from that truth bothered him still.
“Well, did you get Dr. Roseland settled in?”
Reece slung Brandon over his shoulder and leaned against the counter, snatching a cookie. “Did you know the doc is a woman?”
His mom shuffled, stiff and stubborn, to the counter and started peeling potatoes. “Sure I did. Been talking with some contact person in Charlottesville for over a month about her. What’s she like?”
Brandon squirmed until Reece placed him on the floor. The boy took off to the living room after his sister, so Reece pulled up a stool and gave himself some time to sort through his answer. WhatwasAdelina Roseland like? Those remarkable golden eyes flashed into his mind. “She seemed nice.”
Mama stopped peeling and looked up, keen as a hawk. “That’s good.”
“I think this might be her first job. She’s real young.”
“Mmhmm,” his mother replied and returned to her slicing.
“I don’t think she’ll be here long. She don’t fit, and knows it.”
“How can you tell?”
Reece tried not to give his mom an “I’m not stupid’ look, but she caught him.
“I ain’t sayin’ I don’t believe you. It’s just you only met her today and already seem purdy sure about her not belonging. Just wanted to know why.”
“Mama, she’s dressed up like a movie star, with shoes that wouldn’t last one day outside that university. I bet she ain’t never changed a tire or hauled wood in her life, and I thought she might cry over at Grandpa’s house. I’m not sure why.” Would a grown woman cry over dial-up Internet?
“It’s always hard adjustin’ to a new place, Reese.” Her words came soft, but he felt her meaning down to his overshoes.Not all city girls are like Jana.
How on earth did his mama do it? With one hard look, she still made him feel like he’d gotten a whippin’—or at least needed one.
She opened up an old paper bag and placed it on the counter like she always did when peeling potatoes. Her first row of peelings landed in the middle of the paper. “Who knows what the woman’s come through? High class don’t mean pain-free.”
“I reckon not, but I’m pretty sure about one thing, Mama. She ain’t going to be here for long.” He shook his head, still befuddled. “She must be a bit desperate for research too. She offered to give me lessons.”
“Lessons? For what?”
“She said she could help me get ready for my interview in November. The one for the positionFarm and Countyis developing for the southeast I was telling you about last week. Offered to give me lessons for free to help her research or something like that.” Reese laughed and lifted the lid of the nearby cookie jar. “Crazy woman. There ain’t no way that could work.”
Mama scooped the sliced potatoes into her palms and dumped them in the sauce pot. “It’s a real good idea, sure ’nough.”
“Good idea?” Reece about dropped the cookie he’d just picked up. “Some city woman who thinks the only thing I’m probably good for is unhaulin’ book boxes? Don’t sound like such a good idea to me.”
