Page 15 of Season of Mercy
She had time, another luxury she hadn’t had before her marriage to Ethan. She could surprise her husband and son with homemade tamales. From dinners at Ethan’s parents’ place, she knew he loved them.
Okay, she had the corn masa dough ready, as well as cooked and shredded chicken.
Mercy covered the first cornhusk with the masa, careful not to reach the ages. Then she spread soft cooked chicken over the masa. Next, she just rolled the tamale, her movements fast. First tamale, second one, third one...
While her hands were occupied, her mind kept wandering to Ethan. Today was Saturday, and Ethan was spending it with Stevie, first playing with toy cars and now reading him a book.
Ethan had also taken time off to go with her and Stevie to her son’s therapy and learned to care for his incisions better than she had. Her heart warmed. Ethan said he couldn’t wait to take Stevie to a park, but she and Ethan had agreed that Stevie might not be strong enough yet. They hadn’t even dared to brave the tree house Ethan had built in the yard behind the guesthouse.
Okay, about a dozen tamales were done.
As much as Mercy strained her memory, she couldn’t recall Cole spending much time with Stevie. Having a child had obviously been a burden to Cole.
She’d tried so hard to give her little boy love for both parents, but now it was as if a heavy mountain weighing on her chest had been removed. She felt light with relief that she wasn’t alone anymore in her struggle to keep her son healthy and happy.
The large bowl in front of her was filling up with tamales, ready to be steamed, and the hill of cornhusks was diminishing.
Ethan obviously adored Stevie with the love of a caring father, and Stevie responded in the same way. And she couldn’t deny there was an invisible connection between her and Ethan, which grew stronger with each evening spent together. She’d felt safe snuggled up to her husband while they watched a movie or a cartoon with Stevie, or read a book to her son.
Something shifted in her chest. She finally felt cared for. And the kisses she and Ethan had shared had made her deliciously dizzy.
But what would happen in a year, when Ethan would be able to leave her and still keep the auto shop chain? The thought was like a stab to her heart.
She needed to concentrate on something else. Oh, yes, right, tamales. She finished another dozen and checked on the peach cobbler in the oven, Stevie’s favorite dessert. The delicious aroma made her mouth water. She put on mitts and removed the cobbler from the spacious oven.
Ethan had offered to let her use the kitchen in the mansion, and she’d agreed. Everything was bigger there than in the guesthouse. But the main thing, the dining room had a much larger and more convenient table than the tiny table in the guesthouse that was located in the living room. Besides, the mansion provided space for Stevie to drive his new little car Ethan had bought for him today.
Mercy grinned. Ethan was spoiling her son rotten.
Now all the masa, cornhusks, and chicken were used up. She needed to start steaming the tamales in the brand-new steamer Ethan had bought for her, together with tons of other kitchen equipment.
The sound of the doorbell made her wince. Ethan had a key, and somehow she didn’t think it was a neighborly visit to borrow some bread or coffee, the way she used to.
Mercy froze. Should she answer? Most likely, this would be one of Ethan’s femalefriends.
The doorbell rang again, nonstop this time. The guest was an impatient one. Would she eventually go away? The splitting noise in Mercy’s eardrums told her that was highly unlikely.
Mercy dragged herself to the door and opened it.
“Finally!” A beautiful redheaded woman in a beige designer suit tapped at the asphalt with her foot. She grimaced when she saw Mercy. “You’re not Ethan.”
I wonder how you figured that out.
Mercy pushed sarcasm out of her voice. “Good evening. I’m...”
The woman moved past Mercy inside the house, barely sparing her a glance, and even that one was at Mercy’s apron. “It’s about time Ethan hires a cook. Though I’d go with a man. Make sure you answer the door faster next time. Or you might be out of job like that.” The woman snapped her fingers.
Mercy hiked her chin. “Let me introduce myself.”
The woman waved her off like an annoying gnat. “I don’t care for your name. Go tell Ethan that Leah is here. His girlfriend,” she added, as if for emphasis.
Girlfriend?
A wave of anger burned Mercy’s insides, and she made an effort to push it away. “Ma’am, Mr. Echeverría is not here at the moment.” She was about to say that she wasMrs.Echeverría and could go get him from the guesthouse.
The woman interrupted her again, “So I see. Make sure you tell him Leah stopped by. I need him to call me. It’s important.” Leah headed to the door, muttering something about how difficult it was to find good help these days.
Mercy lifted her hand to stop Leah. Then Mercy’s hand dropped to her side. How was it possible that Ethan still had a girlfriend?
