Page 55 of Playing it Country

“It’s Flora or Mama.” She squints at him and he nods. She knows he’s not ready to call her Mama and he might never be, but I love her even more for giving him that space and choice.

“I’m good, Flora, thank you.” He motions at the sandwiches and salads lined up and gives her a genuine smile. “This looks delicious.”

“Thank you,” she says and I kiss her cheek.

“Thanks for comin’, Mama.”

“You know I like feeding all my kids.” Mason’s eyes practically have hearts in them as he hangs on her every word. “You boys come for dinner tomorrow. I’ll make you something special.”

“That sounds great,” Mason says enthusiastically and Bodhi just smiles and shakes his head.

Otto sidles up next to me with a faux pout on his face. “You see this? She just kicked us out—replacing us just like that—can you believe it?”

“Oh hush you.” Mama turns and wraps her arm around his waist. “Didn’t you steal the cobbler from the fridge yesterday on your way home from work?”

“You had cobbler?!” This time my outrage is real as I turn on the guy who was born only fifteen minutes after me.

Otto rubs his stomach. “It was peach.” I shove him and then turn to my mother like a petulant child.

“Mama.” Her name is a whine and she looks up toward the sky, her eyes closed as she releases a heavy breath.

“Lord, give me strength,” she says, her accent heavy. Mason and Bodhi chuckle and Otto grins as I cross my arms over my chest and huff.

“So dramatic,” Otto teases, and if we were anywhere else, I’d probably tackle him to the ground and we’d wrestle until he took it back.

“Otto Raymond, leave your brother alone. Case, I will make you a peach cobbler and you can take the rest home butonlyif you bring Hannah with you to dinner.”

“Thanks, Mama.” I step forward and kiss her cheek like the favorite son I am.

“Mm-hmm.”

“Suck-up,” Otto mutters under his breath, but I only smirk at him over my shoulder. Mama narrows her eyes at both of us and I give her my most innocent expression.

“You know,” she says, turning toward Bodhi, “you have kids and they grow up and you think ‘wow, I made it’but they are just as much work, if not more, as adults.”

“Sounds exhausting,” he says with a smile, and she reaches over to squeeze my arm.

“Like you wouldn’t believe. Don’t let them work you too hard, okay?” Bodhi nods as she turns to Mason. “Rest up, honey, and we’ll see you boys at the house tomorrow for dinner.”

“Yes, Mama,” Mason says and he blushes under her stare.

“Good boy.”

“Thanks for lunch, Mama,” I say as I wrap her in a hug. “I’m your favorite, right?” She chuckles and pushes back to look at me.

“Fresh is what you are.” Kissing my cheek, she steps back and then lets Otto hug her, and I can only assume he says something similar because she shakes her head and chuckles. “Have a good day, boys, and make sure one of you brings back those containers.”

A chorus of “yes, mama” and “yes, ma’am”echoes between the four of us, and she gives a final wave before getting in her SUV and heading back home.

“Your mom really is the best,” Mason says wistfully. “Isn’t she great, Bodhi?”

“She is,” he agrees, and while I can tell he appreciates her and what she’s already done for them, he’s not as enamored as his counterpart.

We eat the rest of our lunch in relative silence, and after cleaning up, we relegate Mason to making phone calls for materials we’ll need for next week.

Kid looked relieved to have something to do, and the admin stuff is my least favorite part of the job so it all worked out.

I take a minute to wipe the sweat from my forehead as a car pulls up and Gwen gets out. She’s a showstopper—always has been—and I have to clear my throat to get Mason to close his gaping mouth.

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