Page 3 of Nigel

He glanced at herwith a frown. "Stop mothering me."

"Someone needsto." She did not take offense and was probably the only personwho would talk to him that way. "Is that all?"

"Yes."

"Good."Rising gracefully, she made her way to the recessed cabinet andpressed a button. Nigel watched in amusement and exasperation as shepoured some orange juice and selected two pain killers and broughtthem over.

"You are worsethan Gerald," he growled as he took the items. Swallowing thepills, he drank the OJ and handed her the glass. "Now if youdon't mind, I have work to do."

"Of course,"she told him smoothly as she went to put the glass away and left theroom.

Shaking his head, hewent back to studying the design.

*****

"I have half anhour. I am assuming that you already ordered for me?"

"You areassuming correctly," Lionel murmured as he unfolded his napkinat his neck. He was the eldest and automatically took controlwhenever they had to meet. He was the one who insisted on the weeklyluncheon meeting to keep in touch.

All four of them hadincredibly busy lives which did not allow for much interaction orphysically being there. He was a partner in a very successful lawfirm and was married to a lawyer. They had chosen not to havechildren and were content with the decision.

"The clamchowder. You are very predictable." Jeffry, the second oldest,told her dryly as he reached for his water. He was forty-eight yearsold, two years younger than Lionel and was the most handsome of allthree brothers with his carefully styled wavy dark hair and closeshaven face.

He was a detective inhis precinct and was father to a twenty-six-year-old son. His wifehad perished in an accident five years ago and he had chosen not toremarry.

"That's me."Ava threw him a warning look.

"Leave her be."Kyle was forty-six and was the youngest brother. He had his ownprivate practice and looked every inch the successful doctor.

As the youngest, Avawas forty-two years old. She and Kyle were not only very close inage, but also in the way they interacted with each other. He had beenmarried for fifteen years and was father to a fourteen-year-olddaughter.

He was mild and wasthe calm to her fiery storm. He was always there for her; more thanher other two brothers were. They all loved her, but were veryterritorial, behaving as if she was still the little sister they hadto protect. Kyle treated her like an equal and was a shoulder for herburdens when needed.

They had been broughtup by a single parent. Their mother had forged on after she had losther husband to a terrible car crash when Lionel was fifteen and hadhad to find ways and means to take care of four children when theinsurance money ran out.

She had beenuneducated and unrefined but had fought to make certain that herchildren had the best education and followed their dreams.

And she had reapedthe rewards when she saw them graduating from universities andfollowing their charted paths. Ava had studied business in collegeand after doing the corporate thing had decided to form her ownbusiness.

Maids inc., was inhonor of her. She had seen how beat down and weary her mother waswhen she came home from a very long day of cleaning up after richpeople and their kids.

She had also seenfirsthand the shit she had to put up with and the way those samepeople spoke to her as if she was nothing - less than nothing. Thathad made her so angry that she had wanted to lash out.

"You let themspeak to you like that?" She had been fifteen and full of anger."And that bitch - she was what? Twelve and you allowed her totalk to you in that tone of voice? If I did it, you would whoop meand send me to bed."

"You are mychild and I can still whoop you and send you to bed." MarilynRichards had spoken with quiet authority, eyes boring into hers. "Andyou will apologize right now for saying the 'b' word. We do not referto anyone as a female dog."

"But mama-"

"Apologize."

And she had,reluctantly, because no matter how grown they were, the respect wasalways there - had to be there.

"Now." Shehad taken her daughter's hand and sat her down around the wornkitchen counter. "I need the job, because I have four growingchildren. I take all of that shit because I expect better for all mychildren.

Words don't mean adamn to me; I can tune them out. As long as I get a paycheck at theend of the week to put food in my children's bellies and give themthe finest education, it is well worth it. Do you understand?"

She had nodded and atthat time it dawned on her how much sacrifice her mother was making.She had lived long enough to see her children in their respectivecareers and to spoil her grandchildren.

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