Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 71843 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 359(@200wpm)___ 287(@250wpm)___ 239(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71843 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 359(@200wpm)___ 287(@250wpm)___ 239(@300wpm)
“He did, and it’s a whole other story, but yes, that was her driver.”
“Okay,” she mumbled, unsure. “So then did she just get home?”
“She did, and she’s fine.”
“You’re being very gracious, but I know very well she’s not. I really hope she can forgive us, because honestly, Jory, your daughter is an angel, and our son has changed so much since they started seeing each other. She’s simply the best influence on him and Mira both. Our whole family is smitten with her, and my husband and I are horrified about the whole evening.”
“Well, I’m sorry that she ran out without talking to you.”
“Oh no, poor little thing, I would have run too, and I told my husband, I said, ‘For God’s sake, Brad, you scared her to death!’” She was so matter-of-fact. “You should have seen the shock on her face. She thought she killed him.”
I was glad she couldn’t see me smile.
“I’m convinced she had no idea she could knock him down.”
“No,” I agreed. “She really didn’t.”
“I said, ‘You’ve seen her father. Of course she assumes she can jump on you and not have you fold like a cheap card table.’”
I bit the inside of my cheek so I wouldn’t laugh.
“Her father can bench-press a car, and you got thrown over the sectional.”
I lost it then, and after a moment, she did too. Laughter was truly the great bridge.
Back in the living room, I saw that Uno had been abandoned and the four of them were playing Diablo, ridding the countryside of demons in outfits that belonged in musical theater.
“Everything okay in here?” I asked Sam specifically.
“Everything’s great,” he told me, shooting me a lazy grin before his focus returned to the battle at hand.
I suspected that Hannah would put everything behind her and start over, because forgiveness was a thing in our house. But at the moment, what made me smile was seeing my family together. And Jake of course.
That’s it, you all, have a wonderful rest of August. Stay safe and healthy, and I’ll see you in September.
SEPTEMBER 2020
Hello, all, welcome to He Said, he said for September. As 2020 rolls along and I keep a wary eye out for murder hornets, I have both my children home with me. Kola, as you all know because I’ve bragged about it, was supposed to be in California going to school. But we decided that his first year at Stanford would be done remotely. Hannah is also doing the remote thing, so everyone is still at home. And while part of me is thrilled that Kola is here and not on the other side of the country, I do want all the new friends and experiences for him, so I’m sad as well. Hopefully in the spring our country, and the world, will be different.
Normally on Labor Day we invite everyone over for a barbecue, but this year all the usual suspects stayed home because it was safest. So it was just us, plus Harper and Jake, and after so many years, Sam and I don’t consider the two boys anything but family.
That afternoon, Hannah and I had set up the electric two-burner stove outside to start boiling the water to set the pitchers of beeswax in for candle making. I was engrossed, as was she, so when Dobby started barking his head off, it took me a moment to break my concentration and check on him. When I did, I saw Hannah’s boyfriend, his sister, his parents, and another woman I didn’t know, and a young man probably about my son’s age, all standing at our side gate that led to the driveway.
“Hello,” I called over to them and then glanced at my daughter.
She squinted at me for a moment, and then her face lit up.
“What did you forget?”
“That Kayden wanted to come over and play video games with me and the guys.”
“You mean watch you play.”
She nodded.
“He’s gonna get bored.”
“I might give him a turn.”
“Ah, young love.”
“Zip it,” she ordered me playfully. “They just came to drop him off.”
I chuckled. “Okay. Now invite them in. I’m pleased that they’re all masked; that was smart of you to tell them.”
“Oh, I explained about Dad and his, ‘unless you live under my roof, you better have a mask on’ dictate.”
“You need to go grab masks for the boys, though, since we have company.”
“On it, but that means you gotta keep pouring,” she said pointedly.
“Fine. You realize that somehow this always happens.”
She snickered, and I took the pitcher from her.
Hannah went to the gate and let them in as Kola jogged over and took her place, both of us pouring before the wax got too cold. I didn’t check to see where everyone was, I couldn’t, I had to focus, but I assumed she told them to explore our backyard, which wouldn’t take long as it was much smaller than the three acres their house sat on. I saw Hannah bolt by me into the house, out of the corner of my eye. I hoped she was telling Sam we had guests since he was inside preparing chicken and steak kabobs to put on the grill.