Chapter 2
2
PRESENT
A loud knock sounded as Jackie barreled through the back door. “Hello, hello! Anyone home?” Her sing-song voice flowed through the house.
Jackie knew Michelle was home, but this was her thing, and Michelle grinned. “In the office.” She caught the tear escaping the corner of her eye as she identified with her character, remembering the day they laid Bill to rest.
“What are you doing in here on a Sunday afternoon?”
Michelle straightened her back. “I started a new book last night. I was reading what I wrote before the children come over.”
“What’s the special occasion?”
“I’ve called a family meeting, so I’m glad you’re here.”
“Family meeting?” Jackie rubbed her hands together. “This sounds good. Is that why there’s food on the dining room table?”
“I figure as long as I bribe them with food and alcohol, they’ll be here.” Michelle chuckled.
“Hmm, what happened that’s so important for you to call a family meeting?” Jackie sat on the edge of Michelle’s desk, and the color drained from Michelle’s face. “You aren’t sick, are you?”
“No, nothing like that. Just . . .”
“Just what?”
Michelle took a deep breath and leaned back in her chair. She looked directly at Jackie. “I think I want to start dating.”
“What? That’s wonderful!” Jackie grabbed Michelle’s hands. “And you’re going to tell the children.” It was more of a statement than a question.
Michelle shrugged. “I want them to know before I meet someone or before they come to a family dinner, and there’s a man they’ve never seen before eating with us.”
“ Have you met someone?”
“No, but I want to. I’m lonely. I just hope they’ll understand.”
Jackie smiled. “I’m sure they will.”
A door slammed loudly, causing them to look toward the doorway. “Mom!”
“Coming, Cade.”
“Adam, Charlotte, Belynda, and Nelson are in the driveway. They’ll be in here in a few. Can we eat this food?”
She chuckled, knowing he was always hungry. “Of course.”
Adam walked in and kissed Michelle’s cheek, and Charlotte, Adam’s fiancée, hugged her. “Hey. You planning on feeding an army?” Michelle smiled at her twenty-seven-year-old son. He proposed to Charlotte a month ago. Even though the wedding date wasn’t set yet, Michelle hoped it would be soon.
“Hey, Mom,” Belynda kissed her cheek, and Nelson followed her lead. Belynda was twenty-five. She and Nelson had been married for almost three years. They seemed happy and were talking babies.
Cade walked in with a plate of food. He kissed her cheek as he sat down. He was twenty-three and free as a bird. Michelle looked forward to the day when love knocked him on his ass.
Jackie greeted them with a Cheshire cat grin as they gathered in the family room. Michelle wanted to kick her. They would know something was up and start forming arguments before she said a word.
“Make sure you get plenty to eat,” Michelle said as she sat at one end of the sofa. The others scattered around the room. Adam and Charlotte sat on the loveseat while Belynda and Nelson sat at the far end of the sofa where Jackie and Michelle were, and Cade sat across the room in a wingback chair.
Adam looked at his siblings and then at Michelle. He stopped chewing and put the other sausage ball back on his plate. Apparently, he’d been voted their spokesperson since he was the oldest. “You’re awfully quiet, Mom, and you called the meeting. Is everything all right?”
Michelle smiled. “Why yes, of course it is.”
“Then why did you call a family meeting?” Belynda looked at her.
“I want to tell you something, and I want you to hear me out.” Michelle’s children slowly nodded as suspicion hung in the room. She took a fortifying breath and decided to rip off the bandage. “I’m ready to start dating.”
“What?” Adam jumped to his feet, almost spilling his plate. His glass wobbled, and liquid sloshed over the top. “Mom! Why?” Charlotte grasped his arm, and he sat back down.
Jackie slid closer to Michelle and took her hand for support. “Adam, hear your mom out. I don’t think she’s asking permission.” Jackie raised her eyebrows.
Belynda looked at her husband, brothers, Charlotte, Jackie, and then Michelle. “Mom? Why now?” she asked in a calm voice.
“I’m still young?—”
“You’re fifty!” Cade said.
Michelle smiled. “As you get older, you’ll find fifty isn’t decrepit. I still have a lot of life in me. At least I hope I do. I want to travel again but don’t want to go alone. Y’all have your lives ahead of you. You’re busy and have found your one. Well, Adam and Belynda have.” She looked at Cade and cocked her brow in silent question. He just shrugged, which dashed her hopes.
“But Dad was your one,” Belynda quietly said.
“Yes, he was, sweetheart. But what if I find someone who can help fill some of the void your dad left? He’ll never be replaced, mind you. He was the love of my life, but maybe there’s someone else out there that I can love and who can love me back.”
Adam’s mouth dropped open. “You’re saying you’d get married again?”
“I’m not saying that at all. I don’t know. I may not like dating in the twenty-first century.”
“It’s a lot different, that’s for sure,” Jackie mumbled.
Michelle looked everyone in the eyes. “To be honest, I’m lonely.”
Adam swallowed his food and took a sip of his drink. “We can get you a dog, Mom. That’ll help.”
She rolled her eyes. “I don’t want the responsibility of a dog, Adam.”
Belynda, who seemed to be the voice of reason among her children, sat up straighter, just like she did when she was ready to make a point that she thought would win an argument. “But you have Jackie. Y’all do stuff together all the time. We all come by several times a week, so how can you be lonely?”
Michelle placed her folded hands in her lap, mainly so she didn’t strangle her children, and smiled. “It’s not that kind of lonely.”
“Aww, Mom!” Adam stood again and walked around the room. “I don’t need to hear this.”
Cade laughed as his face turned beet red.
“I’m not talking about sex, Adam. I’m talking about companionship. I’m talking about holding a man’s hand and walking through the park.” Michelle furrowed her brows. “But you know what? If I found someone that I wanted to have sex with, then so be it. I’m an adult.”
“Mooom!” Adam turned toward her.
“You’re the one who brought it up, my dear son.”
Belynda held her hands up. “Adam, sit down. Mom’s right.”
“What? Belynda? How can you go along with this?”
“Because I know how I feel when Nelson has to travel. It is lonely. I couldn’t imagine doing that forever.”
“She can go out with Jackie. Hell, they go out all the time. You just said so yourself.”
Cade leaned forward and placed his arms on his thighs. His voice was solemn, and his eyes were caring. “Mom, have you met someone?”
“No, but I want to be free to do so without worrying about all of you. I want you to be okay with me seeing someone if I find them.”
“Okay, then. You have my support.”
Adam looked at Cade. “Am I the only one here who thinks this is a bad idea?”
Michelle looked at him. “Why, Adam?”
“I... well...” He sat down and ran his hands through his hair. “Mom, you were with Dad for almost thirty years. How can you just turn that off?”
Her hand covered her mouth as tears stung her eyes. “Oh, Adam, I’m not turning that off. I will always love your father. He wouldn’t want me to sit around and not enjoy life. We talked about what we’d do if we were suddenly left on this earth without the other. We gave each other permission to find love again when we were ready. It’s been two years since we lost him. How long am I supposed to wait?”
“How long have you been thinking about this?” Belynda asked.
“A couple of months or so.”
Belynda smiled. “If you’ve thought about it that long and still want to do it, you have my support.”
Michelle smiled and mouthed, “Thank you.”
“I guess I’m the only one who doesn’t want to see you with anyone other than Dad.” Adam rested his elbows on his thighs and steepled his fingers in front of his mouth, just like his father did when facing a decision he didn’t want. “I’ll go along with it as long as we have a say if we don’t like the guy.”
“I’m not looking for anything serious, Adam, but thank you. I think I can work with that.”
She stood, and her kids hugged her. Cade kissed her cheek, “I’m glad it was this and not that you’re sick or something.”
“Me too.” They laughed. “So, how do I go about doing this?”
Jackie put her arm around Michelle. “Dating sites.”
Adam groaned. “Oh, God, help us.”
“Mom, I love you, but I can’t set you up with people I know.” Belynda shook her head. “If something goes south, I would be upset if they hurt you.”
“What kind of guy are you looking for, Mom?” Cade acted as if he were taking notes on the palm of his hand. “Tall? Short? Older?... Younger?” His eyes widened, and his voice rose as if he said something scandalous.
Michelle laughed. “I don’t know. I’m going in open-minded. I’ll figure it out, I’m sure.” They walked to the dining room. “Please eat this food. I made too much. I was nervous.”
They ate and talked before Adam and Charlotte were the first to say goodnight. Michelle waved from the door as everyone began to leave.