Brick Three
Jane said, “We didn’t get to tell the children our news.”
“Are you upset about Lucas becoming a nurse?”
“I’m afraid this will crush my father. You know how Brick Jr. has counted on Lucas taking over the company.
” He paused, thinking. “I was counting on it, too. This is a bolt out of the blue. It’s breaking a pattern.
You could even say it’s demeaning a tradition.
Lucas doesn’t need to know this, but I guess I feel insulted and embarrassed. ”
“I get it,” Jane said. “But maybe we should have expected something like this. Remember how after he turned fourteen, you asked him to work for the company, at least part-time, in the summer. But he chose to be a lifeguard. And he loved that job.”
Brick Three nodded. “He did. And I’m giving myself a whole lot of points for not insisting he work in the office.”
“And you’re still young. Maybe this new kid will want to take over the company.”
Brick Three smiled. “Janie, you’re such an optimist.”
She shrugged. “Not always. I’m worried that Lucas’s super-bro friends will make fun of him.”
“We stopped trying to protect our kids a long time ago.”
“True, and I would never say that nursing was women’s work. I’m not that behind the times. But traditionally, it has been women’s work, right?”
Brick Three grinned. “Well, it was Florence Nightingale, not Fred Nightingale.”
Jane laughed. “Brick Three, I love you.”
“I love you, too. I’ll admit I was sad about our kids really going away, so thank heavens we’ve got a new kid coming toward us.”
Jane burst into tears. “Everything’s changing.”
Brick Three rose, pulled Jane up against him, and kissed the top of her head. “And it’s all good, Janie. It’s all fine.”
Jane snuggled against him for a minute. She murmured into his chest, “Your father and Beatrice are coming over for dinner tonight.”
Brick Three groaned. “Oh, damn, you’re right. Prepare for fireworks.”
“We’ll get through it,” Jane said. “But let’s not tell him about the baby tonight. Let’s focus on the Stroll.”
Brick Three kissed Jane. “We could focus on ourselves for a while.” His grin was mischievous.
Jane gave him a stop that look that her husband understood well. “We’ve got other things to do first. Now—where’s my list?”