sometimes and rude as all get-out other times. She gave a quick wave as she turned to leave. “Bye.”
“Darlene?”
She took a deep breath and spun around.
Layla had her arms folded across her chest again. “I can’t come for dinner, and I’m in a hurry because I have a very sick cow out in the far pasture. I don’t think she’s going to make it, and I’d like to be with her.”
Darlene stammered, “Anything I can do?”
“No. Just wanted you to know why I can’t come to dinner.” Layla took a step back inside and closed the door.
On the drive home, Darlene kept asking herself why she even wanted to be friends with Layla. But she knew the answer. Layla was a good person deep down. And she needed a friend.
Over the next several weeks, everyone settled into a chaotic routine. After school was out for the summer, Darlene had to run the household like a dictator from a remote location, often texting her children throughout the day to remind them what needed to be done at home.
The washing machine had bounced across the mudroom, dislodging the pipe and flooding the area last Tuesday. Before that, Ansley’s rooster, the infamous Rocky, had pecked the UPS man on the leg, drawing blood. The deliveryman had shown up at The Evans School to chat with Darlene about it. Another snake had made its way into the house, a grass snake no bigger than a pencil, but Chad had hacked it into pieces with a kitchen knife, further marring the wooden floor.
Darlene was just glad that Chad had snagged a part-time job tending Clydesdales at a nearby ranch. He wasn’t home to help out as much as his sisters, but at least he was occupied and earning a little spending money. Brad had been working later and later in an effort to make partner.
The house was a wreck most of the time, and when the kids did clean it, it wasn’t anything like Darlene would have liked. And she was tired most of the time. But as she watched Cara working a crossword puzzle—the third one she’d finished in the past week—she knew she was making progress. And the extra money was building up in savings. It wouldn’t be long before she could cover the floors with new hardwood.
“Great job,” Darlene said after Cara eased the crossword puzzle in front of Darlene. She quickly scanned her answers, then moved it to the side. She was reaching for a book Cara had been reading when Cara touched her hand. It was the second time this week that Cara had touched her. “What is it, sweetie?”
“You are the best mom ever.”
Darlene stopped breathing for a moment. Cara had spoken slowly and clearly, but the way Cara was gazing into Darlene’s eyes made her nervous. “Thank you. I hope my children all think so too.” She forced a smile as her chest tightened.
Cara still had her hand on Darlene’s. “You are my mother now.”
Darlene eased her hand out from under Cara’s and twisted in her chair to face her. “Cara, I’m your teacher, and I am so proud of the work you’ve been doing . . . But I’m not your mother, honey.”
Cara shook her head so hard Darlene was sure it had to hurt. “No! You are my mother now!”
“Cara, listen to me.” Darlene paused, hoping she could make Cara understand. “You are very special. Do you know how special you are?”
Cara’s bottom lip trembled as she leaned forward and put her head on Darlene’s chest. Darlene was so shocked that she didn’t move for a few moments. Then she slowly wrapped her arms around Cara. She was still holding Cara when Dave walked in.
“What’s wrong?” He hurried to them, his eyebrows narrowing as he looked at Darlene. “Did something happen?”
“No, everything is fine,” Darlene said as Cara pulled away, ran to her father, and hugged him.
“Was it a good day?” Dave kissed Cara on the top of her head, but his eyes were on Darlene.
She, Cara, and Dave had settled into a comfortable routine. Every now and then, she’d catch Dave staring at her in a way that made her slightly uncomfortable, almost in admiration, but she assumed it was because she and Cara were making such great progress.
Today, she was worn out and hoped Cara would tell her father it was a good day, as it had been—until Cara’s confusion about Darlene’s role in her life. She was wondering if she should mention the