Page 48 of Feels Like Home

His smile drops a little bit but his eyes soften. “Give us a quick minute,boys?”

“But…”

“Why don’t you go find Emma? She’s trying a new triple chocolate muffin recipe I think you both need to tastetest.”

They both hesitate a moment before they agree and walk out thedoor.

As soon as they’re gone, Andy takes three steps until he’s behind the desk, spins my chair around so I’m facing him with his hands gripping my shoulders, and looks me in theeye.

“Christine. We want you with us whenever we can get you.” He lowers to crouch in front of me and lowers his voice. “And, sweetheart, it would mean a lot to me. And the boys. They need this. They needyou. She’s… well, she’s taking thecabin.”

“What?Why?”

“Don’t know. She just is. I get the boys.” He shrugs as if he’s not bothered, but I see it written all over his face. And it breaks my heart. “She’s taking something that doesn’t mean shit to her, but she knows how much it means to us. The boys want to show it to you before they lose the chance. After the divorce is final…” He trails off, not needing to finish hissentence.

Well crap. What’s a girl supposed to say tothat?

15

Andy

The boysand Igot to Barrett’s house about two hours ago. We ate dinner that we convinced James to make for us and are now currently sitting in the living room watching a basketball game onTV.

The girls are all over at Christine’s, and I can’t help but be a little jealous. I know she loves her time with her friends, and I would never take that away from her, but I’ve gotten used to spending time with her on theweekends.

“The boys and I asked Christine to come to the cabin with us over spring break,” I announce with little pomp and circumstance. Just put it outthere.

“I’m sorry. What was that?” Barrett asks as he’s wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, just after spewing beer over the coffee table in front ofhim.

He reaches down and aims the remote at the TV to mute thegame.

“So, you two are serious, huh?” Josh asks, eyeswide.

I shrug, not wanting to put too much stock in to the fact that Christine is coming with us to the cabin, yet… it’s a pretty big deal that she agreed to come to the cabin with us over spring break. Especially if it’s the first and last time we’ll get to bring herthere.

“What do youmean?”

“You don’t play dumb well,” James murmurs without looking at me as he tips his bottle of beer back and takes a long pull. He’s the picture of relaxation, complete with the fresh tan from the honeymoon he recently returned from. He has one foot up on the coffeetable.

“Fine,” I concede after not putting up a fight what-so-ever. “Start asking. What do you want toknow?”

“You’re giving us free rein?” Josh asks, rubbing his handstogether.

“Shh! Don’t spook him. I get first question!” Barrett shouts, as if someone were challenging him. Just then, Grady walks into the livingroom.

“You’re starting what?” he asks his dad as he plops down on the other end of the sectional, sweaty and heaving asigh.

“What’s wrong? Did the boys wear youout?”

When Barrett called to see if I wanted to come hang out with the guys tonight he made sure to let me know that the boys were welcome to join us. The minute we walked into the house, they immediately went to the basement to find Grady who, being the great kid he is, welcomed them both with open arms. They’ve been playing Xbox, had a Nerf war, and from the sounds of it earlier, had a little wrestling match when Grady’s friend Blake cameover.

“What did you feed them today? They have so muchenergy!”

I chuckle. He speakstruth.

They’ve exhausted me for fourteen years now, so this isn’t news tome.

“You leave Blake down there alone?” Barrett raises his eyes wide as he leans on the back of the cushion to look around thecorner.

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