Page 167 of Ice Princess

At this point, The Pink Garage’s future looks grim. Before she left my apartment, April said she would talk to May about putting a notice on our website. The customers won’t be happy about the delay and I can just imagine all the angry comments we’ll be slammed with.

With a sigh, I put my truck in gear and head to my mother’s.

“Rebel!” Mom greets me with an excited smile. “Hey, baby.”

“Hi, mom.” I slip into the mobile home and kick my shoes off at the door. The weight of the day crashes into me and I wrap myarms around my mother, burying my face in her neck. I’m taller than her and she buckles a little.

“What’s wrong?” Mom asks, stroking my shoulder.

“Nothing,” I mumble into her freckled skin.

Mom’s voice holds a hint of laughter, “Then why are you acting like a baby?” She tries to pry me off.

I hold tighter. “Mm-mm.”

Mom’s laughter vibrates her entire body. “Let’s sit down.”

Still hugging her, I follow her to the sofa.

Mom sits down and I immediately fold into her side. Taking her weathered hand in mine, I stare at the callouses, nicks and marks from her many years of hard labor.

“You want to tell me what’s going on?”

“I don’t really want to talk about it.”

She nods and strokes my hair. “You know how proud I am of you, don’t you, Rebel?”

“Because I’m dating a Kinsey?” I ask dryly.

She flicks my forehead.

“Ow!” I exclaim.

“I’m proud of how smart, brave, and kind you are.” Mom’s eyes glitter like the stars I saw twinkling above the garage. “Look at what you did for the school.”

“It wasn’t a one-man job.”

“True, but it wasyourvision. Your drive. By stepping up, you gave us the chance to show up for ourselves and for each other.”

After all the losses I took today, mom’s encouragement is like rain to a dry, deserted land.

Burrowing closer to her, I mumble, “Mom?”

“Mm?”

“What would life be like if we were rich like the Kinseys?”

“What?” Mom jerks a little.

“Imagine,” I whisper, “if you owned the orchard and all the Kinsey land. Imagine,” I gently caress her worn hands, “that youhiredthemto clean your houses and your businesses. Imagine you could rearrangetheirlives with just one word?”

Mom’s other hand closes around mine. “Rebel, it’s no good to imagine those things. Look at all wedohave. Health. Strength.” She touches my cheek gently. “Each other.”

I smile.

Mom closes her eyes peacefully. “I wouldn’t trade the life I have now for anything.”

“How can you be so sure?”

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