Page 114 of Lone Star Longing
“Yes, but that wasn't so popular and easy when I lived here.”
That was probably just as well. Lacey didn't think her father had made enough money for her mother to shop online every day.
“You should have seen all the clothes the two of them bought for Tanya’s new job,” Leonard added. “I don't think she’s worn the same thing twice since she’s been there. Same with Caydence. She’s going to outgrow those clothes before she wears them.”
“But now we can pass them on to Lacey,” Tanya said.
Lacey wondered where her kids would have occasion to wear a different outfit every day. Lacey herself wore scrubs most of the time, but now even maternity scrub tops didn't fit her, so she was just wearing tunic tops she’d bought online over her scrub pants.
“You should come down after the babies are born and come shop with us. We’ll buy you some new clothes for when you lose your baby weight.”
She didn't want to drive six hours with newborns to shop for clothes she wouldn't wear. But she would like to visit Houston.
“Maybe when the babies are older.”
“Or I could come here and drive back with you.”
“Maybe.”
She was grateful when the young waitress brought out their meals. She hadn’t even realized how hungry she was, she’d been so excited to see them all.
She dragged herself home after ten, ridiculously tired. She had to work up the energy to get out of her car and walk to the door. Marianne’s car was there, but Lacey didn't have the energy to talk to anyone. She wished she could sneak in the back door.
But she was a grown up, and she walked through the front door to see her dad and Marianne on the couch, his arm around her shoulders, as they watched a movie.
“Hey. How did it go?” her dad asked, shifting forward and pulling his arm away from Marianne.
“It was good, but it’s been a long day and I ate too much. I’m going to crash. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Oh, hey, what do you want me to make for dinner tomorrow?” Marianne asked, like she hadn’t just heard what Lacey said.
“We talked about that already?” Lacey said, framing it like a question. “I thought we were going to do enchiladas?”
“Well, yes, but the tortillas at the grocery store aren’t the ones I like to use, and I want it to be really good to impress your mom and everything, but I really don't feel confident enough to make them with those tortillas and I was wondering if you had any objection to meatloaf.”
She actually really did. One of the things that gagged her since the beginning of her pregnancy was the smell of cooking ground meat, and the way it changed color from pink to a kind of gray and...ugh, just thinking about it right now was enough to make her want to throw up.
“I can’t eat ground meat right now. Listen, I’m really sorry, Marianne, I know you want to make this nice, but I’m really exhausted right now and I need to sleep.”
“Of course.” Marianne’s smile fell. “We’ll figure something out. I just need to get to the grocery store in the morning, or if your heart is set on enchiladas, I can go into San Angelo.”
“No. No one is driving all that way for tortillas. We can do like a pot pie or something. Just—no ground meat, okay? Good night, y’all.” And she staggered into the bedroom. She wanted a shower so bad, but didn't want to take one with Marianne at the house. She didn't think she could stay awake long enough anyway.
And yet, once she got into bed, she couldn't fall asleep, her mind replaying all the conversations with her mother and sister, and with Marianne just now. Just when she decided to get up and go into the living room to discuss the menu with Marianne, she heard the car drive off.
She felt terrible. This situation was hard for Marianne, so of course she wanted to make something she felt confident in. Lacey also needed to let her know that she was inviting Beck to dinner so he could meet her family before the shower on Sunday.
She shoved her covers back and padded to the living room to see her dad shutting off the television and the lights.
“Why doesn’t Marianne live here? Or, you know, stay here on nights where it’s so late?”
“I thought you were tired.”
“I was until I tried to sleep and then I couldn’t. I was going to talk to her but she left and I was just wondering.”
“Well, she has her house and I have this house, so that’s why she doesn’t live here, and she doesn't like the idea of not going home to her cats overnight. She likes to be there for them in the morning to give them breakfast.”
“So why don't you stay over at her place then?”
