Free Under Construction by J. A. Armstrong Page B

Candace asked. She looked at her daughter’s face
and sighed. “Come on,” she grabbed Marianne’s hand and led her into the
kitchen. Marianne watched as her mother filled a kettle for tea. Almost everyone had retired for the evening. Jameson and
her brothers were still out back with Jonah. She startled slightly when Jonah
and Jameson walked through the back door in tandem.
    “Hey,
you two,” Candace greeted the pair. “Where are Toby and Doug?”
    “Camping
in my old tent with the kids,” Jonah said.
    “Is
that what you were up to out there?” Candace asked.
    “Yeah.
I thought they might have fun with that. J.D. helped me pitch it while they got
the boys ready. Do we have anymore flashlights?” he asked his mother.
    “I
think there might be a couple in that old
box in the back of the barn,” Candace said. She rummaged through a kitchen
drawer and handed Jonah some batteries. “Pearl’s not so secret stash. I
discovered it when I was ten. She’s never moved it,” she winked.
    “Thanks,
Mom,” Jonah said. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
    “You
sleeping out there?” she asked.
    “Yeah,
should be fun,” he said with a kiss to his mom’s cheek. “Love you, Mom.”
    “I love
you too,” Candace said as she made her way to the whistling kettle.
    “Night
J.D, thanks letting me hang out with you guys,” he said.
    Jameson
laughed. “Don’t thank me. You’ll be begging my forgiveness by morning. You’ve
never shared a tent with Doug after a barbecue and beer.”
    Jonah
laughed. “Noted. Night, Sis.” Marianne nodded. She watched as her brother bounced
back out the door as if he were twelve again. She tried not to focus on the
scene unfolding a few feet away.
    “Need
anything before I head up?” Jameson asked Candace.
    “Nope,”
Candace replied.
    “Okay,
don’t stay up too long,” Jameson whispered, but Marianne heard her clearly .
    “Why?
Afraid of the dark?” Candace teased Jameson.
    “Yes,
and you gave away all the flashlights,” Jameson replied.
    “I’m confident Jinx will protect you,” Candace
reassured her lover.
    “Big
help he’ll be. What’s he going to do, knead the monsters to death and purr?”
Jameson whined.
    “You
really are a bit touched,” Candace observed affectionately.
    Jameson
winked and kissed Candace tenderly. “I’ll see you in a bit.”
    “Yes,
you will.”
    “Good
night, Marianne,” Jameson said.
    “Night,
J.D.”
    Candace
took the opportunity to wink at Jameson when Marianne looked down the table.
She placed a cup of tea in front of her daughter, sat down, and waited.
    “I’m
sorry,” Marianne said. Candace sighed. “I love you, Mom,” Marianne said so
honestly that it nearly took Candace’s breath away.
    “I know that,” Candace said, reaching across the
table and taking Marianne’s hand. “Tell me the truth. What is it that has you
so worried about Jameson?” Marianne looked up with unshed tears. “Go on,”
Candace encouraged her daughter.
    “I
don’t want to see you hurt again.”
    “Yes, I
know. It’s more than that,” Candace said.
    “Sometimes,
I don’t want to share you,” Marianne admitted. Candace smiled and moved across
the short distance to embrace her daughter. “I already have to share you with
too many people. What about Spencer? He has to share you too,” she said. “I
know…I’m selfish.”
    “Maybe,
but I appreciate what you said more than you know,” Candace replied. “It’s
funny, you know? That’s exactly the
reason Jameson gave as to why she doesn’t want to have children.”
    “What
do you mean?” Marianne asked.
    “Well,
our time is so divided now. We both have careers that occupy much of our week.
I have you kids and Spencer. Jameson has
her family, not to mention all of our friends and the people we both employ. If
I decide to pursue anything else, well…that will add another layer. It’s a lot
to juggle.” Candace said.
    “You
almost sound disappointed,” Marianne