Jessica's Story - Lesson 5

Laying his hand on her knee, Andy turned toward Jess and asked, “Is anything wrong?”

“Of course not," Jess shot back. "Your mom is so smart about raising kids. I’m seriously considering asking her to move in with us for awhile. Your dad probably wouldn’t mind a bit. He could paint to his heart’s content with no interruptions. What do you think? Should we?”

Jessica settled into her seat and twisted her knee away from Andy's reach. Resting her elbow on the window, a lump built up in her throat even as a sly smile played at the corners of her mouth.

“You’re kidding, right?”

Hoping innocent surprise shone from her pale blue eyes, she turned back to her left and looked at Andy.

“Of course not. Why would you think that?”

“Because you told her not to interfere the last time she was over?” Andy’s mouth hung open in surprise. He watched Jess for signs of a joke. Forgetting what he was doing, the right tire crunched as it slipped off the roadway. Jess grabbed the seat to turn and check the kids, as Andy snapped his head back toward the front and eased onto the macadam again.

“Well, I’ve had a change of heart, Sweetie. I’m going to call your mom right now and ask her.” Jess dug around in her bag and pulled out her cell.

“Just hold on a minute. Don’t you think we should talk this over some more?”

Jess noticed Andy’s knuckles turning white as he gripped the steering wheel and a little glimmer of hope sprang in her heart.

“Well…you’re the one who always said Betty was a great mom to you, and you’re always reminding me how you turned out to be so perfect because of the way you were raised.”

“This is a ridiculous conversation. I never said I was perfect and Mom would never agree to come live with us. And Dad would never let her, either.” Andy's voice increased a few decibels as his face reddened and his jaw muscles clenched.

“We won’t know unless we ask. Look at it another way. Suppose something happened to me, an accident, or, God forbid, an illness of some kind. Betty would be right there to take over.” Jess spoke stoically, playing out the scene, hoping for one word, anything, from Andy to prove his love for her.

“Nothing’s going to happen to you. You hardly drive at all. We only have the one car.” Seeing a hint of suspicion in Andy’s quick look at her, Jess backtracked.

“I know that, Andy. I’m just saying it would be nice having your mom around for awhile even if it was only during the day and she went home at night…give me some pointers, on-the-job training they call it, right?” Jess glanced away and bit her lip, now wondering how this conversation would end. She thought she may have started something she did not want to know the answer to.

“What about the McNally kids? You can’t expect her to help you take care of them.”

“I guess I could tell their mom to find someone else. If I don’t know how to discipline my own, I’m probably not doing such a good job with them either.” Jess looked out her window and attempted to swallow the big lump growing in her throat. Twisting her wedding band on her finger, a tear silently slid down her cheek. It was not going to end the way she wanted it to.