Mama's Ink by Vaughn Rachelle

Author:Vaughn, Rachelle [Vaughn, Rachelle]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
ISBN: 9781497508095
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Published: 2014-03-31T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

Mama’s Apprentice

On Sunday, the only day of the week the shop was closed, Hank spent the day in the yard, trimming the shrubs and mowing the lawn. The house might have Mama’s name on the deed, but like the shop, it was Hank’s just as much as it was hers.

Mama was inside, asleep in her recliner. She was eerily motionless, but I could tell she was just napping because of her ragged breathing. Jack lay on her lap and the sound of his snoring competed with the rattle in Mama’s chest. When I lingered too long, Jack lifted his head to look at me, yawned and settled his chin back on Mama’s lap.

I went outside to take my mind off Brock and found Hank pulling weeds in the flowerbed. I handed him a glass of lemonade I had mixed together out of the freezer and he stood up, stretched his back and took the glass from me.

“Thanks, Sadie. I’m mighty parched.”

“You’re welcome. The place looks great, Hank.”

“She deserves to have a nice place to live,” he replied. “She works hard. Too hard if ya ask me.”

“You work just as much as she does, Hank.”

He shrugged and scratched his beard. “Can’t much call it work when you’re doin’ sumpin’ ya love.”

“Can’t argue with you there,” I replied, motioning to him with my camera.

He handed me back the empty glass and I knew this might be the only opportunity I had to speak to him alone. “Maybe you could talk to her.” About treatment. About not giving up.

Hank shook his head and plucked a dandelion from a crack in the walkway. “She’s done made up her mind, Sadie. There ain’t nuthin’ I can say to change that.”

I swallowed and knew he was right. “I had to at least try.”

He gave my shoulder a squeeze and I walked back into the house, the screen door closing ceremoniously behind me.

After two days of making arrangements for the party and shopping for party supplies, I rewarded myself with a cup of herbal tea and a few minutes to check my e-mail. It was just an excuse to kill time while I waited for Brock to call. We’d exchanged a few texts, but he’d promised to call that evening so we could actually talk.

It was a slow news day and my inbox was eerily empty. Now that my life was in limbo, I’d had my assistant clear my entire schedule. It was strange not having any jobs lined up, but I guess this was what a vacation felt like.

I heard Jared’s motorcycle pull up to the house long before I saw it. I left my camera on the table and went outside to meet Jared so he wouldn’t wake Mama. I could have tried to hide from him, but there was no avoiding the inevitable.

Jared wasn’t one to talk about his feelings and right now that was actually a relief. He was all about actions speaking louder than words, but maybe that’s what was always getting us into trouble with each other.

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