Mind Games

“That’s a damn good solution.” Lucy rubbed tired eyes, pushed at the hair she hadn’t taken time to braid. “I’m using it. You boys have been such a help to me with this. I figured myself a pretty sharp businesswoman, but I’m getting an education on accounting and lawyering and big-wheel finances here.”

“We can stay a few more days, Mama.”

“Waylon, you and Caleb have lives to get back to. I really want you back here for Christmas this year, as it’ll be a hard one, and those kids need family around. But now, you’ve got lives to get back to. I’ve got those accountants and lawyers and big-wheel financial advisers to pull me through this.”

“You call if you need to bitch some about all that.”

On a laugh, she patted Caleb’s hand. “You might regret that offer, ’cause I’m taking it. And I’m taking the advice both of you gave me. Those children are never going to want to live in the house where their parents were killed. I’m foolish for hesitating about selling it for them.”

“Doesn’t make it any easier to sell off what Cora and John worked to build.”

“No, Waylon, it doesn’t.”

Such a lovely house, she thought. One they’d filled with light and love.

Knowing what needed doing didn’t make it easier. But it made it right.

“This is what they’d want. It’s what both of you think, and it’s what Thea and Rem told me they wanted. I do worry some about all their things.”

“Mama.” Caleb waited until she looked at him. “The kids said what they wanted, and you told us what you knew both Cora and John set store by. Things you passed down to them, things they gave each other that held real meaning to them. The rest? Just things, Mama.”

“You’re right, and I know it. So I’ll do what the lawyer said we could. Hiring on that company he recommended that goes in and appraises all that. They’ll handle an estate sale, and that’ll be that. That’s what’s best.”

“They asked you to take this on because they knew you could, and you would. But what Caleb said before goes for me, too. You need to bitch some, you call.”

“All right then.” She closed the last file folder. “I know it’s late, but how about we sit out on the porch awhile, have a little sipping whiskey?”

* * *

In the morning, after chores, after breakfast, the brothers tossed their bags in the U-Haul.

“I want calls when you both land in your spots, you hear?” She hugged them both. “Oh, I miss you both already.”

“Home for Christmas, Mama.” Waylon scooped Thea off her feet. “You take care of your grammie for me.”

“I will.”

“And you?” Rem got a bear hug. “You’re the man of the house.”

“And they outnumber you, so stand strong, my brother.” Caleb kissed both of Rem’s cheeks, then Thea’s.

They stood, as they had at another goodbye, as the truck drove away.

“It’s all right to say it, Grammie,” Thea told her. “It’s the three of us now.”

“It’s the three of us. Well, I need to make the liquid soap people are so fond of. Since making it right from start to finish takes a couple days, I’m gonna use some child labor.”

“Days! Don’t you just melt it?”

“No, Rem, you don’t. But I’m going to show you how. The way I figure it, you’re employees of Mountain Magic now. We gotta talk salary.”

“Oh, Grammie,” Thea began, but Rem waved his arms in the air.

“We get paid?”

“A body needs some spending money. We’ll negotiate.”

“I’m older. I should get more.”