Five Minute Conversation

“But I don’t LIKE ‘Becka!” There was a frown on David’s face.  “All she wants to do is play with dolls and pretend to be a mo-o-om-my and wants to play house.  I don’t LIKE to play house!  I want to go fishin’ with Billy Joe Thrasher.”

Meredith Anne smiled and chuckled to herself.  David sure had his father’s eyes, and he held his mouth in the same crooked way, especially when he wasn’t exactly pleased with his situation.  How long had it been now?  Three years?  Three years.  She paused from folding the bed sheets long enough to remember…remember the times she and Tucker spent together holding David when he was a baby not long from the womb, laughing at way he seemed to fit just right in her arms and how he would lie so still for hours on end, safe and warm on Tucker’s chest.  She always smiled at the thought of David and Tucker together, wishing he could see him now.  She sometimes felt as if he were still right there with them.  She could…she could almost smell his cologne and feel the warm sensation of his breath as it blew gently across her neck.  It made her feel warm inside, and safer somehow.  And, that made her smile, too.

“Now, now, Davey.  Rebecca is your cousin.  Family is important.  That fishin’ hole isn’t going to dry up before tomorrow.”  She kissed him gently on the forehead.  “Tell you what.  I'll call Iris and ask her if Billy Joe can come over for supper tomorrow night.  I’m fixing a venison roast, and I’ll make some apple cobbler for desert.  How’s that?  Now you go get cleaned up.  Rebecca will be here soon.  And don’t forget to wash behind those ears this time, cowboy!”   She turned him around and patted him on his blue-jeaned rear end. “Now scoot!  I’ve got chores to do.”

He turned reluctantly toward the bathroom and kicked at an imaginary something.  “I don’t LIKE girls!”   He reached down and picked up the basketball lying in the corner. “Can we shoot some hoops, Mom?  We can play HORSE.  You can go first!”

“SCOOT, David!   I’ll play with you after supper if it’s still daylight.  Of course, if you want to help wash those dirty dishes before Rebecca gets here, we might have time to play a game before….”

“…Uh…sure, Mom....maybe…I guess I oughta go get cleaned up….”

“Sounds like a great idea, Sweetie.”

“I’m NOT a sweetie, Mom!”

She kissed his cheek softly. “Yes, you are….”