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WE finished up early with our latest job. We weren’t due to start our next house until next Monday, which meant I had an extra long weekend.
When I looked over at Kylie’s house, I saw the strangest sight. Stranger than Kylie tackling Jordan in the yard. Stranger than Jenny on the roof with a paintball gun. Stranger than Kylie’s reindeer pajamas.
It was my mother, stepping out of Kylie’s house. I was pretty sure my jaw dropped to the ground. Mom crossed the street and patted my arm as she passed me. “We need to talk.”
I turned and followed her into the garage, closed the big door, and opened the door into the house. “Come on in; I’ll get you something to drink.”
“I hope it’s strong.”
That didn’t exactly make me want to find out what had happened over at Kylie’s house. Turned out, the only strong drink I had in the house was a sweet wine that Kylie had left behind. It was a little flat, but I poured Mom a glass anyway. She didn’t seem to mind when she took the first sip. I grabbed myself a soda from the fridge.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Mom’s voice had an edge to it, just like it did when I was little and my brothers and I had gotten into big trouble.
“I’m not sure what we’re talking about.”
“Brooke. The family business. Why you really broke up with her?”
I felt the blood drain from my face. “What did Kylie say?”
I had wanted the chance to tell Mom the truth. I knew she would be hurt since she considered Brooke a friend.
Mom shook her head and took a big drink of her wine.
“It was Brooke. She drove me here.”
That explained why I didn’t see my mom’s car outside.
“Why was Brooke here?”
Mom waved her hand through the air. “Because I didn’t understand. Why didn’t you tell me?”
I sat down on Kylie’s favorite barstool and rubbed a thumb between my eyebrows. “Mom, you’re going to have to back up and explain everything from the beginning.”
She began pacing back and forth in front of the kitchen sink. “I thought you wanted to be in the family business. She kept telling me you didn’t feel welcome. She told me that you didn’t want to pressure your father by asking to be a part.”
I’d wondered why my mom had hounded me so much to be a part of Glacier Bank. My parents were the ones who had fostered my love of building things. Dad was the one who got me my first circuit board kit when I was eleven. It hadn’t made sense that they would encourage me in my work then, all of a sudden, want me to switch to finance.
“Why don’t we go sit down?” I suggested. I grabbed a can of Coke from the fridge before I sat in my favorite spot on the couch.
“I only wanted you to be happy. I know you’ve wanted a family. I thought Brooke would be perfect for you since you wanted the same things.” She studied her pink nails.
“Mom, what did Kylie say to you?”
Mom shook her head. “It wasn’t her; I already told you. It was what Brooke said and the way that girl jumped in to defend you. No wonder you seemed infatuated with her last time I was here.”
I ducked my head to hide my grin. The idea of Kylie standing up for me made my chest feel like it was going to explode. She cared, even though I kept trying to shut her out.
“Brooke has lied about everything, hasn’t she?”
“What made you realize?”
“When she was busy tearing you apart to the neighbor girl. That girl came back swinging and told Brooke exactly what she thought.”
“She punched Brooke?”
“No, of course not. That was metaphorical, of course.”
I chuckled, because what my mother hadn’t realized yet was that Kylie might very well smack someone who verbally attacked someone she loved.
Mom continued. “With neighbors like that, you don’t have anything to worry about. Unless you’re more than neighbors.”
She looked at me pointedly. Trust my mother to be upset about Brooke’s betrayal and instantly start trying to matchmake me with Kylie.
She really wanted more grandbabies.
“Why didn’t you tell me what Brooke was really like?”
“You seemed to enjoy spending time with her. I didn’t want to ruin the friendship you had with her.”
She reached over and patted my leg. “I won’t say another word about Brooke. And I won’t pester you to join the family business. Just know that we will always keep that open to you.”
I leaned over and kissed her slightly wrinkled cheek. “Thanks, Mom. I’m sorry I didn’t say anything sooner. I’m glad you know the truth now. It felt like Brooke was managing to drive a wedge between us.”
“I agree. Now it makes sense why. Social climber. What a silly girl.”
I couldn’t help but agree with Mom’s summary of Brooke’s ambitions. There was so much more to life than money and social position. I was grateful those were lessons that my parents had bothered to teach me as I grew up.