Saturday morning, Jenna busied herself cleaning the house of cobwebs and dust. She spent all day unpacking boxes and putting things away, except what required storage. Those supplies would have to wait for the furniture the county had ordered for the school to be delivered Monday.
Sadie helped put her clothes in her drawers like a good girl, and they made her bed together. She’d done well considering all the change. Actually, Sadie had done better since they’d left Shane than she ever had.
Sadie dropped her pillow to the floor. “Oh, oh, oh.” She danced around then eyed the door to the bathroom.
Jenna held her breath. Was she really going to go in the potty? She watched her daughter scurry across the floor and into the bathroom. Moments ticked by and Sadie hummed, but she didn’t hear anything. Then the magical sound of tinkling filled the room. Jenna danced around with the pillow, holding in her squeals of delight. She’d done it, and on her own.
The toilet flushed and water ran for a few seconds before Sadie came out with her shirt half tucked into her pants. “Mama, Mama, Mama. Did it!”
“You did, honey!” She lifted Sadie and twirled around the room.
“Weeeeeee!” Sadie flung her head back and enjoyed the ride.
Jenna knew the doctors were wrong. Her little girl was able to do whatever she wanted to in life; it just took her a little longer to get things right. “I’m so proud of you.”
She reached for the phone, ready to call Shane to tell him the news, only to realize he wouldn’t care. It was so big, but she had no one to share it with. It was news she’d share with her husband, father, or mother. But one was gone, another dead, and the other wanted her gone. It didn’t matter, she had Sadie.
Her phone buzzed in her hand, and she looked down at the display. She hesitated only a second before answering. “Hey, Mama. Guess what?”
“What?” Cathy said with her thick southern drawl.
“Sadie went in the potty all by herself.”
There was a pause on the other end, and Jenna knew her mother didn’t realize the gravity of what had just occurred.
“Tell her that Devon and I are proud of her. Actually, why don’t we go out and celebrate.”
Jenna paused. What was her mother up to? She seldom did anything without an ulterior motive. “Celebrate?”
“Yes, and well, I don’t think our conversation went so well last night. Darling, I love you and I’m excited you’re home, but I have something I need to tell you. Can you meet us at the diner? I want an excuse to see my granddaughter again anyway. I feel like I barely know her, and I hope you’ll let me be the best grandmother I can to her since you’ll be living in town.”
Jenna glanced at Sadie. She felt like going out and celebrating. This was the biggest, happiest thing in their lives in a long time. “Sure, we can meet you. How about in a half an hour? Sadie will be getting hungry by then.”
“That sounds great. See you at six at the diner.”
The phone clicked off and Jenna tossed the last pillow on the bed. “We’re gonna go out and celebrate. How does dinner at the diner sound? We’ll see your grandmother and grandfather there, too.” Jenna wasn’t sure how to refer to Devon. It felt like a betrayal to call Devon her grandfather, but Jenna's father had been gone a long time, and Sadie never knew him. Jenna had loved her father deeply and always dreamed of him knowing her children, but that wasn’t to be.
“Yes, yes, yes.” Sadie ran upstairs and opened her drawer. “Boo.”
Jenna reached her bedroom and saw her hold out her favorite blue sweater. “That’s fine, baby, but you have to promise to stay with Mommy, okay? You can’t leave my side, got it?”
“Aha, aha, aha.” Sadie slipped the sweater over her head, covering the long-sleeve purple shirt she already wore. Good thing the sweater had a high enough neckline to hide the purple, or she’d look like an Easter egg that had soaked in dye a little too long.
Jenna unbuttoned her favorite flannel shirt, the one she’d lived in for years, and put on a fresh T-shirt, sweater, and pants before she slipped her feet into her brown boots. All the while, she kept Sadie in sight. She’d only taken a three-minute shower while Sadie slept today. If she didn’t figure out how to keep Sadie safe, she’d have to take up camp showering soon.
They headed downstairs. “If you want to walk, you’ll need to wear your jacket and we’ll have to leave now to give us extra time.”
“No jacket.” Sadie crossed her arms and stuck out her bottom lip. “Noisy.”
Jenna picked up the jacket that had been the battle between them for three weeks now. She understood Sadie didn’t like the noise the material made when it rubbed together, but she needed to stay warm in this chilly fall weather.
“Sorry. No jacket, no walk.”
Sadie tapped her foot and stared her down. She could be so stubborn when she wanted to be, but Jenna needed to be Mom and Dad for her now. If she coddled her too much, she’d never grow up.
“’Kay.” She slid her arms into the jacket with a cringe and snarl.
Jenna went to the coat rack then turned to find Sadie at the front door with her arms outstretched like a scarecrow, so they wouldn’t touch. She giggled. This was going to be a fun walk to the diner.
The evening sun dipped beyond the trees and she thought better of walking, but this was Sweetwater County. There wouldn’t be an issue walking at night.
They made their way to town and up to the diner, Sadie tiptoe walking the entire way. It didn’t matter though, she’d gone potty. One thing at a time. That was how it would work for her. Today praise for the potty, tomorrow working on walking.
Jenna entered the diner with a new sense of hope. Not just for Sadie and their new life in Creekside. Not just for being closer to her mother and getting to know her stepfather. A little hint of hope for Drew flickered in the back of her mind. He hadn't been wearing a ring, and she felt the chemistry between them when he pulled her into him. Could she ever forgive him for cheating on her? For getting another girl pregnant when he swore to always be faithful to her? Perhaps.
“Hi, Jenna. Over here.” Her mother waved, but the expression on her face looked like a possessed pumpkin.
The diner hadn’t changed much over the years. It had the same fifties-style décor with red vinyl topped bar stools, booths, and tables. Jenna made her way across the checkered floor, around a waitress and two tables, to reach her mother and Devon. “Hi there.”
“Look at you. I think I know what Sadie’s favorite color is.” Devon bleeped her nose.
“Booo!”
“That’s what I thought. You look awful pretty this evening. Would you do me the honor of being my date? I thought we could go sit up at the bar and order our food and get to know each other while your mother and grandmother talk.”
Jenna moved one-step closer to Sadie. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea. She tends to get lost often. You’ve got to keep your eyes on her constantly.”
“Don’t worry. You can sit facing them, and Devon won’t let go of her hand except for her to eat. Okay?”
Jenna reluctantly released Sadie’s hand. “You stay with your grandfather, okay?”
“Grandfather? I like the sound of that.” Devon smiled, a big granddaddy kind of smile.
Jenna couldn’t help but smile back. “I hope that’s okay.”
“Absolutely. I’d be honored. Okay, little one. Let’s go see what kind of trouble I can get us into.”
They headed for the front bar area and Cathy scooted onto the far bench, leaving the other open so Jenna could keep an eye on Sadie.
“I wanted to apologize.” Her mother twiddled her fingers and took a long breath. “I never meant to make you feel like you’re not wanted here. That's the farthest thing from the truth. You just surprised me, that’s all.”
“Then why’d you tell me to leave? Are you upset about the divorce that much?”
Her mother shrugged and placed her palms flat against the table. “No, but what happened? Why’d you two break up? I thought you were happy?”
“We were, until Sadie arrived. After that, things changed.”
Cathy scooted closer. “I get it. Kids can complicate things, but—”
“He didn’t want Sadie, Mama. I had a choice. Commit her to an institution or leave.”
Her mother gasped, cupping her hands over her lips. Her eyebrows were higher than when she discovered Jenna kissing Drew behind the bleachers at a football game. She dropped her hands to the table with a loud slap. “You can’t be serious. He actually told you that?”
“Word for word. And if you think I’d ever choose a man over—”
“No, never. You did the right thing. I can’t believe Shane doesn’t have the sense God gave a billy goat. I thought he was a good man, could provide well for you.”
“I know, Mama. You always wanted me to marry well, but that didn’t bring me happiness.”
Her mother sighed. “But Drew would have,” she mumbled.
“Maybe, but that doesn’t matter now. What happened in the past will stay in the past. It’s time to move forward.” Jenna lifted her chin and waved to the server.
“Jenna, you need to know something.” Her mother twisted her fingers into a pretzel. “It’s about Drew and what happened in high school.”
The bell over the front door jingled and the diner filled with laughter. Jenna looked up and saw Jessica, her arm hooked in the crook of Drew’s. She stood on tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek. A girl, around nine years old, pranced around them.
Jenna felt the room spin. She thought she could handle this, prepared for it, but seeing it in person was much different than facing the reality hundreds of miles away.
She couldn’t breathe. Her lungs contracted with such intensity she thought she’d pass out. There had to be a way out of there, a way that didn’t involve facing Jessica and Drew, but the front door was the only way out. Without another word, she darted to Sadie and took her by the hand.
“No, no, no, Mama. Eating. Fun,” Sadie protested.
“No time, we’ll eat ice cream at home.” She grabbed Sadie a little more aggressively than she meant to, making Sadie yelp. “Sorry, baby.”
“No, no, no,” Sadie protested again, kicking, shoving and pinching. She hated change. Transitioning in any form was difficult for her, but Jenna had no choice. One more minute in there with them would destroy her.
“Jenna, wait. I need to tell you something,” her mother called after her, but she headed for the door with Sadie in tow.
“Jenna?” Drew called. “Jenna, wait.”
She scooped Sadie into her arms and ran. Ran so no one would see her cry, or collapse, or fall apart.