A Father's Name(76)

“Yeah, driving it packed to the brim is a bit of a pain. So, maybe, instead of driving my Pilot, we’ll take your car.”

Bart’s head snapped in her direction. “My car?”

She reached in her pocket and took out a set of keys and nodded at the gold Blazer sitting in the back of the garage. “It’s geriatric, but it’s got four-wheel drive and the motor’s in great shape. You can work on the body during school breaks. Pops and I thought it would be a great incentive for you to come home.”

He hugged her. “Mom, I don’t need any incentive other than seeing you all, but really…” He squeezed harder. “Thanks. I didn’t have a clue.”

“We all wanted to surprise you. And rumor has it, there’s a certain girl in your life who might be glad you have some wheels.”

Bart scooped her into a giant hug. “Thanks, Mom. I mean, really…”

She felt her eyes fill with tears that she’d never shed. “We own a garage. This was nothing.”

“Can I run and find Pops before we go? Maybe he wants to drive over with us. He misses Jace, too.”

Before she had a chance to say go, he ran behind the garage toward her father’s. She smiled. That worked out well and his having a car meant that he’d have a way to come home on weekends, at least at first. She imagined that once he got to school and settled, his visits home would be infrequent at best, but she suspected his visits to Cessy Keller’s campus might be more frequent.

And that was the way it should be.



Bart was ready to start a new chapter, and once she’d settled him, so was she. She was going to make Tyler Martinez see that he couldn’t live without her.

She’d played all her possible moves over and over in her mind all week. She was running through them again when Bart ran back. “Pops can’t go, Mom. He’s waiting for Marilyn.”

“Then it’s the two of us. Let’s go.”

He crawled into the driver’s side of the car and checked out the panel. “This is sweet, Mom.”

“Two rules before you officially own it. You’ll never drive without seatbelts, and you’ll never drive if you’ve been drinking…anything. Even one drink. You have to promise.”

He raised his hand in a boyscout sign. “I swear, Mom.”

“Good.” She sat back and watched him grin as he drove the short distance to Tyler’s. He was out in the backyard with Jace as they approached. He’d put in a sandbox, she realized, and felt out of sorts that she’d missed out on that. Not only did she want a real relationship with Tyler, she wanted to be part of Jace’s life, too. She’d thought that she might revel in her soon-to-be childless state; instead, she wanted to jump right back into it. She wanted Jace and Tyler. A package deal.

“Hey, shrimp,” Bart called as he got out of the car and scooped up the baby. “I’m going to miss you.”

Jace squealed as Bart twirled him around. Tucker stood against the Blazer, noting the scene and feeling as if her heart would explode. Even thinking that made her feel way too sentimental, but there it was. Her baby was grown and leaving soon.

“So, how are you holding up?” Tyler asked as he approached.

“Good. I mean, I’m going to miss him, but I have plans. I’ve never had to make decisions for only myself before. Everything I did had to have Bart’s welfare first and foremost.”

“Now, you need to think about yourself.” Tyler nodded, as if he agreed.

“Yes. I’m going to do exactly what I want, when I want.”

His laughter didn’t quite reach his eyes. “All I ever wanted was your happiness, Tucker.” Then he switched the subject from her happiness to Bart’s. “Did he like the car?”

“Yes. More than like. I suspect he’ll be home a number of weekends working on it.”

“That was nice.” They both looked across the lawn where Bart was handing the baby off to an older lady.

Tucker liked Mrs. Kovalski. And it was apparent that Jace did as well. Tucker knew that having Jace cared for in his own home had been a priority for Tyler. He wanted the little boy to have that security. She turned back to Tyler and said, “Well, when your mother owns a garage, you probably should have your own car. I could have gotten him something nicer, but I don’t believe in giving people things. He should have to work for it, too.”



“Our econ teacher loved to say there’s no such thing as a free lunch.”