Love's Second Chance (Second Chances #1)(65)

“Mom, can I have my breakfast?” Adam asked, interrupting her thoughts.

Rebecca smiled at her son as she walked back in the house. She placed three pancakes on a plate, added a few fresh strawberries, and topped it off with maple syrup. Adam ate every bite.

Jack rushed through the kitchen like a frantic maniac, which was his typical morning routine. Rebecca stood aside as he slammed doors and hastily rummaged through drawers looking for something. He appeared in the kitchen with an annoyed expression upon his face.

“Have you seen my keys?” He asked with a testy tone to his voice.

Rebecca held them up and shook her head. Every day it was the same. Every day Jack rushed around in the morning, never able to leave for work on time. He hastily grabbed his lunch and ran his fingers over Adam’s head.

“Bye buddy, have a good day at school today, kick some ass in hockey later.”

Adam giggled at his father’s use of profanity.

“OK, Dad, I’ll see you later.”

Jack then looked over at Rebecca and very dryly said to her, “I’ll talk to you later,” as he rushed past her and out the door without as much as a simple goodbye.

Jack owned a garage in town. He had opened shop ten years earlier after being sick and tired of turning wrenches for someone else for many years. He ran a very successful garage and was the local go-to guy. Rebecca didn’t mind. It allowed her to be able to stay at home and raise the kids. That was all she had ever wanted to do…or so she thought.

At eight thirty, Rebecca put Adam on the bus and waved goodbye as the bus pulled down the street. She was walking back toward her door when she noticed her next-door neighbor was outside watering her flowers, so she waved hello. Her neighbor didn’t bother to wave back. She turned away from Rebecca and resumed watering her flowers. She simply smiled to herself as she shook her head. Fifteen years they have lived in this very house. Fifteen years and her neighbor never once waved back.

She popped another K-Cup into her machine and hit the brew button. As if on cue, the phone rang. She smiled to herself, knowing how much she loved her morning routine.

“Good morning, Em.” She smiled into the phone. Emily and Rebecca became fast friends when they worked in the local mall together as teens. They have been the best of friends ever since.

“Oh, thank God you answered, my morning is a wreck. My damn dog decided to dig up my plants therefore throwing dirt all over my white carpets. Andrew decided to moisturize himself from head to toe and top it off with baby powder. Do you know what happens when baby powder gets mixed with moisturizer? I’ll tell you; it turns into a very thick glue-like paste. I had to bathe him twice just to get it off. I now need to shampoo the carpets. I think that the baby can sense all of the stress because it has been kicking up a storm. I am exhausted and unbelievably uncomfortable!”

“Would you like me to take Andrew for a while so you can relax?” Rebecca asked.

“I couldn’t do that to you. You already have so much going on.”

“I’m fine with it. My house is quiet now, and I really don’t mind. You can get some much needed rest. It’s a beautiful day outside. I’ll take him to the playground and wear him out for you.”

“I’d owe you big time. It’s so hard to do all of this alone.”

“Well, you are not alone. I am here for you, and James will be home from the Army around the time the baby is born.”

“I am eternally grateful. As for James, he can’t get here soon enough. I just hope we don’t end up hating one another. We’ve never spent more than a few weeks at a time with each other. What if we end up hating one another?”

“You married him, and you are about to have your second child, so I am pretty sure you guys don’t hate each other.”

“I know. You are right. I’m just tired and really hormonal. I appreciate you, Becca.”

“I know you do. I’ll be there soon.”

Rebecca hung up the phone, placed her coffee cup in the dishwasher, and set out for Emily’s house. She arrived within a half hour and was greeted at the door by Daisy, the St. Bernard, who jumped up on her and slobbered a big wet kiss on her. Andrew could hear Rebecca’s voice, so he came running and jumped into her arms as he squealed.

“Hi Auntie, we go play?” he said with all the enthusiasm of a three-year-old.

“Yes, Bud! Does that sound like fun? Then mommy can get a little rest.”

“OK!” The little blued-eyed preschooler answered.

“I don’t get it, Rebecca. You are always so put together, and you always look so pretty.”

Rebecca cracked up laughing. At thirty-six years old and married for nearly eighteen years, she didn’t feel very pretty anymore.

“Oh, you know how to charm me, my friend.” They said their goodbyes, and Emily headed straight to her bedroom for a much needed nap.

Rebecca pulled into Nelson Park and Andrew ran off to the swings. She pulled out a snack bag for him and a book for herself. She began walking to a nearby bench when she heard her name being called. She looked over her shoulder and noticed Tasha waving to her. She stopped and waited for her to catch up to her. Tasha was out of breath by the time she reached Rebecca. At thirty-six, Natasha was in better shape now than she was back \ in high school. She reminded Rebecca of Beyoncé, with her mocha skin and long, sexy hair. It suited her. They had been friends since high school and had their daughters around the same time.