Zach Majors sat behind the oak desk in his law office. He stared at the phone in his hand. His mother’s words echoed in his thoughts. “I signed the contract to sell the house. That means the move is on schedule for tomorrow. Can’t wait to be settled for the holidays.”
He stretched
and rose. Time to let his partner know the move would happen as planned and
about his barely mentioned family. He’d told Nate about his guardianship of
three boys without mentioning two were his sons, sort of.
With a groan
he lifted three letters to be mailed and the discs for two briefs for Mrs.
Madden to type and file. He flipped off the lights. At the office manager’s
desk behind a plastic shield in the waiting room, he left the letters and discs
in the out box on the corner of her desk.
As he was
about to pass the sofa and chairs in the small room to reach the door his
partner emerged from his office. “Finished for the day/’ Zach asked.
“Definitely.
And you?”
Zach nodded.
“Heard from my mother. I’ll see you Monday.”
Nate halted.
“Is the move on?”
“It is. The
movers are coming tomorrow morning and my family will arrive soon after that.”
He drew a deep breath. The time for a confession had arrived. “I told you I was
guardian of three boys but I failed to mention only one is a nephew. Two are
legally my sons.”
Nate’s brow
wrinkled. “Legally? Are there problems with the custody? Some court battle
ahead?”
Zach shook
his head. He wasn’t ready to elaborate. “No real problems but I’ve only had
custody of my sons for four months. My coming to
Nate nodded.
“I understand. With you here except for weekends made forming bonds harder.” He
stepped toward the door. “Are you sure you’ll be settled by Monday?
Zach laughed.
“My mom should have been a drill sergeant. She’ll have the boys including me in
line. By Monday I’ll be here and glad to escape. With your wedding on the heels
of Christmas I’ll need to know about everything I’ll have to handle while
you’re away.”
“You don’t
need me. Just ask Joan Madden. She’s the real boss.” He halted. “Do you have
your Christmas tree yet?”
“Sort of.”
Nate
chuckled. “How can you sort of have a tree? Don’t tell me the movers have one
on the truck.”
”They
probably do. My mom has this artificial one she’s put up for years. By now it
resembles a Charlie Brown tree.”
“Will she be
upset if you find a new one?”
“I don’t
think so.”
“Then come to
Jake’s Tree Farm with me and buy a live one.”
For a moment
Zach hesitated. What would his mother think? Her artificial tree had been
displayed for about fifteen years. He smiled. A new tree and a new tradition
seemed right. His sons knew so little about the holiday season. Their eyes had
widened when they’d seen the Thanksgiving feast. How would they react on
Christmas morning?
Unwanted
guilt rose. He’d sent gifts when he’d known their address. Then Bonnie had
moved and a bank account number was all the info he had. He’d always wondered
what she had bought them with the extra money he’d sent for holidays and
Birthdays. He had no way of learning unless the boys talked. Sammy might but
his youngest seldom said much about his mother.
He slipped on
his coat. “I’ll join you but I need to go home and change.”
Nate grinned.
“I’m not going in my work clothes as Davey calls suits. Meet me at the house.
Janine will be joining us.”
“How is Davey
handling all this?” Zach hoped the boy wouldn’t sulk about not being included.
After the course of treatment for childhood leukemia, the boy had been isolated
for weeks at home.
“He’s coming
with us. Dr. Chou lifted the stay at home order this morning.”
“That’s
great.” Zach paused. “My nephew and one of my sons are close to Davey’s age.
When we’re settled and you’re back from your honeymoon, we’ll get together.”
“They’ll meet
at the wedding reception,” Nate said.
“That’s
right.” Zach hoped the boys would behave. They’d seldom been among strangers
and had never been anything like a wedding. He followed Nate to the door. They
rode the elevator to the ground floor and went to their cars.
“See you in
thirty,” Nate called.
Zach pulled
out of the lot and drove to the new house he’d purchased two weeks ago. He slid
the car into the driveway and stared at the large redbrick, two story dwelling
with a three car garage. How fortunate he’d been to find a place large enough
for his family.
My Places
https://www.facebook.com/janet.l.walters.3?v=wall&story_f
http://wwweclecticwriter.blogspot.com
https://www.pinterest.com/shadyl717/
Buy
Mark My Places
