When he reached the rental agency ten minutes later, Rick swung his car into the parking lot and sighed. There was a pickup parked in his space beneath the shade tree.
Finding a spot at the back of the lot, Rick was in a pretty foul mood. First with Bill trying to take his court time, now with David Smith stealing his parking space. It seemed as if the kid had been challenging him a lot lately.
His irritation grew darker as he entered the agency and saw the light on in his office.
He nodded and said a curt good-morning to the Saturday staff.
His suspicions were confirmed when he walked into his office.
“David.” It came out more a challenge than a greeting.
“Hey, Rick.”
“You want to get out of my seat?”
David’s chin came up. “It’s my father’s company, too.”
“Yes, and your father has a desk. I suggest you use it.”
“It’s…weird not to see him there.”
The challenge was gone and all Rick saw was the young boy who had done cannonballs into the pool the first time Rick had been invited to the Smith house for a party.
Even then, he’d envied the way the Smiths had fun together. And how people seemed to flock to their home, where impromptu parties were common.
Rick cleared his throat. “Yeah, it’s kind of weird for me, too. I expect to see your dad walk through the door all the time.”
“Like he’s at lunch or something.”
Rick nodded. He stood behind David, willing him out of his chair and feeling guilty about it. “I bet you can scare up an empty desk somewhere in the office.”
“All right already. I’m moving.”
“Good. Oh, and David? Don’t park in my space again.”
“You’re on a real power trip, huh?”
“You know the rules.”
“Yeah, well, I’m tired of it always being your way. It’s our business as much as it’s yours. It’s time I stepped up to the plate as the man of the family. I’m gonna talk to my mom about me taking over my dad’s job instead of her.”
“I can think of several reasons that wouldn’t be a good idea, the first of which is your age. Twenty may seem mature to you, but believe me there’s a lot to learn. And I can’t imagine your mother would be happy about you quitting college.”
“Probably not. But this is something I need to do. I can’t just stand by and do nothing while my family sinks. If I take over Dad’s position, then my mom can work at the salon full-time and nothing’s changed. We can make it.”
Rick had to wonder about David seeming so well informed about the family finances.
“Your mother and I can discuss increasing your hours if she thinks you can handle it and still carry a full course load.”
“That’s not what I’m talking about and you know it. I’ll quit school. She’ll know that it’s the best way. You’ll see.”
Rick felt a headache forming behind his eyes. He hoped like crazy that David was wrong. But Becca had been acting out of character since Gabe died. Did David know something Rick didn’t?
IT WAS NEARLY three o’clock by the time Becca made it into the agency. She’d done upsweeps for a wedding party, run home, made lunch for the kids, taken sixteen-year-old Maya to dance class, mopped up a mess after ten-year-old Aaron had washed the dog in the upstairs tub, then picked up Maya from dance class.
Then she’d listened to Maya’s sobs about a lost dance solo for the upcoming recital. Becca had to wonder if her daughter’s hysteria was caused more by fallout from Gabe’s death than losing the solo. With teenage girls, it was hard to tell. Emotions swung from one extreme to the other, with barely any advance notice. It was like trying to grab hold of a funnel cloud.
Sighing with relief, Becca was pleased to have the relative peace of the rental agency to look forward to.
She waved to the agents and went into Gabe’s office, where she found David.
“Hi, sweetheart. Isn’t it about time for you to head home?”
“Yeah, but I’m trying to put in more hours. Rick said it was okay.”
Becca suppressed a flash of annoyance. “It would have been nice if he’d talked to me first.”
“I was the one who brought it up. Anyway, I think he was just trying to keep me quiet. I told him I wanted to take over Dad’s job so you wouldn’t have to.”
“You told him what? I thought I made myself clear. School first. Once you have your degree, then we’ll see what we can do.”
“We can’t afford college. My tuition is expensive. I could be contributing to the family finances instead of draining them.”
Becca scraped her bangs off her face. “I’ll work it out somehow. And I’m going to take on your dad’s job. Don’t worry about your tuition or the family finances.”
“Mom, I’ve heard you on the phone to Uncle Royce. I know Dad didn’t have any life insurance. How can I go to school when I know we need the money?”
“We’ll do fine. I’m drawing your father’s salary now.”
“And losing half of your own.”
“Once I get things down here, I might be able to spend more time in the salon.”
“Why? I can help.”
“No, and that’s final. Your father wanted you to have a college education. I want you to have a college education.”
David grumbled, but tidied up his mess. “I won’t be home for dinner.”
Neither will I.
Truth be told, she had enough work to keep her busy till late into the night. But shared dinners were the glue that kept a family together.
“Where will you be?” Becca asked.
“I’m taking Brittany out to dinner. It’s her birthday.”
Becca nodded. “Have fun. And be careful.”
“I always am.”
“I know you are.” Just as she knew he was a normal twenty-year-old kid who occasionally didn’t think things through. She’d always feared a phone call in the middle of the night saying something had happened to one of her children.
Since Gabe’s death, it had become almost a compulsion. She worried until she heard David and Maya come up the stairs and enter their own rooms. Only then would the dread ease.
David kissed her on the cheek before leaving.
She went to Rick’s office, knocking on the door frame as she entered.
He glanced up, his expression inscrutable. “Hi, Becca. I didn’t expect to see you today.”
“Gabe usually worked Saturday afternoons.”
“Yeah, but you have the kids and all their activities.”
Becca shrugged, hoping she didn’t look half as exhausted as she felt. “I’ll do both.”
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I’m fine.”
“You look like you haven’t slept for days.”
“Gee, thanks, you really know how