Charlotte was back in her slice of pink heaven with her copy in one hand and a pen gripped in the other. Her mind was elsewhere. Wandering from townie bar to townie bar, trying to find her husband, when Jenny and Lovie walked into the family room.
"Mom," said Jenny, "Where's daddy? We want something to eat."
The words no cooking rattled in her head. But it was after 2 in the afternoon and Sam had been gone for three hours and ten minutes. "What do you think you want?"
"Noodles," said Lovie.
"Salami sandwich," said Jenny.
Standing up Charlotte thought I can do that. Neither is heavier than a cup of coffee. But as she headed to the kitchen, again she heard: No cooking. She argued back -- it's nothing.
But what about Sam? If she cooked anything it could negate his sense of purpose and his help. And what about herself? Is her need to control a situation a lot like drinking? Sure she could handle this one situation, but could she stop. Or would it set a precedent? With the mayonnaise in her hand, Charlotte turned to Lovie and asked, "Where's Sarah?'
"Upstairs doing homework."
Charlotte sat down at the kitchen table. "Would you go get her for me?"
Both girls ran off with Lovie screaming, "She told me to do it."
And as she waited for her oldest to appear, and rescue her from herself, Charlotte stared at the mayonnaise jar in her hand. It was heavier than a cup of coffee.
(16234)
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