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Hope pressed the phone to her ear. “Hi, Grandpa.” The rest of the conversation became muted as Bebe headed for the kitchen counter.
It never failed—whenever she needed to put groceries away, someone always called. Not that she minded terribly. It helped the mundane task pass quickly. Except Hope had her phone, and she was forced to do the task alone. After stowing the last item in the fridge, Bebe beckoned to her daughter.
“Mama’s ready to talk now, Grandpa.” Hope looked away. “Love you too.” She handed Bebe the phone. “May I watch TV?”
“Sure, pumpkin.” She took her earring out of her right ear and slid the phone against it. “I’m back, Dad.”
“Grocery shopping, huh?”
“Yes. You know me. I can never seem to make it a full week.”
His deep belly laugh filtered through the phone. “Ain’t that the truth. But you have enough to make cookies, don’t you?”
Her cheeks heated as she remembered making sugar cookies with Jay. The football-shaped treats had been delicious, as had the Christmas tree–shaped one she’d grabbed before heading to the store.
“I hit it on the nail, didn’t I?” He chuckled.
“Sure did.”
“How are my girls doing?”
“Good. School goes on break soon. Oh, and the church is having a Christmas ball on Christmas Eve at the town hall.”
“Really? Obadiah approved that?”
Bebe held in her amusement. “I think Mrs. Walker persuaded him. Plus, it helped that Jahleel offered to pay all expenses.”
“Jay’s still in town? That knee really sidelined him, huh?”
“Yeah.” She sighed. Jay hadn’t mentioned anything further about his career, but last Sunday he was placed on the injured reserve list. That had to gnaw at him.
“How you doin’, seeing him again after all these years?”
Trust her dad to be concerned. The thought warmed her. “He asked me out.”
“Oh, re-al-ly?” Her dad drawled. “I think this is where I get off the phone and hand it over to your mother.”
“Bye, Dad,” she chuckled.
“Bye, baby girl. See you soon.”
“I will?”
“Hank,” her mother shouted in the background. “Way to let the surprise out.”
“Oops,” he whispered. “Say a prayer for me, Bebe. She’s got a hand on her hip.”
She loved her parents. They never stayed mad at each other for too long. Probably because her dad cracked a joke and earned ayou’re forgivensmile from her mother.
“Bebe, dear, don’t pay your father any mind.”
“So you aren’t coming to visit?”
A groan greeted her ears. “Of course we’re coming. It wassupposedto be a surprise. Now I’ll just have to think of another way to surprise you.”
“Come to the Christmas ball.”
“Who’s having a ball?”
