Page 57 of Their Stormy Reunion

She looked over my head and gazed at her son. They might not look anything alike, but there was no mistaking the love between them. “Michael did good that afternoon,” she choked out.

“Yes, he did,” my mom said firmly. “Michael is a hero, Lana.”

“He was that day,” Lana said.

Mom gave her a curious look and before anything more could be said, I stepped in. “What did you bring for dinner?”

“Your favorite.”

“Chicken and dumplings?” I guessed.

“Oh, Honey, that was Michael’s favorite that you always asked for. But I knew that what you really liked best were my smothered pork chops with onion and mushroom gravy.”

Michael glanced over at me. “Is that true? You always said you liked Mom’s chicken and dumplings best. Did you really like her pork chops better?”

I grimaced.

“That was just how Fallon was, Michael. She wanted you to have what you wanted. Didn’t you ever wonder why I would have pork chops so often when the two of you came over?”

“I just thought you forgot what she liked,” Michael said.

Lana chuckled and I joined in. I should have realized the woman never missed a trick. “Michael, I left the food in my car, can you go get it?”

Michael brushed a kiss against his mother’s cheek and left the kitchen to do her bidding.

“Now tell me really, how are you? Is my son making a nuisance of himself?”

My Mom snorted. “Based on the sounds I was hearing from Fallon’s sickbed last night, I think the kids are doing just fine, Lana.”

Lana looked down at me, her brown eyes twinkling. “So, it’s like that, is it?”

God save me.

“Thanks for the banana cream pie, Lana,” my dad said for the third time.

“Bob, you’re so welcome. I was hoping it might be gentle enough for your stomach,” she said as she bent over and kissed him on his cheek.

“Let me walk you out to your car, Mom.” Michael’s hands were full of all of the empty dishes that she had brought with her.

“Okay, Honey.” Lana smiled up at her son.

“Fallon. Isla. It was so good spending time with both of you. Next time, hopefully Eric will be in town and I’ll bring him, or all of you will come over to our house.”

Mom followed her toward the front door, leaving Dad and me at the kitchen table.

“How are you feeling?” I asked him.

“Exhausted. I’ll start really feeling like shit tomorrow,” he sighed.

I laughed. “Aren’t we a sad pair.”

“The Vickers’ family has seen better days,” he agreed. “Michael’s mom is quite a lady. Reminds me a lot of your mother.”

I raised my eyebrow.

“Your Mom will often times take food or meals to people around town if somebody is sick at home. She used to have you go along with her, remember that?”

I nodded. “I liked it when we would bake cakes and cookies.”