Page 34 of Silent Menace
“You’re just in time,” her mom said.
He leaned in to press a kiss on her cheek. “It smells delicious. How’s my favorite granddaughter?” He held out his hands to Jenna, and she readily went to him, freeing Mom to finish up unencumbered.
Hailey smiled at the scene. So far, Jenna was the only granddaughter. Though two of Hailey’s siblings were married, one didn’t have children yet and the other had four-year-old and two-year-old boys. Not for the first time, she wished her siblings lived closer. She missed them and the simpler days of their youth.
She shook off her melancholy and moved toward the coffeepot where three mugs had already been set out. Steam rose as she poured the strong brew, and she inhaled deeply. No one got weak coffee at this house.
“What’s the plan for today?” Mom asked as they began to dig into their food.
Hailey swallowed. “Not much, other than getting a replacement for my phone.”
Her dad grinned. “Already taken care of.”
“What?” She stared at him.
He shrugged. “I ordered one after you called last night and requested it be overnighted. Should come in sometime today.”
“How much was it?”
“It was still under warranty. Only cost was the shipping.”
“That’s a relief. Thank you.” She’d joined her parents’ phone plan after Wesley’s death, so she knew they had access to all the necessary information. In other circumstances, she might be irritated that her dad hadn’t asked her before making the order, but she knew he was worried about them. His way of dealing with problems was to protect and provide. And to be honest, with all that was going on right now, she was grateful the issue was taken care of.
She added a bit of maple syrup to her coffee. “In that case, I have nothing on my agenda.”
“You should take it easy,” her mom suggested. “Watch a movie with Jenna or read a book.”
“Both of those sound wonderful, but I can’t sit in front of the TV all day.” And she doubted she’d be able to concentrate on a book. “Is there anything I can help with here?”
“It’s bread day. You’re welcome to pitch in.”
Hailey nodded. She could do that. While lots of people had taken up sourdough baking over the last several years, her mom had been crafting her own bread for decades. She’d gifted Hailey a jar of starter when she and Wesley returned from their honeymoon, and Hailey had happily carried on the tradition. Until she’d been thrown into the role of single mom. With the stress of losing her husband and the surrounding circumstances, parenting a toddler, and unexpectedly having to return to full-time work, she hadn’t had the heart or the time to maintain her starter. At some point earlier this year, she’d come across the moldy jar in the back of her fridge and had to toss it.
After they cleaned up the breakfast dishes, her mom insisted on watching Jenna while Hailey got ready for the day—and she told her in no uncertain terms that she wasn’t to rush. Considering how long it had been since she’d had the opportunity for a leisurely morning shower, Hailey didn’t argue.
When she returned forty minutes later, she felt almost like a new person. She poured herself a second cup of coffee, then went looking for her mom and daughter. The house wasn’t huge, so there weren’t many places to look unless they’d gone outside. Hailey quickly found them in the living room, working on a large foam puzzle in the middle of the floor. More accurately, her mom was working on the puzzle as Jenna brought her the pieces. Mom glanced up and winked when she caught Hailey’s eye.
Smiling, Hailey leaned against the doorframe, not wanting to interrupt. She loved the bond between Jenna and her grandparents. She had fond memories of days spent with her own grandma, and she was so grateful Jenna had the chance for that same type of experience.
Her dad joined her in the doorway. He lifted his mug to his lips. “Sorry if I overstepped about the phone.”
“It’s okay. Thanks for taking care of me.”
“As long as I’ve got breath in my lungs, you can count on me for that.”
“That means a lot. I hope you know that.”
He was quiet for a moment. “I only wish I could take all your troubles.”
“That would be a task for my heavenly Father.”
“And he and I have been having quite a few talks on the subject lately.”
Her lips twitched at his candidness, but she was glad for the reminder that her parents prayed for her.
When he spoke again, his voice was hardly above a whisper. “What’s really going on? Does this have something to do with Wesley?”
She threw her hands up, almost spilling her coffee. “That’s the only thing we’ve been able to think of, but honestly, it doesn’t make a lot of sense. You know the people around here. They might give me the cold shoulder because they don’t trust me anymore, but they aren’t vicious.”
