Page 66 of Smoky Mountain Dreams

Jesse was just about to scold her for blaming her brotherfor a simple accident when he realized that she wasn’t talking to Will. She wasscreaming at Christopher.

“You ruined them! You poured Coke on them and ruined them!”

Christopher was startled, no doubt about that, but he puthis hands out to Brigid. “I’m sorry. I have no idea how it happened. I’ll helpyou make more.”

“No, youwon’t!” she jumped toher feet and pointed at the door. “Because I want youout.Getout!”

Jesse slapped a hand towel on the table with a loud whap,anger and a little humiliation pumping through him as he pointed his own fingerat the door and said to his daughter, “Go up to your room. Now. Wait thereuntil I come to talk to you.”

The other kids mouths were gaping, and Christopher’s eyeswere wide and his lips parted in shock. But Brigid seemed to think that if shewas going to get in trouble, she’d get in trouble for something good becauseshe turned on Christopher, bent over his float, and spit in it before stompingout of the room and up the stairs.

“Holy-moly,” Frankie-Jones whispered.

Will just stared after her open-mouthed, and the other twogirls were squealing “Oh my God!”

“Kids,” Jesse said. “Down to the basement. Take your floats.Don’t make a mess with them. Watch TV or play a game. Things will be fine.”

The children left, all of them whispering excitedly as theyclomped down to the basement. Jesse looked back at Christopher, who sat staringinto his float with an expression of shock. But there was something elseunderneath it too.

“Holy shit,” Christopher whispered, laughter edging hiswords. “I think she hates me.”

“She doesn’t hate you. She doesn’t even know you.”

“Nope. She hates me.” Christopher started laughing, butthere was no way to escape the confounded woundedness behind his eyes. “I don’tget that a lot to be honest. Most people…like me.”

“She’s confused. I shouldn’t—” Jesse stopped midsentence. Heshouldn’t have what? Invited Christopher here? Introduced him to his children? “She’sconfused about why you’re here, I guess. I’m so sorry.”

“Does she…know?”

“I told her we’re becoming good friends.”

“No, I mean does she know that you’re bi?”

“Oh.” Jesse stopped mopping up the spilled soda and staredinto the air. Did she? Maybe she did. He wasn’t sure. “It’s not something youreally talk to your kids about until you need to, but I guess I’ve told herenough. She knows the facts of life. I told her about homosexuality, of course,and mentioned that some people liked both men and women. Told her that hergrandfather Tim and I are both people like that. But I don’t know if she reallyunderstood it.”

Christopher nodded. “And Will?”

“I told him too, but I’m not sure he even listened past thepoint of ‘ew, gross, you dowhatto make a baby?’ I’mgoing to have to refresh him on a lot of stuff as he gets older.”

“Good times,” Christopher murmured. He grabbed anothertowel. “Here, let me help you. Where’s the cleanser?”

Jesse handed over the bottle from under the sink. “You don’tneed to help.”

“I know, but I want to. Tell you what, I’ll do this and putthese bowls and things in the dishwasher. The ice cream in the freezer andcolas go in the fridge?”

Jesse nodded.

“Okay. You go deal with Brigid. When I’m done I’ll letmyself out.”

“I don’t want you to go.”

Christopher stopped spraying the kitchen table and smiled atJesse. “And I don’t really want to leave, but if she’s ever going to like me,then I have to respect her now. And as my Gran would say, when it comes tokids, patience isn’t just a virtue, it’s a necessity.”

Jesse felt his throat grow tight as he watched Christopherbend his head and get back to cleaning up the mess. He didn’t even know why. Itwasn’t because he was leaving, though that was not how Jesse had hoped theevening would go, but because he was being so generous with Brigid.

“I’m sorry, Christopher. It’s not okay for her to treat youthat way.”

“No, but she won’t when she understands. At least, I hopeshe won’t.” Christopher looked thoughtful as he stopped wiping the table andconsulted the ceiling. “Some things don’t come easy, you know? And sometimesthings are never perfect. It’s like one of my songs. Just never quite goodenough—never quite right. I don’t want that to be the way it is with Brigid andme.”