Fix My Feet When They're Stumblin'

Chapter 70

    Delivering four plates with heaping portions of macaroni and steamed vegetables to Olivia and her children, Tana dropped forks onto each plate and sat down at the breakfast nook herself. The calendar hanging above the table caught her eye and she froze with her fork hovering in midair, stunned.

    "Oh no - look, there's not even three weeks left until school starts!"

    Her boys groaned - she might have found their identical reactions amusing if she hadn't been furiously whirling through everything that had to be accomplished in only a few weeks. Abandoning her food, Tana jumped up and darted back into the kitchen, rifling through her drawer of miscellaneous paperwork.

    "We have to go shopping! Oh, where did I put your supplies lists before...? Did you all finish your summer homework?"

    Absolute silence filled the kitchen, and she blinked in surprise and looked up, dumbstruck.

    "Any of you? Henry? Gunnar? Ammon? Okay, did any of you at least start your homework?"

    Gunnar fidgeted guiltily, red-faced, and spoke up, his eyes fixed resolutely on his lap.

    "I mean, I did, I started. But...you know, I haven't touched it since - um, since dad..." he trailed off uncertainly, glancing at the doorway as if his father might appear any second. Tana sighed, running her hand through her hair and exchanging a long-suffering look with Olivia.

    "You know, somehow I don't think any of your teachers would be too impressed with your excuse if you told them your dad fell off a cliff and that's why you didn't finish your homework."

    "But he did!" Gunnar protested, his eyes alight with mischief. "He did fall off a cliff, mom! We couldn't possibly focus on our homework, right?"

    Ammon ducked his head, hiding his smile behind his hand, and Tana turned her fierce glare on him for a moment before addressing her middle son.

    "Well, that excuse has gotten you a month-long break from work, but I want you all done by the end of next week, alright? I'm about to have a lot less time to be helping you - Brandon's rehab starts soon. Okay?"

    "Okay," Gunnar groaned, sighing heavily. "But I still think my dad almost dying is a good enough excuse," he whispered to Ammon, winking at his older brother. All three boys dissolved into giggles, but something in Tana snapped.

    "This is not a joke!" she hissed, crumbling the bill she held into a tiny ball in her fist. "Do you think this is funny, Gunnar?"

    "No," he squeaked, his eyes wide, his smile gone. "No! Sorry, I...I don't! Promise!"

    Her sudden wave of anger fled, and she sighed, tossing the disheveled bill onto the counter.

    "No, I know you don't. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have snapped at you. I know you didn't mean it like that, Gunny - and I know this is all really hard for you, too. I'm sorry. Just...don't let your dad hear you talking like that. Please."

    Gunnar nodded emphatically, clearly mortified, and she returned her attention to the drawer, looking closely at each paper she had removed in her frenzied search.

    "Oh, here, I've found Henry's school list! Um...and the others. Okay. Good."

    Placing the sheets of paper carefully on the counter, Tana took a deep breath and went back to the table, picking up her fork again and glancing at Olivia beside her.

    "Look - Liv, do you think you and Ron could take the boys school shopping after lunch, when Brandon and Ron have finished with their piano practice? I'm sorry - it's just that Brandon definitely can't handle any of that right now, and I'd like to stay here with him, see if I can talk to him. And then...well, maybe you could take them to a movie after? I think - "