The Space Between by Nikki Mathis Thompson Read Free Book Online Page B

gonna make it to church by three…Uh huh, love you too…Ugh! That woman makes me crazy!”  
    “What woman?”  
    She flinched, then turned to find Amelia standing by the counter.
    “One guess.”
    “Gran?”
    She smiled and pulled her daughter into a hug. “You guessed it….And I promise, I won’t drive you crazy when you’re grown.”
    “I know that, Momma.”  
    Amelia was still young enough to think her mom was cool, yet old enough to get where she was coming from. It was the best. She figured she had a few more years until she became enemy number one.
    “Mom, do I have to go to this thing?”  
    Georgia gave her a look. “Uh, yes. If I have to go, you have to go. Granny expects us to be there and there’d be heck to pay if we didn’t show. You know that.”
    “But it’s a bunch of old people eating corn on the cob and pinching my cheeks. Can you say coffee breath?” Amelia asked, cocking her head to one side.
    Georgia laughed. “I know what you mean, but everyone goes to the spring picnic, including the Bristols. So, go, get ready, and make sure you brush your hair, please.”
    “I did.” A dubious look from her mother followed. “I did!”
    “Well, try again. You have to brush underneath, not just the top three strands…Don’t give me that look, miss. Now scoot.”
    “What was that about you not driving me crazy?” Amelia threw out over her shoulder.  
    Georgia chuckled and slid the clear baking dish into the oven, then set the timer. She ran down the long list of things she needed to get done in the next hour, including getting herself and Bonnie ready. Nate would meet them there. He was doing something with his brother out at their parents place. Probably fixing or shooting something. The extra help would have been nice, but she could handle it. She was a mom. She was used to wearing many hats…while using both hands.  
    She took the world’s fastest shower and threw on a pair of dark jeans and a cream cable knit sweater. A cold front had blown in the night before, but the sky was clear and the wind wasn’t blowing for once, so it should be a perfect crisp day. Georgia didn’t have time to fix her hair, so she ran a brush through the wet tangle of waves and wrapped it into a loose bun. She looked pale and the small bags under her eyes were evidence of the two a.m. wake-up call her toddler had given her. Bonnie had fallen right back to sleep after a sip of water and a kiss. Georgia, however, wasn’t so lucky. Nate hadn’t even stirred.  
    Men were either proficient at faking unconsciousness, or became deaf after midnight.
    Concealer and blush helped bring some color to her face. It was a church picnic, so she wasn’t concerned about impressing anyone, but that didn’t mean she wanted to look like a corpse.  
    “Hey, Bon, time to put your toys away, angel. We have to get dressed and go play.”
    “Go play?”  
    “Yes. There’ll be lots of treats and yummy things to eat, too,” she said, kneeling down by her daughter.  
    “Treats?” Bonnie was in the turn everything into a question phase.
    “Yes, baby, treats. Granny and Pawpaw will be there.”  
    “Granny and Pawpaw?”
    “Mmmhm.”
    “Daddy coming, too?”
    “Yes, daddy, too.”
    Georgia grabbed one of the canvas bins from the small white shelf and began to pick up. Bonnie was more interested in her stuffed animals than cleaning.  
    “Come on, help mommy.” Georgia began singing the “clean up” song and Bonnie started to join in—the singing that is, not the cleaning. She pushed the bin towards her daughter and Bonnie placed one doll dress inside. Georgia figured it was better than nothing and quickly finished the rest herself.
    The colder weather had forced her to put the new ruffled dress she’s bought Bonnie for the occasion back into the closet. She dressed her in thick polk-a-dot leggings and a purple tunic instead. More appropriate for playing anyway, in her opinion.  
    They sang “Old