NextMoves Read Online Free PDF Page B

from years of
use, passing the silvery-blue Russian sage in full autumn bloom lined up in
rows to salute all who came in. Its familiar scent always tugged at her heart.
They were her mother’s favorites. She used her key to enter the neat yellow
stucco house. “Dad, Kylie, I’m back,” she yelled.
    Marching through the well-worn but well-kept living room,
through the French doors that opened to the deck, she found her father and
daughter eating lunch. A bowl of salad, sliced fruit and a plate of cold cuts
lay out neatly on the table. Kylie was dressed all in black as she usually was.
Silver studs glistened down her earlobes and an amethyst shimmered in her nose.
She hunched low in the white metal chair, long, muscled legs crossed one over
the other, stretched out under the matching white metallic table. My
beautiful goth girl. Her dad sat perfectly erect, his khaki shorts and golf
shirt freshly pressed, habits revealing his years in the military. His lean,
athletic build shaved decades off his age. Jocelyn kissed them both and grabbed
a seat at the table.
    “Have some lunch, Joci.” Her dad went to the kitchen and
fetched a plate. “How’d the trip go?’”
    She helped herself to some fruit and salad. “Except for the
storm, the rest of the trip was a smashing success. We not only convinced
Premier to keep Health Corp open, but they’re going to expand their operations
in Madison. We came away much better than I expected. It makes me uneasy but we
could sure use those new jobs. What’s been going on here in my absence?”
    “The high school hired a new athletic director. They
recruited him away from the Texas school that beat our boys’ soccer team at
nationals last year. He came last week to find a place to live. That’s all
anyone’s talking about.”
    “Looks like it’s been a great week for Madison.” As Chamber
President, Jocelyn knew that Madison cared about two things—having enough jobs
and the high school boys’ soccer team. The Lions had been state champion more
years than she could count and last year lost the national championship in a
sudden-death ending. The Chamber sponsored the team.
    “Dad, next Friday night the Chamber’s holding a reception to
celebrate the retention of Health Corp. I’d love for you to attend.” Jocelyn
used every opportunity she could find to get her dad out socially. After her
mom died, he sold the boxing gym, burrowed himself in the house and neglected
his health. She asked him to watch Kylie to keep him engaged in life. The child
care was an added bonus. The situation crushed her between the two high-needs
individuals.
    “It’ll be my pleasure, Joci. Oh, I almost forgot, Gideon’s
coming to visit next month.”
    “Wonderful. It’ll be great to see him. If only we could get
Tommy home. It’s been years since we’ve all been together as a family.” Jocelyn
missed her big brothers, both in the military, who got home infrequently.
Gideon served at the Pentagon. Tommy in Afghanistan.
    “Okay, baby girl. Thank your granddad for taking such good
care of you and then go pack your things. It’s time for us to go home.”
    “Don’t call me baby girl. I’m fourteen.”
    Jocelyn scowled her response to the attitude.
    Kylie glowered back but thanked her grandfather before
heading upstairs to pack.
    Her daughter out of the room, Jocelyn grilled her father.
“How’s Kylie doing, Dad? Does she seem nervous to be starting high school?
Notice any changes?”
    Kicking back in his chair, he stared her down. She could
have sworn she heard him sigh before he answered. “Kylie’s just fine, Joci.”
The firm tenor of the military commander and boxing coach he had been was still
strong in his tone. “She talked my ear off, like she usually does. Don’t worry,
daughter mine, she’s made of stern stuff. She’s your child after all.”
    “What about you, Dad?”
    “I’m holding on, baby girl. When are you going to stop your
worrying about us both and live a