Jessica's Story - Lesson 2

“Betty, we’re all planning on going to the beach today. Could we talk about this another time?”

Betty did not take the hint. She just droned on and on about Chloe picking on Ethan and how a good mother would be punishing her to stop it, like she was the perfect mom, Miss Know It All. Jessica tried to remain calm. She did not want any arguments with Andy’s mom today of all days. She just wanted to get going to the beach.

“I’ve got to hang up, Andy’s calling me. We’ll talk about this later, okay? Bye.”

Jessica rolled her eyes as she hung up the phone. The kids and Andy were already waiting in the car when Jessica had remembered her babysitting money. She should never have answered the ringing phone. She grabbed her tote bag, looked around one last time, and headed to the car.

Chloe and Ethan were squabbling in the backseat as usual, and Andy looked ready to explode…until she told him his mother was on the phone and that was what held her up.

“Is anything wrong?”

“No, she just thinks I don’t know how to discipline the kids. But I was nice. I told her we were going to the beach and would talk about it later.” Jess had sharped at her mother-in-law once before and knew not to do that again. Andy made it crystal clear who had his allegiance.

“Just remember she’s had more experience than you, Jess. Pay attention. You might learn something.”

Right. Jess kept her mouth shut. Why start an argument now?

The kids settled down and Jess played the car color game with them. The drone of the engine made them sleepy, and soon all was quiet in the back.

She pulled a paperback out of her tote and began to open it.

“I don’t know how you can read those trashy books.” Andy frowned and turned his attention back to the highway. Jess snapped the pages together and replaced the book back into her tote.

“It’s a beach read, Andy. It’s not trashy.”

Thankfully, their ride was not a long one. Jessica could smell the salty air already. She took a deep breath and turned her thoughts to other things.

Parking in the big lot just south of the boardwalk, the kids woke immediately at the sound of quiet. Andy hoisted the cooler on one of his broad shoulders and Jess stuffed a blanket under his other arm. She loaded the kids up with all the toys they could handle and hefted the carryall onto her toteless shoulder. Herding the kids in front of her, she watched as Andy picked out a spot on the hot white sand several feet back from the water. After getting the blanket spread out, Jessica pulled her coverup over her head and carefully folded it into her tote bag. She tried to spread sunscreen on stomping impatient kids, finally giving up, and grabbing their hands, made their way to the edge of the crawling waves. They all jumped around, splashing each other, expending energy, and cooling off.

She watched as Chloe and Ethan scooped up buckets of wet sand and led them back closer to the blanket to play.

“Put some sunscreen on my back, would you Jess?”

Jessica kneeled on the blanket and slathered some of the pale, greasy ointment onto Andy’s skin. Andy was dark with black hair so he wasn’t too particular since he never burned anyway. Jessica, on the other hand, was blonde and fair, and already turning pink.

“Lay down and I’ll do you.”

But, instead,Jessica stood and dusted the sand off her bottom. She grabbed her tote bag and turned her head to watch Chloe and Ethan as they built sandcastles and dump truck ramps.

“Did you hear, Jess? Where are you going?”

Andrew rolled over on the blanket and looked up at her as he shielded his eyes from the sun.

“Gotta go find the restroom. Be right back.”

Jessica trudged through the hot sand, sidestepping pieces of broken shells. When she reached the steps to the boardwalk, she pulled out her purple flip flops from her tote and slipped them on. At the top of the steps she turned again to look at her husband and children. Andrew was in the foam of the last wave, lifting a small bucket of water to bring back to the kids. He waved when he saw her. Startled, she lifted her hand halfway in response, then turned and continued on.