Coming in Second

Callie’s arrival was the last straw.

From the garden window above the sink, Hanna Sheridan watched her sister’s faded red pickup pull into the driveway and park behind her own 2007 Civic. Ryan had spent much of the afternoon washing and waxing the Civic, trying to score mother points that might be converted into gas money. Since he’d moved home after graduating from the University of Colorado, he’d been half-heartedly trying to find a job, emailing his resume to likely online job listings. Without success. A degree in Psychology wasn’t easily marketable, especially at the end of a recession. Hanna had, so far, resisted reminding him she’d originally questioned the wisdom of choosing that major. He was too old for I told you so. Two weeks ago, her ex—who always did his best parenting with money—had offered to pay Ryan’s law school tuition, promising an internship in the Denver law firm where Michael was a partner, but Ryan was having none of it. No more studying or walking in his father’s footsteps, in spite of having no means of supporting himself. The fact that Ryan didn’t even have money for a haircut didn’t seem to bother him. He was sleeping ‘til noon, eating Hanna out of house and home, and occasionally taking care of Lexi’s baby while she ran errands or took a nap.

A week after Ryan’s return, her older daughter and three week old Marie had been delivered to Hanna’s doorstep by Lexi’s husband Kyle, who was being deployed to Afghanistan. “Lexi’s afraid to stay in Oceanside by herself with the baby,” a baby who was thoroughly adorable but preferred sleeping during the day instead of at night.

Boomerang kids.

At forty-eight, Hanna wasn’t in the mood to continue being a full time mother to three adult children and a grandchild. She wasn’t in the mood to be unemployed either. Nevertheless, in early April, the Durango Public Library had cut back on the hours it was open and eliminated two part-time positions, one of which was Hanna’s. By the time she’d picked herself up and dusted herself off, it was the week of Brooke’s high school graduation. No time to feel sorry for herself. Michael and his significant other were flying in for the ceremony, and Hanna’s cousins and their children were driving over from Colorado Springs. For three days, she had hungry people everywhere.

What amazed Hanna was that Lexi and Ryan behaved as though it was perfectly natural to head for home when the going got rough. Hanna did not think it was natural. At some point, children should leave the nest, returning only for holidays and weddings. She’d foolishly been assuming this summer would be that point until Brooke served notice that, instead of going to Colorado State in the fall, she was staying at home to attend Fort Lewis College with her boyfriend. This, after she’d been admitted to CSU and assigned a dorm room. Father and daughter were still deadlocked on the topic. Since Michael was paying her tuition and expenses, he believed he should have a say in her choice, but so far there were no signs of Brooke preparing to drive herself and her stuff to Fort Collins in time for Freshman Orientation. Technically, Brooke hadn’t moved out, so Hanna couldn’t accuse her of moving back home, but the result was the same. She’d be in the house four more years. The nest wouldn’t be empty until Hanna was fifty-two.