“I’m always going to do some work in addition to raising my family, John,” she said. “When I was growing up and advancing past all the kids, sometimes feeling really arrogant and other times feeling really sorry for myself, Jess would always say something to me that maybe a lot of moms say to their kids. ‘Your best is good enough, Leigh. But you must always do your best.’ I’m exhilarated by work. I’m also exhilarated by my kids. Even though I knew I wanted kids, I wasn’t prepared for how great having them would be. But I’m also capable of doing work I love and that can help other people.”

“So you’ll always work.” It sounded a bit like an accusation.

“But maybe not in the same way, John. Maybe if I’m not alone and afraid to be without a huge professional commitment I’ll work at a sane pace rather than in the frenzy I used to use to cover up all that was missing from my life. There was another thing my mother said when I was much older and the projects I worked on were enormously important to the world. ‘I’d like you to remember one thing—if you have something special, you must respect it, and treat it with wisdom and compassion. It won’t do the world any good for you to burn yourself out, but if you have something that will make the world better, give it if you can. If you’re a gifted baker, make good bread for the community. If you’re a gifted gardener, make the world beautiful. If you’re a gifted scientist, make the world safer.’”

He whistled. “It would be pretty hard not to feel guilty about not working with something like that hanging over your head.”

“She wasn’t saying that to make me feel guilty. She and my dad had a very strong belief that you should use your skills to make every day good and add to rather than subtract from the world.” Leigh added pensively, “Now one of my great gifts is Mitch and Ty, and Jess reminded me recently that doing my best with them will include sacrifice. Maybe it includes sacrificing that single-mindedness I gave my work. Jess has been talking a lot about love. You know, dating, men, maybe marrying again.”

“I think Jess has it in for us. It hasn’t escaped me that she’s setting me up.”

“I know. I’m sorry. But I am glad to spend a little time getting to know you again. And no matter what Jess does, we’ll still just bide our time getting to know each other. Right?”

He just stared at her, then slowly moved his hand to cover hers. “Biding time with you has its high points…and its frustrations.” He was just leaning toward her as if to kiss her when Ty yelled. He had a fish.

* * *