Second Chance

Second Chance
Valenchia Hershberger


It never occurred to her to do anything else.  She married Tim, after all, to be closer to his brother (who she really loved).  It’s a long story, but it needed to be told.

It was the summer of 1978, hot and sticky.  Sara was rushing around the tiny kitchen, rinsing plates in the sink and wrapping leftovers to be put in the refrigerator.  She was trying to get her two little girls to finish up and get ready for bed so she could prepare for her date with Tim.  He was nice enough.  He paid attention to her and that meant more than most things.  If for no other reason, it was a chance to get out of the house for a few hours.  Being a single mom was harder than people realized, especially with no car and no real friends to call on when things got tough.  Tim was a friend of her brother, Pete’s, and she figured he was safe enough.  Besides, it would be nice to have a little fun.

Tonight the four of them: Tim, Pete, Dani (Pete’s girlfriend, who was also Tim’s sister), and she were going to Tim and Dani’s Mom’s house to watch a movie.  Not much of a date, but at least Sara would be responsible for just herself.  It would be a nice change.  Sara had met Mrs. Hansable and she was very nice.  Their house was old, comfortable, and quiet.  No pretenses there!

“Okay, girls…bath time!”  She called out to Bailey and Jessi as she made her way down the hallway to the bathroom, picking up toys and scattered clothing along the way.  After depositing the soiled laundry into the hamper and the toys in the toy chest, Sara turned the faucet on in the ancient claw foot tub and adjusted the water to the right temperature.  Bailey and Jessi came skidding down the hallway, bumping into each other and bouncing into the doorway of the bathroom, laughing and squealing.  Sara was ready for them, since this was a nightly ritual.  One they all loved.  It wasn’t something to rush, for it was precious.  Sara knew it wasn’t going to last forever.

“Ok, you two.  Into the tub you go!”  Three-year-old Bailey jumped in ahead of Jessi, who was 18-months old and needed help into the tub.  Soon the bubbles commenced to fly.  Most of them landed on Sara, of course.  This brought on a whole new set of giggles from the now-soaked girls.  All three of them

“Oh, you want to play rough, huh?”  Sara looked at her precious babies with a big grin on her face.  Date night might have to wait for another hour.  Sara had very important things to do!

She smiled at the girls, as she swished the water quickly back and forth to create bigger bubbles.