Unexpected Inheritance

15

A few years passed.  Life moved on, marked by subtle changes rather than dramatic events. Until Miranda glanced out the window of her clinic one afternoon when the sound of a truck's engine roared to life outside. Curious and a little concerned, she called over the receptionist.

"What on earth is going on out there?" she asked.

The receptionist, peering out through the window, replied, "I looked outside and saw Tuck and Ben working on a truck."

She walked outside and stood on the clinic steps, arms crossed, watching as Ben and Tuck stood beside the old truck, both grinning like they had just won the lottery. The engine revved again, sputtered, then stalled.

She sighed. "What on earth is going on out here?"

Tuck turned toward her, eyes bright with excitement. "Mom, do you like it?" He gestured toward the truck like it was a prized show horse.

Miranda raised an eyebrow. "This?"

Ben wiped his hands on a rag and nodded. "Tuck's been working jobs with me, saving up. He bought himself this truck—fixer-upper, sure, but we made a deal. He buys it, I help him fix it."

Miranda looked between the two of them, her son standing taller, prouder, like this old hunk of metal made him more of a man. And Ben, watching him with a look she knew all too well—a mix of pride, amusement, and the kind of patience only he had.

She exhaled. "I can't believe you're old enough to drive," she muttered, shaking her head. "Feels like just yesterday you were running around with a backpack bigger than you."

Ben chuckled "Time flies, huh?"

She huffed. "Clearly"

Tuck grinned, clearly proud of himself. "I'm gonna fix it up. Make it mine. You'll see."

Miranda nodded, fighting the urge to roll her eyes at the teenage confidence. But in the back of her mind, her thoughts wandered, pulling her away from the conversation. Here was her son—already old enough to be taking on town projects alongside Ben and even driving—while she found herself still worrying about the possibility of having a baby. The thought of starting all over again, especially at her age and with her busy, established lifestyle, seemed almost insane.

She thought about everything that would come with it—the sleepless nights, starting all over again. And her career, and Ben's projects, and everything they had going on. Would a baby really fit into their lives?

But as she watched Ben and Tuck working together, their bond palpable, she couldn't help but wonder. Would it be so bad? A little baby, a new life to care for.

She sighed, leaning against the doorframe, her arms still crossed. Her gaze drifted to Ben, who was now showing Tuck how to check the oil, his voice low and patient. He was so good with Tuck. She couldn't help but imagine how he'd be with a baby of their own.

Would he sit in the nursery late at night, humming under his breath, rocking their child to sleep? Would he be the one teaching them to walk, to ride a bike, to build things with their hands? Would he light up the same way he did now, watching their little one grow into someone strong and confident?

Tuck settled into a rhythm with his truck. Every day after school, he'd come home, dump his backpack, and sit down at the kitchen table to knock out his homework—quick and efficient. Then, it was straight to the garage, where Ben would already be waiting with tools scattered across the workbench, ready to teach Tuck the ins and outs of mechanics.

Miranda would hear the clink of metal, the occasional rev of the truck engine as Tuck worked on getting it started, sometimes a grunt of frustration when things didn't go as planned. But she could always see the satisfaction on his face when they got something right, when they fixed a part or got the truck running a little better.