WE GATHER TOGETHER by Edward L. Woodyard

We Gather Together Chapter Seventy-Six

Jack Drexler carefully drove his Corvette into the driveway of his home, not wanting to scrape its bottom on the rise in the road. He parked in front of the garage next to the Suburban and strolled toward the front door. He noticed that the sun was melting the morning frost on the lawn and front walkway. It might warm up a bit that day, he thought, so he was glad he only wore a fleece and his New York Yankees cap.

Annie opened the front door and handed Jack the key fob to her car. She noticed he still wasn't wearing his wedding ring. She became forthright. "Cara is picking me up soon. Drew will meet you at the luncheonette with Courtney."

"Good morning," he said sternly, eying her directly.

He had caught her being impolite. She stared at the stoop. "Good morning," she said sharply. He didn't know what was upsetting her this morning. Her eyes moved up to his for a brief second, "Thanks for doing this."

"They're my kids too," Jack said as Jason and Kelly squirmed past their mother who was unintentionally blocking their way to their father. Each child hugged a leg of their father and he picked each up in an arm. "You two are getting way too big for me to do this."

"Then one of us at a time, Daddy," said Kelly.

"Let's go eat breakfast first. In the car, everyone," he said, motioning his children toward the Suburban. They released their hold on their father's legs and rushed to the Suburban, both buckling themselves into their car seats in the back.

Jack followed his kids to the car, then heard the front door slam shut. He turned back toward his home. Annie had gone back inside. She wasn't sure why Jack not wearing his wedding ring made her so enraged, but it did.