Читать книгу His Forever Love - Missy Tippens - Страница 11

The next morning, Lindsay reflected on how she had nearly messed up by pushing Mr. Kennedy on Granny Bea. The poor man hadn’t felt comfortable asking Bea out yet, so Lindsay had pretty much begged him to. Now Bill was on to them. She’d have to be more subtle.

So, she would do what Bill had insisted she do. She would stay away. Only for today, though.

She cleaned an already clean house. Washed two small loads of laundry. Ate frozen waffles heated in the toaster. Sipped a cup of coffee. Read the newspaper and clipped coupons. Watered the front-porch flowerpots full of begonias and impatiens. Swept dirt off the sidewalk.

And the clock on the mantel said ten o’clock.

A.m.

How would she spend a whole day without visiting Granny Bea or without taking care of Hunter and Chase? There weren’t any activities at church that day. Her dad was working in his yard.

Maybe she could visit Donna Rae. See if she could help her around the house for a while. She must have a ton of work to do with that houseful of kids.

She pulled a pound cake out of the freezer to take to them. She always made two so she’d have an extra on hand to give away. Today seemed like a good occasion.

When she arrived, Vinny’s car was gone. But he usually showed houses on Saturday, so she wasn’t surprised.

She walked in the front door without knocking. They hadn’t knocked on each other’s doors for twenty years, if ever. “Hello.”

“In here,” Donna Rae called from the kitchen. She was elbow-deep in dishwashing suds. “Oh, hey, Lindsay. What brings you by?”

“I come bearing sweets.” She set the cake on the counter.

“Oh, I hope it’s a chocolate pound cake.”

“Not chocolate. Sour cream.”

“Yummy. I’ve been craving chocolate, though.” She bit her lip and wouldn’t look at Lindsay.

No way. “You’re kidding, aren’t you? A late April Fools’ Day joke?”

“April Fools’ was a month ago.”

“So you’re not kidding. You’re pregnant? Again?”

She smiled a radiant smile. “Yes, number five, and I’m thrilled. So don’t look so shocked and disappointed.”

She held up her hands in surrender. “Hey, I’m happy if you’re happy. That’s all that matters.” She hugged her friend and tried to be genuinely happy. But sometimes she battled the green-eyed monster.

“Don’t tell anyone yet. We want to wait a few more weeks, then tell our family.”

“Okay. Are you sick yet?”

“No. And maybe, God willing, I won’t be this time.”

Lindsay practically snorted. “Yeah, right.”

“On to better subjects. Has Bill asked you out yet?”

She did snort a laugh that time. “Are you kidding? He arrived, spent about five minutes with Granny Bea, then decided that she needs to move up there to live with him.”

“Well, you’ve always said he needs to be thinking more about taking care of her.”

“I meant for him to move home to do so.”

“Can you blame the guy? He has this illustrious career up there. Why would he move back to Magnolia?”

“You have a point. I guess he’ll have to trust us to watch over her.”

Donna Rae looked away as she slowly dried her hands on a dish towel. “You could help him take care of her. Up there in Boston—one of the places you’ve always wanted to visit, if you recall.”

“Don’t tell me you have pregnancy mush-brain already. This is a record. It’s hitting in the first trimester.”

Donna Rae turned and grabbed Lindsay’s hands, serious all of a sudden. “I have a feeling about this. I’ve always had a strong sense that you two were meant for each other.”

Scary, because whenever Donna Rae had strong “senses,” she was almost always right. Maybe it came from being such a prayer warrior—always in close contact with God. “Why didn’t you ever mention it before?”

“I didn’t want to say anything before it was God’s timing for you two. But ever since you said his name yesterday, I’ve had chills up my back when I think of it.”

“Well, stop it. Your ideas about The Forever Tree and this chill-bump thing, they’re worrying me. Because there’s no way I could ever move up there. I can’t leave Chase and Hunter. They need me.”

Donna Rae sighed, then shook her head. “I know. I guess God will figure it all out if it’s in His plan.”

Plan, my foot. The only important plan at the moment was the one that would keep Granny Bea in Magnolia. “Come on. Let’s go find something to do.”

Donna Rae cackled. “Find something to do?” She snatched a piece of paper from under a magnet on her refrigerator door. “Here’s my ‘Honey Do List.’ Go for it.”

Lindsay took the mile-long list and decided to number the items to prioritize them. When she finished, number one on the list was fix the dripping showerhead in kids’ bathroom. She’d done that at her own house, so she headed outside to Vinny’s workshop to see if he had the right tools. As she tromped back through the kitchen toward the stairs, Donna Rae hollered, “Thanks, honey!”

Cute. Real cute. But at least she had something to occupy her for a few hours.

Bill wanted to throttle Granny. He was beginning to think he’d been totally mistaken. The woman was obviously capable of ordering him around as she went about her daily housework. Maybe she was okay on her own after all.

He glanced at the hastily scrawled directions Granny had given him. He pulled into Donna Rae’s driveway, and Lindsay sat on the front steps, looking perturbed. She didn’t seem any happier once she climbed in his car.

“I’m sorry Granny interrupted what you were doing.”

“It’s okay. I was only helping Donna Rae around the house—doing a little plumbing work. The next item on the list was dusting the ceiling fans, so I guess I should thank you.”

He tried not to smile at the vision of her under a sink with a wrench. “Granny was insistent that you help me pick out the carpet. I guess she doesn’t trust my judgment.”

“We’ve looked at samples before, so she knows I have an idea of what she likes.”

“I called and tried to arrange a day for Arnie’s Carpets to come. They weren’t very helpful. Didn’t have anything open until two weeks out. As it is, I’m afraid I’ll be here a week.”

He thought Lindsay grinned, but then she turned toward the car window as she spoke. “I imagine Molly made the appointment. She might be able to work you in sooner if I’m with you today.”

“No favors for outsiders, huh?”

“You know small towns.”

Boy, did he. That was the reason he’d stayed in Boston. “I told Granny I’d rather call someone in Athens, but she wouldn’t hear of it. She’ll only do business here in town. Said Arnie has done her carpet for thirty years.”

“Your Granny is definitely loyal.” She pointed. “There it is. Pull in the parking lot on the left.”

They parked, then walked in the store. A little bell jingled to announce their presence.

“I’ll be right with you,” called the voice he’d heard earlier on the phone.

“Why don’t you let me talk to Molly. She’s in my quilting group,” Lindsay said.

He didn’t want her thinking he was still a helpless nerd. “I can do this on my own, Lindsay.”

She shook her head.

“But thanks, anyway.”

She held her hand out as if offering him the store. “Fine. Do it your way.” She meandered to nearby sample books and started to flip through one.

A moment later, an attractive young woman came from the back. “Hi. Can I help you?”

“My name’s Bill Wellington. I called earlier.”

“The man from over in Windy Hollow?”

“No, I’m from Boston.”

“Boston, Georgia? Is there such a place?”

“No, ma’am. Boston, Massachusetts.”

“Ah,” she said as if solving a mystery. “You didn’t mention that earlier.”

“I’m here to pick out some carpet for my grandmother. We scheduled an appointment for a couple of weeks out, but I was hoping we could get it installed sooner.”

Her face screwed up as if she was confused. “So it’s for your grandmother?”

“Yes. She lives here in Magnolia. On Main Street. Her name is Bea Wellington.”

“Well, why didn’t you say so sooner? Arnie can probably get out there late next week for her.”

“Thank you.” But it grated on him that an outsider could have such a hard time getting service.

She pointed to the showroom. “Take a look and let me know if you have any questions.”

A few minutes later, as he and Lindsay searched the many books, Molly reappeared. “Oh, hi, Lindsay. When did you get here?”

“I came in with Bill. We’re old friends.”

“Hey, I saw you dropping off Hunter and Chase the other morning. They’ve grown so much and look so much like their daddy—all handsome and cute.” She practically twittered.

It appeared she was very interested in Lindsay’s brother.

“Yes, they’re sweet boys. And they’re like my own now.”

Molly’s smile dimmed a bit. He detected some animosity, at least from Lindsay’s side.

“I think I’ve found some carpet that will work nicely.” He pointed to a commercial grade, low-pile carpet in a neutral color. “It’s inexpensive since we’ll be selling Granny’s house.”

Molly gasped. “She’s selling her house? No way.”

“No way is right,” Lindsay said. “She’ll sell someday, of course. But I’d rather her buy something nice for now. Something she can enjoy in her old age.” She glared a final warning at him as she flipped open a sample book and pointed to a plush carpet in a pale shade of green—Granny’s favorite color.

“Fine. We’ll compromise. Molly, we’ll have the plush carpet but in a neutral beige color that will sell well.” He pointed to a color in Lindsay’s book called Wheat.

For a second, he thought he saw tears in Lindsay’s eyes. But it had to have been the lighting, because the next time she glared at him, they were gone.

Molly looked from him, to Lindsay, then back to him. Apparently, she decided he was the decision maker in the situation, because she wrote up the order. He checked to make sure she’d written Wheat instead of Thicket. She had. But she didn’t look comfortable doing it.

“Okay. We have you set for next Thursday for the carpet installation. Someone will be out to measure on Monday.”

“Thank you,” he said.

The clerk looked to Lindsay. “I’m sorry about the green, Lindsay.”

“It’s not your fault, Molly.” She walked out the door of the store.

He found her outside in his rental car. He opened his mouth and nearly said he was sorry, but then forced it shut. He felt awful, though.

He really did need to get over the guilt of leaving Lindsay so long ago. He couldn’t allow it to color his decisions.

No, he wouldn’t apologize. She had no right to keep interfering. Granny was his family, after all.

As he turned the car toward Donna Rae’s house, he remembered Granny’s orders. He sighed.

“What’s wrong?”

“Granny gave me strict instructions to take you out for lunch.”

“No, thanks. I have leftovers at home.”

“She’ll fuss at me.”

“She would, wouldn’t she?” She laughed. “Well, why don’t we stop and pick up something from Minnie’s to take home for all of us to eat.”

“Minnie’s still in business?” Minnie’s Meat and Three. It had become his favorite restaurant once he hit a growth spurt in eighth grade and couldn’t ever seem to eat enough. The growth spurt continued all the way through high school.

“She’s still open. I’m sure she’d love to see you.”

He hadn’t had Minnie’s fried chicken in fifteen years. And he’d like to see her, too. “Good idea. My mouth’s watering just thinking about the chicken.”

As they walked in the restaurant, there was a perceptible hush, a lull in the conversation.

Lindsay realized that most people, even if they knew who he was, wouldn’t recognize him. Some wouldn’t even remember him.

He was so smart and good-looking. She couldn’t help but wonder why he’d never married. Maybe he’d never found someone to share his passion for physics. He’d loved the subject from the time he was old enough to read—in kindergarten, according to Granny Bea. When he’d moved to town the summer after fourth grade, Lindsay often found him outside, perched in the mimosa tree, reading thick nonfiction books about atomic particles that he’d checked out from the library.

He touched her elbow and guided her to a table, acting as if they weren’t the center of attention. She was afraid their appearance together might become a topic for gossip.

When they sat, he whispered, “I can’t believe I decided to come here. Too many people. All staring.”

“Many probably don’t recognize you. They’ll assume I’ve got a boyfriend from out of town.”

“Should I stand and state my name, tell them we’re not a couple? Then ask them to quit staring?” His golden-brown eyes sparked with warmth.

“Maybe once your novelty wears off, you’ll have some peace.”

“My novelty will never wear off. I’ve always been considered an oddball.”

“Well, I’ll be,” Minnie said in her deep, husky, smoker’s voice as she approached the table. “My best customer has finally come home.”

“Ms. Minnie, so good to see you.” He stood and hugged her, dwarfing her small frame.

“Mercy, look at you, child. You grew up into the rafters and finally put some meat on your bones.”

“It was your chicken, Ms. Minnie. If it hadn’t been for you, I would have been blown away by a good strong wind.”

“Well, I’ll make sure you get all your favorites today.” She smiled at Lindsay. “Hey, Lindsay. Your regular?”

“I can’t resist. And a plate for Granny Bea, as well, please. Everything to go.”

Minnie hurried toward the kitchen, whistling “I’ll Fly Away.”

They sat in silence. She ran her finger over a split in the laminated menu. “I know you visit your granny. How come I haven’t seen you in so many years?”

“I’ve actually flown her up to visit me more often than I’ve come here. And my rare trips home have been very brief.” He darted a glance into her eyes, then looked away, toward the front door. “I guess we haven’t run into each other.”

She couldn’t shake the feeling he’d avoided her.

“Well, maybe you’ll see some old friends this time.”

“I’m only here for Granny. But it’s nice to see Minnie.”

Would he have ever come to see her? “You’ll have to go visit Pastor Eddie. He’d love to see you.”

Minnie set two glasses of syrupy-thick sweet iced tea on the table. “On the house while you wait.” She tapped Bill on the shoulder. “So, sugar, what brings you to town after all this time?”

“Granny took a fall. Broke her wrist.”

“Bill Wellington, shame on you. You shouldn’t wait for a crisis to make you come home,” Minnie said.

“I apologize. I’ve been in town, but haven’t made it over to the restaurant.”

“I forgive you. This time.” Minnie shook her finger at him. “No excuses from now on.”

“He won’t be able to resist your chicken now that he’ll have another taste,” Lindsay said.

“See,” Ms. Minnie said almost like a frog croaking. “You can’t resist the people who care about you.”

Lindsay laughed at the sounds Minnie managed to make, as well as the look on Bill’s face. Something inside fluttered. She felt…well…happy. It was almost as if she and Bill were spending time together as friends once again.

“So how long are ya staying, sugar?”

“Actually, I won’t be here but a few days,” he said, blowing the friendly little vision out of Lindsay’s mind. “I have to get back to my classes to prepare for finals.”

“Well, you be sure to stop by next time.” Minnie patted him on the shoulder and walked away.

Lindsay sipped her tea. “I’m sure my family will want to see you while you’re here.”

“I’d like that.” He stretched his arms across the back of the booth, which emphasized how large he was. “You know, I’ll be glad to help you with your nephews anytime you need it, Lindsay.”

“Okay.” Her heart squeezed. She forced herself to look him in the eye with a smile on her face. “Thank you.”

“You’ve been a good friend to Granny. It’s the least I can do.”

Yeah. A good friend to Granny. Not a word about what good friends they’d been years ago. Not a word about wanting to be her friend now. She clamped her teeth together so she could resist the urge to blurt out that he should head on back to Boston and leave them alone.

She could kick herself for letting a bit of hope creep up on her.

When they arrived back at Granny’s with lunch, Lindsay, who’d been quiet the whole way home, said, “I’ll help you carry this in, then I’ll take mine home to eat.”

He knew it was the right thing to do. The smart thing. But as she reached for her sack of food, he pulled it away from her. “Why don’t you stay and eat with us?”

“I need to get home. I need to…well, I—”

As he was about to accuse her of making excuses, he noticed something out of the corner of his eye. A haze. Behind the house.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Is that smoke?”

She didn’t answer. She took off running toward the house.

He closed the gap and beat her through the front door. He bounded to the kitchen where smoke filled the air. It rolled in plumes from a pan on the stove, the acrid smell choking him. He grabbed the handle of the pot and ran out the back door with it.

“I’ve got the garden hose,” Lindsay said from beside the back steps as she turned the water on. She unrolled the hose and pulled it over to spray the singed food.

“I’ll find Granny,” he said as he rushed back in the door. He called for her over and over, but no answer. She was nowhere in the house.

He found Lindsay holding her nose as she stared into the pan. “I think it was green beans.”

“The stove was set on high. She must have put them on to cook quickly, then left them. She’s not in the house.”

“I’m sure she walked over to Sandra’s.”

He wouldn’t quit worrying until he actually saw her. “I’ll be back. Can you see if you can figure out what I did with the food from Minnie’s? I have no idea where I put it down.”

She grinned. “It might be up on the roof.”

He grinned in return. “Maybe we can have green beans for lunch, then.”

She burst out laughing. “I’ll find it. Go check on Granny Bea.”

He paused for a moment. He couldn’t resist smiling. She looked so young, like she had when he’d been so crazy about her. She was the first to break the connection as she turned to go back inside.

He walked next door to Sandra’s back entrance. The tight clench in his jaw eased when he heard Granny’s voice through the screen door. She was fine.

He knocked. “Hi, ladies.”

“Oh, come in, Bill,” Sandra said as she jumped out of her chair and hurried over to greet him. She gave him a fierce hug. “I’m so glad you’re home to see your granny. And staying for a few days no less.”

“Hi, Miss Sandra. It’s good to be here.”

“Come join us, son,” Granny said from the far side of the kitchen table.

“I can’t stay. Granny, we just got home and found your pot of beans burning.”

“Oh, no.” She tried to get up from the low-sitting chair.

He grasped her arm and helped pull her up. “It’s okay. We took the pan outside and Lindsay sprayed water on it.”

“Did it damage my kitchen?”

“Once it airs out, it’ll be fine.”

“Oh, dear. Let’s go see.”

They said goodbye to Sandra and walked back to Granny’s house. Lindsay stood on the back porch with the meals from Minnie’s set out on the picnic table. Hers included.

“You found it?” he asked.

“Yes, slung to the side of the front door. It sloshed around a bit, but it’s still edible.” She gestured to the table with a smirk on her face.

Too bad he couldn’t enjoy the meal with her. Unfortunately, Granny’s food fiasco only strengthened his resolve that she needed to live with him to be safe.

They ate a nice meal, but beneath the pleasant chatter lay what he knew they needed to discuss. When they had a lull in the conversation, he said, “Granny, we need to talk about the kitchen incident.”

“It was a simple mistake,” Lindsay said. “An accident that could happen to anyone.”

He wanted to ask her if she’d ever left something cooking on high then walked next door, but it would be hurtful to Granny. “I know accidents happen, but this could have turned out tragically. What if Granny had gone to take a nap? What if we hadn’t arrived when we did?”

“It’s the first time it’s ever happened,” Granny said. “I am more forgetful these days, but I’m not usually that bad. I put the beans on and wouldn’t have forgotten, but Sandra called and needed two eggs for a recipe.”

“And I bet you got sidetracked talking,” Lindsay said. “Could happen to anyone.”

“Yes. It won’t happen again. I promise I’ll turn burners off before leaving the house again.”

He wouldn’t push, but he would go ahead and make a call to the adult day-care center near the university. He hated to move Granny against her wishes. But maybe she’d come around soon.

“I see your brain working,” Lindsay said. She speared him with an intense look. “Don’t make any rash decisions. You’ll see that she’s fine here in Magnolia.”

He wouldn’t accomplish anything with Lindsay interfering. She would only keep Granny stirred up. “Lindsay, this is between Granny and me. I think maybe you need to leave.”

She jerked back as if he’d slapped her. Then hurt flashed across her face. “Oh. Well.” She stood and jerkily put her lunch trash in the bag. She smiled at Granny, but it didn’t reach her eyes.

“Lindsay…” He didn’t know what to say.

Granny patted her hand. “He didn’t mean it, dear. Sit back down.”

“No. I should go. I—” Her voice wobbled. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow at church, Granny Bea.” She hurried into the house.

He’d hurt her. He hadn’t wanted to, but it was his responsibility to protect Granny.

No matter what it took.

Lindsay made it to the front of the house, seeking refuge in her car. She was determined not to cry until she closed herself inside.

Her car wasn’t there. What on earth?

It’s at Donna Rae’s house. Bill had picked her up.

She would have to walk to Dad’s, then have him drive her to Donna Rae’s.

How could Bill have asked her to leave? How dare he imply that she didn’t know what was good for Granny Bea?

She stormed out of the driveway, walking toward her dad’s house. She was too angry to face Bill at the moment. Maybe tomorrow.

Tomorrow. Sunday. Church. Oh, brother. Bill would probably show up there and she would have to face him in front of everyone in her family.

She would have to prepare so she wouldn’t spout off something she’d regret. And she’d also have to come up with a new plan. Apparently, showing him Granny in action wasn’t going to work.