The Winding Road Home (15 page)

Chatty, just like her mother.

Rand's tears dripped from the corners of his eyes.

Chelsea picked up the stainless steel pitcher from the tray. “I'll get you some fresh water.”

Graham took it from her. “I'll do it. That's all right.”

The tears were flowing, puddling on his cheeks and pillow. “Graham,” he choked, flailing an arm.

“Mr. Jennings?”

Graham gently grasped Rand's arm with one hand and set the water pitcher back on the tray with the other. “Rand, it's okay. Chelsea, run along now, please. We're having a rough day.”

“Can I do something?”

Rand was blubbering now, thrashing about.

“No!” Graham called over his shoulder, louder than he intended. “We'll be fine.”

He thought he heard the clicking of the door shutting as he took the small man into his arms. “Shhh. It's okay, Pops. It's okay.”

Chelsea burst through Adele's open doorway. “Mom!”

“What's wrong?” She walked around her desk.

Chelsea's face was scrunched up, a sure sign she was distraught. “I just met Mr. Jennings and he started crying and he called me Addie!”

She hugged her daughter. “He calls me Addie sometimes. Graham told him about my pottery, and for some reason he picked up on that name. He had an especially bad night.”

“You could have warned me.”

Adele looked up at the teenager already three inches taller. Her height was one of only two things Adele recognized as being inherited from that young man she had known 18 years ago. The other was a left ear with an upper ridge folded slightly inward.

“Actually, honey, I thought you would help him feel better. You're always so good with the folks.”

“Not this guy.”

“Well, they all respond differently to their physical pain. Some don't want to see a young chipper face.”

“Mom, it seemed different than that somehow. It was like the instant he saw me, he burst into tears. I mean the
instant
he saw me. He was crying before I said
anything.
I tried to ignore it and just jabbered nonsense. He got worse! Oh, Mom, I don't know how you stand this job!”

She hugged her daughter tightly. “Guess this was a little more penance than you bargained for today.”

“I felt like I did something wrong.”

“I'm sure you didn't, Chels. Was Graham still there?”

“Yes, thank goodness. I kept trying to be polite, and he finally just told me to go. You know what he was doing when I shut the door?”

“Holding Mr. Jennings.”

“How'd you know?”

She smiled. “That's just the kind of man he is. If he hadn't come over the other night and hugged me when he did, you and I never would have eaten
and
you would have been on daily volunteer duty here until the day you graduate!”

Chelsea rolled her eyes. “I owe him. Maybe I should bake him some cookies or something. Does he like cookies?”

“Oatmeal with raisins and walnuts are his favorite.”

“You know that already? Getting a little personal awfully quick, Mom.”

Not as quickly as I'd like.

Late Friday afternoon Kate parked Helen in the alley behind the large brick building that housed the pharmacy, video store, and florist. She carefully gathered a bouquet of helium balloons, tucked a potted deffenbachia plant under an arm and a plastic container full of cookies under the other, and got out.

Two pickup trucks sat next to the opened back door of the pharmacy. She guessed one belonged to Cal and the other to Tanner's brother, who wasn't available to help but offered his truck for the occasion. She maneuvered her way around them and walked inside without ringing the bell.

It was a back room with a desk, a kitchenette area, stacked boxes in a corner, and a closed door that probably led into the pharmacy. Voices floated down a staircase on the left. She climbed the steps.

The door at the top led directly into a kitchen where Tanner's table and chairs already sat. Beyond that the space accommodated a living room furnished with his couch, end table, lamp, recliner, and television. The walls appeared freshly painted, the hardwood floor polished.

Tanner emerged from a hallway. “Kate! Hi.”

“Hey. This is great!”

He nodded. “I think it'll work. What have you got there?”

She handed him the balloons and plastic container. “Housewarming. The cookies are from my mom. I'll put the plant right here by the window.”

“Thanks. I can't remember the last time I had balloons. Or homemade cookies.”

She heard his wistful tone and wondered if he'd ever had any. “How do you know they're homemade?”

“I met your mom.”

“Hi, Kate.” Cal joined them.

“Hi, Cal. How'd the move go?”

“Walk in the park. Tanner's got a fourth of what Lia had crammed in here. I think we're finished. Hey, nice piece in today's paper on the village board meeting.”

“Thanks.”

“Tanner, if we're finished I'm outa here. I'm going to go kiss the pharmacist, and then I'm picking up my little girl at her friend's. I promised her ice cream, but don't tell Lia if you see her.”

Tanner shook Cal's hand. “I appreciate all your help.”

“No problem. Glad to have you in town. Bye.”

“Goodbye.”

Cal disappeared through the doorway leading to the staircase.

Kate draped her jacket over a table chair. “He's sweet.”

“Sweet doesn't come to mind when I think of an ox.” He chuckled as he tied the balloons to another chair. “He did pick up the couch by himself.”

“Jesus is like that. Sweet and strong as an ox. He can carry any load. No complaints. He just says give Him some more.”

Tanner gave her a quizzical look, his eyebrows almost touching. “I'll have to think about that one.”

Thank You, Lord. He's thinking.
She leaned over, putting her face between his and the knot he was still tying. “Sooo?” she prompted in a singsong voice. “Tell me?”

His grin said he inferred what she was talking about. “I signed the papers.”

She clapped her hands, whooped, danced around in a circle, and then she flung her arms around his neck. “Yay! Congratulations!”

He laughed, hugging her back. “Keep it down. Lia requested I not throw wild parties while the store's open right beneath us.”

She punched his arm and whooped quietly.

He tapped her nose once. “Thank you.”

“Okay, put me to work.” She spotted boxes on the counter. “I bet those are dishes, and I bet the cupboards are clean.”

“Have at it. I'm putting the computer together in the spare bedroom. Which has a border of stenciled cat silhouettes on all four walls.”

She laughed, ripping the tape off a box. “Where do you want things to go?”

“In the cupboards.”

“Any preference? Right, left, up, down?”

“Nope. I'll find them.”

“You are so easygoing. I don't know why some pretty young thing hasn't snapped you right up.”

“It's a mystery.”

“Do you like spaghetti?”

“Love it.”

“I'll walk over to Swensen's soon and get some things. Then I'll cook for you.” She glanced over her shoulder. “And don't go stuffing money in my jacket again.”

“I promise I won't if you're cooking for two.”

“Am I invited?”

He grinned. “Since when did you need an invitation?”

She threw a wad of packing paper at him. “Since your bachelor pad suddenly opened up two blocks from my place!”

Adele heard his footsteps echoing in the hall coming toward her office. It was late at Fox Meadow, almost eight o'clock, and things were winding down. Most of the residents were in their rooms.

She felt that funny misbeat in her throat as she anticipated the moment he would stop in front of her open door. That feeling couldn't keep up, could it? Maybe she had a heart condition…which flared up only when Graham Logan was in the vicinity. That was a heart condition, all right.

“Adele.” He stood in her doorway.

“Hi. How's he doing?”

“Resting quietly now.” He came in and sat in the chair across from her desk.

“I peeked in once. You were both asleep.”

“Is Chelsea all right? I hope he didn't frighten her.”

“She's fine. It's part of working here. She knows now what she doesn't want to do with the rest of her life.”

“That makes two of us. You, on the other hand, are a saint.”

“No, just different. Have you eaten?”

“I ate some of Rand's dinner.”

She walked around the desk, picked up her coat folded atop it, and reached for his hand. “Come on. How about some leftovers?”

He smiled softly as he stood, his fingers closing around hers. “Sounds perfect.”

She flipped off the light switch as they passed it. “I sent Chelsea home awhile ago.” They walked down the hall. “There may even be some oatmeal cookies, considering the fact she was grounded from about everything except baking.”

“Mmm…oatmeal cookies. With raisins and walnuts I hope?”

“Naturally.” She squeezed his hand.

“Why didn't you go home with her?”

“I'm still catching up from that unscheduled day off. And you were still here. I knew I could get a ride.”

“What if I hadn't stopped by your office?”

She leaned against his arm. “Not even a chance of that.”

“You shouldn't know me so well already.”

“Graham, I don't know you at all. I only know…” She closed her mouth, cutting off the words.

He squeezed her hand now as they reached the deserted lobby. He took her coat and held it open for her. “You only know what?”

She slipped her arms into the coat and buttoned it.

He put a finger under her chin and tipped it. “Only know what?”

She searched his eyes for permission to make a fool of herself. Up until that moment he had been distracted, preoccupied. But now…now she sensed all of his energies were directed at her. It was an unnerving sensation that threw her heart rate into double time.

“I only know,” she whispered, “that I can't breathe quite right when I'm with you.”

“Adele!” Gracie's voice startled her.

Graham dropped his hand, and they turned as one to the weekend supervisor approaching from across the lobby.

A few minutes later, Gracie's questions answered, they hurried through the parking lot. Adele smiled to herself. The moment had passed.

Thank You, Lord. I really did not want our first kiss to be in the lobby of Fox Meadow Care Center!

Graham sat in Adele's living room smelling delectable scents of warm cookies and curry emanating from the kitchen. He held the newspaper and turned its pages, his eyes seeing words, his mind not comprehending a one.

It was a battle of the voices.

He had almost kissed her. He had almost
kissed
her! Exactly what he had vowed—just a few hours earlier—
not
to do.

But you want to. And she wants you to.

It's too soon. The charade isn't finished yet.

She's a strong woman. She will understand.

And then what? Love her like I loved Sammi? So that when she dies I can be a total zombie for a few years?

Who says she's dying?

Daily possibility with everybody. I'm not signing up for it again.

Where's your trust?

Let's just get through Rand first.

“Graham!”

He jumped and snapped the newspaper away from his face. “Chelsea!”

“Sorry, you must have been really engrossed in the sports page.” She sat in a chair opposite him. “Dinner's almost ready. Did I do something to disturb Mr. Jennings today?”

You showed up. He wasn't prepared.
“Uh, no, no. Don't take it personally. His pain… I can't imagine what he's going through. He just wasn't feeling well enough for company.”

“I felt really bad. I thought maybe he didn't like me teasing about you and Mom. Like maybe it reminded him of your wife.”

“Uh, no. Actually, he's happy I have a new, um, friend.”

She laughed, an echo of her mother's lilt. “Actually, I am too. She would have been mad at me for a
much
longer time if you hadn't shown up.”

He folded the newspaper. “Really?”

“She said so and I know so. She can be a tough old broad when she needs to be. And she has needed to be, what with raising me all by herself.”

“Do you ever wonder about your father?”

“Oh, yeah. She never says much about him or her family. I know just a little more than zilch. My dad's last name is something in unpronounceable German. His first name is Gregor. Not much to go on, huh?”

“You'd be surprised. With the Internet these days, there are ways. You know he was in Europe eighteen years ago. She could tell you where they were.”

“She hasn't gotten to the point of when I was conceived. She keeps saying I'm not old enough yet.”

“How about your grandparents?”

“My grandmother is dead. She did volunteer work. My grandfather was involved in arbitrage and made tons of money. R.J. Chandler doesn't sound like someone I'd care to meet. She was an only child, but she could have had aunts and uncles and cousins.”

“Your grandfather could have changed by now. Not many people can stay angry forever.”

She shrugged. “Then he probably would have found us. We're in the phone book. Let's go eat.”

He followed her through the house. They found Adele at the stove.

“Hi, you two. It's almost ready. Chels, why don't you take those things to the dining room?”

She picked up some dishes and disappeared.

Graham went up behind Adele, placed his hands on her shoulders, and whispered in her ear, “She's delightful. You should un-ground her.”

She laughed. “In your dreams.”

That wasn't exactly what he had in mind for his dreams.