1022 Evergreen Place - Debbie Macomber [58]
“Dinner,” Shirley said without elaborating.
“You aren’t putting mushrooms in it, are you?”
“No.” She had planned to add mushrooms but wouldn’t now. “This is chicken with cheese and rice. Does that meet with your approval?”
“Sounds okay, I guess.”
Evidently Shirley had deflated her daughter’s indignation. She chanced a look in Tanni’s direction and took a leap of faith. “Is everything all right?” she asked tentatively.
Tanni whirled around, and Shirley was shocked to see tears in her eyes. In the past she would’ve pretended she hadn’t noticed, but she couldn’t do that anymore. She reached out her arms and hugged Tanni.
Tanni released a sob as she slid her arms around her mother’s waist. “He won’t even answer my text messages anymore,” she wailed.
“Shaw?”
Tanni nodded jerkily.
The two of them—Tanni and Shaw—had been together constantly for about eight months. Shirley had been nearly frantic with worry that they might become physically involved. Her fear was that they’d already crossed that line. Will Jefferson had thrown her a life preserver when—with Larry’s assistance—he’d arranged for Shaw to attend the San Francisco Art Institute.
At first Shaw and Tanni were in frequent communication, but then as the weeks passed, Tanni heard from him less and less often. In the beginning she’d made excuses for Shaw. “He’s busy,” she’d say, keeping her cell phone close at hand.
“I thought he loved me,” Tanni blurted now. Shirley could feel her daughter struggling to control her emotions.
She had no words of advice to offer. It didn’t matter. What Tanni needed was comfort and love, and Shirley had both in abundance.
“I volunteered at the library because I thought it would help take my mind off Shaw, but that’s no good, either.”
The Reading with Rover program was going well, and Shirley assumed Tanni enjoyed being part of it. Every indication from Grace Harding suggested that Tanni was doing a terrific job.
“You seemed to like working with the kids.”
“I do, but I hate having to deal with Kristen.” She twisted her lip as she pronounced the other girl’s name. “She’s such a goody-goody,” Tanni spat out. “And Grace wants me to make nice. Give me a break.”
“I’m sure you’ll work it out.” Shirley couldn’t think of anything else to tell Tanni.
“I want to quit, but I can see how much the little kids love reading to the dogs. And if I left, Grace would have to remove someone from the program. That’d be wrong. Besides, I’d just go back to worrying about Shaw.”
“You can’t quit without a good reason.”
Her daughter glared up at her as if Shirley had uttered the stupidest words ever spoken by a parent. “Thanks, Mom, but I already figured that out on my own.”
“Oops, sorry.” They rarely had a conversation without Shirley making at least one critical error in judgment, saying either too much or too little.
Tanni broke out of her arms. “I’m not calling or texting Shaw ever again.”
That was no doubt for the best, although hard to pull off, especially since these kids seemed to have cell phones permanently attached to their hands.
Tanni hesitated. “Not today, anyway.”
“Do you want me to hold on to your cell phone for you?” Shirley asked, thinking it might help if she kept temptation out of the way.
“No.” Tanni sent her a scornful look and went into her bedroom, closing the door.
“Okay, sorry I asked,” Shirley muttered.
The phone rang and caller ID said it was a private number. As usual, Tanni answered after a solitary ring. Two or three seconds later her daughter shrilled down the hallway, “It’s for you!”
“Who is it?” Shirley asked. If she didn’t get this casserole in the oven, dinner wouldn’t be ready until eight.
“I don’t know. Some man.”
“Some man” probably translated into Will Jefferson, but if that was the case Tanni should have recognized his voice. He certainly phoned often enough.
Sighing, she reached for the phone. “This is Shirley.”
“Shirley, it’s Larry Knight. Am I calling at a bad time?”
Shock and delight rippled through her. “No, not at