1105 Yakima Street - Debbie Macomber [116]
“How can you say that?” Kate retorted. “I’ve loved you all these years, haven’t I?”
“A woman who serves her husband with divorce papers brings that into question.”
“I hope you got the message.”
Leonard turned to face her. “I got it all right, loud and clear. You want to end our marriage and—”
“Mom,” Lori said, cutting off her father. “Do you still love Dad?”
“Of course I do. That’s a ridiculous question.”
“Will you still love me if we’re divorced?” Leonard asked.
“Yes, but I’d learn not to.”
“Which you seem quite willing to do.”
“It’ll be difficult, but I’ll manage.”
“Difficult and completely unnecessary,” Linc inserted. He gestured toward Leonard. “When I went to his office, I found a man who’s lost and broken without his wife.”
Leonard opened his mouth to contradict Linc, but apparently changed his mind.
Kate shook her head. “One thing Lenny’s never been is lost or broken. His pride would carry him for the rest of his life before he’d admit he was wrong.”
“Is that so?” Leonard challenged, glaring at her.
Kate glared right back at him. “Can you admit you made a mistake? And that you regret the way you’ve treated our daughter and her husband?” she demanded.
Leonard looked from his wife to Linc and Lori. “I…might’ve been a bit hasty in judging Linc’s motives for marrying Lori.”
“See what I mean?” Kate muttered. “He’s still not convinced.” She stood and carried her mug into the kitchen. “He hasn’t been able to admit he’s wrong in over thirty years.”
“I…may have jumped to conclusions on occasion,” Leonard said in a loud voice.
“There’s no need to yell, Lenny. My hearing is perfectly good.” She left the kitchen and strode to the front door. “He simply can’t acknowledge when he’s made a mistake.”
Linc frowned at his father-in-law. If Leonard didn’t stop Kate now, there was nothing more Linc could do.
Kate was opening the door when Leonard shouted, “Okay! Okay. Fine, if it’s so important for me to say the words, then I will. I was wrong about Linc and Lori. There. Are you satisfied?”
Kate froze, one foot inside and the other out the door.
“Did you hear me?” Leonard asked.
Slowly she turned toward her husband, her head held high. “Can you apologize?”
Leonard hesitated and his jaw tightened.
“See what I mean?” Kate murmured.
“All right, all right. Linc, I apologize.”
“All is forgotten,” Linc said, and they exchanged a handshake.
“Satisfied now?” Leonard asked Kate.
Instead of answering, Kate looked at Lori.
Leonard sighed. “Lori, you, too.”
“You, too, what?” Kate said.
“I apologize.”
“Thank you, Daddy.” Lori walked over and gave her father a hug. He returned her hug and held his daughter close.
“Anyone else?” he asked Kate.
She offered him a smile. “That wasn’t so difficult, was it?”
Leonard shrugged. “Actually, it was, but now that I’ve done it, I feel a lot better.” He reached out and squeezed Lori’s hand. “I love you, you know.”
“Yes, Daddy, I know.” She leaned forward and kissed his cheek.
“I love your mother, too,” he said. “If she leaves me, I—”
“I could be talked into reconsidering,” Kate broke in. “Under certain conditions, of course.”
Leonard’s features softened. “Would it be possible to talk right now, just the two of us?”
Kate smiled and then nodded. “I think that would be very nice.”
A few minutes later, they left together, in their own cars. Linc didn’t hear where they planned to go but it wouldn’t surprise him if it was the family home, where they both belonged.
“Oh, Linc,” Lori said, slipping her arms around his waist. “That went so well.”
“I knew it would.” His in-laws would be fine, and so would he and Lori. Next year and thirty years down the road, he would love Lori as much as Leonard loved Kate.
Thirty-Six
Late on Wednesday afternoon, Will Jefferson and his sister met in the foyer at Stanford Suites. Luckily a unit had become available, and over the weekend they’d moved Charlotte and Ben into their new apartment. The