1105 Yakima Street - Debbie Macomber [37]
He smiled.
“How was work?”
“Okay.”
“Lindsey and I are going to a movie on Friday night. That’s okay, isn’t it?”
“Sure.”
“Can you pick us up when it’s over?”
He certainly didn’t have any plans for the evening. Not without Rachel. “Okay.”
“Great,” she said, all sunny and happy. “I’ll let Lindsey know. You met her mom, remember?”
“I’m afraid I don’t.”
“Yes, you do,” Jolene argued. “She was at the school picnic last year when—” She paused. “Maybe you didn’t,” she muttered, and paid an inordinate amount of attention to the taco she was busily assembling.
“Rachel went to the school picnic,” Bruce told her. He recalled how upset his wife had been afterward. Rachel hadn’t said much at the time, but Bruce could tell how miserable she’d felt. Jolene had acted in a rude and insulting manner, and while Rachel had downplayed his daughter’s behavior, she’d asked not to attend any more school functions without him. Bruce had agreed.
Every day, it seemed, he was reminded of how badly he’d failed both his wife and his daughter. The situation would never have gotten to this point if he’d realized how bad things were for Rachel and had stepped in earlier.
Father and daughter ate in silence. Bruce made an effort to eat, although he had no appetite. He did manage to force down one taco, but that wasn’t enough to satisfy his daughter.
“Have another, Dad,” she insisted, handing him the platter of taco shells.
“No, thanks, sweetie,” he said, pushing his plate aside. The lettuce had fallen out and spilled salsa ran across the white plate.
“What’s wrong with you?” Jolene snapped. “I made your favorite dinner and I tried to have a conversation with you, but you’re ignoring me and it isn’t fair.” Her voice shook slightly and her lower lip protruded.
Bruce rubbed his face with one hand. Now he had both Rachel and Jolene upset with him. It seemed nothing he did was right anymore. If only he knew how to set everything straight… .
“I’m sorry, Jolene,” he whispered. “I’m pretty depressed at the moment. I went to see Rachel and—”
Jolene leaped on the news, not allowing him to finish. “She’s being a witch, isn’t she? I bet she wouldn’t even talk to you.”
“No, that’s not—”
“Jane got mad at her the last time you were there, remember?”
What Bruce remembered was the scene Jolene had caused and how it had brought Jane out of the salon to chastise them all. Afterward he’d been asked not to return. He’d honestly tried to abide by the owner’s wishes, but he needed to talk to Rachel, to see her.
“Rachel no longer works at the salon,” Bruce said.
His announcement was followed by a stunned silence. “Rachel quit?”
“Apparently,” Bruce said, hardly able to fathom it. Rachel had worked at the salon for ten years. It was a second home; her clients were her friends, and the other staff members were like family.
Her leaving shocked him. She must’ve been desperate to get away and the reason, the only reason he could figure, was directly related to him and Jolene. In his eagerness to convince her to come home, he’d sent her fleeing.
“Where’d she go?”
If Bruce had any inkling, this news wouldn’t be nearly as devastating. “I don’t have a clue.”
“Jane wouldn’t tell you?”
He shook his head. “Either she genuinely doesn’t know or she isn’t willing to divulge the information.”
“Really?” Jolene’s eyes widened.
“I can’t believe Rachel would quit without telling me.” The fact that she’d left her job was one thing, but not mentioning it to him felt like…like a betrayal. He was afraid he’d lost Rachel entirely and that she never intended to return to their family. He refused to think that was the case.
“I told you she’s a witch,” Jolene said calmly. She stood and carried the bowls of salsa and sour cream to the kitchen counter. “If Rachel’s decided she wants out of our lives, then I say we should let her go.” She hummed softly to herself, evidently happy with this turn of events.
Bruce stood so quickly that his chair scraped