311 Pelican Court - Debbie Macomber [43]
She’d befriended him a couple of years back. The old man had been a stroke victim and had lost the ability to speak, but he didn’t appear to have any problem communicating with her mother. It was Charlotte’s gift, Olivia decided, to seek out those who needed her attention most.
“Justine and Seth invited me over for dinner,” she said, purposely turning the subject away from her mother’s latest charity project.
“So I heard.”
“And Grace and I are taking the ferry to Seattle to have lunch on the waterfront next weekend.”
Her mother nodded, but seemed a bit hurt at Olivia’s decided lack of interest in her new friend. “Ben’s stopping by later and we’re going to visit the pumpkin patch.”
Olivia considered it a bit odd that two elderly people would want to do something traditionally reserved for young families, but she didn’t say anything. More than likely, her mother’s friend was senile and had reverted to childhood memories and this was an activity he’d enjoy.
“Have a wonderful time,” she said.
“Oh, we intend to,” Charlotte murmured.
If she didn’t know better, Olivia would’ve thought she’d seen her mother blushing.
Later the same day, she asked her daughter about it. “Have you noticed anything different about your grandmother lately?”
Justine, who was busy stirring gravy, glanced up. “Grandma? What makes you ask?”
Olivia held her infant grandson and paced the small kitchen, gently patting his back. Leif cooed at her, and for a moment, she was caught up in the sheer wonder of holding this baby close to her heart. When she realized Justine was waiting for her answer, she returned to the subject of her mother. “Oh—we had breakfast this morning and, well, your grandmother seemed…oh, I don’t know, secretive.”
“Secretive? How?”
Olivia shrugged.
“Mom, I’ve been so busy with the restaurant and with Leif that I haven’t had a chance to notice.”
“It’s nothing, I’m sure, but after last year’s cancer scare I want to keep an eye on her.”
“I do, too. It’s just that I have so much going on right now.” Justine, always responsible, was far too willing to accept blame for her shortcomings, imagined or real.
“Sweetheart, it’s not your job to be your grandmother’s guardian. Just pay attention when you do see her and we’ll compare notes.”
Justine removed the pan from the stove top and poured the contents into a gravy boat just as the doorbell chimed. Seth, who’d been putting the finishing touches on the table, answered it.
Stan stood in the doorway, holding a bouquet of flowers and a bottle of wine. “I’m not late, am I?” he asked as he breezed into the small house. “Happy birthday, Olivia,” he said, kissing her on the cheek.
“Dad?” From Justine’s blank look, Olivia could tell that Stan’s visit was a surprise to her daughter, too.
“I thought I’d crash the birthday party. You don’t mind, do you?” He smiled at Justine and Olivia.
“Of course not,” Justine said, recovering first. Seth quickly added another place setting.
“Hello, Stan.” Olivia’s response was polite and cool. She hadn’t talked to him since his less-than-subtle invitation to dinner in Seattle—dinner that included a night in a hotel room.
Justine took the flowers and arranged them artfully in a vase, which she set in the middle of the table. With Leif asleep, Olivia settled her grandson in his crib and joined everyone at the table.
Dinner—roast chicken and gravy, roasted root vegetables and salad—was wonderful, although Olivia felt slightly on edge. That passed, however, as the meal progressed. Perhaps the wine relaxed her. Whatever it was, she was soon laughing and joking with her family and it seemed…so natural. She could almost believe that she and Stan had never been divorced. Stan was his warm, ingratiating self. Funny, witty, clever in ways that Olivia had all but forgotten.
“So,” Stan said as Seth and Justine went into the kitchen to prepare coffee. “Are you going to forgive me?”
Olivia saw no point in pretending she didn’t know what