A Turn in the Road - Debbie Macomber [19]
“Do you have a list of your medications?”
Ruth frowned. “I take one blood-pressure pill and that’s it—oh, and I have eyedrops. It isn’t like I need a permission slip from my physician to travel. You’re grasping at straws. Furthermore, you’re treating me like a child. I can take care of myself.”
“The roads aren’t safe,” Robin insisted, “especially for two women traveling alone.”
Again Ruth frowned. “If someone does kidnap and murder me, as you seem to expect, you can rest assured that I died happy.”
“Oh, honestly, Mother.”
“What about Bethanne?” Grant asked. “If she’s kidnapped and murdered, how would you feel then?”
“I’ve had three karate lessons,” Ruth said facetiously. “I’ll defend her.”
Grant burst out laughing. Robin, however, didn’t seem to find anything her mother said the least bit amusing.
“Fine.” Robin pointed an accusing finger at Bethanne. “Just know that if anything happens to my mother because you were foolish enough to fall in with this crazy scheme of hers, I’m holding you directly responsible.”
Bethanne tightened her hold on Ruth’s arm. “I accept full responsibility for your mother.”
“No, you don’t,” Ruth protested. “I’m responsible for myself. Besides, if anything did happen, it would be just like my daughter to file a lawsuit against you.”
“No, she won’t,” Grant said, glaring across the room at his sister.
“Don’t count on it,” Robin said, glaring right back. She crossed her arms as if waiting for them to capitulate. In that case, Bethanne hoped Robin was a patient woman because she had no intention of backing down. And she was sure Ruth wouldn’t, either.
After a tense moment, Robin dropped her arms. “Okay, fine. Risk your life. Grant, if you weren’t going to support me in this, you should never have come.”
“Actually, I think I should be the one to drive them,” he said.
“No way.” If Ruth agreed to that, Bethanne was counting herself out right then and there. She wanted to get away, reflect, consider the possibility of a future with Grant. She could only do that if he wasn’t trying to influence her. Having him along was out of the question.
Ruth looked from one to the other. “You’d do that, son?”
“I’d need to make arrangements with the office and I might have to change the dates, but if this is important to you, Mom, I’d make it work.”
“Then you won’t need me,” Bethanne said, starting to withdraw her arm from Ruth’s.
Her mother-in-law held her tight. “Check that computer phone thing you always have with you,” Ruth said. “Tell me when you’d be free for two entire weeks to drive me all the way across the country.”
Grant took out his iPhone and scrolled down the screen. “Like I said, I’d need to make a few phone calls, rearrange some appointments…” he said slowly. “The second and third weeks of August would be manageable.”
“That’s too late,” Ruth told him. “The class reunion is June 17 and I’m going to be there.” She looked pointedly at Robin. “It doesn’t matter what scare tactics you use. I won’t let tales of renegade truckers and biker gangs intimidate me. Bethanne and I are leaving on schedule and nothing you say is going to change that.”
“Now, Mom, you can fly out for the reunion and we can drive back again in August,” Grant suggested. “That way—”
Ruth shook her head. “I heard all those promises from your father. Year after year he said we’d drive across the country, but something always interfered. It did with Richard and it will with you. No, Grant, my mind is made up.”
“And so is mine,” Bethanne added for emphasis.
“Then I say—” Grant turned to his sister with a shrug “—that we let them go.”
“Like either of them could stop us,” Ruth muttered.
Bethanne grinned and, leaning close, whispered, “Annie wants to join us.”
“Annie,” Ruth said aloud. “Why, that’s a wonderful idea!”
His daughter’s name instantly caught Grant’s attention. “What’s this about Annie?”
“She phoned last night and asked to come