A Turn in the Road - Debbie Macomber [72]
“Did purchasing the grove pay off over time?” Bethanne asked. She hated the thought of that kind of effort going unrewarded.
“I believe so, but not while Royce was living at home.”
“What happened at the prom?” Annie asked again.
“Oh, yes, our senior prom.” Ruth smiled as she said it. “Royce asked me, and naturally I said yes.”
“Naturally,” Annie echoed.
“He couldn’t afford to buy me a corsage for the dance, so his mother did her best to make me one from orange blossoms, but it just wouldn’t stay together. Not wanting to offend her, Royce took the corsage she’d made but when it fell apart he bought me a plastic rose.”
“He bought you a plastic rose for the prom?” Annie sounded incredulous.
“Annie,” Bethanne said, “that was all he could afford.”
“Did he wear a tux?” her daughter asked, despite Bethanne’s caution.
“A tux?” Ruth repeated. “My heavens, no. He had on his Sunday best, but it wouldn’t have mattered to me if he’d been in his coveralls. He was still the handsomest boy in his class.”
Annie stared at her, clearly fascinated by this glimpse into a life so different from her own.
“He picked me up in this vehicle they used in the groves. It didn’t have a top, although it might have at one time.”
“Oh, no,” Annie gasped. “Can this get any worse?”
“I’m afraid so. It rained on our way to the prom.”
“No!”
“Oh, yes, and until you see rain in Florida, you haven’t seen rain. The drizzle we get in the Pacific Northwest can’t compare.”
“And you were in your prom dress?”
She nodded. “With my hair all done up and my new chiffon dress. I arrived at the prom looking like something that had crawled out of the Everglades.”
“Oh, Grandma.”
“Royce felt terrible.”
“The poor boy,” Bethanne said, picturing the nightmarish scene. She couldn’t imagine anything else going wrong.
“And yet Royce was wonderful about everything. He wiped the streaming mascara from my face and kissed away my tears.”
“He must have been drenched, too.”
“Oh, for sure, but he didn’t care about himself. All he wanted was to make the night special for me, and he’d tried so hard.” She smiled wryly. “We didn’t end up going to the prom, of course. He took me home and went back to his own place to change, then we spent the rest of the evening watching TV.”
Bethanne hadn’t met Royce yet, but she liked him already.
“Do you think he’s changed much over the years?” Annie asked.
“I don’t know about him,” Ruth said, “but I have.”
“We all change,” Annie said, sounding mature. “Because of the things that happen to us.”
Bethanne nodded. She’d changed since Grant had left their marriage. Changed in many ways, some of which she was only beginning to understand.
Soon afterward they turned off the light. It wasn’t long before Ruth’s steady breathing told Bethanne her mother-in-law was asleep.
Annie lay on her back, then shifted onto one side; she seemed unable to find a comfortable position. Something was bothering her and Bethanne guessed it was directly related to Vance.
“Have you heard from Vance lately?” Bethanne whispered. Annie had mentioned him only once since he’d left for his European adventure.
“Sort of,” Annie muttered, and bunched up her pillow with unnecessary force.
“How do you sort of hear from someone?”
“He sent me a text, which I ignored, and then he emailed me, but I haven’t answered that, either,” she said. “He told me he arrived safely and that he’s having a wonderful time. Well, good for him. He doesn’t need to rub it in.”
“But you’re having a good time, too,” Bethanne reminded her. “And you met Jason in Vegas, didn’t you?”
“Right.” The word was full of enlightenment. “I should let him know I’m not sitting at home pining after him.” She scrabbled for her cell phone on the nightstand, and although the room was dark, immediately started scrolling down her emails.
Annie paused and sent Bethanne a look of deep satisfaction. “There’s another email from Vance.”
“Oh?