Angels Everywhere - Debbie Macomber [97]
“All right, I guess.” She didn’t want to unburden her soul, nor could she very well announce that she’d decided to marry Glen within earshot of Timmy. But she could tell her about Gloria’s call.
“My guess is that Gloria wants to apologize, dear,” her mother said, after Jody finished. “She was hurt and angry and said something she didn’t mean, and now she’s looking to make amends.”
Jody was sure her mother was right, but needed confirmation before returning the call, and said as much.
“You need to remember,” Helen continued, “you and Timmy are the only relatives she has left. I’m sure she regrets everything and would like to mend fences. The Christmas gifts you mailed probably arrived and they were the perfect excuse for her to contact you. She means well, sweetheart.”
The doorbell sounded and Jody glanced at her watch. “That must be Glen,” she explained.
“I do like that young man,” her mother announced, and after a quick word in parting, Jody hung up the phone.
Her guess proved correct. Glen stood on the other side of the door, a bottle of wine in his hand and a bouquet of red rosebuds in the other. He kissed her on the cheek and handed her both.
“How’s Timmy?” Glen asked as she arranged the roses in a crystal vase.
“Preoccupied,” Jody whispered.
Glen’s arm circled her waist as they returned to the kitchen. When Timmy noticed Glen had arrived, he turned off the game.
“Hi, Glen.”
“How’s it going, scout?”
“All right, I guess. Mom said you were coming over for dinner.”
“Yeah, you don’t mind, do you?”
“Oh, no,” Timmy said, “I think it’s great, but she made spaghetti and she makes me eat it with a spoon. She’ll probably make you do the same thing.”
“I think I can live with that, if you can.”
“Yeah, I guess so,” Timmy said.
“Son, Glen and I would like to have a talk with you before dinner.” Rubbing her palms together as if warding off a chill, Jody looked at Glen for assistance. They hadn’t talked about when they’d break the news to Timmy, and Jody worried their dinner would be a disaster with this hanging over their heads.
“Sure,” Timmy said.
The three of them sat down together in the family room. Glen was next to Jody and Timmy sat across from them. Glen reached for Jody’s hand.
“Your mother and I talked this afternoon and decided that we like each other very much,” Glen explained.
“I kind of guessed that you did,” Timmy said. “I saw you kissing her once.”
“Did that trouble you?” Jody asked, watching her son for any telltale signs of jealousy. Although Timmy yearned for a father, he may not have understood that it would mean having to share his mother’s attention with someone else.
“I don’t know why people kiss on the lips,” Timmy said. “It’s seems silly when you’re always warning me about germs, but adults seem to like it and even some kids. Rick told me he kissed a girl and it wasn’t too bad.”
“But how do you feel about me and your mother kissing?” Glen pressed.
Timmy frowned as if he didn’t know how to answer. “All right, I guess.”
Glen’s hands tightened around Jody’s. She noticed for the first time that he was nervous, which was something she suspected happened only rarely. Her gaze met his and he smiled weakly.
“Glen and I want to talk to you about us getting married,” Jody said, surprised by how shallow her voice sounded. Saying the words aloud for the first time caused her heart to pound at a fast rate, as if she were walking up a steep hill. In many ways she was and the anticipation of this new path she’d chosen suddenly felt momentous.
“Does this mean we’d be a family?”
Jody nodded.
“I’d be your stepfather,” Glen explained.
Timmy frowned at that. “But we’d still be a family?”
“Of course we would. Isn’t that what you wanted?” Jody sensed Timmy’s uncertainty and wanted to reassure him that there was nothing on this earth that would ever change her love for him.
“Would you have more babies like Rick’s mom?”
Jody released her breath and looked at Glen. They hadn’t discussed the prospect of having children.
“I’d like that very much,” Glen answered for her. “But we’ll leave the decision