Pie Town - Lynne Hinton [39]
Roger raised his eyebrows at the girl.
“I’m just guessing,” she said. “But think about it, you in your line of work, Fred and Bea alone at the diner at all hours of the day and night with their doors unlocked and their cash registers full. And from what I see, half the people at this party look like they’re ready to fall over any minute.” She slid a piece of hair out of her eyes. “I know there are a few things I survived that I didn’t have any business making it through.” She shrugged. “I guess I’m weird, but I figure every day for anybody is a miracle.” She faced Roger, who didn’t respond.
They both looked over at Alex just as the boy turned around. He grinned and motioned for Roger and Trina to join him.
“Guess we need to get moving,” Roger noted.
“I suppose so,” Trina responded.
And the two of them caught up with Alex, and they all headed in the direction of the picnic shelter.
Chapter Fourteen
It was after ten o’clock before everyone had cleared out from the party. Malene and Roger were the last ones left, packing up the leftovers and the party supplies, cleaning up the tables, and tying up the trash bags and throwing them in the back of Roger’s truck. The moon was high and full.
“Good party,” Roger said as he walked up to the shelter from the ball field, a large bag of garbage thrown over his shoulder. He dropped it by his side.
Malene was stacking up another load of plastic dishes and boxing up the condiments. “It was nice, wasn’t it?” She stopped, yawned, and sat down at the table where she was working. She decided to take a break. “Alex seemed pleased.”
“He was worn out,” Roger noted, taking her cue and sitting down at the table across from his ex-wife. “He’ll sleep good tonight at your dad’s.”
“He got so many gifts,” Malene commented. “It took Daddy and me at least four trips to get everything in the car.” She smiled. “And you know how big that trunk in the new Buick is.”
“Yes, Oris has made me look inside his trunk at least three or four times.” Roger stuck his hands in his pockets. “Did Frieda drive your van to his house?” He knew Alex’s wheelchair couldn’t fit in a car, even Oris’s Buick.
Malene nodded. “I figured you would give me a ride back,” she responded.
Roger nodded. He never minded driving Malene anywhere.
“He is smitten by the girl,” Malene said, eyeing Roger, waiting for more information about his new tenant.
“Trina,” said Roger. “And I know,” he added. “He had his eye on her the first time he saw her.”
“That working out, her living in the apartment?” she asked. Alex had told her about the living arrangements right after he met Trina.
“So far. Of course, she hasn’t paid me anything yet.” He shook his head. “What is it with these young people? You and I had to live at your parents’ house for months before we struck out on our own.”
“And we had at least enough money saved,” Malene recalled, “to pay rent for a year when we finally did move into that little apartment near your office.” She shrugged. “Just a different generation, I guess.”
Roger waited. “He thinks she looks like Angel.”
Malene sighed. “I know.”
There was a pause between the two.
“You know, he asked me at least five times this morning if the mail had come. He never said, but I know he was hoping for a card from her.”
Roger shook his head and didn’t respond.
Malene blew out a breath. “I know that I said not to try to find her, to leave her alone, but honest to God, you think that girl would have called, at the very least, just called to tell her son happy birthday.” She shook her head. “Or sent a card. I swear, I tell myself every year I’m not going to get upset, and every year it just burns me up.” She looked up at Roger. “We did not raise that girl to be this way.”
Roger took off his hat and ran his hands through his hair. This was the conversation that never ended. It was the fight no one could ever win. It was the main reason their marriage had ended. Malene could not let go of being angry at her daughter. He sighed