Pie Town - Lynne Hinton [84]
Malene heard a car pull up and figured her time of solitude had come to an end. She took her last sip of coffee, got up from the table, and put her cup in the sink. When she glanced toward the front windows, she could see someone walking up the steps to her porch. She slid her hands down the front of her blouse and pants in an attempt to straighten up her appearance and headed to the door. She expected to see some friend or well-meaning neighbor and was already planning her speech that Alex had just fallen asleep and could not be disturbed. She opened the door and could not believe her eyes.
“Hello, Mom.”
Malene felt her mouth open but could not form any word of greeting or response. Angel had come home.
Chapter Thirty-two
How long has she been in there?” Roger was home for lunch and a visit with Alex.
Malene shook her head. “About an hour, I guess.” She glanced up at the clock on the stove, trying to remember exactly what time their daughter had arrived.
“Well, how did she look?”
“Same as always. Just like you. Her hair is a little longer and she’s lost more weight, but she still looks like you. Dark and handsome.” Malene attempted to smile.
“What did she say when she got here?” He had only had time to walk in the house and start heading down the hall before he was stopped by his ex-wife. She had waved him into the kitchen and told him that Angel was in the room with Alex. He sat down at the table in shock when he heard.
Malene shrugged. “ ‘Hello, Mom,’ and then she asked if she could see him. That was it. I was as shocked as you are and didn’t ask her any questions. I just escorted her to his room and opened the door. He was awake and lit up like a Christmas tree when she walked in behind me. That was it. I just left the room after that.”
Roger leaned back in his chair. He couldn’t believe that Angel was there, in that house, with her son. He didn’t know how she had found out, since he’d never had any confirmation that she’d received any of his messages or gotten the news about Alex. He folded his arms across his lap. It didn’t matter now, he realized. She was home.
“Do you think she’s going to stay?” Malene was asking. She sat down at the table next to Roger.
He shook his head and raised his eyebrows. “Your guess is as good as mine,” he answered. He lifted an arm and rested his chin in his hand. He still couldn’t believe it. Angel was home.
“Well, she should stay,” Malene said.
Roger eyed his ex-wife. “Angel has never been one who went by the shoulds in this life.”
Malene nodded. “You’re right. But I mean, she came. She’s here. You’d think that means she’s staying.”
“You’d think,” Roger responded, unconvinced.
“You’re right,” Malene noted, understanding what Roger was saying. “She won’t stay. But still . . .”
“She came,” Roger interrupted.
Malene nodded.
The two of them waited in silence at the table, listening for any noise that might come from their grandson’s bedroom, leaning back, straining to hear. All they could make out was the light sound of conversation, an occasional laugh.
“You want a sandwich?” Malene asked, realizing they’d never hear anything from that far away.
Roger nodded. “I can fix it,” he replied.
Malene shook her head. “Nah, I got it.” She stood up from the table and walked over to the refrigerator. “Ham?” she asked.
“Fine,” he