The Naughty List Bundle - Kylie Adams [285]
Jordan nodded. “I understand.” And he did. He knew plenty of older women like Ruth, women who’d been raised to believe that wives were meant to stay at home, to cater to their husbands. He could only imagine how a child thrown into the mix might have complicated things.
“Well, I don’t. I could have done more. And I could have done it sooner.” Ruth looked past Jordan’s shoulder, her eyes so sad. “We argued endlessly over Georgia, which was probably harder for her than the divorce. I was a coward, and the idea of being on my own was terrifying. But I finally did it. I should have left him years earlier, but I kept thinking that I needed to keep our home intact. I didn’t want Georgia to have to start over in a new school system just because I couldn’t afford the area anymore. Then, when she started dating Dennis Peach I wished like crazy that I had moved.”
“She got pregnant?”
“Yes. Dennis was every young girl’s dream. He was good-looking, athletic, nice. He took her to all the dances and the parties, places she hadn’t been before. Georgia went head over heels in love with him almost overnight.
“We were still hashing out the divorce when Georgia eloped. I couldn’t believe it. But to give her her due, she made things work for awhile there.”
Jordan imagined that Georgia had enough sheer will and determination to make anything work when she put her mind to it. He thought about her at that age, so young, so innocent. At sixteen, he’d been into more mischief than his mother ever guessed, but he’d been careful, with himself and the girls he’d been with.
He resolved to have another talk with Casey real soon. It wouldn’t hurt to drive the point home one more time.
“Dennis wasn’t too bad,” Ruth said. “They lived like paupers, but then Georgia was used to that. And she seemed so happy, especially after Lisa was born. My gosh, she adored that baby. She took to mothering as natural as could be.”
Jordan didn’t want to hear about how happy she’d been with her husband. He was glad the man was long gone from the picture. “So what happened?”
“Her in-laws happened. They made life as tough for Georgia as they could. While she was willing to make sacrifices for the marriage, Dennis wasn’t used to living without. They coddled him something awful, and ignored Lisa—even to the point of questioning whether or not she was his. I tried to help out as much as I could, but I was dealing with the issue of my divorce and somehow Georgia ended up helping me.”
Ruth looked so wretched over that admission, Jordan reached out patted her hand. “Your daughter loves you very much.”
“I know.” She spoke barely above a whisper. “My husband had always smoked and right after the divorce I started getting sick. I tried to find a job, but I had no experience and I’d get winded so easy. More so than most people, I’m prone to getting bronchitis and even pneumonia. That’s when they found out how bad my lungs are. Only by then, I didn’t have any health insurance because I’d been covered under my husband’s policy. I was so, so stupid not to think of that.”
Jordan wondered if Georgia was paying for insurance for her mother. He frowned with the thought, mentally adding up all her responsibilities.
“I was a burden to my daughter at a time when she needed me most.”
“No.” Jordan shook his head, knowing exactly what Georgia would have to say about that. “That’s not true. Family helps family. Period. She was there for you, just as you’re here for her now. She’s told me several times how much you contribute.”
Ruth tilted her head. “You sound like a man with a close family.”
“Yes. Like you, my mother is divorced.” His mother, however, had always been one of the strongest, most independent women he knew. Of course,