Olivia pulled out a chair and gave her a pointed look. “Talk.”
“Tom gave me my Christmas gift today, only it’s a big one and he felt we had to decide together.”
“Which is?”
“Remodeling my art room.”
Olivia smiled and sat back in her chair. “So what’s the problem? Put the words out there. This obviously didn’t sit right.”
“It’s amazing. I did what he asked. Took the packet upstairs and walked through all Penny Gutherie’s suggestions.”
“She’s good.”
“Yes, she is. She’s thought of everything. Yet, it makes me so sad to take apart what my grandmother built in her sewing room. It was her special space.”
“Build on it, then. It’s not the space that holds her memories, Summer. It’s your heart. Take the things that mean the most. You’re not going to use the old bits and pieces. They hold nothing for you.”
Summer eased out a breath and put words to the jammed up mess in her chest. “Is it the memories I’m holding or the anger?”
Olivia reached for her hand. “Which do you think?”
She dropped her pencil and held on to Olivia like a lifeline. “I’m not sure, but it’s hurting Tom.”
“How?”
“Because I keep leaving. I didn’t believe that’s why I was doing it. But he confronted me this morning, and I can’t standthat this is who I’m giving him – the teenager angry at her grandfather. I mean tell me to grow up.”
“Anger, grief, joy – those feelings don’t go away, honey. They’re valid emotions. You have to acknowledge them first, then examine each one to find the context. Deciding which to put aside when you’re done with them and which need other paths is a process, not an easy thing.”
“My grandfather didn’t believe in my art.”
Olivia sat back and folded her arms. “Tom does.”
“He sees the artist I am now.” The skepticism she nursed deep inside stirred, and she let it bleed out.
Olivia raised a brow. “It’s why he kept the drawing you did of him in high school.”
Summer opened her mouth, then shut it again. Was it possible he’d understood her all along?
“This town knew it, too. It’s why we display your work. You’re grandfather figured it out, too, but the old coot was too stubborn to tell you. Men. I swear.”
Summer laughed, quietly. “He was pigheaded.”
“So are you. You need to write out all these feelings. It’ll help. Paint something angry or go to the graveyard and yell at him, but get it out, honey. I knew both your grandparents. They wouldn’t want you suffering like this. Go live. Find the joy.”
“I already found it. My painting, and Tom is the best thing that ever happened to me.”
“There shouldn’t be a problem making the space yours then.” Olivia patted her hand and went back to the recipe search.
Summer gathered her pencils and gently shaded in more area. “I’ve had to do so much sneaking around. He’s already asking questions, and I’m lying to pull off this surprise.”
Olivia’s eyes got dreamy. “Thomas didn’t like surprises. He wanted to tell me what to get him so we made good use of our money. Aggravated me no end. I finally resorted to baking andcandy, homemade items and had to do much the same hide and seek maneuvers to make it a surprise.”
“I love him so much.”
Olivia smiled, her eyes twinkling. “It’s the best feeling, honey. You can see your love in the drawing, too.”
Summer grinned. “Fell in love with that man when I was in high school.”
