To the eyes watching me.
Toher, still standing in the cold, waiting.
“I think we’ll probably just have dinner to ourselves, right?”I glance at Keith, waiting for confirmation.
He shrugs.“Sounds like it.”Then he turns to Adam.“You want to join us?”
Adam shakes his head and offers a half-smile.“I’d love to, but I can’t.Plan to see my mom.”
“Oh, that’s right.”Keith leans back in his chair.“How’s she doing?”
A hint of amusement plays on Adam’s lips.“Well, you know those women in the retirement village?They gossip more than the damn bulletin.”
I chuckle, resting my forearms on the counter.“Yeah, Keith gave me the grand tour of the town the other day.We drove past the retirement home, but I haven’t been inside yet.I’m guessing that Keith, you’d see a lot of patients that live there?”
Keith nods.“Well, my clinic does, so you’ll probably get to know them soon enough.”
I glance back at Adam.“Are they doing anything special for Thanksgiving?”
“Yeah, they try to make a big thing of it.Decorations, music, even a bit of dancing if they can get them to.Of course, there are always a couple of grumps who complain about the noise, but isn’t that just life?”
Keith smiles.“True.”
“You sure you don’t want to stay for dinner?”I ask, checking the pasta boiling on the stove, making sure there’s enough for all three of us.
Adam stretches his arms over his head, then nods.“Why not?Another hour won’t kill me.Besides, it’s nice having someone cook for me.”
I grab some sauce and stir it absentmindedly as my thoughts drift back to Thanksgiving.If it’s just going to be me and Keith, maybe I should pick up a turkey.It’s not something I ever really did much before because I worked.Thanksgiving wasn’t a big deal to me, but here, with Keith, it might be nice.
A quiet tradition.
A new tradition.
I could pick up groceries on Tuesday and hope the stores aren’t cleaned out.I’ll have to run it by Keith, but ultimately, I think we’ll do a turkey dinner.Maybe watch some football, have a decent meal, just…relax.
By the time we’ve eaten and Adam heads out, Keith joins me in cleaning up.He’s unusually quiet as he dries a dish, then sets it aside.
I still, gripping the edge of the sink as the memory of Amelia showing up at work plays on my mind.“What else do you know about Amelia?”
“She’s a nice young lady.”Keith continues before I can answer.“Big family.Her mom was doing well until recently, and now Amelia’s just trying to get back on her feet.”
I snort, shaking my head.“She might be a ‘nice young lady’ to you, but to me?Not so much.”
Keith’s eyebrows shoot up, the corner of his mouth twitching.“And why’s that?”
“She cornered me at the hospital earlier.Wanted my side of the story.”
He chuckles and shakes his head.“Amelia’s the sweetest thing.I don’t agree with the article she wrote, but I still believe she’s not out to get you.”
I give him a deadpan stare.“You’re kidding me, right?Amelia’s been nothing but difficult.”Aside from the time involving Russell, but I’m not telling him about that.
“She’s doing her job,” Keith says, unfazed.“She works her ass off to support her family.Always has.She’s got a hell of a work ethic.Kinda like someone else I know.”He winks.
I roll my eyes.“If she really wanted my side, I might consider it… if I trusted her not to twist my words.But I don’t.People already whisper about me.I don’t need them talking about me any more than they already do.”
Keith sighs, setting down the towel.“Fair enough.But sometimes, getting your side out there isn’t the worst idea.”
It’s tempting… clearing the air, setting the record straight.But what would that change?She’s already made up her mind.
