“I’ll drive it home for you,” Willow offered him. “I’ll just leave it on your front porch.”
“Thank you.” He looked at her with a hard-to-read expression. It looked like a mixture of apology and discomfort and perhaps, unless it was her imagination, longing. “I already have a large box to carry home.” He explained how he’d been taking portions of books and papers home with him each day. “I hope to get the last of it by tomorrow.”
“We can give you a ride,” Collin declared. “Nana’s got lots of room in her SUV.”
“That’s a good idea,” Willow agreed.
“I’ll help you carry stuff down from your office,” Collin suggested. “Maybe we can get everything out today. Then you won’t have to pack anything tomorrow.”
“That’d be nice.” George sounded genuinely grateful. And just like that, it was arranged. Collin and George would go get his things and Willow would park her car out in front and wait for them.
But after Collin helped load some boxes in back, he explained that Marissa was waiting to meet up with him. “Later,” he called as he closed the rear door. “I’ll see you at baccalaureate, Nana.”
So it was only George and Willow, driving toward his house in awkward silence. Fortunately it would be a short ride.
“I can hardly believe that Collin is graduating tomorrow,” Willow said in an attempt to fill the void. “It seems like only last week, I was walking him into his first grade classroom.”
“I feel a bit like that regarding my retirement,” he said quietly. “I think I’m sort of in shock.”
She glanced at him with a sudden surge of empathy. “How many years did you say you taught?”
“Next year would’ve been my thirtieth.”
“Wow. I’ve never done anything for that long.”
“What about marriage?” he asked. “Didn’t you meet your husband in college?”
“Yes, but we didn’t get married right away. We dated awhile, then broke up, then got back together. We’d just celebrated our twenty-first anniversary before Asher passed.” She parked in front of George’s house, turned off the engine, and smiled at him. “I think it’s very admirable thatyou taught school for that long, George. Congratulations. Well done!”
He looked at her with misty eyes. “I guess it’s really hitting me now. I can hardly believe tomorrow is my last day. I didn’t expect to feel this emotional about it. Or maybe it’s just the letdown of that pathetic retirement party.” He made a sad attempt at a smile. “Pretty sorry affair, wasn’t it?”
“I was a bit surprised at how small it was,” she confessed.
“Probably fitting.” He opened the door.
“Well, it’s a busy time.” She got out. “What with baccalaureate and graduation and all.” As he carried his boxes into his house, she brought in the painting. But now she was feeling guilty. “You know, George, if you don’t like this piece, I will understand. I realize that art is very subjective and—”
“I do like it,” he insisted.
“But I won’t be offended if you don’t want it hanging here in your house,” she said. “To be honest, I was feeling rather smug about giving it to you earlier. But now I feel a bit embarrassed and I’m—”
“Embarrassed?” He held up the canvas with a confused expression. “This is a beautiful gift, Willow. I will treasure it.”
“Really?”
He carried it over to his gray sofa. “Do you think it would look good here?”
She studied the colorful painting on the barren white wall. Normally she wasn’t a fan of paintings above sofas, but for some reason this looked right. “Yes, it looks just fine there, George. Perhaps a bit lower though.” She explained the general rule for hanging art at eye level. “Do you reallylike it?” She grabbed up a pencil, preparing to mark a spot for a nail.
“I love it.”
Willow felt dumbfounded as she marked the wall with a tinyX. He loved it? Although she didn’t know George well, she knew that he was a very sincere person. He wouldn’t say he loved it if he didn’t.
He leaned the painting against the couch then turned to her. “Thank you very much, Willow. It was most thoughtful.”
“You’re very welcome. Again, I congratulate you on your career, and on your retirement. Hopefully the best is yet to come.”
His brow creased, but he simply nodded. Feeling she’d worn out her welcome—again—Willow excused herself and made a hasty exit. She had no intention of pushing George too much. She felt certain she’d overdone it last weekend. Probably overwhelmed the poor man. It was just her way.
