“I’m not into name brands—you know that,” Shelby said.
“Yes.”Her mother’s tone made it clear exactly how she felt about Shelby’s taste in clothes.“Have a seat.Tell us how your grandfather’s estate is doing.”
Shelby sat with her back ramrod straight, remembering how much they’d ignored Pops.Even now they were asking about his estate, not him.
“Actually, what I’d like to know is why no one visits him, checks on him, helps him make sure his house isn’t falling apart?”
Her father just ruffled his newspaper.“Your grandfather is more than capable of taking care of himself or hiring help that he needs.And he can certainly afford it.”
“But he’s your dad.Would you want us to leave you in this big house, alone?Never checking in on you?Never offering to help?”
“He’s fine, and he’s made it clear he doesn’t want my help,” her dad said.
“Well, he needs someone to help him.The house is getting too big for him to manage.And the only reason he hurt his hand was because the railing was falling down.”
“Perhaps it’s time we revisit the option to move him into a home?”her mother said to her father, who finally put down his paper.
“I suppose it is.”
Alarm bells went off in her head.Her grandfather didn’t want to live in an old folks’ home, and all they would do is forget about him there too.
“Actually, I don’t think that’s necessary since I’ll be staying with him.”
Both her parents’ gazes landed on her.
“You, you’re going to stay with your grandfather?For good?”her mother said, not hiding her dislike for the idea.“Like a live-in nurse?”
“Well for now, I told him I would help him find a property manager and maybe a care aid to check in on him, clean the house, that sort of thing.He doesn’t need a nurse.He’s still spry and mentally sharp, no major health issues.He can stay in his home, he just needs a little looking after.”
Her father lifted his newspaper again.“I’ll speak to the attorneys anyway, because when you leave, and he fires the help, we’ll be right back in this situation again.I won’t have people saying we don’t take care of our own.”
Shelby held back a retort, because ignoring someone’s existence was not considered taking care of them.
“If you’re going to be in town for a bit, you can join me in the women of Sandy Point committee.We have several events planned to include a winter formal.You know, just a few parties to liven up the doldrums of winter,” her mom said with excitement.
You’d think her mother was from old money, but the truth was she’d been a waitress pretending to be something she wasn’t when she met Shelby’s father and got pregnant.Her mom had always been poor until she married money but always tried to pretend she was something else.
“Mom, I’m not really going to have the time to help with your committee if I’m interviewing people to help Pops and overseeing a few things around his house that need repairs.”She was trying to think of any reason she couldn’t get involved with the committee, which was more like a sorority for rich women with too much time on their hands.
“Nonsense, we’ll need to take that shopping trip and find you a few things, but otherwise I think you can get away a few hours a week to help your mother and participate in some events.Honestly, Shelby, I don’t know why you insist on acting like you’re not a Shepherd or you’re too good for us.”Her mother stood.“Now come on and we’ll see what we can find in my closet for tonight.”
“Tonight?”
“Yes, we have a small party to kick off the season and you can’t be seen in that dress.”
Shelby stood and looked to her father who was already ignoring them.Some things never changed.
She didn’t know why she spent the next hour letting her mother lecture her on needing to be more ladylike and take better care of herself.Maybe deep down any attention from her mom was something she always craved.But now she sat in a sequined gold cocktail dress that was at least an inch too short because she was several inches taller than her mother.And she was certain her feet were going to fall off because her mother’s gold pumps were a half size too small for her feet.
“Why did I let myself get talked into this?”she muttered to herself as she sat at the front desk in the Beach Country Club to greet the women arriving for the winter season mixer.
“Miss Shelby Shepherd, as I live and breathe.”A familiar voice from her past rang out in the admittedly stunning beach club’s formal foyer that led to several event spaces.
“Miranda Sutton,” Shelby said, unable to hide the hesitation in her voice coming face-to-face with the former prom queen and most popular girl in her graduating class.
“I thought you’d escaped this town?”Miranda said.
“Yeah, I did.I live and work in Atlanta but my granddad needed some help so I’m just in town for a quick visit.”
