She let out a huff and looked into the distance. “I don’t know about God.” The eyes that returned to me were tear-filled. “I don’t know. I just don’t know what to say. I don’t know why things happen or what to do when you lose what you always wanted and can’t get it back. Is it God’s punishment? Is God eventhere?”
“Of course, He is,” I said because though my own beliefs were negligible, my mother’s were not. Hers had never wavered. Until now. Which meant that her emotions were inrealtrouble. An intervention wouldn’t help where religion was concerned since I was struggling with the Almighty myself. But there might be something else.
I looked at Edward, who seemed as alarmed with what Margaret hadsaid as I was. Our eyes met and held. In that instant, thatsecond,something passed between us. An idea. Something that made total sense without needing any thought at all, but that when even the tiniest bit of thought was applied, was the only thing that made sense.
“I think,” he said, “your mother could use a change.”
“Mom?” Leaning in, I grasped her arm, this time with both hands. “Come back to Vermont with us.”
Margaret was visibly startled.
“Come back with us,” I pushed. “I could definitely drive down here once or twice a week, even stay for a bit, but if you have to recuperate somewhere, why not there? Devon’s an amazing place. It’d be a break for you.”
“Oh, no,” she said, eyes wide, “I couldn’t do that.”
“Why not?”
“My life is here. My doctor—my physical therapist—my bakery—”
“We have doctors. We have physical therapists. Your assistant is good, you just said that, so what difference would it make if you logged on from here or Devon? No one would know where you were.”
“My friends—”
Aren’t here now. Aren’t driving you places. Aren’t family.There was a cell phone on the coffee table in the living room, but it hadn’t made a peep since I’d arrived.
“Your friends can stay in touch,” I said, “but don’t you want to see where I live?”
“I—oh no—you don’t really want that.”
“I do,” I said and tried to sweeten the pot. “I work at a Spa, Mom. It’s peaceful and smells wonderful. My friends there would wash and dry your hair. You could have a mani-pedi or a massage.”
“I couldn’t—”
“And we have apool.” I hurried on. “It’s an indoor one at the sports center just down the road from the Spa. I could drive you there and back. I live on a beautiful hill and could schedule my work so that I can be home with you, and when I’m not there, Liam is.” I stopped short.
She stared at me, then snorted. “Oh, Margaret Mackenzie, I know he’s there. No way could that child survive without his mother or his sister. ButIcan’t go there.”
“Whynot?”
“It’s your place, and I’ve been horrible to you.”
I’d been prepared for more of the creature-of-habit response. Or the I-like-my-own-home one. Or even the I-need-to-get-back-to-work one. Not my mother apologizing.
“But you were right—y’know, way back,” Edward said, setting down his fork with a tiny clink. “Our lifestyle was sick. You got that before we did.”
My mother looked baffled, but I wasn’t being distracted.
“I want you to see my home. This is a perfect excuse—maybe even God’s plan.” She made a sharp slash with her casted hand. “Okay,” I backed off, “maybe not His plan, but it’s a good one. Think about it. It’d be like being on vacation. When was the last time you got away?” I didn’t expect an answer to that. “You’d have everything you need, plus good people. My friends will love you.”
“They’re your friends.”
“Some are way closer to your age than to mine.” I was thinking of Joyce, but Cornelia would qualify, too. She would be onboard in a heartbeat. “They’d be thrilled to have you there.”
She struggled, eyes moving here and there in search of an excuse. Finally, she just sank into herself. “It’s too much. Really.”
Not for me. This made more sense than anything had in a long time. It made perfect sense, actually, and the more I got into it, the more sense it made—the more I imagined it, the better I felt. The prospect of having my mother in Devon made me feelhappy.
“It’s a two-and-a-half-hour drive,” I said. “We could leave right after your PT session. Front seat, back seat—you can sit wherever you’re most comfortable. We can stop every half hour to get out and walk. Edward is a safe driver.”
