“You can’t blame a girl for that.”
“I guess not. But her actions remind me of a saying my grandmother liked to use. If you dance to the music, you have to pay the fiddler.”
“Unless it’s Fiona.” Kitty chuckled. “She fiddles for free. At least for us.”
“Right.” Riva knew she wasn’t getting through and, although her dinner was only partially eaten, she no longer felt hungry. She was about to excuse herself when Kitty spoke up.
“I know, I know. You think I’m just a hopeless hot mess. You’re right for the most part. I am a mess.”
“Are you okay with that? Being a mess, I mean?”
Kitty shrugged. “Sometimes ... and sometimes not.”
“Do you think you’ll do anything about it?”
“You mean, will I change?” Kitty asked.
Riva nodded.
“Because if I don’t change, you’ll kick me out?”
“I wasn’t going to say that, but yes, if you keep breaking the rules and living like you’re in your twenties, I’ll ask you to leave.”
“What if I can’t change?” Kitty slumped back.
Riva wasn’t sure if that was a question or a challenge.
“What if I don’t know how to change?” Kitty tried again.
“I think if you want to change, you will need to be open to help. And I think the women living in this house could all be of help. In fact, they already have been.” She waved a hand to the still-tidy room. “But I’m not even sure you thanked them.”
“Thanked them for feeling sorry for me? Thanked them for their pity?” She scowled. “That doesn’t work for me.”
“Hurts your pride?”
“Yeah, it does. And sometimes that’s all a girl has left. Her pride.” Kitty nodded firmly. “Gotta protect it, right?”
“I understand, but I don’t agree. I’ve personally found pride to be problematic. I’d rather work on my humility than protect my pride.”
“Yeah, but you’re different than me.”
“Everyone is different.”
As they continued to eat, bantering conflicting ideals over strength and pride and whether a person could change, Riva realized that, short of a miracle, teaching an old dog new tricks would be challenging at best, even one who imagined she was a young pup.
Chapter25
Satisfied that Kitty was keeping her word by readingPride and Prejudice, Riva tried to reassure her other tenants that Kitty was opening up to change.
Of course, Laurel doubted this. “She’s just manipulating you, Riva,” she said over coffee the next morning. “She knows how to work people. It’s all in that book I told you about.”
“Maybe you should be reading a different book,” Riva suggested.
“Or maybe you need to read it for yourself. It’s a real eye-opener.”
“Well, I’m glad it’s been helpful to you, Laurel. Books can be wonderful tools.” Riva stood and excused herself into the house, then went straight to the library. She wanted to find just the right book to give Laurel another perspective. But what was it?
Suddenly one spine seemed to shine out among the others. Riva reached forRedeeming Loveby Francine Rivers. She knew this story well, but she skimmed the copy on the back anyway. A western retelling of an ancient story with a gripping theme of grace and forgiveness ... Would Laurel be willing to read it? She put the book under her arm as another spine caught her eye. A title she’d enjoyed years ago, and read twice, one of her favoritenovels. In the book the protagonist, a dear older woman named Penelope, reflected on her life, had a love of gardening and cooking, and in some ways reminded Riva of Windy.
