“There was something more in the envelope from the funeral home.”
He paused, his hesitation lengthy as he sorted through his thoughts. “It was a letter from my mother. She’d handed it to a trusted friend shortly before she died, to give to me at her service. Only I wasn’t there, so the friend asked the funeral director to see that I got it. When I saw her letter, I nearly tore it in two, believing there was nothing she had to say that I wanted to hear.”
“You read it, didn’t you?” she asked, and seemed to know the answer.
“I did, but only after I’d called you. It wasn’t just because she abandoned me that I kept Michelle out of my life. It was the fact that alcohol was more important to her than me—or anyone else, for that matter. I expected her to condemn my father, tell me how he’d kept me away from her all those years. That he’d built her up in my mind as a weak, spineless woman who had grown vindictive and angry.
“I was convinced she’d cast blame on my father for his faults. Don’t get me wrong, I know my father and he’s no saint. He’s been married three times.”
“She didn’t blame anyone, did she?”
“No, quite the opposite. Michelle didn’t have a single unkind word to say about my dad. Not one. She blamed herself and asked me to forgive her. She told me how proud she was to be my mother.”
“Oh Chase, how freeing that must have been.”
He released a soft snort. “If only I’d…If only I’d given her a chance. I wish I’d known her when she was sober.”
Maisy gave his forearm a comforting squeeze. “We all livewith regrets, Chase. The key is to not repeat the same mistake, to grow from what you’ve learned and move forward. It’s far too easy to get tangled in all the might-have-beens in life. It’s like putting each foot in two boats that are going in opposite directions.”
He looked at her then, his gaze narrowing. “How…?”
“How what?” she asked.
“This wisdom, this insight into life. Where does that come from?”
He could see Maisy didn’t know how to answer him. “Probably from my grandmother. She’s quite a woman.”
“I’d like to meet her someday,” he said, and he meant it.
“You will,” she said, but she didn’t sound all that confident.
“Like I said, I’m going to do everything I can to learn about my mother’s life through her friends,” Chase continued.
They walked for several minutes. At some point, Chase reached for her hand, holding it firmly in his own. They spent an hour just talking, learning about each other’s lives, which were vastly different. He’d been raised in luxury and Maisy’s family had constantly struggled financially, never more so than during these last couple of years.
“I remember you mentioning your desire to become a nurse. Isn’t that how you met Laura?” he asked at some point, recalling an earlier conversation.
“Yes, that was a while ago.”
He couldn’t help but think about how he could show his appreciation for all she’d done for him. He felt like he owed her something. If he could help her achieve her dream, pay for her schooling, then he’d do it in a heartbeat.
Maisy seemed to know what he was thinking. She abruptlystopped and turned to face him, her eyes wide and intense. “Chase, don’t, please.”
“Don’t what?” he asked, with feigned ignorance.
“Don’t go there. As thoughtful and generous as it is, I don’t welcome your charity, nor do I need it. I come from a proud family; I don’t ever want you to feel that I’m taking advantage of your friendship.”
“Surely there’s a way for you to take more than one class.”
“Perhaps, but…”
“Do you enjoy working at Gallagher Jewels?”
Automatically, she shook her head. “I don’t. I’m not nearly as good at it as my dad was. I always wanted to be a nurse. Even as a kid I set up my dolls in a row and tended to their illnesses,” she said, smiling as she spoke of what were clearly fond memories.
“Maisy, please, let me help you in pursuing your dreams.”
She shook her head. “I am, although it’s a slow progression. I’m taking as many online courses as I can. Eventually I’ll need to take in-person classes, but I’ll cross that bridge when I need to. For now, I’m working on getting the credits I need.”
