“Sure.” I never tired of eating ice cream either. And I wouldn’t turn down an invitation to stay. Isaac hadn’t been worried about Grace’s ability to follow her doctor’s instructions. He was worried about her being alone and in pain with nothing to do.
Grace got out a saucepan and studied the label of the tomato basil soup I’d brought. “I’ll be good and eat some of this first. What would you like?”
“I’ll have the same. And then ice cream.”
“And then ice cream,” she repeated. We picked up the pints from the counter and carried them to the freezer so they wouldn’t melt while we ate. I’d bought her fudge ripple, mint chip, and strawberry, adding to her collection. She already had rainbow sherbet and an assortment of chocolate flavors.
I put away the rest of the groceries while she heated up the tomato basil soup on the stove. Everything in her house was cute and tidy, which was no surprise. In the corner of the livingroom, Piper’s toys were lined up in brightly-colored cubbies, and in her pantry, every box and can faced out in neat little rows. “Who else has come by?”
“My mother went with me to the appointment. She’s not great with medical stuff, so she was happy to leave once I was home and had pain meds in me. No need for her to miss a whole day of work.”
Isaac had correctly predicted that one. Hence the push to send me over to check on her. “And your dad’s on his honeymoon.”
“Correct. He did call.”
“That’s good.”
“Jessica called, too.”
“My cousin?”
Grace raised an eyebrow at me. “My old college roommate and good friend. She can’t help being your cousin.”
“Shelikesbeing my cousin. It’s you who doesn’t like it. Though I have no idea why.” Okay, I sort of knew why. Grace brought Jessica home with her one weekend, and before she could even introduce her, Jessica ran across the room and threw herself into my arms. And then I got invited to their movie night, and lunch the next day. So, there was that.
Grace yawned. “That’s about it. It’s been pretty quiet. Oh, Henry called, too. But I was in the shower, so I got one of his famous three-minute voicemails.”
“The ones where he talks until the recording shuts him off?”
“Yep. Every time.” Grace took the empty grocery bags out of my hands and twisted them neatly until they were small and compact before placing them in an empty laundry tub under the sink. That was the secret to tidy people. They never put off what they could do right that second.
“My dad does love to talk. What did he have to say?”
“Piper’s birthday card is in the mail. He told me he was sorry I was getting my teeth pulled. Oh, and he told me aboutthe time he cracked a tooth while trekking in the Alps and had to have an emergency crown put on.”
“Heard that story a time or two.”
“I need to call him back when I’m feeling better. Henry always makes me laugh, but that sounds painful right now.”
There were circles under her eyes I hadn’t noticed before. “How are you sleeping?”
“Just fine.” She suppressed another yawn. “I mean, I didn’t sleep well last night. I’m usually a stomach sleeper but I couldn’t do that. And then the night before I was up late thinking about the surgery. I knew I’d be getting up early, and I didn’t have Piper with me and she usually—” She cut off abruptly.
“Sleeps in your bed?”
Grace shrugged. “I know I’m supposed to be firm.”
“Who says that?”
“I don’t know. The sleep books.”
“Is it a negotiation where she screams until you give in?” I felt confident asking because I already knew the answer. Grace would be appalled at how much Isaac shared about her on a regular basis.
“Um, no. It’s more like a regularly scheduled pajama party with a two-year-old.”
“Sounds like good parenting to me.”
“Whatever. Like you’d know.” Grace smiled and then touched her face, wincing.
