If you want something from my mother, I can't be of much help. She stopped speaking to me when I put her in the home. I doubt she'll want to hear from you, but she might be willing to do something for Amy. She always liked Amy. She's at Shady Pines in Haddam, Room 204, if you want to try.
Lucy
A grumble rose from my throat and I fought the desire to chuck my phone out the window, but I didn't want to go dig through the snow for it, so I tossed it onto the air mattress Fiona had slept on. It bounced twice and hit the floor.
“Everything okay?” Eamon strolled into the room, looking like heaven in a gray, cabled sweater. He handed me a cup of coffee.
“I wanted to contact my grandmother about getting a necklace that belonged to my mom for Amy to wear at her wedding.”
He sat next to me on the bed and put his arm around my waist. “And?”
“And I had to contact my Aunt Lucy first because she's a good intermediary, but she said she can't help me.”
Eamon leaned away from me and a crease formed between his eyes. “Why would you need an intermediary to speak to your own grandmother? Just because of the pictures?”
“It’s a long story."
“I’m starting to feel like that's your answer any time I ask about your family.”
I drew in a deep breath through my nose. I needed to be more open with him about these things. I knew that. “My grandmother took more than my mother’s photos after she died. She took everything that belonged to her. Jewelry. Clothes. Everything. She also stopped speaking to us. Every now and then we'd get a card for a birthday, but that was it.”
“Losing a child has to be horrible. I can't begin to think of it. But I hate that she took it out on you. Was it because you were too much a reminder of her daughter?”
“I guess.”
“What are you going to do about the necklace?”
“I really want Amy to have it. She's given me so little responsibility for the wedding, This is the one thing I should be able to do.”
“Worth a phone call, isn’t it? I can’t believe a woman would say no to her own granddaughters, especially when one is getting married.”
“You haven't met my grandmother.”
Fiona stumbled into the room, nearly out of breath. Eamon caught her in his arms. “Slow down there, love. You're going to hurt yourself.”
“Dad, Amy and Luke are going into town to the grocery store. Can I go?”
“Well, sure.” He smoothed back Fiona's untamed curls then glanced over at me. “Would you like me to clear out? So you can make your phone call?”
No time like the present, right? “Actually, that would be great. Then I can just get it over with and I don't need to think about it anymore.”
“It's settled then. I'm going to the grocery, too.”
“But Dad…”
“What?”
“Luke said he would buy me candy. Are you going to ruin that? Because if you are, you are not invited.”
Eamon cracked the adoring grin he reserved just for his daughter. “We're on holiday. You can have your candy.”
Fiona jumped up and down, making the old wood floors creak. “Grand!”
Eamon patted my knee and kissed my temple. “Be back in a bit. Good luck.”
“Thanks.” I loved him, but he had no idea how much luck I was going to need. I stood a better chance of finding a pot of gold than convincing my grandmother to do anything.
A moment later, the glass in the front door rattled and their voices came from outside, followed by the slams of car doors. I shuffled across the room to get my phone, and pulled up the web browser to search for the nursing home. The Shady Pines website came right up. From the looks of it, it was quite nice. Leave it to Grandma to blow everything out of proportion.
