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“She wants to see Addie.”
“And you. But yes, she hasn’t seen Addie since Christmas, and she misses her. How is everything? Is the hotel construction on schedule? Is everything working out all right?”
“It is. You miss working. I can tell.”
“More than I can say,” his dad admitted. “I don’t know what I was thinking, especially so soon after losing Ginger. Having her gone magnified everything, and then leaving Georgia, leaving you, coming down here. I keep thinking I should have a do-over, but life doesn’t come with those, does it?”
“Sure it does.” Jacob kept his voice casual on purpose. “With faith.”
“Well, it’s a comfort to some, I know.”
How hard should he press?
Not hard at all, Jacob decided. He’d lead by example, and simple words. Bob Weatherly wasn’t the kind to be pushed into anything. Jacob liked to think he was similar, only not quite as stubborn. “It is. When are you getting in?”
“We’ve got the place for two weeks, and if we want to stay longer, we’ll either rebook or find another spot.”
“There’s not really a lot available after Memorial Day, I’ve been told.”
“There’s always something available for the right price, son.”
In his father’s world that was more true than not. “Addie will be thrilled to see you guys, but go easy on the presents, okay? I’m not sure what our plans are right now, and having an extra ten crates to move won’t be fun.”
“You’ll come south, of course.”
The minute Bob said it, Jacob decided to stay north, and he recognized the knee-jerk reaction right away. “Haven’t decided anything, yet, but the job offers are coming in. I figured I’d sort things out once we get closer to grand opening.”
“We can talk while we’re there, then.”
“Sure, Dad.” He heard his mother’s voice in the background. “Give Mom my love, won’t you?”
“I sure will. And you tell that granddaughter of mine I can’t wait to see her!”
“Will do.” He hung up the phone, torn. Not because they were coming to visit. He was glad they were showing a spark of their old selves, when grabbing hold of life and doing things had been seamless.
But he’d noticed something at Christmas. His father didn’t do idle well. Golfing, traveling, hanging out and playing cards were fine for some, and his mother didn’t mind the change. But his father had second-guessed everything Jacob said or did at Christmas, and he did it because he was accustomed to running the show.
Addie raced his way.
He put away the phone and grinned at the sight. The bright coppery hair, topped by a saucy cap, the sailor shirt and capris, the lime-green beach shoes.
She was a page from a catalog, and anyone seeing her would gladly plunk down money for the whole package, she was that endearing.
He couldn’t let his parents spoil her. He’d seen the tendency at Christmas, and he’d stayed quiet because loss hit hard at Christmas. Holidays and grief made a sorry mix.
But Ginger had been gone over two years now. Addie had adjusted well. She didn’t like not having a mom, and she made that clear, but she didn’t ask about Ginger anymore, either. Losing a parent at such a young age was both bane and blessing. At age four, a child didn’t understand the permanency of death, and after a while, she’d just stopped asking.
The sad part was that she might not ever have real, firm memories of her mother, and that was harsh. But on the positive side she remembered being loved. That was the best blessing of all. “How about supper?”
“I was hoping for fish and chips?”
He laughed because what six-year-old hoped for fish and chips?
His.
“Let’s do it. And then a bath before bed because you can’t go off to school tomorrow with today’s sand in your hair.”
“Okay!”
She took his hand. She’d done that at her mother’s funeral, as others walked away, heads bowed.
She’d watched them settle flowers on her mother’s casket, with no real idea what it all meant, and then she’d reached up and clasped his hand. And she didn’t let go. And that’s how it had been ever since. “I like that Miss Josie’s coming to work with us.”
