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10
Val
“The last few days on the cruise were horrible,” I said, warming my hands around a mug of tea at my mother’s kitchen table.
“I really tried my best,” she said. “I don’t know what went wrong. When I spoke to the person in charge, he seemed to believe what I told him. It sounded as though he was going to get his job back. I thought everything was going to work out the way you wanted,” she said.
“I know you tried, Mom. It’s not your fault. It’s just…I have to face the facts. It’s never going to happen. Rick and I…aren’t getting back together. I know that now.” I heaved a sigh. “It doesn’t matter what type of…feelings we might still hold for each other. Rick can’t bring himself to come back here, but Rhode Island is my home. I can’t leave,” I said.
“Of course you can. If you love him, and I know you do, then go and be with him.”
She didn’t understand my position because Abby hadn’t told her the good news yet. But I remember how she took it when I told her I was pregnant. Once she got over the fact that I would be a single parent, she was ecstatic. And she was thrilled to be involved. When I was at work, Abby would stay with my mom and they would have playdates. There were times I wished I had that much free time to spend with Abby, but mine was the only income keeping us afloat. I’m glad Abby won’t have to struggle like I did. She has Timothy to help carry the burden.
“Mom, it’s not as easy as you make it out to be. Someday I’ll be a grandmother and I want to be one like you were.”
“What does that have to do with being with the man you love?” she asked.
“Distance.” That’s exactly what it came down to.
“And you really don’t think Rick would come back if you asked him to?”
The topic never came up, but I saw the pain in his eyes just when I mentioned his mother’s name. I could only imagine what he’d go through driving by their old house, and every other memory that would be triggered from this town. “I wish he would.”
“You wish, but did you ask?” she prodded.
I shook my head. Damn. You know me too well.
She gave a triumphant little smile. “Then how do you know what he’ll say?”
“I don’t need to ask to know what he’d say. Mom, I’ve known him most of my life.”
“No. You knew him when the two of you were young. Young love is different. It’s filled with dreams that most times are beyond our reach. But when you get to a certain age, and I’m not saying you’re getting old, the things you thought were important - well, they aren’t. And things that you never imagined you’d want, you find you can’t live without.”
“Like a walker?” I joked.
She huffed. “I’m trying to have a serious conversation with you and you’re acting like a ten-year-old.”
“Sorry. It’s just that I really don’t want to talk about Rick.”
“Who’s Rick?” Abby said as she entered the kitchen.
“What are you doing here?” I asked.
“My question first. Who’s Rick?” she said, pulling up a chair at the table with us.
“An old friend,” I said.
Mom choked back her words and I shot her a warning look.
“Sounds like there’s a lot more to the story than friendship. Are you going to tell me or is Grandma going to? Because I can get her to tell me anything. We’re tight like that, huh, Grandma?” Abby said with a grin.
“I wish I could deny it, but my grandchild has me wrapped around her finger,” Mom replied.
Great.
“Fine. I dated him a long time ago.” There. That was enough facts for today.
“That’s it?” Immediately she turned to my mom and said, “Okay, Grandma, what have you got?”
