AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Katrina placed her hands over her face and exhaled. “Oh, Norm. Oh, how did we get so old?”
Norm laughed and sipped his coffee. Fatigue rolled through Katrina, and she collapsed on her elbows on the table. She felt malleable, as though she could melt right off the leather booth and form a puddle beneath the table.
“Do you think Dad ever realized his mistakes?” Katrina asked, surprising herself with her earnestness.
Norm thought for a moment. “I think he did,” he said. “My theory is that every morning, he remembered his mistakes. And then, he drank until he forgot them again.”
Katrina winced and rubbed her temples. She remembered that day in New York when Norm had confessed his addictions to Katrina. It pained her to remember he’d gone through so much all by himself and hadn’t wanted her help.
Then again, Katrina hadn’t proven herself to be a worthy help to anyone. She was too broken. Maybe the therapy would eventually help. She considered telling Norm she’d begun therapy, that she wanted to probe her mind and demand answers from herself. But she kept it to herself.
“I wish we knew how to ask for help in this life,” Katrina said. “And I really wish I had taught that to my children.”
“You did a wonderful job,” Norm assured her. “Sophie is working against genetic forces beyond her control in many ways.”
Katrina sighed. “I don’t know if any parent actually does a wonderful job. But we do our best, don’t we? And then, we fixate on the horrible things we’ve done.”
“I certainly fixate,” Norm said. “My children are much younger than yours. But their generation has its own problems. Its own heartaches. And I’ve contributed to those heartaches in more ways than one.”
“I’m sure you’re a wonderful father,” Katrina breathed.
“I love them to pieces,” Norm admitted, spreading his large hands across the table. “And I’ve convinced myself that has to be enough. Some days, I’m imperfect. And I don’t always know how to give them the world. But I give them my big, messy self. And I hope they know it’s all I have to give.”
For a little while that afternoon, Katrina was allowed a wonderful reprieve from the real world. Like old times, she and her older brother dove into delicious, greasy diner fare, sharing stories from the past and pretending that the blues weren’t biting at their toes. Real life awaited them outside that door. And they would greet it with open arms and open hearts—when they were ready.
“Do you think it’s a mistake to sell the old house?” Katrina asked as she slid one-half of her greasy patty melt into a to-go container.
“Do you?” Norm asked.
Katrina shuddered. “I keep thinking it’s the responsible thing to do. But I don’t know if throwing away our memories is ever responsible. It’s not like we can pretend that never happened.”
“What would you do with the old place?” Norm asked, furrowing his brow.
And again, Sophie’s face floated in Katrina’s mind’s eye; her voice echoed, reminding her of how much she loved the old Whittaker House. Of how earnest she was about creating a new era. A new destiny.
“I might have an idea,” Katrina said, closing the to-go box tight and clasping her hands.
“You look like you’re up to something,” Norm said with a wry laugh. “The sparkle in your eye reminds me of you sixty years ago.”
Siblings were remarkable, Katrina thought now. They saw you through every era of your life, God willing—through your first steps and losing your teeth, through puberty andheartaches, through the first growing pains of adulthood and beyond. She reached across the table and touched Norm’s hand, grateful he didn’t flinch away. Unknowingly, he’d provided her with tremendous strength; he’d been her protection during a colossal, emotional storm.
“By the way,” Norm continued, his lips shining from the butter in his omelet. “I hope I’ll see you at Sophie’s wedding in a few weeks?”
Katrina’s heart pumped. Was it possible she’d be allowed a second chance?
“I can’t imagine being anywhere else in the world that day.”
Chapter Twenty-One
The doctor committed Sophie to one week of bed rest—a time that demanded heaps of roasted vegetables and soups, movie marathons, and not a whole lot else. Patrick doted on her, setting up a bed in the living room so he could easily bring her supplies and help her to the bathroom when she needed it. He even took an entire week off work, an easy task when your coworkers were your brothers. Still, Sophie felt gooey with love for him. It was never far from her mind that Jared would never have helped half this much. That she’d finally chosen a partner who helped her carry the ache in her heart.
To keep them occupied, Sophie selected a wide array of cozy films—You’ve Got Mail,While You Were Sleeping,The Holiday, most of which Patrick had never seen. She amused herself by watching Patrick gaze at the screen, captivated by the beauty of the characters as they fell in love. DuringPride and Prejudice, Patrick even shed a tear and wrapped his arm around Sophie’s shoulders.
“Don’t you dare ever tell Derek and Brent about this,” he said with a choked-up laugh.
“Your secret is safe with me,” Sophie said, her smile so big it hurt her face.
Ida and Sam came over frequently, bringing news from the outside world, plenty of snacks, and happy-go-lucky attitudes. It seemed everyone wanted to keep Sophie’s mood up after her fearful time at the hospital—and Sophie was grateful for their distractions.
