A Turn in the Road (2 page)

Annie had enrolled Bethanne in a beginners' sock-knitting class. Meeting the other women had been a turning point for her. Her new friends gave her courage and the determination to emerge from her ordeal a stronger woman. Not only that, it was through the knitting class that she'd met Elise, and through Elise, Maverick. He'd ended up being the “angel” who'd helped her launch Parties. Her classmates had reminded Bethanne that she wasn't alone, rebuilding her confidence one stitch at a time.

That class was the beginning of Bethanne's new life. And Part Two turned out to be better than Part One had ever been. Was it possible to knit the two halves together again? Did she want to?

“The pattern isn't difficult,” Lydia told her as she brought the yarn to the cash register. “Once you do a couple of repeats, I'm sure you won't have a problem, but if you do, just stop by and I'll help you figure it out.”

Bethanne paid for the purchase, grateful that Lydia had wound the yarn, saving her the effort. At first, she'd considered knitting Courtney's veil, but there wasn't time. Although a bit disappointed, she knew fingerless gloves were a far more manageable project. Her hope was that the gloves would be beautiful enough to become a family heirloom, passed down from one generation to the next.

“Alix was in this week and brought Tommy with her,” Lydia
said as she handed Bethanne the yarn. “You wouldn't believe how much he's grown. It's hard to believe he's nearly a year old.”

Alix, a friend of theirs, was employed as a baker at the French Café across the street. “She's gone back to work?”

Lydia nodded. “Just part-time. Now with Winter pregnant…there must be something in the water over there.” Lydia grinned. “Or the coffee.”

So many changes on Blossom Street, and all of them good.

“How's Casey?” Bethanne asked about Lydia's adopted daughter. A couple of months before, when Casey turned thirteen, Bethanne had planned her birthday party.

“Casey's fine,” Lydia assured her. “She had a few academic challenges and will be attending summer school again. It's not the end of the world but Casey tends to get down on herself. We're working on that.” Lydia leaned against the counter. “The poor kid came to us with a lot of baggage.”

“No doubt about that.” Bethanne had to admire Brad and Lydia for opening their hearts and their home to the troubled girl.

“It helps that she's so close to my mother…. My biggest fear is what'll happen once Mom is gone,” Lydia said, her voice subdued.

“Is your mother doing okay?”

Lydia rubbed her eyes. “Not really.” She gave a small, hopeless shrug. “She's declining, and that's so hard to watch. You know, she sometimes forgets who I am but she always remembers Casey. I think it's one of those small miracles. It makes Casey feel important and loved, which she is. Everyone at the assisted-living complex adores Casey. I wouldn't be surprised if they hired her once she's old enough to have a job. Her patience with Mom and Mom's friends is amazing. She loves hearing their stories.”

Bethanne nodded sympathetically.

“No one seems to have enough time for the elderly anymore….” Lydia shook her head. “I'm guilty of rushing visits myself, but not Casey. She sits and listens for hours and never seems to get
impatient, even when Mom repeats the same story over and over again.”

“And Margaret?” Bethanne noticed that Lydia's older sister, who often worked with her, wasn't in the store.

“She took the day off. Wednesdays are slow, and she had a dentist's appointment at eleven. I told her to enjoy the afternoon.”

Margaret was a store fixture and so different from Lydia that new customers often didn't realize they were sisters. Margaret was good-hearted but tended to be gruff and opinionated, and took a bit of getting used to. “How's business going?” she ventured, aware that she was the only person in the store at the moment.

“Surprisingly well.” Lydia cheered visibly. “People turn to domestic pursuits during recessions, and lots of people want to knit these days.”

“Have you talked to Anne Marie and Ellen since they moved?”

Lydia returned to arranging the yarn display. “Practically every day. Ellen didn't want to leave Blossom Street but I see her as much as ever. She has plenty of friends in her new neighborhood and has definitely made the adjustment.”

“I'm so happy for her.” A young widow, Anne Marie had adopted the girl after volunteering at a local grade school. Although Lydia had never said so, Bethanne knew that Ellen's adoption had influenced her and Brad to make Casey part of their family.

“Do you have a few minutes for tea?” Lydia asked.

Bethanne checked her watch. “Sorry, no, I'm on my way to the office. I'm supposed to meet with Julia.”

“Soon, then.” Lydia waved as Bethanne opened the door.

“Soon,” Bethanne promised.

“Stop by if you have any trouble with that pattern,” she called over her shoulder.

“I will.”

As she unlocked her car, Bethanne looked over at the French Café and was startled to see her ex-mother-in-law, Ruth Hamlin, sitting at an outside table eating her lunch.

Despite the divorce, Bethanne had a warm relationship with
Ruth. For her children's sake she'd kept in touch with Grant's mother and his younger sister, Robin. But as Lydia had so recently reminded her, no one had enough time for older people anymore. Bethanne felt guilty as charged. She rarely saw Ruth these days, and it had been several weeks since they'd talked.

Ruth had been horrified by Grant's decision to walk away from his family. She hadn't been shy about letting her son know her feelings, either. She'd always been generous and supportive to Bethanne, making her feel like a beloved daughter in every way. Ruth had stood at Bethanne's side through the divorce proceedings, convinced that Grant would one day realize his mistake.

Bethanne rushed impulsively across the street. She really didn't have time and the ever-punctual Julia would be waiting. As it was, Bethanne had spent far longer with Lydia than she'd intended. In addition, she had a tight afternoon schedule that included a meeting with her managers. But Bethanne was determined to make time for the woman who'd once been such an enormous encouragement to her.

“Ruth?”

Her mother-in-law looked up from her soup and sandwich plate and instantly broke into a smile. “Bethanne, my goodness, I never expected to see you here.”

The two women hugged. “I was picking up some yarn I ordered. What are you doing in this neighborhood?” Bethanne pulled out the chair opposite Ruth's and sat down.

Her mother-in-law placed both hands in her lap. “Robin suggested we meet here for lunch. It's not that far from the courthouse, but you know Robin…”

“Has she left already?” Bethanne looked around, then down at Ruth's barely touched plate.

“She didn't show up,” Ruth said, coloring slightly. “I'm sure she got stuck in court….” Robin was with the Prosecuting Attorney's office in Seattle, and frequently dealt with violent crime.

Bethanne frowned. “Did you call her?”

Ruth shook her head. “I refuse to carry a cell phone. They're
an intrusion on people's privacy and—well, never mind. Although I will admit that at times like this a cell would come in handy.”

“Would you like me to phone?”

“Oh, would you, dear?” Ruth squeezed her hand gratefully. “I'd appreciate it.”

Digging in her purse, Bethanne found her cell. She had Robin's number in her contacts and, holding the phone to her ear, waited for the call to connect. Robin's phone went directly to voice mail, which meant she was probably still in court.

“I think you must be right,” Bethanne told Ruth.

The older woman exhaled. “I was afraid of that. I don't know when we'll have a chance to meet again before I leave.” Ruth straightened and picked up her sandwich. “But it doesn't really matter, because my daughter is
not
going to change my mind.”

“Change your mind about what?”

Ruth lifted her chin. “Robin wants to talk me out of attending my fifty-year class reunion.” She took a determined bite of her turkey-and-bacon sandwich.

Why would her sister-in-law do such a thing? “I hope you go,” Bethanne said.

“I am, and nothing she says will convince me otherwise.” Bethanne had never seen Ruth so fired up.

“Good for you.” She watched in amusement as her ex-mother-in-law chewed with righteous resolve.

Swallowing, Ruth relaxed and sent Bethanne a grateful smile. “And I intend to drive to Florida by myself. That's all there is to it.”

“F
lorida?” Bethanne repeated slowly. Her mother-in-law wanted to drive across the entire country?
Alone?

“Oh, Bethanne, not you, too.” Ruth groaned. “I'm perfectly capable of making the trip.”

“Can't you fly?” As far as she knew, Ruth didn't have any fear of air travel.

“Of course I could, but what fun is that?” Ruth tossed her napkin on the table. “For years Richard promised me a cross-country trip. I'd spend days planning the route, and I'd write all my friends to tell them we were coming. Then invariably something would come up at Richard's work.” Her lips tightened at the memory. “He canceled the trip three times until I finally gave up.”

Richard was a workaholic who hardly ever took vacations. He spent most weekends in the office of his engineering firm, missing countless baseball games and piano recitals. In fact, he died in that very same office. How long had he been gone now? Seven years, maybe eight, by Bethanne's calculations.

Grant had taken his father's death especially hard. They weren't
close but Grant had looked up to his father and respected his work ethic. As for Robin—well, she'd been cut from the same cloth as Richard. She'd married right out of law school, but divorced three years later. Robin was wedded to her job; there wasn't room for anything or anyone else. Even her desire for a family had faded next to the demands and rewards of her meteoric career. The only time Bethanne actually saw her sister-in-law was at Christmas and that hadn't happened in years, not since before the divorce. They did chat by phone every now and then, and Robin remembered to send cards and checks on Andrew's and Annie's birthdays. But she wasn't involved in their lives—or anyone else's, it seemed, except her colleagues'.

“I'm not getting any younger, you know,” Ruth went on, interrupting Bethanne's musings. “If I'm going to see the country, I don't feel I can delay it anymore. I wanted to ask Robin to accompany me but we both know
that
would be a waste of breath. I don't think she's taken more than a week off in the past ten years.”

Bethanne had nothing to add. Ruth was right; Robin would never go on a road trip with her mother, would never devote two or three weeks to family.

“In all these years, I've only been back to my hometown three times.” Ruth's words were tinged with longing. “For my parents' funerals and then once for a brief vacation. But I've kept in touch with several of my high school friends. Diane and Jane both came out to Seattle with their families to visit. When we were together, it was like we were teenagers all over again! I enjoyed it so much, and the reunion's the perfect opportunity to see them. I'm determined to go.” She leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms.

Bethanne could tell that she wasn't going to dissuade her. “Then you should do it,” she said mildly.

“I am,” Ruth insisted. “I'm leaving the first of June.”

“So soon?” Bethanne raised her eyebrows.

“Yes, the reunion's on the seventeenth and that gives me plenty of time to see the sights. I've always wanted to visit Mount Rush
more and the Badlands. My grandparents originally settled in the Dakotas, you know.”

Bethanne didn't want to discourage Ruth, but she did feel a twinge of anxiety about her traveling that distance by herself. She'd be an easy mark, especially alone.

Ruth fixed her with a stubborn glare. “Before you say anything, I want you to know I've rented a car since I'm planning to fly back, and I've already booked my flight from Florida to Seattle. So don't even try to talk me out of this.”

Bethanne gave up the idea of arguing with her and instead patted the older woman on the arm.

“No one takes the time to travel by car anymore,” Ruth said plaintively. “Life is ‘rush here' and ‘rush there.' My children are grown, and I'm sorry to say they're both a disappointment to me. I hardly ever see either Robin or Grant. I'm sixty-eight years old and—” Her voice cracked. “I am
not
old and I refuse to be treated like I'm too fragile to know my own mind.”

Bethanne reached across the table and clasped Ruth's hand. She thought of Casey Goetz and the close relationship she had with Lydia's mother. In a few years it might be difficult for Ruth to drive cross-country. It was either take this trip now or give up her long-held dream.

“I'll go with you,” Bethanne said in a soft voice.

Ruth's head shot up. “You?”

“I haven't taken a vacation in years.” Aside from a few trips with the kids to visit relatives, her last real vacation had been with Grant. They'd gone to Italy to celebrate their tenth anniversary.

Ruth continued to stare at her, obviously at a loss for words.

“It would do me good to get away for a few weeks,” Bethanne said. “I have some decisions to make that I'd like to mull over. Getting away will give me a chance to do that.”

“You're serious? You'd drive with me?”

“Of course.” Bethanne smiled at Ruth's excitement.

“I want to see New Orleans!”

“I'd love that,” Bethanne said.

“And Branson, Missouri…”

“You, me and the Oak Ridge Boys,” Bethanne said, laughing now and feeling energized by her spur-of-the-moment decision.

“And Andy Williams,” Ruth moaned, crossing her hands over her heart.

“Fine, Andy Williams, it is.” Bethanne was gratified by Ruth's reaction. “It might take me a couple of days to clear my desk,” she warned. Thankfully, Julia was more than capable of filling in for her.

“I don't plan to leave until after Memorial Day,” Ruth said, eyes bright with unshed tears. “Oh, Bethanne, you don't know how happy this makes me.”

“I'm happy, too,” she said, and she was. This spontaneous decision felt incredibly right. She needed time away to think about Grant's recent overtures. She didn't know if it was possible or even desirable for them to reconnect; after everything she'd been through, she could hardly imagine him in her life again. And yet… She couldn't help wondering whether her feelings for Grant, the love that had survived the divorce, would be enough to sustain a second attempt at marriage. Could the woman she'd become find a place for him in the very different life she'd created?

“You're sure about this?” Ruth pressed.

“Positive.”

Ruth studied her, frowning slightly. “You aren't doing it out of pity, are you?”

“No.” Bethanne tried to hold back a smile.

“Well, I don't care if it's pity or not. I'm just grateful to have you along.”

And then she clapped her hands like a schoolgirl.

 

“Mom,” Annie cried the instant Bethanne walked into Parties' Queen Ann Hill headquarters. The retail store was her very first location, and she'd quickly taken over the offices on the second floor. “Where have you
been?
Julia's been waiting for half an hour, and the other managers are arriving in fifteen minutes!”

“Sorry, sorry…” Bethanne mumbled.

“You didn't answer your cell.” Annie was pacing Bethanne's office like a fretful cat.

“I was with Grandma Hamlin.”

Annie stopped pacing. “She's okay, isn't she?”

“Never better.” Bethanne went into the supply cabinet and grabbed a yellow pad. Although Julia was already in the conference room, she picked up the messages on her desk and shuffled through them. She paused when she saw Grant's name.

“Dad phoned,” Annie said from behind her. “I talked to him.”

Bethanne turned to face her daughter. To her relief, Annie and Grant had mended fences in the past couple of years; their once-close relationship had reemerged. Father and daughter had always been so much alike, both of them charmers, both of them stubborn to the point of inflexibility. Their reconciliation had really begun when Tiffany left Grant. Annie certainly hadn't shed any tears over the breakup of
that
marriage. In fact, she'd had difficulty hiding her joy.

“I feel like Dad's himself again these days,” Annie said earnestly.

“I'm glad,” Bethanne responded, returning her attention to the stack of phone messages.

“He's working really hard to make it up to Andrew and me.”

Bethanne met her daughter's gaze squarely. “He's your father, and you two are the most precious things on earth to him.” She doubted Grant understood how close he'd come to losing his children during the years he'd made Tiffany his priority.

“Are you going to call him back?” Annie asked.

The slip was at the bottom of her pile. “I'll do it when I have time,” Bethanne said firmly. “Now, I can't keep Julia waiting any longer.”

As they hurried down the hallway, Annie said breathlessly, “Vance called this afternoon.”

Vance was her daughter's college boyfriend. They'd dated on
and off for almost three years. Bethanne knew Annie was serious about him, but she felt they were both too immature to even think about marriage. Despite her age and accomplishments, Annie still seemed so young to Bethanne. Perhaps it was a result of the divorce, but Annie's attachment to both her and Grant struck her as a bit excessive—seeking them out for advice and approval at every turn. Bethanne wondered if
she'd
been that dependent on her parents when she was Annie's age. She didn't think so. However, she hadn't had to cope with the disintegration of her family or the anger and grief it caused.

“Vance calls or texts at least six times a day,” Bethanne said. That might be an exaggeration but they seemed to be in constant communication.

“He asked me to dinner at the Space Needle!” Annie was practically vibrating with excitement.

Bethanne arched an eyebrow. “Are you two celebrating a special anniversary?”

“Not that I remember. And trust me, if anyone would remember, it's me.”

Bethanne agreed. Like her father, Annie had extraordinary recall when it came to dates, facts and figures; she'd always been a top student in math and history. Bethanne thought of the endless memory games Annie and Grant loved to play on long car trips, egging each other on to greater and greater feats of recall.

“Then what's the occasion?”

Her daughter's eyes were wide. “I'm pretty sure he's going to ask me to marry him,” she whispered.

Bethanne did an admirable job of hiding her dismay. “Really?”

Annie nodded. “When I mentioned something last week about Andrew and Courtney's wedding, he told me he's a big believer in marriage and family.”

“Family is important,” Bethanne said noncommittally.

“Yes, and we agree on practically everything—family, church,
politics. Those are the important subjects, don't you think?” Annie searched Bethanne's face for confirmation.

“I do, but a single comment on the subject doesn't mean Vance is ready to propose, Annie.” Bethanne's voice was gentle, but inside she marveled at her daughter's naiveté. She didn't want Annie to set herself up for disappointment. A mother never outgrew her protective instincts, she realized.

“Oh, I know, but Nicole saw him at a jewelry store in the University District. It only makes sense that he was looking at engagement rings. Why else does a guy go to a jeweler?”

For any number of reasons, but Bethanne couldn't bring herself to burst her daughter's bubble. “When's the hot date?”

“Friday night.”

“Fabulous. I hope everything works out.” Either way—engagement or not—she had concerns, but this wasn't the time to discuss them.

“Thanks, Mom.” Annie just about skipped down the hall toward her own office.

“Annie,” Bethanne called out, stopping her. “I have a bit of news myself.”

Her daughter turned back, anxiety clouding her eyes.

“When I saw your grandma, she told me she's planning to drive to Florida next week. I've decided to go with her.”

Annie's mouth sagged open. “You and Grandma are driving to
Florida?
”

Bethanne laughed. “Don't say it like that. We're two mature women who can look after ourselves. Your grandmother's wanted to make a road trip across the country nearly her entire adult life, and for one reason or another it's always been put off. She's determined to go—and I can't let her go alone.”

“What about Aunt Robin?” As soon as the words were out, Annie shook her head. “Never mind. Aunt Robin wouldn't take the time for that.”

Bethanne nodded. “It was a…sudden decision.”

“What about the business?” Annie nodded in the direction of
the conference room, where the various store managers would soon be gathering.

“Julia can handle whatever comes up in the next few weeks,” Bethanne said calmly. “I'll be accessible by phone and email, if she really needs me.”

Annie stared at Bethanne. “Wow, Mom, taking off on the spur of the moment—that isn't like you.”

“True, but I've got a lot to think about right now, and this will give me a chance to weigh my options.”

“Does Dad know?”

“Not yet,” Bethanne said, waving as she hurried to the conference room. “I'm sure your grandmother will tell him when the time is right.”

The meeting with Julia was abbreviated due to the arrival of the managers. Afterward, Julia and Bethanne parted with a promise to catch up the following day. When she finally made it back to her office to return phone calls, Bethanne saved Grant's for last. The commercial real estate market was still depressed across the country, but it had recently started to pick up in the Seattle area. As the broker in charge of one of his company's most successful offices, Grant had significant responsibilities.

His assistant connected her immediately. “Bethanne,” he said, sounding grateful to hear from her.