It's All Relative (66 page)

(Cut scene #5. This is at the end of chapter 16, after Kai and Jessie have completely stopped seeing each other.)

M
illie was feeling seventy-five again. Her hip had healed, and almost all trace of her clumsy tumble was gone. She felt like she could go down to the senior center, find a charming, distinguished gentleman, preferably with a head full of hair and all his original teeth, and spend the afternoon square dancing. She’d considered it too, except that her heart wasn’t feeling quite as healthy.

Her ticker was still physically fine, that wasn’t the problem. No, her heart’s issues were all emotional, and all centered around her family. Sometimes she swore that the lot of them were going to drive her into the grave. Worrying about them was surely aging her by the second.

Her son, Nate, was struggling with impatience. He wanted to talk with Kai about his true paternity. He wanted to sit down with him and explain why they’d lied to him for so long. And he wanted to beg Kai’s forgiveness for withholding the truth. Millie still thought it was pointless to tell Kai, but Nate wouldn’t let it go. And the longer Kai remained ignorant, the harder it was on him.

Nate had even admitted that he was becoming distant with Kai, and he hated it. “I can’t stand it, Mom. I just want to talk to him about this…secret looming over us, but he doesn’t know yet. I can’t talk to him about what I really want to talk about…so I shut down, and don’t talk to him about anything. He must wonder why I’m so distant... I hate this.”

Nate admitted that he hated himself for being cold to Kai, but each time he talked to him, Kai was still oblivious. Frustrated, confused, and disappointed at his own weakness, Nate’s anger towards Mason’s procrastination was showing itself as bluntness towards Kai.

Millie had had several long conversations with him, and most of them ended with, “He loves you, Nate. You are the only father he’s ever known, and in the end, love will win out over everything else. I’m sure, given enough time, he’ll eventually understand.”

But even though Millie spoke those words to her son, she wasn’t sure if they were true or not. Well, she knew Kai loved his father, yes, but she wasn’t sure if he would understand Nate’s behavior or motives once the truth was revealed. Yet another reason Kai should never know. Why put that strife in a loving relationship, if it didn’t need to be? Why cause irrelevant pain? But Nate believed in knowing the truth. It was one of the things that made him great at his job. And now that he felt Kai was old enough to be able to handle the truth, he wanted…no, he
needed
, Kai to know it.

Even if that meant telling him himself.

The longer Kai stayed away, the longer Nate didn’t have to look at him, the easier it was for him to gain the necessary courage to break his son’s heart. Nate told her repeatedly that he didn’t think he could do it, that he didn’t think he could even form the words. But his impatience at Kai’s continued lack of knowledge was quickly wearing away the reluctance. Millie knew her son would have the strength soon, and she was positive that before the year ran out, he would finally tell Kai. And Kai’s entire view on his life would change.

Millie sighed as she went about clipping her herb garden. Tiny piles of chives rested in her palm, just enough for the baked potatoes Jessica Marie was cooking in the kitchen. The girl still diligently checked on her. Perhaps Millie’s tumble had made her feel guilty about not being around more. Millie tried to assure her the care wasn’t necessary, she was a grown woman after all, but Harper blood flowed through the young woman’s veins too, and the need to nurture was a big part of that blood.

Filling a small bowl with the clippings, Millie moved on to some thyme for Kai. She’d been giving him whatever herbs were ready, telling him exactly how to prepare food with it, since she was sure he’d never been given proper instruction on how to create a meal. Not with
that
woman for a mother. Kai obliged her, listening raptly and asking the appropriate questions. Millie almost got the feeling that he was only interested in cooking to woo a woman, but then she dismissed the thought. He currently didn’t have anyone.

She’d gotten her hopes up when he’d started seeing that April girl. Surely a friend of Jessica’s would have been a good match for him. He was going to need a shoulder to cry on soon, a warm body to cuddle up with, when one of his two fathers finally confessed the truth to him. But alas, he’d broken it off with the girl. He’d explained to Millie over and over, since she’d kind of badgered him about it, that they just hadn’t been compatible. Millie had wanted to tell him that she had girl parts, he had boy parts, so, of course they were compatible, but she’d refrained.

Kai was a gentleman, and he wasn’t going to sleep with a girl purely because he needed the release. Millie respected that, and was immensely proud of him for his choice. Most men his age probably wouldn’t have made the same one. Millie wouldn’t push him into physical love, especially when he wasn’t aware of the upcoming heartache.

Finished with her preparation, Millie sealed the tiny bags she’d made for her grandson. For the hundredth time, she wished Kai would decide that he hated it here and move home. Not because she didn’t want him around—far from it, she immensely enjoyed his company—but because she didn’t want him to get hurt. And Mason admitting who he was to him was going to hurt. Maybe if he went home, maybe if Nate had to look him in the eyes again every day, he’d lose his nerves and never tell him. And that would be for the best.

Millie wasn’t sure about Kai’s mother though. Perhaps Leilani was cruel enough to spill the beans. But then again, regardless of what Millie thought of her, Leilani was a mother, and what mother wanted to cause her son harm? And Millie knew Kai was close to his mother; he talked with her daily. The woman obviously adored her son, no matter who his father was. No, Millie was pretty sure that the push to send Kai to Denver, to his biological father, had come from Nate.

Shuffling back into the kitchen from her greenhouse, Millie caught her granddaughter staring at the numbers on the microwave, seemingly lost in thought. Not wanting to sneak up on the girl, Millie closed the door rougher than necessary. Jessica Marie started and looked over at her. Then she slapped on a smile that was clearly fake. Millie recognized it; she’d seen the forced happiness on her granddaughter several times over the past few weeks. Come to think of it, she’d seen the same pseudo-smile on Kai the last few weeks, too.

While Millie had the overwhelming feeling that Mason was making things uncomfortable at work for his newfound son—a suspicion that Jessica had confirmed when she’d mentioned that Kai didn’t think his boss liked him—Millie had no clue where her granddaughter’s unhappiness stemmed from. With her age and troubled past love life, Millie suspected a boy was the culprit, although she never heard Jessica mention one. No one but Kai, that was.

“The potatoes are almost ready, Grams,” she effortlessly announced.

Millie narrowed her eyes. While the tone was carefree, the tired look in her eyes couldn’t be erased. Jessica was worn, unhappy, and almost always looked to be on the verge of crying lately. Millie constantly wanted to give her a hug and tell her that nothing in life was ever that bad. Things always had a way of working out, she just needed to be patient. She didn’t say those things though. Jessica would only roll her eyes and tell her nothing was wrong.

Patting her shoulder, Millie laid the bags on the counter. “That’s good, dear. I got us some chives.” She handed the small bowl to Jessica and then grabbed a marker and began labeling the small bags for Kai. Boys usually couldn’t tell herbs apart.

In a nearly wistful voice, her granddaughter said, “Are those for Kai?”

Millie looked up to see if her eyes were filled with as much longing as her voice. Since Jessica was looking down into the chive bowl, she couldn’t be sure. “Yes, dear. Eventually I’ll turn that boy into a good cook. Every man should know how to make a decent meal for his woman.”

She smiled warmly at the thought, but Jessica quickly turned her head away so her thick, curly hair covered her expression. She moved to the fridge and began aimlessly looking through it. “I should get you some groceries soon,” Millie heard her mutter into the cool, refrigerated air.

Even though Jessica couldn’t see her, Millie shrugged. “Don’t worry about it, dear. Kai brings me a bundle almost every time he shows up. Since I don’t eat that much anyway, I don’t think I’ll run out of food anytime soon.”

A soft chuckle escaped her as she remembered Kai repeatedly dropping by with a bag or two on his arm. There was a grocery store close to her place, but the thought of him riding with a bag dangling off his arm always brought a smile to Millie’s face.

Jessica looked up from the fridge to stare at Millie, her expression disbelieving. “Kai brings you food?”

Millie nodded, noting the aged weariness in Jessie’s eyes. It was so similar to Kai’s, like they were both suffering from the same malaise. “Constantly, like he’s worried I’ll starve.” Millie laughed again and rolled her eyes. “If the boy had moved here with something more substantial than a motorcycle, he could save himself some time and bring me a month’s supply at a time.”

A small laugh escaped Jessica and her eyes drifted out of focus, thinking. “Yeah, he does love that bike…”

Watching her musing granddaughter, Millie shrugged and sighed. “That probably wouldn’t stop him from dropping in daily though. The boy has a heart as big as yours.” Jessica’s eyes refocused on Millie, and Millie swore she saw tiny tears in them. Sighing again, she added, “The two of you are almost a perfect match. I’m a very lucky woman, to be surrounded by such warmth.”

Jessica swallowed and looked away again. Her hand went up to her cheek, and if Millie didn’t know any better, she’d swear the girl was crying. Placing a hand on her shoulder, Millie peeked around to examine her face. “You all right, dear?” She might deny her unhappiness, but she couldn’t deny tears.

Brushing her cheeks in a telltale sign of crying, Jessica Marie gave her a sad smile. “Of course. I’m just…I’m leaving town for a few days…and I’m going to worry about you.”

Millie smiled and gave her a warm hug. “Oh, dear, don’t you worry your pretty little head about me. You go out and have a good time with the life you’ve been given.” They pulled apart and Jessica sheepishly brushed her cheeks dry again. “Where are you off to?” Millie asked, swiping away the final remnants of her tears.

Jessica let out a dreary sigh. “My roommates and I are going skiing next weekend. Things have sort of been…awkward lately, so we’re having a little vacation.”

She sighed again and Millie wasn’t sure if she was sighing over Millie being without her for a few days, or sighing over whatever girl spat had occurred. Knowing how catty girls could be sometimes, Millie brightened. She suddenly understood one of the reasons for her granddaughter’s mood lately. As Jessica started pulling out toppings for the potato bar they were having tonight, Millie thought about her upcoming ski trip.

It was a common thing for youngsters to do around here. Millie herself had frequently enjoyed the slopes in her youth. The whole family used to go up to the mountains when all her children were still around. Every single one of them had loved it. In fact, there was only one family member Millie knew of who didn’t ski. And he didn’t ski simply because he’d lived his entire life in an area that never received snowfall. But she knew for a fact that he wanted to ski, and what better way for him to learn, then under the tutelage of his cousin?

Brightening even more at the thought of the two young relatives cheering each other up, Millie turned to Jessica. “Take Kai with you, dear.”

Thinking Jessica Marie would jump on the chance to spend time with the cousin that she’d seemed to want all to herself just weeks earlier, Millie was very surprised to see her frown. “Um…well…” She suddenly looked uncomfortable and if possible, even sadder. “It’s a girl thing, Grams.” Shrugging, she looked at the ground.

Millie sighed softly. “I know, Jessica, but Kai has never seen snow up close, and I know he’s always wanted to learn how to ski.” Millie smiled, shaking her head. “When he was younger, he used to pretend he was slalom racing in the backyard.”

A ghost of a smile drifted across Jessica’s face, then she frowned again. “I don’t know…April will be there. You know they don’t see each other anymore?” Jessica started worrying her lip.

Millie nodded, remembering her earlier thoughts on that matter. Shrugging, she shook her head again. “Kai tells me that the relationship ended amicably. Surely she wouldn’t mind his presence for just a couple days?” When Jessica looked about to object again, Millie added, “Please? For me? Please take him. He’s been having such a hard time lately. He could really use the pick-me-up.”

Jessica’s eyes watered again. “He has?”

Millie frowned at her granddaughter. She seemed almost…hopeful that Kai was distraught. Slightly shaking her head, Millie figured she must be misinterpreting Jessica’s reaction. Why would she want her cousin to be down? Thinking of his tired eyes lately, Millie sighed. “Yes, he’s so…melancholy, this is just what he needs right now.” She nodded,
her
mind made up, if not her granddaughter’s.

Jessica started pulling potatoes out of the hot oven, her hair falling down to hide her face again. “Fine, I’ll ask him, Grandma.” Setting the spuds on a plate in front of Millie, Jessica began to carefully peel back the tinfoil encasing them. Studying her work, she shrugged. “He’ll probably say no. He’s…busy with stuff.”

Watching Jessica studiously unwrap the potatoes, Millie smiled. There was no way she’d let Kai
not
go on this trip. He needed a break from that job, and he deserved to have a little fun. And maybe, just maybe, he would reconsider things with Jessica’s roommate if they were holed up together in a cozy ski lodge all weekend. Yes, Millie knew from experience that the combination of softly falling snow outside and the glow of a warm fire on the inside, could lead to all sorts of…connections.