Newton Neighbors (New England Trilogy) (50 page)

Cathi’s Christmas

Cathi Grant wasn’t having such a good Christmas. Her husband hated her, the girls were still furious about the move to a new house, and now the water-damaged floors were starting to smell. Her dream life had turned into a nightmare.

She knew where Michael was staying. As soon as he’d heard Maria was back down in Puerto Rico, he had asked Rick if he could move in with him. Cathi had tried to stop him, using every argument possible, but Michael was a changed man. She had never seen him so furious or disappointed with her.
 

After a rather dull Christmas dinner with her daughters, the girls went over to watch a movie with their dad. She sat, all alone in her massive house. Even Fifi, her dear little dog, seemed to have fallen out of love with her. The dog kept running away to Noreen Palmer’s home, whatever that was about.
 

Cathi walked around number sixteen, Crystal Lake Lane. The hall rugs still squelched underfoot, and a large water stain was forming on her hardwood floors. The landlord wasn’t going to like that. None of this would have happened if she had stayed in her old place. She would still have Michael and the girls. She would even still have that blasted dog. Cathi’s mind wandered back to her lovely galley kitchen and the antique library. What she would give to be lounging on her sectional right now with Michael, the girls, and the dog. How had it all gone so wrong?
 

There was only one way to find out, she decided. Cathi grabbed her winter coat and swept out the door of her rental. She thought it would be dumb to ring the front door of Maria’s house, so she let herself in the back, like always. Cathi knew the house well, so she walked into the television room and there on the sofa was Michael, with an arm around each daughter. They were tucked snugly in on either side of him. A box of Christmas candy lay open on the table, with wrappers strewn everywhere. If she were part of their day, she’d have made them clean it up, but she wasn’t. He saw her come in, and in the past, he would have always smiled at her, but not today. His expression remained impassive.

Cathi felt a searing jolt of pain at not being part of this festive, familial scene. “I, um, just wanted to say Merry Christmas.”

He got up without enthusiasm. “Hello. Merry Christmas to you, too.” He looked back at his daughters, who hadn’t moved. “Girls?”

“What? We had dinner with her,” Katie said, eyes fixed on the television.

Cathi could feel the animosity bounce off her daughters. They hated her.

She addressed her husband. “Can we talk?”

He shrugged but gestured for her to move back out to the kitchen.

“Want a drink? Or a coffee?”

“I’m sorry.” Her tone was final. She wasn’t talking about coffee.

He sighed and headed over to the coffee maker.

“Really. I mean it this time. I’m very, very sorry. I shouldn’t have tried to manipulate you like that.”

“Tried?” He raised his eyebrows and jutted his chin. “I think you did more than try.”

“Yes, you’re right, of course. I did manipulate you and the girls. I didn’t know what I was doing at the time. Strike that, I did know, but I didn’t think about what it was. I sure didn’t think about your side of things, Michael. Look, I know you hate me, but I really thought I was doing it for the family, not just me. I thought I was bringing you and the girls up in the world. I don’t know how I got that damn idea.”

He stared at the coffee maker and grimaced, as if coffee was suddenly a bad idea. “I’m having a glass of wine. You want one?”

She nodded. “Can I sit?”

“Whatever.”

She sat. “I’m scared, really scared, Michael. You sound like you hate me. I’d rather you shouted at me and called me a bitch.”

He glanced toward the door. “Can you keep your voice down? I don’t want the kids hearing you talk like that.”

“Sorry.” She dropped her eyes to the table while he got a bottle of red and poured two large glasses.

“Merry damn Christmas, kiddo.” He pushed a glass across the table to her and sat down opposite. “Okay, say what you gotta say and then leave.”

She snapped her head up. “You mean it? Leave? You have crossed a line, haven’t you? You’ve given up on us?”

Michael closed his eyes for a moment. “What
us
, Cathi? Seriously. What us? I did love you, with all my heart. I’ve loved your crazy, harebrained plans since the day I met you. You’ve always had your own way of doing things. I think you’ve done a great job with the girls, too, but you’ve turned into this woman I don’t even know anymore. It’s like I’m living with a stranger. You sold that house from right under my ass, didn’t you?”

Cathi started to cry. “Yes. I thought I was saving you from the stress. I wanted to present it all as a done deal.”

“I’m the damn done deal. You just run rings around me. That’s not how I want to live, Cathi. That’s not how we started.”

She pushed her wine aside and reached across the table for his hands.
 

“Then for the love of God, let us start again. I’ll do it your way. I’ll really try. I’ll move to the country. I’ll go back to work so you can write your novel. I’ll even change the girls to the school of your choice.”

He pulled his hands back and stood up.

“You still don’t get it? I don’t want to move the girls. I just want us to be a team like we used to be.” He paced the kitchen as he spoke. “Can we start by talking stuff through and not second-guessing the solution, like you’re doing right now?”

“Oh, shit. Am I?”

This time he laughed and stopped walking. “Cathi, you don’t swear. I’ve never heard you say
shit
before.”

“Is that bad?” Cathi looked up anxiously.

Michael shook his head. “No, I think it’s good. It shows you’re changing, but don’t start using bad language. It doesn’t suit you. Can we just take one step at a time?” His expression grew softer. “But I do think we should get professional help. Would you be up for that?”

“If it means getting you back, Michael, I’ll do anything.”

“Come here,” he said, reaching out a hand.
 

Cathi didn’t need to be asked twice. She was in his arms in a second. “Thank you, my love. I’m so sorry I made such a mess of everything. I’ll talk and listen in future.”

Michael kissed her on the mouth to stop her talking. It was a real kiss—a romantic kiss, a manly kiss. He hadn’t done that for quite a while. Cathi felt a frisson of that old passion.

“Oh my, Mr. Grant.”

“Mom, Dad—seriously? ” Stacy walked into the kitchen. “Can we rent another movie? That one’s over, and Katie wants to know if we can make some popcorn.”

Michael grinned at his younger daughter. “Yes, to both your requests.” He sat down in one of the kitchen chairs and pulled Cathi onto his lap. “Your mother and I will be in here drinking champagne if you’re looking for us.”

Epilogue

A Valentine’s Day Visit

Jessie and Ely were sitting in Noreen’s kitchen.

“I can’t believe how much stuff we’ve moved. This was not how I planned spending my Valentine’s Day.” Jessie rolled her shoulders, trying to get them to relax. “I’m exhausted.”

“You’re exhausted? Try doing it pregnant,” Ely said.

“Doing what? You supervised!”

“And I made the tea. Is Noreen almost finished packing yet? How many cases is she taking?” Ely reached over from where she was sitting and rubbed Jessie’s back. “You needed the break from studying anyway. You work too hard.”

Noreen walked into the kitchen. “That was a lot more work than I realized. Sorry about that, girls, but I needed a good spring clean.”

Ely looked up. “Well, you sure did that. Spring cleaning on steroids, I’d say. You’re only going on a vacation, Noreen. You’ll be back in what? Six weeks? From the blitz you did, it looks like you’ll be gone for years.”

Jessie was watching Noreen’s face. The woman had grown so much stronger and more vibrant in the last few months. The change was remarkable. The change was Hugo Hendrix. Sure, having young people around helped, but he was the magic ingredient in the older woman’s life. He had given her a reason to live again. She had even started taking her medication because Hugo supervised it, and now her mind was a lot clearer and she seemed so much happier.

“It’s the middle of February and we’re still two feet deep in snow. I’m thinking I might stay away for longer than planned,” she said, looking at her two lodgers.
 

“I told you.” Jessie gave Ely gentle nudge. “She’s deserting us.”

Ely whined like a baby. “Waghh, I need you, Noreen. You’re like the mother I never had.”

Noreen laughed. “Such melodrama. I’m well acquainted with your mother from talking to her on the phone, and you know as well as I do she’s aching for you to move home.”

Ely shook her head. “I may be moving back to South Carolina this summer, but I’m sure not moving home.”

“Any progress on the house hunting?” Jessie stood up. “Who wants a coffee?”
 

Noreen shook her head and so did Ely. “No thanks to the coffee, J, and we won’t worry about a house until Josh is out of school. I got a few months before this little monster arrives, but as soon as Josh finishes his last exam, we’ll head south and find something nice for the three of us in Charleston—somewhere near the university, I guess.”

Noreen sat. “How is his college transfer going?”

“All very smooth, thanks. He’s going to slip into South Carolina life real easy while I run my new little business and little family from home. It’s gonna be fine.”

“It’ll be hard, too, love. Don’t kid yourself.” Noreen’s tone was gentle.

“Not as hard as sticking around here could be,” Jessie said, taking out the tin of treats and putting them on the table.
 

Ely opened the tin and started on a cookie. “Are you still worried about the fire department coming after my man and his friends? J, if I told you once, I told you a million times—they were happy to see Dan the Pan gettin’ his hide whipped.”

Noreen nodded. “I’m delighted Josh and his football friends gave that brute a good going over. He needed to be taught a lesson, but I do feel sorry for his wife.”

Jessie shook her head and took a cookie. “Actually, I bumped into her in Babies ‘R’ Us recently. I couldn’t believe it was her, but she recognized me so I had to stop and talk. I apologized and explained that I didn’t know Dan was married. She was surprisingly calm about the whole thing. In fact, she had quite a bit of news. Turns out she has a new man in her life and she’s moved in with him. You won’t believe this, but it’s another firefighter! What is it with women and boys in uniform? She also told me Dan got caught in bed with his boss’s wife. He’s probably going to have to leave Newton.”

Ely’s eyes widened. “You never told me that.”

“You never asked!”

“What were you doing in Babies ‘R’ Us anyway?”

This time Jessie smiled. “Can’t a godmother window-shop?”

Ely seemed happy with this and put the lid back on the treat tin. “Take these bad boys away from me.” She stood up and stretched. “I am looking forward to moving down south again. I’ll have Josh nearby and Mom and Aunt Marybeth. You’d think she’s having the baby she’s so excited. They can watch Josh Jr. while I’m fighting with Bull over what way to take the business.”

Jessie laughed. “I still can’t believe you went to Necker Island with Josh, enjoyed all that hospitality, and then turned Richard Worthington down in favor of your father.”

Ely winked at her friend “You know for us Briskins, at the end of the day, business is a family affair.” She smirked. “Besides, I know I can handle Daddy. I’m not sure I could bend Mr. Worthington to my will so easy.”

Noreen focused on Jessie. “And you? Will you be okay without me?”
 

Jessie knew her landlady was being sincere. The older woman had come into their lives at a time they had very much needed her. She sat down again, reached out across the table, and took Noreen’s hands.

“I’ll miss you more than you know, but I’m so happy for you and Hugo. I’ll just bury myself in my books anyway. May is coming in so fast—I can’t believe how quick the year flew by.”

“And they only get faster,” Noreen said with resignation. “Like Ely here always says, you only got one life.”

They all joined in for the chorus. “You gotta live it!”

Jessie went back to making the coffee.

“I don’t want you to go home, Jessie.” Ely pouted.

“Bruce Wiswall sure does.” Noreen winked at Jessie.

She couldn’t hide her smile. “He does, and I miss him, too.” She brought her mug to the table.
 

“Life moves on, Ely. Jessie needs to be in London. You need to get yourself and Josh settled in Charleston before that baby arrives, and I need to have some fun down in the Caribbean.”

“Do you think Rusty’s gonna like it down there?”

Noreen chuckled. “He’ll love it. Hugo tells me he has a lovely little terrier. She’s a Tibetan zye.”

“I never heard of them.”

“No, I think she’s a new breed, but if Rusty gets his way with her, you know what will happen?”