Page 23 of Revisions

“But?”

“I don’t regret coming here,” Pearl assures me. “My boys have always trekked off on their own. They can visit me here as easily as they can in Schoharie.”

“There’s a but.”

“No.”

“Pearl?”

“Jameson, I won’t be here forever. Don’t say anything. I hope I live to be a hundred. I'm happy to be here as long as I can move andthink. We both know I wasn’t born yesterday. Candy needs people to lean on—not only Cassidy and the kids. And?—”

“And not only me.”

Pearl nods. “Jonathan has always supported her. The kids don’t realize how close they remained after the divorce. Whatever his shortcomings, he’s been a sounding board for her since she was in college. His illness weighs on her. You know that.”

I’m always curious about what people think about Candace and her relationships, even the kids. Her professional confidence often overshadows her lingering hurt and insecurity in many relationships.

Pearl clears her throat. “You know, she’s unlikely to call Jessica,” she says.

“Probably,” I admit. “Especially since she wants to bring Grant back as an adviser. Do you think I should call Jess?”

“I think Candace will need more support than she realizes when Jonathan passes.”

Pearl smiles at me. It’s a smile I’ve seen before, laced with a touch of melancholy. It tells me I’m on the right track and that Pearl doesn’t believe Jonathan will be with us much longer.

“You don’t think Jonathan will make it until the holidays, do you?”

“No one can predict life and death,” Pearl replies. “It happens–the surge before the storm,” she continues. “Jonathan is riding high now with energy. That energy can trick you into believing nothing is wrong. I’ve seen it before and so has Candy. She’ll hesitate to call Jessica now. Their relationship hurt Jonathan. He’d been friends and colleagues with Jessica foryears. When things ended between Candy and Jessica, Jonathan helped Candy pick up the pieces. Jonathan’s feelings for Candy have always run deep—differently than hers.”

I take a deep breath and sigh. Candace loves Jonathan. I know their marriage was rocky, and she could never love him the way he loves her. More than her sexuality caused their marriage to break down. Jonathan is a good person, but he’s not overly demonstrative. He was hyper-focused on his career. That only became more intense when they lost Lucas. He’s spent more time with the kids this year than in the last decade. Maybe it should make this easier—knowing he’s dying. Somehow, it makes everything feel worse. Pearl is right. Candace won’t want to introduce Jessica into the equation right now.

Pearl calls for my attention. “Jameson?”

“I know you’re right. Jonathan understands,” I say.

I don’t share the details of my conversations with Jonathan Fletcher. As strange as it is to some people, I consider him a good friend. He’s always treated me with kindness. I know he loves the kids, and I know he’d do anything for Candace. That’s more than enough for me.

“Jonathan doesn’t harbor any bad feelings toward Jessica,” I tell Pearl.

“You’ve spent a lot of time with him recently.”

I chuckle. Shell commented a few weeks ago that watching her father and me laughing together while drinking a beer was the weirdest thing she’d ever seen. “Shell thinks it’s weird,” I say. “Yeah. We talk,” I admit. “He’s worried about Candace the most—more than the kids, I think.”

“He’s known her a long time.”

“I think I’ll give Jess a call.”

Pearl grins.

“That was your plan all along, wasn’t it?” I ask.

“No. We can call it the bonus round. I came down here to see if you wanted some company. Or maybe I just needed some.”

“Movie night?” I suggest.

“You mean one without creatures, cartoons, or cars?”

“At least Coop has moved past talking turtles.”

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