Page 58 of Cowboy of Convenience
The nurse nodded. "It usually takes around an hour."
"We’ll be back around then." He walked with Evelyn back down the hallway, freeing up space for Charlene and Larry to go back and visit with his mom.
If that's what you could call it.
"You feel up to lunch?" He lifted their joined hands, pressing a kiss to her knuckles. "I think I need to get out of here for a minute."
Evelyn stood up a little straighter, shoulders squaring. "Then let's get the hell out of here." Her steps moved a little faster, like she was determined to get him out of the hospital as fast as humanly possible. They were almost to the large entrance when she came to a sudden stop.
Gram-Gram stood at the information desk, the biggest vase of flowers he'd ever seen clutched in her hands. Her gaze snapped to them and she stepped away, calling over one shoulder to the woman helping her, "Never mind."
Grady squeezed Evelyn's hand, trying to offer her the same reassurance she'd been giving him all morning as Gram-Gram came to a stop in front of them, looking Evelyn over first before turning to him.
"I thought you had to work today."
CHAPTER NINETEEN
EVELYN
EVELYN SAT STIFFLY in the same horribly uncomfortable chair she’d occupied all morning. Larry and Charlene were back from their visit with Grady’s mom, their mood obviously somber as they all sat in silence. She opened her mouth, but then clamped it shut again, unsure what to say.
Their plans for a lunchtime escape had been foiled by her grandmother’s unexpected appearance, so now they were right back where they started. Grady wasn’t getting the escape he needed and she was back to feeling helpless. Frustrated once more by the woman she’d been sidestepping her whole life.
Her grandmother sat next to Grady, posture perfect, giant flower arrangement on the ground at her feet. She watched Larry and Charlene with a steady gaze until they finally sensed the tension and excused themselves.
At least someone got a break.
Once they were gone, her grandmother seemed to relax the tiniest bit. She blew out a long breath, eyes straight ahead as she said, "I hate hospitals."
Grady chuckled. "Me too, Gram-Gram."
After a few more moments of uncomfortable silence, her grandmother offered a surprising amount of unexpected information. "My husband was ill for quite a while before he passed. So I've spent a lot of time in waiting rooms like this."
Grady turned to look her over. "I'm sorry to hear that."
Her grandmother took a deep breath, chin lifting with the action. "Thank you. I'm sorry you’re dealing with your mother's illness." Her eyes slid Grady's way. "I'm also sorry I had to hear about it from one of the women I had lunch with."
Evelyn blinked in shock. Was her grandmother offended? "We didn't think—"
"You didn't think my granddaughter’s future mother-in-law's surgery would interest me because you had no reason to believe it would." Her lips pursed. "I understand I haven't exactly been a large part of your life, Evelyn, and I regret that."
Was she caught in some sort of weird parallel universe? Maybe someone had opened up a tank of laughing gas somewhere and the fumes were causing her to hallucinate. It seemed like her grandmother was apologizing. And her grandmother never apologized.
Evelyn leaned back, just in case the air was fresher back there. "It's okay."
Her grandmother's eyes went straight ahead again, her hands linked together so tightly in her lap her knuckles turned white. "It's not okay. I was simply trying to abide by your mother's request, and I wish I hadn't."
Evelyn blinked as the information processed. Her mother asked her grandmother to stay away?
Her mother never missed an opportunity to go on and on about how her life had been ruined. How she’d been forced into a marriage she didn’t want. Yet never once had she stepped in to make sure the same thing didn't happen to Evelyn. So hearing her grandmother hadn't been involved in her life at her mother's request was shocking. "I think she didn't want me to end up like her."
Her grandmother huffed out a bitter laugh. "You will never end up like her." Her eyes finally came Evelyn’s way. "You are nothing like your mother. She's always been happiest when she's miserable. When you were born, I was so scared you would be the same. But you were such a joy-filled child. I adored you. And I think she found great delight in resenting that. Almost as much as she found in making sure I never got to build a relationship with you."
Grady suddenly stood up, stretching his arms over his head. "I’m going to go grab a coffee from the cafeteria. Anybody want one?"
Evelyn sat up straight.He was leaving her?
"I would love a mocha." Her grandmother didn’t hesitate to make a request. "With whipped cream."
