Page 6 of A Family Affair: The Vow
This would be a good time to reconnect, help Josh set goals and encourage him to decide what he wanted out of life. What about a better job? A skill? Last she heard, he worked for Nate Desantro as a machinist. What did a machinist do anyway and how much could one make? What about a house? Did Josh want to live with his mother until he got married? And speaking of marriage, was there a special someone? If so, who was she? What did she do? What were their plans?
Rae sucked in a breath, tried to snuff out her own pathetic situation. Wasn’t it all about portraying success? How could she help anyone if she couldn’t help herself? She couldn’t let Josh or anyone see what a mess her own life had become or how she’d gone down one too many wrong paths. No, she had to pretend life was good, she was happy, her future clear. And she’d pretend she still had a boyfriend because if she didn’t, people would feel sorry for her, pity her, and then they’d try to fix the life she no longer recognized.
No, she didn’t need anyone’s help. She’d figure it out all by herself. Eventually. Just like she always had.
4
Pop had to admit he’d had misgivings about Lily getting an “apartment” above the garage of her mother’s house, but since she moved in three weeks ago, boy, did that girl shine! She’d always sparkled like the brightest star in the galaxy, but when she talked about her place, she downright glittered. Pop wanted to gift her a pizzelle maker, told Nate he thought Lily could handle it and wasn’t worried about her using it by herself. Of course, Nate put the kibosh on the deal.Give it a little longer, maybe Christmas. That boy wanted to protect every person in his universe and he still couldn’t accept the truth that sometimes you had to let the people you loved go and let them fly.
Pop shifted on the loveseat, sipped the tea Lily had fixed for him. Peppermint with a hint of lemon. “This sure is good, especially on a chilly day.” He eyed the plate of pizzelles she’d placed on a TV tray in front of him. “All we need to make this a perfect day are a few pizzelles.”
Lily grinned and slid onto the lavender print loveseat Nate and Christine had given her as a housewarming present. “That’s right. Good food, good conversation, and good friends.” She saluted Pop with her mug of hot chocolate smothered in those tiny marshmallows she favored. “Can’t ask for anything better.”
He nodded, took in her bright eyes and flushed cheeks. “I like what you’ve done with this place.” His gaze shifted from the matching TV trays to the frilly pink and white curtains, the lavender throw rugs, and the framed pressed flowers on the far wall. The flowers were a gift from Gina Reed. He squinted, scratched his jaw. The flowers looked like forget-me-nots, tied with a yellow ribbon. Who would have thought a no-nonsense person like Gina would have such a talent for art and love it so much?
“Know what I’m asking for this Christmas?” Lily didn’t wait for him to offer a possibility before she gushed, “A pizzelle maker! Then you can come here and make them inmyhouse. I think Uncle Harry’s going to get me a plug-in grill so I can fix toasted peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.” She lifted a pizzelle from her plate, pointed it at him with a big grin. “What do you think about that?”
Whatdidhe think about that it? He thought Lily Desantro was growing up, finding her own way and her own brand of independence. His throat clogged and his eyes misted as he thought of all the years he’d known her, and how long they’d been friends. She was the true angel of Magdalena, the one who brought hope, love, and forgiveness to everyone she touched. They could all learn a lot from her. “I like the sound of that, Lily girl. Yes, indeed I do.” He glanced around the room, thought about the memory keeper Marisela Ricci was making her for Christmas. Oh, but it would be a real surprise. He’d heard all about how much Lily loved Christine’s, especially the remnants from their father’s flannel shirt and the horse ribbons.
Memory keepers. Too bad more people couldn’t hold onto the good memories and build on those instead of the ones that created bad feelings and clung to them like burrs on a dog’s behind. Marisela Ricci had finally snuffed out the bad memories that made her feel she was never enough, and once she did, her heart opened up to Lina’s nephew, Radford Keller. Talk about a meant-to-be couple who would make beautiful babies one of these days.
Who would have ever thought those two would end up together? Other than the boy’s Aunt Lina who orchestrated a trip and a plan to force them together? Serendipity and destiny is what Lina called it. And a little help from old-timers like Lina and Pop. They’d lived long enough to understand nothing was perfect or permanent and the world didn’t wait around until you figured everything out, got it in order, and formulated a step-by-step plan. Nope, life was meant to be lived, experienced, and appreciated. Marisela and Radford figured that out and now they were planning a wedding.
“I can’t believe I have my own apartment.” Lily’s words shimmered with awe and downright joy.
“You sure do, and when I visit, I feel real peace here.”
“Me, too. Do you think it’s the lavender walls?” She giggled. “Nate tried to talk me into what he called a more ‘sensible’ color like beige but Christine said he wasn’t the one living here, so it should be my choice.” Another giggle, a tiny sigh. “He gave her the frowny face, but then he said he’d paint it any color I wanted. Actually, he didn’t end up painting it at all, remember?”
“Sure do. Vic Tramont did the painting and Josh Darlington helped.”
“Yup. Nate said he’d do it but he was really busy. Vic offered because he needed a project to teach Josh about being a good citizen or something like that. Anyway, Nate said it was okay to accept help because sometimes you can’t do everything yourself. I’m glad he let Vic and Josh do the painting because it got done fast and Vic tells funny stories. He likes to tease and he makes me laugh.” Her voice shifted, turned soft and gooey like the insides of a toasted marshmallow. “He said he liked the lavender color and maybe he’d paint one ofhisrooms that color, too.”
That made Pop laugh. Victor Tramont wasn’t the type to slap a pastel color on his wall—unless a female requested it, like a girlfriend or a wife. But the guy didn’t have either, and not because the females in town hadn’t tried. As a matter of fact, they’d all tried: in town, out-of-town, out-of-state. It was the out-of-state attempt that landed him back in Magdalena all those years ago. The woman was one very determined, resourceful,wealthyyoung lady who’d planned Vic’s whole life, including the fancy house, the suit and tie, and the junior-executive job in her father’s investment firm. The chances of that happening were nothing and never. Still, that was a long time and the wrong woman ago. Vic should find a partner who challenged him, not the flirts who were all confection and no substance and were about as forceful as a strand of cooked spaghetti.
Apparently, Lily thought so too and her next words said she’d been pondering it. “How come Vic isn’t married? He’s thirty-six and he had a dog but he died. He should have a baby by now and a wife.” She squinted beneath her glasses, scrunched up her nose. “Let me think… Who would be a good match for Vic?”
Oh boy. Once Lily got to thinking about matching people up, she would not let go. Pop had considered one or two possibilities for the boy over the years, but they never passed the magnifying-glass scrutiny. Too needy, too silly, too possessive...too dangagreeable. It had to be someone with a strong backbone, sass, a little attitude, and the desire and patience to dig behind the good looks and the laughs to find the reason Vic didn’t have that special someone. Pop had heard people compare Vic to Nate, but the boy was kinder, more easy-going, though not by much. Maybe all those years of the two working together had rubbed off on Vic. While Pop liked the idea of honor, integrity, and doing the right thing, he wasn’t exactly thrilled with the avoidance, sidestepping, and not addressing the real issue. Nate had been the King of those—until Christine.She’dchanged everything. She made him human.
“We could start a list if you want.” Lily’s suggestion poked through Pop’s thoughts. “Vic and Josh have to stop over again to do some work on the ceiling fan. What do you think?”
“What I think is that for now we need to mind our own business.”
“Really?” She bit into a pizzelle, remained quiet until she’d eaten half of it. “It’s not being nosy if you’re trying to help someone, that’s what Uncle Harry says.”
“That’s because your uncle has his nose in everybody’s business, even when he doesn’t intend to do it. Let’s stay quiet for a bit and observe. What does Vic like, what doesn’t he like? What kind of person would be a good match? We’ll think on it and then maybe someone will come to mind.”
Lily sat up straight, nodded until her ponytail bounced. “That’s a great idea. Maybe Josh can help. I think Vic is like a teacher to him. Josh said something about Vic trying to teach him life lessons. Should I ask Josh?”
“Nah. That boy’s got his hands and his heart full with his poor mother laid up down in Florida.” A broken leg, fractured ribs, concussion. Leah Darlington just could not get five minutes on Easy Street.
“Poor Mrs. Darlington. I am so sorry. I really like her.” Lily’s lips pulled into a frown and she sniffed as though the tears would start any second. Pop didn’t correct her when she placed “Mrs.” in front of Leah’s name. No sense trying to explain how she wasn’t a Mrs. and there wasn’t a father, at least not one who claimed the boy.
“I heard her sister’s coming to town to help out.”
Help.Now that was an interesting term. How on earth was that city girl going to help run a metal distribution company when she hadn’t stepped inside the building in at least ten years—probably more? Pop was not about to comment on that one so he sidestepped it with a comment. “That’s what I heard, too.”
“Nate was telling Mom about it and how he planned to see if the sister needed help. He said needing help and asking for it were too different animals and she better leave the high heels and the attitude in Virginia. What kind of animals was he talking about and how does he know she has high heels or an attitude?” Pause and then, “What kind of attitude?”
