Page 140 of Everything Has Changed
He shakes his head, a sad smile on his face. “You’ll learn soon that that’s not enough. You’ll want more, just like I did.”
“That’s where you are wrong again, Dad. You had everything I want in life. Unlike you, I won’t get greedy and lose it all.”
“You say that now, kid.” His parting words echo in my ears.
I wonder if I should call out, beg him not to leave. Beg him to tell me exactly what I did wrong for him not to be the father that I needed. Was it the loss of Jake? Was it simply because I wasn’t what he wanted? That wonder dies off quickly, though, when I realize it didn’t matter anymore. He didn’t matter to me anymore.
Turning the knob, he opens the door, ready to flee from the scene of a father letting his son down one final time.
However, he doesn’t get very far when two large men in police uniforms stand in his way.
“Richard Spencer, you’re under arrest for embezzlement.”
49
Gwendolyn
If I thought Willow Grove was full of whispered secrets and nosy people before, it was nothing compared to the twenty four hours following Mitch’s article releasing. Probably didn’t help that we all witnessed Richard Spencer being carted off in handcuffs right out of the front doors of Town Hall.
The Willow Whisk became the unspoken meeting spot for anyone wanting the scoop thanks to Mary and Bernie holding court at the couch by the window. It gave them the perfect view to keep an eye on the front steps currently swarmed with news vans and reporters, while also watching everyone coming in.
“You’re okay with them being here?” Ophelia asks as she rearranges the bakery case to fit the fresh goods she finished this morning. “I’ll tell them to find somewhere else to gossip if you want me to.”
“No, I’m cool with it. It’s keeping us busy today.”
“I’m not sure they are even telling the right story,” she whispers to me as we eye the duo currently waving down new customers that walked in to see if there has been any updates floating through the streets. “Do you really think Richard had illegitimate children with 3 different women and that’s why he was stealing money?”
I shake my head, knowing anything is possible at this point, but not believing that one for a second.
My grandmother’s phone beeps a tone I know she uses for her email and I wait with bated breath while she reads the screen. Her shoulders inch up toward her ears as she scans the words I can’t make out from where I stand.
“What does it say?” I ask quietly.
Clicking the side button on her phone, the screen goes black. Her fingers curling around the device in a white knuckled grip.
“Biopsy scheduled for two weeks from today.”
She swipes below her watery eyes with a shaky hand. A breathy chuckle escapes her lips as she attempts to force a smile out, but isn’t able to make it tilt up on both sides.
“That’s great, though, right?” My arms go around her shoulders as I hug her tightly to me.
She nods against my shoulder, where she tucks her face to hide a few sniffles. I give her a moment to gather herself before I allow her to pull back fully. My heart ached watching my grandmother fight the waves of emotions she has been riding the last couple weeks. The emotions have been crashing against all of us, really, since we found out her secret. The feeling that there is nothing we can do to fix what is going on with her—that we are powerless to this disease plaguing her.
She was always so strong for me throughout my whole life and now all I wanted to do was be the same for her. I felt helpless as I watched her struggle with the headaches she experienced and the sadness that regularly lived within her eyes lately.
Truthfully, part of me was almost glad we had so much going on outside of her diagnosis to focus on. Even if it was a completely different type of heartbreak and headache.
“Sorry.” Grabbing a tissue from the box we keep hidden below the register, she dries her face quickly. Fanning herself to stop the flow of tears threatening to spill again.
“You have nothing to apologize for,” I remind her.
“I didn’t think I would cry over that email, but I guess it’s knowing we will finally get some answers. Or at least we are on the right track.” Ophelia blows out a heavy breath, her hand going to her forehead. “Remember when we had a boring life?”
I twist my lips to the side. “It’s a vague, distant memory at this point.”
Reaching out, she tucks a lock of hair that fell in my face behind my ear. Her touch softly caressing my cheek as she smiles at me. Though it doesn’t quite reach her red rimmed eyes. “Have I told you lately how much I love you, sweetie.”
My mind reaches out and holds onto those words, tucking them into a mental keepsake box. I had become like a squirrel hoarding nuts for the winter at this point with every small moment I got with her lately. The thought that we might not have many left is always looming over me like a storm cloud.
