Page 59 of Sensing Selma
“When are you going to show me this surprise of yours, Mother?”
“When I’m good and ready. Now, let’s go have breakfast. I’m famished, and the waffles here are extraordinary. Oh, no offense, dear. Your waffles are delicious, too, but...”
“That’s fine, Mother. No offense taken. I’m not particularly fond of my waffles myself, but...”
“But what, dear?”
“Could we go sit in your room a moment?”
She frowned. “What is it?” And just like that, all the happiness in her face disappeared. “That look. I know that look. Oh, Susan, what is it?”
I edged my way into her room as she wheeled around to face me.
“Susan, you’re scaring me. What’s wrong?”
I sat down on the edge of her bed and forced a smile to try to lighten the situation. “It’s nothing scary, Mother, I assure you. It’s just a serious matter that I want to discuss with you.”
She reluctantly wheeled her way to me and sat still, waiting.
“I’ve discovered that Holly has been seeing one of the actors here.”
“Yes. Damen, right? I know. Oh, she does appear to be quite smitten.”
“Right. Well, Damen had a movie premier in London and Holly decided to go meet him there yesterday.”
“Oh, how nice for them. London really is lovely this time of year. Oh no, but dear... It rained a good part of the day yesterday. Did she have a good time all the same?”
“No, Mother. I’m afraid she didn’t. You see, she didn’t go to LondonwithDamen. She went out there to surprise him.”
“Oh,” she said, her smile fading.
“Yes, and as it turns out, it is Holly who got a nasty surprise.”
“He was with another woman,” she said with a grimace. “Oh, that scoundrel!”
I let out a surprised snort. Mother was a little more worldly than I’d thought. “That’s precisely what happened.”
“Poor dear. Is she all right?”
“Mother, she’s devastated. Major Cooper brought her home last night. She’d gotten caught in the rain, she was cold, but most of all she was just...She’s heartbroken.”
“Major Cooper? Wait a minute...”
I shook my head, not wanting to get into a long-winded explanation. “He happened to be in London, he bumped into her, and he brought her home.”
“Oh, what a gentleman he is. Truly a gentleman.”
I hesitated before going on. This was already so much for her to digest.
“I have no doubt that Damen will be returning to Moon Manor soon,” I finally said.
At first, she looked at me, waiting for me to go on. But her eyes widened as she realized what I was truly saying. “Oh, poor girl. My dear, dear Holly. She’s going to have to face him. Oh, to have such treachery thrown in your face at every turn. It’ll be unbearable.”
I nodded in agreement.
She looked down at her hands. “I feel so helpless. She’s my little girl and there’s nothing I can do for her.” She looked up at me. “I want to go see her.”
I nodded. “Yes, but before you go, I have a possible solution that I want to share with you.”
