by Leah Atwood
“What do you think, Gran?” He shifted to park and watched for her reaction.
Her broad smile said it all. “It’s beautiful.”
“Wait until you see the view from the rear. It overlooks a stream, and when I first came to see this place, I could envision you sitting out there in the mornings with your Bible and journal.”
“That sounds lovely.”
Peter pushed his door open. “If you’ll pop the trunk, Son, I’ll get the bags and bring them in.”
Chills coursed through Landon’s blood, and he cringed. His dad lost all rights to use that endearment for him, but he had to swallow his anger and be the better person. He pushed the release button, then exited the vehicle.
His mom had already slid out and opened Gran’s door for her. He didn’t miss that gentle touch used to support Gran’s arm as she climbed out of the car, her aged joints stiff from sitting. His mom treated Gran tenderly, something Landon hadn’t known she was capable of.
One good action doesn’t negate a million poor ones. How many nights as a kid did I wish she were there to tuck me in and treat me with tender care when I had the flu and stomach bug.
A territorial rush came over him, and he took Gran’s free hand. The three of them climbed the wide porch steps together while Peter carried the luggage behind them.
Landon released Gran’s hand to unlock the deadbolt and enter the security code into the pin pad. When he heard the buzz followed by the regular lock moving, he turned the knob and opened the door.
A rustic woodland awaited them inside. Whoever decorated the cabin chose items to synergize the natural environment outside with the home’s interior. Crafted accent pieces passed as realistic replicas of flora and fauna surrounding the area. Roughhewn furniture and handmade cabinets added to the charm, but the premium calfskin couch spoke to the luxuries woven into the décor.
He hoped Gran enjoyed it as much as she would have the bed and breakfast. The cabin was more his style, but it wasn’t about him. “Come here, I’ll show you your bedroom.”
She followed him through the door off the living room. “This is twice the size of my bedroom back home.”
“Wait until you see the bathroom.” He led her past the bed with the woodland alpine bedding and through the oak door. “See that tub? It’s a Jacuzzi too.”
“I wouldn’t even know how to use that.” Gran’s wide eyes belied her casual response.
Violet wrapped an arm around her mother-in-law’s shoulder. “I can show you.”
“Your bags are on the bed, Mom.” Peter came to Gran’s side. “Would you like me to hang your clothes for you?”
“For goodness sake, let me do something.” Gran clucked her tongue. “Thank you, but I’ll take care of that.”
“I’ll take the other bags upstairs.” Peter looked at him. “Is there a room designated for your mother and me?”
“Take whichever one you’d like. I’m fine with either.”
After they all were settled, his parents went for a walk to explore the property. Landon sat on the rear porch, listening to the rippling water. He glanced over and noticed the tired look on Gran’s eyes fighting to stay open. She often took a midday nap and riding always made her tired. He didn’t want her worn out on his account, thinking she had to entertain him. “I thought I’d run to the grocery store soon and give you some time to rest.”
A weary smile found its way to her mouth. “I have to admit, I didn’t sleep much last night. I felt like a little girl at Christmas again waiting for this morning to come.”
“Me too.” He chuckled quietly. “Well, like a boy at Christmas.”
“Thank you for inviting your parents. I know it wasn’t easy, but you’ll be glad you did.”
“Maybe.” He doubted it but wouldn’t spread his negativity.
“It might not be now, but I promise you, one day you will be.”
He stood from the chair and held out a hand. “Come on, I’ll walk you inside.”
“It’s okay. You go ahead.” She looked out, her gaze settling on the water. “I want to stay outside a few more minutes before heading in.”
“All right.” He went inside, found her cell phone Archer had bought for her last year and took it to her. “Call me if you need anything. Mom and Dad should have theirs on them as well.”
“I’ve made it eighty-two years in this life just fine.” She winked at him. “Don’t you worry about me sitting here by myself.”
Leaning over, he kissed her cheek. “Love you. I’ll be back soon.”
Before he left, he searched for his parents. He’d have more peace if they’d return to the house. He didn’t want to smother Gran, but after they almost lost her two years ago, he’d become even more protective of her.
He spotted his parents walking along the driveway, coming back to the cabin, and he jogged to them. “I’m heading to town for the groceries. Gran’s going to take a nap, but she’s still on the porch for now.”
“We’re heading in now.” Peter gave Violet a glance that Landon interpreted as we weren’t planning to, but we will keep an eye on Mom. “I’ll make sure she gets to her room okay.”
“Thanks.” A moment of goodwill sprouted. “Any special requests for food?”
“A bag of those flavored pretzel nuggets if they have any, please.” Peter reached for his wallet.
Landon refused any money and experienced a surge of connection he wasn’t comfortable with. No one else in his family liked those snacks and teased him about the bad breath they caused. It never stopped him from enjoying them. Could tastes be hereditary? He shook off the feeling, refusing to go soft over something as inane as pretzels. “Anything else besides the normal?”
His mom shook her head. “I’m good.”
“Call if you think of anything.” He spun on his heel and strode to the car, eager to put some space between him and his parents.
The last time he’d had this much close interaction with them, he’d been … he couldn’t even remember. He had to give them credit—they played a good game. Any bystander would think they were loving children, putting their life on hold to care for their aging parent. Little did anyone know they lived rent-free in Gran’s house. Dad worked a sales job while Mom took care of Gran during the day, but Landon doubted that job would carry them financially if they had to pay for housing.
Few cars occupied the grocery store’s lot. Jasper Lake in the offseason turned out to be drastically different than during the summer and fall foliage weeks, which were the only times he’d been there until now. He opened the memo app on his phone and started making a list. Probably should have done that before now.
He went into the store, assessed the layout before making the rounds. Most grocery stores had the same basic arrangement, didn’t they? He started in the aisles, and once he’d located all the items he needed after circling a few times, he shopped the perimeter of the store. To his surprise, he found a wide selection of brands and flavors to choose from. Though small, the grocery packed quality and quantity onto its shelves. Jessa had told him they’d recently renovated. Props to the owners for a job well done.
After he’d checked off everything on his list and added a handful of additional items, he went to the register, loaded it all on the conveyor belt, and paid his bill. Rather than push the buggy to the car, he maneuvered all the bags into his hands and lugged them outside. Ready to head home, he checked his phone before leaving the parking lot. No important missed calls or messages.
He backed out of the spot and saw a gas station on the other side of the road. The car had half a tank. I’m sure it’s enough to get us through the weekend, but I might as well fill up now. A car pulled in before him, causing him to have a wait. He played with the radio to find a station he liked. Gran’s car didn’t have any of the Bluetooth technology that his truck had or even satellite radio access. Since he didn’t bring any CDs with him—he hadn’t bought one in years, not since the advent of digital music—he was at the mercy of wh
atever radio station he could find. By the time he settled on a pop network, the car in front of him moved, and pulled up to the pump.
After swiping his credit card and typing in his zip code, he unscrewed the gas lid and inserted the pump nozzle.
“Landon, is that you?”
He turned to where the voice came from. “Jessa?”
“Nice ride.” Her eyes twinkled with humor. “Not what I pictured you driving when not in your rig.”
“Funny.” He swept his arm from the front to back, as though it wasn’t obvious which vehicle they spoke of. “This is Gran’s car.”
“I figured, but I was only teasing anyway.” She peered into the windows. “Where is she?”
“At the cabin. I came into town for groceries while she rests.”
She grazed her bottom lip with her teeth, seeming to hesitate. “Did your parents come?”
“Yes.”
“How’s that going?”
He waved his hand, like a sideways seesaw. “Ehh.”
“That good?”
“They’ve been on good behavior, even taken good care of Gran, but I’m not falling for it.” The pump clicked off, and Landon returned the nozzle to the base. “It’s not been as horrific as I imagined though.”
“I’m glad.” She cast a quick glance at his receipt printing out. “I’ll say a prayer it stays that way. If things go south, I’m only a call away.”
Hmm. Was that an invitation? He flashed a smile. “I could if I had your number.”
“What’s yours? I’ll call it, and you can save mine.” Her pump also cut off, and she followed the same procedure he had a minute ago.
His phone rang within seconds of reciting his number. He reached into the car, grabbed it, and read off the numbers of the incoming call. “That is you, right?”
“That’s me.”
He saved her as a contact before sliding the phone in his pocket. “By the way, I met your sister earlier.”
An odd, almost scared, expression flooded her face. “Which one?”
He stopped to think. “You know, I didn’t catch her name. She works at the property management company that takes care of the cabin I rented.”
Relief came over her. “Oh, that’s Phoebe. She started there two weeks ago.”
Her reaction, mixed with Phoebe’s earlier, sparked his curiosity. He came to the quick conclusion there was much to learn about the Graff family. She’d mentioned she knew all about family drama, but lots of people said that and didn’t understand the depths of what he meant. But maybe Jessa really did understand, and that’s why they shared a connection.
Would he get the opportunity to find out her secrets?
A car horn honked, and the driver gave Landon an irritated scowl.
“That’s my cue.” He waved to the man to acknowledge he heard and knew he was waiting. He got into the car and called to Jessa from the open window. “I’ll text you later, give you an update.”
She smiled, then turned away to return to her car, ending their brief conversation.
Having a friend in this town had bolstered his optimism of the weekend. No matter what happened, he could handle his parents for forty-eight hours—knowing he could call Jessa to vent if he needed to.
Chapter Five
Yesterday had worn out Jessa, from the early morning conference call with other nearby chamber of commerce directors to the varsity football game that went into overtime last night. Jasper Lake High won the game after a nail-biting end, sending them to the playoffs.
After the long day, she’d fallen into bed and slept soundly until waking up at ten that morning. She refused to feel guilty or lazy about it. Everyone needed a day to sleep in from time to time, and today was hers. No tasks awaited completion, and no one expected her anywhere.
An entire day with nothing on her schedule. Whatever shall I do? She thought the words in a fake southern accent and laughed at herself. Didn’t someone once say the hallmark of a good personality was to enjoy your own company? She did enjoy time alone, as long as it didn’t extend for long periods of time.
She missed breakfast, but she’d wander downstairs in a little while in search of leftovers. Mrs. Addy usually had extra muffins and scones leftover, especially on the weekends since she made more. If not, lunch was around the corner, and Jessa also kept a bin of snacks in her room for when she had the munchies. Mrs. Addy didn’t mind as long as they were kept in a sealed, plastic storage that wouldn’t invite critters.
Sitting up, she decided she ought to get moving. Sleeping until ten was one thing, staying in bed ’til whenever was another. One fantastic benefit of living at Addy’s was the lack of housekeeping. She only had to do her own laundry and keep her room tidy, but Mrs. Addy had employees to take care of the rest.
Beatrix, her youngest sister whom everyone called Trixie, referred to Jessa’s housing situation as only a step up from a college dorm. Jessa disagreed entirely—if so, why would people spend hundreds of dollars a night to stay here. Sometimes she wished for more room, but at this stage in her life, the arrangement suited her well. She passed Trixie’s comments off to jealousy, as her sister lived in a rundown, one-bedroom apartment not much bigger than Jessa’s entire room at the bed and breakfast. Had lived. No one knew where she lived now.
She stretched her arms and stood to her feet after sliding her feet into a pair of slippers. Even with the upgraded central heating system, the hardwood floors were chilly in the mornings. She grabbed the elastic tie from her nightstand and pulled her hair into a quick ponytail until she got to the shower.
Continuing her morning routine, she unplugged her phone from the charger and checked for any messages. Memories of yesterday surfaced, and she envisioned Landon standing by the gas pumps. It had to be Providence that put them in the same place at the same time. He’d looked good, happy and peaceful, unlike the first two times she’d seen him. He’d also gotten a haircut, and the tighter trim fit him better than the shaggy style.
How’d he fared overnight? Perhaps he’d exaggerated how irresponsible and provoking his parents were, and this time with them had opened his eyes. Or maybe she wanted to see his family situation through rose-colored glasses in hopes she could transfer that same optimism to her family. They’d once been happy—she couldn’t understand how so many things went wrong in such a short time. Her upstanding, role-model citizen family, had been shattered by events of the last year.
Everyone told her God had a lesson somewhere in there to be learned, but she wasn’t so sure. Couldn’t life be a perfect storm of heartache without God making it a teaching experience? Because truth be told, she’d rather not learn the lesson. And bypass all the trials too.
Unwilling to ruin her Saturday-morning-sleep-in good mood, she purged her mind of thoughts regarding her family. Why let them lease unpaid space in her head? Instead, she sent Landon a text, wishing him good luck today. She understood family dynamics and how quickly they could sour. With the background he’d given her, she could see an argument break out of the blue.
Probably over something dumb at that, like a missing straw at the restaurant. Goodness, that night had been a mess. She could laugh about it now, but it hadn’t been funny at the time. Other families had suffered falling-outs over less ridiculous arguments, right? She shook her head, chuckling to herself as she walked to the shower. One day she’d write a book about all the crazy events in her life recently.
Landon hadn’t replied by the time she finished her shower. Probably out sightseeing with his family. She hoped they made it to Theodore Magnus’s cabin. There was a short hike to get there, and the path was paved, but she didn’t know his grandmother’s physical condition. Landon had said she was in good shape for her age, but that left much room for interpretation.
Instinctively, she knew Landon would find a way to make it happen no matter what. He had that go-get-’em personality, evidenced by his willingness to invite his parents on a trip he didn’t want them on just to make his grandmother happ
y.
She ran a brush through her hair and went downstairs. When she came back, she’d blow dry it, but if she took the time now, she’d risk missing lunch as well. A slight exaggeration, but it did take her upwards of thirty minutes to blow it dry. The only way she could get out of it was keeping it in a ponytail for a day, which didn’t sound like a bad option.
Mrs. Addy met her on the steps. “We missed you at breakfast.”
“I needed a slow morning.”
“Don’t we all at times.” Mrs. Addy winked with understanding, though Jessa wasn’t sure the older lady had ever slept passed five a.m. a day in her life. “I saved you a blueberry scone. It’s wrapped in a napkin on top of the stove to stay warm.”
“You’re the best landlord a girl could ask for.”
“Now you’re breaking my heart. Is that how you see me?” Mrs. Addy’s eyes twinkled.
“Among many other roles, such as another grandmother.” She gave the lady a brief hug.
“That’s more like it.” After giving her cheek a kiss, Mrs. Addy continued up the stairs, likely heading to her private residence on the third floor.
Jessa found her scone where Addy had left it, then poured a glass of milk. Due to her long slumber, she felt plenty rested and didn’t need coffee to get moving. Instead of eating at the main table, she carried her brunch to the breakfast nook and ate there.
She cupped her hands and wiped the crumbs from the table and dumped them into the trash bin, then went to the kitchen and washed her cup. Her phone vibrated in her back pocket. She dried her hands and pulled out her phone.
Landon replied! She tried to squelch the giddiness that bubbled from her heart, but it was useless. She knew better than to let the instant attraction she’d felt toward him grow, but she was helpless to stop it. Even reminders of Chris didn’t send enough warning to fizzle her bubbliness where Landon was concerned.