Where Azaleas Bloom

by Sherryl Woods

  “Where else are you working?” Luke asked.

  “I work part-time for Raylene in her boutique and part-time for your dad.”

  Nate immediately sat up straighter. “Dad’s paying you? To do what?” he asked suspiciously.

  Mitch immediately scowled at him. “Watch your tone, son.”

  “I’m just asking what kind of work she’s doing for you,” Nate said, refusing to back down. “I doubt she’s hanging drywall.”

  “I’m handling billing and payroll,” she said, determined not to take offense.

  “But Dad always—” Nate began, only to yelp and shoot a confused look at his father. “What?”

  “I can’t keep up with it in the spring and summer when I have too many crews working,” Mitch said.

  Nate didn’t look convinced, but he fell silent. Lynn had gotten the message, though. Hiring someone to do those tasks wasn’t something Mitch always did. He’d obviously done it as a way of helping her out. She resolved to straighten that out the first chance she got.

  “I’d better get back to work,” she said, standing. “I’m so glad I had a chance to meet you both. I’m sure I’ll see you again.”

  She left the table without waiting for either of the young men to respond. She was well aware that the evening hadn’t gone well. She was sorry about that for Mitch’s sake, because he’d obviously been counting on her winning over his sons. Judging from Nate’s reaction especially, that approval wasn’t likely to come anytime soon.

  Not for the first time, she wondered if she and Mitch weren’t deluding themselves that this relationship had even a slim chance of succeeding. Her life at the moment was way too complicated for her to spend a lot of time worrying about the future when she couldn’t even be sure what the rest of the day might bring. Maybe it was time to pull back, give them both some breathing room.

  But even as she resolved to do just that, she recalled Mitch’s confidence that what they had was important and real. She had a feeling that he wasn’t going to let go easily.

  * * *

  Mitch knew the dinner with his sons had been as close to a disaster as anything he’d done recently, even though there’d been no overt fireworks. Combined with Lynn’s doubts about his drinking, he knew he had a lot of work left to do before their relationship could move forward. He just hadn’t expected Lynn to go into a complete tailspin and do everything in her power to avoid him.

  In the past week alone, she’d balked at every dinner invitation he’d issued. When she refused a fourth invitation, he called her on it.

  “What’s going on, Lynn? It’s just dinner. Is this about what happened at the barbecue on Memorial Day? I thought we’d settled the whole drinking issue. Is it about Luke and Nate? Are you worried about coming between us? That’s not going to happen.”

  She sighed, her cheeks coloring. “Look, doubts don’t fade away just because we might want them to. As for your sons, they’re not happy about us. That’s real. We need to face it. Nate especially might never accept what’s going on.”

  “Nate will come around,” he said, determined to be optimistic. “And Luke has already given me his blessing. He liked you, Lynn. He told me so.”

  “I’m surprised,” she said, looking pleased. “And you obviously know Nate better than I do, so if you say he’ll adjust to seeing us together, I have to accept that. But those aren’t our only obstacles, Mitch. I just think we need to take a step back.”

  “Okay,” he said slowly. “But before I agree, I could use a little more clarity than that.”

  She looked taken aback that he’d challenged her, but eventually she nodded. “Okay, then, here it is. My life is a complicated mess right now. I love your company, probably a little too much. I’m attracted to you, and believe me when I say I wasn’t expecting that to happen to me for a long, long time.”

  “So far I’m not getting the problem. That all sounds positive to me.”

  “Because you’re a man,” she said wryly. “If sex or the prospect of sex seems to be in the equation, all’s right with the world.”

  Mitch frowned at her comment. “And you think that’s how I am? You’re selling me short, don’t you think? I’ve only kissed you a couple of times. I’ve held off out of respect for your situation. I’ve wanted to do a lot more than that, but I’m being as patient and understanding as I can possibly be because of the circumstances.”

  There was real misery in her eyes as he spoke. “I know all that,” she said softly.

  “Then you’re making excuses, Lynn. What’s really spooked you?”

  “It’s all the uncertainty, I guess.”

  “Uncertainty? About us?”

  A smile came and went. “No, you’ve been clear enough. But I have no idea when my divorce is ever going to be final and, let’s face it, no matter what you want to believe, you’re still getting over Amy’s death. We’re like two lonely souls who’re adrift. The timing is lousy for us to even consider getting involved.”

  He understood what she was saying. Some of her words were actually amazingly encouraging. Her conclusion, however, was not.

  “As I said, sweetheart, it’s just dinner.”

  She frowned at that. “I think we both know better, unless something’s changed for you.”

  Mitch laughed. “My testosterone is perfectly fine, thank you, so nothing’s changed. I definitely want a whole lot more than dinner. I want you in my bed, Lynn.” He determinedly held her gaze. “Is that plain enough for you? I want you in my life long-term.”

  He smiled at her. “That said, I’m also a patient man and, as you just noted, I have baggage of my own. Rushing into bed held a lot of appeal way back when. Now I understand the value and rewards of extensive foreplay.”

  She seemed startled by his comment, but then she chuckled. “Extensive foreplay, huh?”

  He nodded. “It works for me. Care to risk that much at least? It’ll give you time to decide if I can be trusted or not.” He dared a grin. “And you can enjoy knowing that being around you and being on my best behavior is pure torture for me. Cold showers and sleepless nights have become a regular part of my routine.”

  He could tell that she was weighing the taunting offer from every angle, probably trying to decide if she dared to take him up on it or even if she trusted herself to stick to the rules. Finally, a smile broke across her face, one that spoke volumes about her own feelings.

  “So we’re really going to go public?” she asked, looking more intrigued than he’d expected, given the doubts she’d expressed.

  “That’s the plan,” he confirmed. “Unless you think being seen around town with me is going to get Ed all worked up again. You want to run that by Helen? The last thing I want to do is cause trouble for you.”

  She hesitated, then shook her head. “No need,” she said firmly. “It’s my decision, not Helen’s or Ed’s.” She held out her hand. “Okay, deal.”

  He allowed himself a full-blown smile then. “Oh, no you don’t, Lynnie. Any deal this important deserves to be sealed with a kiss.”

  “But you said—”

  The protest died on her lips as he covered her mouth for just an instant, long enough to determine yet again that one kiss would never be enough. To his relief, as a soft moan escaped her lips, and she clung to him, it seemed fairly evident that it wasn’t going to be enough for her, either.

  21

  The tension inside Karen Cruz’s home was thick enough to cut, Flo thought a
s she and Liz arrived to join Frances and her family for the dinner that had been arranged to discuss what Frances’s future living arrangements ought to be.

  Frances was sitting all alone in a big overstuffed chair, her expression stone-faced as the conversation swirled around her. She looked a little lost and way too sad. Instinctively, Flo and Liz went over to perch on the arms of the chair, each of them taking a hand and giving it an encouraging squeeze.

  “You doing okay?” Liz asked worriedly.

  “No, I’m not okay,” Frances snapped. “They’re all acting as if my brain’s already gone, talking around me and about me. Not one of them has looked me in the eye and asked what I wanted.”

  Flo felt for her friend, but she also felt terrible for her son and daughter and the spouses who were caught up in this unexpected situation. She, Liz and Frances had had time to adjust to the news of Frances’s deteriorating health. It was all very new to her family. Not only were they grappling with their own distress, but they were trying to figure out a solution to one of the more difficult problems any family could face: how best to help an aging parent.

  Flo looked at Frances’s daughter. Jennifer was in her late forties. She and her husband were both teachers and with two daughters of their own in college and another one about to enter in the fall, Jennifer was obviously stressed to the brink over finances.

  Jeff, Frances’s son, had a wife who’d never been particularly interested in his family. She’d been tied by the apron strings to her own mother and sisters and had remained aloof from Frances over the years. Flo had a feeling she was unhappy even to be in the room for this difficult conversation.

  “Obviously, Mother can’t go on living alone,” Jeff declared. “I suppose she could stay with us some of the time and with you the rest of the time, Jen.”

  Martha, Jeff’s wife, looked horrified by the suggestion. So, for that matter, did Jennifer.

  “That will never work,” Martha said, giving her husband a defiant look. “We simply don’t have the room.”

  Dave, Jen’s husband, frowned at his sister-in-law and even at his wife. “We could make it work,” he said. “The girls are away at school most of the time, anyway.”

  “But we both have jobs,” Jennifer protested. “Someone would have to stay home or we’d have to bring in help.”

  Flo had heard enough. She glanced at Liz, who nodded. They’d talked about stepping in, but only if the conversation seemed to be deteriorating. They didn’t want Frances to sit here listening to her children implying that she was little more than a burden to them.

  “May I say something?” Flo said, giving Frances’s hand another squeeze. “Liz and I have spent more time around your mother than any of you have recently.” When Jen started to protest, Flo held up a hand. “I was not saying that to be judgmental. It’s just the way it is. While it’s true that there have been a few more incidents recently, I’m not sure a decision has to be made today. I also know your mother well enough to understand that the last thing she wants is to impose on any of you.”

  “Well, what other choice is there?” Jeff asked with evident frustration. “She can’t continue to live alone in that apartment. The landlord called us after the fire. He wants her out.”

  Though the news annoyed the daylights out of her, Flo understood that Ned Kildare probably felt he had an obligation to the safety of his other tenants, as well as to Frances herself.

  “We understand that,” Liz said. “But we’ve talked all along about looking for a senior community where the three of us might be comfortable, one that has various levels of care, independent living for as long as we’re able, assisted living for when the time comes that we need it. Flo’s circumstances have changed recently and so have mine, but I still think this is a viable solution.”

  “Mom can’t afford some expensive retirement community,” Jeff said. “And at the least she should be living close to one of us.”

  “Do you really want to uproot her from the community where she’s spent her entire life?” Flo asked. She turned to Frances. “Hon, I don’t want to speak out of turn here. This is up to you. Why don’t you tell us what you want?”

  Tears glistened in Frances’s eyes. “I want to stay at home with Lester,” she said in a whisper that could barely be heard around the room.

  At that, Jennifer burst into tears and crossed the room, pulling her mother into her arms. “Mom, you know Daddy’s been gone for a long, long time,” she said, her voice thick.

  Frances blinked. “Lester’s gone?”

  Jen wiped away her mother’s tears. “Yes, Mom, he’s gone. And you sold the house a couple of years after that. You’ve been living in an apartment, remember?”

  Frances frowned, then seemed to come back from whatever moment in time she’d been in. “Well, of course, I remember,” she said irritably. “And I know I should have looked for a retirement place back when I was first diagnosed, but I guess I’ve been living in denial, thinking that I’d be one of the lucky ones who’d never progress beyond having a mild cognitive disorder. There’s no fool quite like an old fool, is there?”

  “Mom, you’ve never been foolish,” Jeff said. “And it doesn’t matter if you’ve been in denial. We’re all facing this now and we’re doing it together.” He gave his wife a defiant look as he said it.

  Karen, who’d been silent until now, crossed the room and knelt beside Frances. “Whatever you decide, you know that Elliott and I want you to stay right here until you find exactly the right situation. There’s no rush, okay?” She shot a disappointed look at Jeff and Jennifer. “Daisy, Mack and Elliott and I love having you here. You were always there for me, and I’m more than happy to do whatever I can for you now.”

  Jen looked vaguely chagrined to have this younger woman who had no family ties to Frances step up in a way she hadn’t. Even so, she seized on the apparent lifeline.

  “Karen, are you sure you’re up to this?” Jen asked. “You have a baby on the way, a job to consider.”

  “We want to do it,” Karen insisted. “Elliott would be here to tell you that himself, but we decided it was best to take the kids over to his mom’s for dinner so you all could discuss this in peace.”

  “It would only be until we could find a place where Mom will be comfortable,” Jeff said, looking relieved. “I’d insist she come with me, but I know how much she adores Daisy and Mack and this town. She’ll be much happier here with you and with her friends close by.”

  “And we’ll take her to visit all the retirement homes in the region,” Flo offered. “When we’ve narrowed it down, we can let you know and you can look over the ones your mother likes best.”

  Jen looked around the room gratefully. “You have no idea how much it means to me knowing that Mom is surrounded by so many people who care about her.”

  “More than my own children do from what I can see,” Frances said, her expression sad. She stood up. “I think I’ll go to my room and rest.”

  She walked out with Liz at her side.

  Flo glanced at Jen and saw tears streaming down her cheeks.

  “She’s right,” Jen said. “You’re the ones who’ve stepped up. All I could think about was how on earth we’d manage.”

  “It would have been hard,” Jeff said, looking directly at his wife when he spoke. “But we could have made it work. Still, I am grateful that there’s an alternative.”

  “And you’ve no need to feel guilty about that,” Flo told him.

 
Though she was disappointed that Frances’s family hadn’t reacted differently, she understood from her own time living with Helen, Erik and Sarah Beth while her broken hip healed that it was often difficult having three generations under one roof. To have to make such an adjustment on the spur of the moment would be incredibly difficult.

  “And try not to let what your mother said upset you too much,” Flo advised them. “She’s under a terrible strain trying to accept that she needs help from anyone. She’s a proud woman, and she’s been able to live independently for years. This is going to be a big change for her. She’s entitled to lash out from time to time.”

  Jen managed a wobbly smile. “Given some of the tongue lashings she gave me as a teenager, I think we got off easy today. And despite what I know you must think of us right now, we will step up and be there for her. I promise you that.”

  Karen gave Jen a fierce hug. “You were so lucky to have had her as a mother. I’ve only had her in my life for a few years. Maybe it’ll help to know how very much I love her, too. She’s not going to face any of this alone.”

  “No, she’s not,” Flo said just as emphatically. Heck, maybe in another year or two she and Donnie would be ready for the right retirement home, too. Especially if there were regular dances!

  * * *

  “Why are we here?” Lynn asked, when she met Helen outside the courtroom just two days after that uncomfortable evening with Mitch’s sons. “Is the judge finally ruling on the divorce settlement today?”

  Helen shook her head. “Apparently, Jimmy Bob has filed some kind of new motion, and Hal wants to have a full hearing before he takes it into account.”

  “A motion? And you haven’t seen it?”

  Helen rolled her eyes. “Jimmy Bob is particularly fond of blindsiding the opposing attorney,” she said, clearly disgusted with his tactics. “The court frowns on it, and it means there can’t possibly be any kind of ruling because we haven’t had time to respond, but it’s all a big game to him. I’m surprised the bar association hasn’t sanctioned him for pulling this stunt too many times.”