She felt a peace come over her. Yes, she could continue to feel slighted by her parents, or she could realize they were human, and that raising children was clearly much more difficult than she’d ever imagined, and that they had done the best they could for each of their children.
And it was probably true, the old adage that the ‘squeaky wheel gets the grease.’ She should have been … squeakier.
For whatever reason, the thought brought a smile to her lips. She should have squeaked more. Problem solved.
Dalton happened to approach her and noted the laughter in her eyes. He arched his brows in question.
“Did you need something, Dalton?” she asked.
“Oh, Dalton’s right there with you?” her mother said, failing to mask the suggestive note to her voice.
“Mom,” Laura said with a warning tone.
“I’ll let you go, honey. Will you call me soon? Or, better yet, fly out and see your Dad and me on your return trip home. We really miss our youngest. Oh, and do tell Dalton ‘hello.’”
“I love you, Mom.” Her eyes were twinkling as she hung up the phone.
She found Dalton eyeing her speculatively. “It looks like you and your mom had a good talk,” he observed.
“We did,” she said, still smiling at her epiphany. “She says ‘hi.’” She chuckled again.
“What?” he prompted.
“You know how they say, ‘the squeaky wheel gets the grease’?”
“Yes.”
“Mom said some things that made me think I should have ‘squeaked’ more when I was a kid.”
To her surprise, Dalton nodded, seeming to understand what she meant by the remark. He stared intently into her eyes and reached toward her, smoothing his hand across her brow. “It’s not too late, you know,” he told her.
“What do you mean?”
“Start squeaking,” he said with a grin, and pulled her into a hug. “You have rights, you know.”
She laughed. “I do, huh?”
“Yeah, you do. You matter, Laura. You really do. So, squeak away.”
Chapter Thirteen
Laura sat in the living room, in the comfortable, old recliner. She was weary from cooking all day. Dalton walked into the room and smiled, taking note that she’d laid claim to his favorite chair with a quick lifting of his brows.
“My chair,” she said, smiling.
“Yeah, you’ve probably earned it,” he said, as he sat down on the couch.
Well, you have too,” she conceded, but refrained from vacating the comfort of the well-worn, cushioned seating. “Is everybody still washing dishes?” Laura asked.
He nodded. “Well, except for Candace and the kids. They left while you were talking to your mom, but they told me to tell you ‘goodbye’ and that they would see you tomorrow.”
Laura nodded. “So Dan and Candace are both working tomorrow? The day after Thanksgiving.”
“Apparently.”
“Dalton?”
“Yeah?”
“Has anyone actually come right out and asked Candace what’s going on with her?”
He furrowed his brow in thought. “I … don’t know.”
“You haven’t?”
“No, I guess I haven’t. I guess I don’t know how I feel about delving into her personal business. She might not take too kindly to it,” he added, and made a scared face.
“You mean, in the same way she behaved when anyone ‘stuck their nose into her business’ as she called it, back when we were kids.”
“Well, yeah, that.”
“She’s a grown woman now,” she pointed out.
“True. I have to think Thomas has tried to talk to her…”
“I have. Well, sort of,” Thomas said, as he followed Macy into the room. “Dishes are done,” he added, and then flashed a grin at both Dalton and Laura. “Thanks for cooking dinner. Please don’t ever do it again.”
Laura glanced at Dalton. “Imagine. I’m actually not offended by that remark.”
“Me neither,” he said good-naturedly. “Relieved, actually, but definitely not offended.”
“Okay, you all. You were discussing Candace when we came in,” Macy interrupted pointedly, in a voice sterner than the group was accustomed to from her. She turned to her betrothed. “And you have not had a real conversation with your sister because she terrifies you.” She whacked him on the arm for good measure.
“What’d I do?”
“Nothing, other than continue to tip-toe around your sister, and that’s the point. It’s time we found a way to get to the root of Candace’s problems, preferably with her here, but, since she isn’t…” She spread her hands wide.
Thomas detected the firm note in his fiancée’s voice. He wasn’t accustomed to it. Macy had always been much like Laura—level-headed and kind—which was why he’d been drawn to her in the first place. Now, she seemed adamant and determined—testy—more like Candace.
He sat down on the couch and patted the spot beside him. She joined him there and turned toward him.
She sat quietly for a moment and appeared to be gathering her thoughts. Finally, she said, “Look, I’m happy that you help your sister out. If you didn’t, you wouldn’t be the man I fell in love with. And I adore my soon-to-be nephew and niece, but I have to tell you,” she said, aiming a glance at Thomas and then Dalton, “you two are pathetic.”
“What do you mean?” Thomas gasped.
“Yeah?” Dalton said. “What exactly does that mean?”
“What I mean is that you’re two grown men clearly frightened of Candace. You won’t really talk with her, because you’re sure she’s going to pitch a fit like the Candace of old would have done. But, she’s a grown woman now. She changed, guys. Years ago, actually. You somehow missed the memo. You’re the ones who continue to dance around her, as if afraid of being subjected to her wrath.”
“I am afraid,” Thomas admitted without apology. “She’s scary.”
“She used to be scary,” Macy clarified, and turned to Laura. “Laura, I’m sorry to have to put you on the spot, but, you’re on the spot.”
“How do you mean?”
“Your sister needed you—needs you. She sent that e-mail to you for a reason.”
“I know,” Laura said. “To apologize to me, and she has.”
“No, I mean, yes, there’s that, but she wanted her sister.” She glanced around at the group. “Something is eating away at her, like a cancer,” she said gravely. “She’s literally withering away—physically, emotionally, spiritually—in front of us, and you all aren’t seeing it.”
“But we are,” Thomas objected. “And Laura did come home,” he added. “What more can we do? As you’ve pointed out, I’ve already picked up so much slack, it’s affecting my relationship with … you!”
Macy gave a withering sigh and turned away from him and toward her future sister-in-law. “Look, Laura, please talk to your sister.”
She turned back to Thomas and wagged a warning finger. “I love you. You know that. But I have a life too—one I want to spend with you. At the rate we’re going, we won’t be married until the kids graduate high school.”
Thomas dropped his head. “Honey, I am sorry.”
“I know you are! But you have to be more than sorry. You have to be proactive. This family needs to talk, for Pete’s sake. We need a clear picture of what is going on with Candace. It’s time to stop skirting the issue, whatever it may be.” She shook her head and laughed without humor. “I’m not waiting around forever, mister. I’m getting older as we speak. My biological clock is ticking…”
Laura rose from the recliner and draped an arm over Macy’s shoulders. “Please, Macy, just keep on ticking awhile longer and…”
“What?” Macy said, chuckling.
“You know what I mean,” Laura said, matching her smile. “And you’ve been more than patient with Thomas. And I completely understand your losing patience now. Any girl would,” she added, giving her brother a dirty lo
ok. “But for my part, I promise I’ll talk to my sister. You have my word.”
Macy grinned. “I knew I could count on you, Laura,” she said, enunciating the ‘you.’ “But as far as you two are concerned…” She glared at the men and gave a dejected shake of her head. “Couple of scaredy cats…”
“What?” the men gasped in unison.
“Scaredy cats!” she repeated, and rose and retrieved her coat from the closet. “I’ll walk myself out,” she said, measuring her fiancé with a look.
“Oh, no, you won’t,” Thomas said.
He followed her out of the room, and sent a frightened glance at Dalton and Laura from the doorway, before shutting the door behind him.
Dalton began laughing. “Good for Macy,” he said. “I wish I had her gumption.”
Laura gave him a curious glance. “About what?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know,” he said mysteriously. “Wouldn’t you like to know?” He arched his brows, stood from the chair and stretched, and then walked wearily up the stairs to his room.
***
Laura woke the day after Thanksgiving feeling stiff and tired. Who knew a whole day in the kitchen cooking a mediocre holiday meal could tire someone out so much?
She stretched in the comfortable bed, thankful for it, and grateful to Dalton for letting her use it during her stay.
During her stay…
How long was she going to stay? She hadn’t given the question much thought, and hadn’t purchased a return ticket home as yet. But now that Thanksgiving was over…
Her job beckoned. She knew her boss hadn’t been thrilled when she’d originally requested the time off, citing family responsibilities as a reason for needing the vacation days. She felt torn now, at the thought of leaving. It was simply too soon.
She had promised Macy she would talk to Candace and attempt to get to the bottom of her problems. But she felt she owed something to her brother too—the gift of availing herself to helping him out with the kids until they got everything straightened out. Thomas couldn’t do it alone. She knew that.
And if he continued on his present course, he might very well lose Macy. And Macy wasn’t being unreasonable in her requests of all of them. Like Thomas, she had given much of her time to babysitting and helping him run a household. It wasn’t her job. Particularly when she had a wedding to plan.
But then, whose job was it? In a perfect world, Candace was responsible for her own children. But as Macy pointed out, Candace was falling apart before their eyes.
Laura had to admit, she had failed to see how sad a shape her sister was in until Macy had forced her to really look. And Macy was absolutely correct. Someone needed to take action soon since Candace was literally withering away.
Laura hurried to take a shower, and then returned to her room and got dressed and ready for the day. She’d just finished when the doorbell rang. Glancing out the window, she spotted Dan, standing back and away from the porch, waiting for someone to let the kids into the house.
Dashing downstairs, Laura was surprised to find the house quiet. Both Thomas and Dalton were apparently sleeping in—a rarity with them. She opened the door and welcomed her nephew and niece into the house. “The men are still sleeping,” she told them, gesturing for them to be quiet.
“We won’t be loud,” Kenny told her, as he and his sister stepped into the room.
She smiled her thanks, and then said, “Hey, I’m going to have a word with your dad. Will you give me a minute?”
“Sure,” they both agreed, and she stepped onto the porch and closed the door behind her.
She walked down the steps and met Dan, who watched her with a questioning look on his face.
“Hello,” she said, smiling. “Did you have a nice Thanksgiving?” The instant she asked the question, regret flashed across her face.
Dan noticed and waved a conciliatory hand. “Don’t worry about it,” he told her. “We all did the best we could yesterday, under the circumstances.”
Laura took a deep breath and met his eyes. She winced. “That’s sort of what I wanted to talk to you about,” she murmured. “I mean, I’d like to talk to Candace too, of course, but…”
“Good luck with that,” he muttered ruefully. “She certainly won’t talk to me.”
Laura nodded. “Dan, do you think the miscarriage might account for Candace’s…”
“Breakdown,” he finished for her.
“Yes.”
“Yes, I think that’s the core issue, but there’s more…” He removed his cap from his head and ran a hand through his hair. He checked his watch.
“Dan, I’m sorry. I know you have to get to work.”
“No, no, that’s okay. I have a minute.”
Laura sensed then that he wanted to talk.
“I do think the miscarriage is at the root of everything, but as I said, I think there’s more to it. After … it happened, she changed.”
“You mean, she became depressed?”
“Yes, but she also…” He sighed and glanced around. The morning was gray, and a misty haze had settled over the land around them.
Laura suddenly registered the chill and wrapped her arms around herself, to stave off the cold.
“You should get a jacket,” he urged.
“I’m all right.” She caught his gaze. His eyes reflected so much pain, she found herself reaching out to squeeze his arm. “Dan, what happened after the miscarriage?”
He met her gaze dead-on. “She began spending money,” he said with a shrug. “She maxed out three credit cards and…”
Laura gasped. “That’s why she’s working!” she said, grateful for the dawning of understanding. “And why you’re working yourself to death,” she added. “Oh, Dan, I’m sorry.”
“You and me both,” he muttered, but quickly searched her face. “I’m not angry at her for that,” he was quick to assure her. “I know it was a mechanism for coping. I think shopping because her ‘fix,’ if you know what I mean.”
Well, better shopping than what they had speculated might be the problem, she mused to herself.
“Is she … still spending?”
“I don’t think so,” he told her. “In fact, she gave me a check yesterday, to put toward the balance on one of the cards.”
“Okay, okay, this is starting to make sense…”
“We’re selling the house,” Dan told her. “We have to, whether we manage to work out or not. We never needed that house in the first place,” he said, almost angrily.
Laura remembered her mother had told her that her sister and brother-in-law had purchased a grand home, which she feared would ultimately prove to be beyond their means.
“Did Candace insist on buying the home?” Laura asked softly.
He shook his head. “No. It was me. I wanted to give her the world.” He sighed. “She told me at the time that she didn’t ‘need’ it, but I forged ahead.” He glanced off into the distance, but pulled back to meet her eyes again. He didn’t break eye contact when he declared, with a humorless, self-deprecating laugh, “No, that was all me.”
Once again, she squeezed his arm. “Dan, don’t give up, and…”
“What is it, Laura?”
“May I ask you a question? It is personal, and you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to. I’ll understand.”
“Go ahead,” he said.
“How much debt do you have right now? Credit card debt, that is. I may be able to…”
He hesitated, but sighed. “We started out with sixteen thousand, but we’ve whittled it down to ten. We’re going to pay it off,” he said adamantly. “I always pay my debts.”
“I can…” she began.
“No, no, we’ll find a way. I’m hoping the house will sell, and then we’ll be all right. In the meantime, it’s my responsibility. I am grateful to you for offering though.”
It was a positive sigh, and a testament to his character, and love for Candace, that he owned her debt as his own. It made Laura al
l the more determined to help them.
“Thank you for telling me,” she said.
“Yeah, well, my pride went by the wayside about the time I planted the ‘for sale’ sign in the yard, and watched my wife drive off to work.” He gave a humorless laugh. “And every time I drop my kids off here, with the expectation that Thomas is going to raise them in my absence. Yeah, my pride has definitely taken a hit. I may never recover,” he added drolly.
“Dan, keep the faith. Keep praying. I’m going to talk to Candace. Don’t lose hope just yet.”
He shook his head. “Laura, I’m afraid my hope went along with my pride.” He returned the cap to his head, gave her a sad salute, and walked slowly to his car. He moved like an utterly broken man.
Laura’s heart went out to him, but she resolved to try to help him. For him, for Candace, for the kids—for Thomas and Macy. For Dalton, who cared so much about her family. She was determined to help.
As she stepped into the living room, Dalton was waiting by the front door. He caught her gaze. “How is he?”
“Not good,” she told him. “But, with a little faith, and some honest-to-goodness communication, I’m hoping we can fix that.”
He acknowledged her resolve with a smile. “Well, with you on the job, I’m sure things are going to work out fine.”
She shook her head. “Like the songs says, ‘let Jesus take the wheel.’ I’m going to do that, but—I am going to ride shotgun.”
Dalton laughed and pulled her into a hug. “Man, I’ve missed you.”
“But I’m right here,” she told him, pulling away to see his face.
“And you’ll be leaving soon,” he said sadly. “And then what will the whole, wretched lot of us do then?”
“Like you’ve always done,” she said, forcing herself to sound cheerful. “You’re going to do just fine.”
Chapter Fourteen
The weekend arrived and Laura urged Thomas to leave his house and tend to his fiancée. He didn’t object, since even he now realized that his relationship with Macy needed some tender loving care.
Abound in Love Page 12