My jaw drops. “Really? I can’t imagine Riley’s mother embroiled in a hot, passionate affair.” I giggle.
My mother glares at me.
I grow serious. “Not you, though.”
“That’s not a nice thing to say. Of course, I worried about your reaction, and I was right to. Look at your sister. She and I rarely talk, and when we do, we argue. Your brother and Laura are the only ones who are supportive,” she says.
With the hindsight of time, I see now that Adeline and I might have come on too strongly against Ian. We could have toned it down a bit and tried to get to know him first.
Besides, our mother is an adult and has always been level-headed. Guilt floods me. “Didn’t I have a visit with Ian?”
She stares at me. “Yeah, you did,” she finally says.
I fidget in my seat as I recall how Adeline and I behaved toward Ian. It bordered on immaturity, and I’m sure it hurt our mother a lot.
“How are Caleb and Laura?” I haven’t spoken to either of them since I left the hospital. Thomas and I have taken to living in our own cocoon. I have to admit that it’s been nice not to have anywhere to go or anything to do. As Thomas pointed out, we’ve worked hard all our lives, and having some downtime to plan the future is a good thing.
Not that I’ve been planning the future.
“They’re well. I spoke with them yesterday,” Mom says. “More importantly, how are you?” She peers into my face as if my well-being is written across it.
“I’ve been good. It’s been nice to just relax.”
“Aren’t you getting tired of staying in the house all day?” Mom asks. It’s a weird question from someone who spent almost a decade retired.
“Well, I am starting to become jittery,” I say, admitting to my mom something I wasn’t even ready to admit to myself. “Especially with Thomas busy with his interviews.”
“I can imagine. This house is beautiful, but you’d get tired of admiring it after a day or two.”
“Yeah.”
“I’m not bringing this up for no reason. We open the bar in a few days; I’m sure you know that.”
I’m embarrassed because I forgot all about the opening day at the bar. She sent me a text telling me about it.
She grins. “Can you imagine The Caroline will soon be operational? I can’t tell you how excited both Ian and I are. We’re not getting any sleep from anxiety and excitement.”
Her enthusiasm is catching. My mother’s life is more exciting than mine right now. She’s living her life and enjoying every moment of it.
“I’m happy for you, Mom.”
“Anyway, I thought you might come and work as a server for a few hours a day. The pay is not what you’re used to, of course, but it’s not about the money. It’s just something to get you out of the house and mixing with people again.”
I take a moment to take in Mom’s offer.
***
“Can you imagine me as a server in a bar?” I ask Thomas later as we’re having dinner.
“Actually, I can,” Thomas says. “You’re good with people.”
I have to admit that the idea has been growing on me since Mom left. I’ve been mulling it over in my mind since then. I didn’t give her an answer, just told her that I’d sleep on it. Her response had been that there’s a training tomorrow, and if I’m interested, I should just show up. I still haven’t decided what to do.
“I hope the hours are short. I don’t want you on your feet for too long,” Thomas says.
“Just four hours a day. Ten to two.”
“Good.”
I grin. It seems like the decision is made. “How did the interview go?” It’s an elimination process, and they are down to three candidates now.
“It went well, but it’s going to be a tight race. The other guys are hugely qualified.” Thomas looks nervous.
“You really want it, don’t you?” I ask.
He nods. “I’ve missed working in a large hospital, plus I like the variety.”
“You’ll get it. There’s something about you that screams responsible and serious.”
“Thanks for your vote of confidence,” Thomas says.
I made a simple dinner of pasta and a salad, and when we’re done, we clean up the dishes together.
Afterward, we settle down in the living room, Thomas with one of those large medical books of his and me with a laptop to get some waitressing tips.
We go to bed at ten, and upstairs, we pause between our two rooms to say goodnight.
Thomas holds me tight and then whispers into my ear in a tortured voice, “I promised myself I would not do this, but I can’t help it, and I’ll only ask once. Do you want to come and sleep in my bed?”
I have to laugh at how unsure he sounds. Pleasure swamps me at the knowledge that he has been wanting me in his bed but was uncomfortable to ask. It’s cute and sweet.