“You almost made a hole in it. If that was a living thing, you would have knocked it unconscious.” Not to mention the fact that she’d never seen him plump a cushion in all the years they’d been together. Usually he tossed them on the floor. “You’re worried, and so am I. I want to know what’s happening.”
She felt helpless, and she hated feeling helpless.
Stewart removed a feather that had sneaked out from the cushion. “Maybe I am worried, but there’s nothing we can do about it. They’re not kids, Suzanne, they’re adults. It’s not our job to fix things for them. It’s our job to support them, no matter what.”
“Beth and Hannah both came home early. That isn’t normal. What if there’s something they want to talk through?”
“Then they’d sit down with us and talk. They know they can. They’ve always known that, honey.”
It wasn’t enough for Suzanne. “If Beth wanted to talk, she’d talk to you.”
“And I’ve given her the opportunity. We’ve had breakfast a few times. Took a walk together yesterday. She didn’t mention anything.”
“She came home without luggage. She never travels without luggage, which means she must have walked out. I don’t believe that nonsense about the airline losing her cases. Are she and Jason acting normal? Did they have a fight, do you think?”
Stewart sat down on the chair and shook his head. “I don’t know. And even if they did, it doesn’t mean it was anything serious. They’re both here now and they’re sleeping in the same room and laughing together. Beth is constantly fiddling with her hair and makeup, which seems pretty normal to me. That’s all I can tell you.”
Suzanne reached for her robe. “Why are you making the cranberry sauce? Beth could do that.”
“She’s a little preoccupied with this job. That damn woman always seems to call in the middle of mealtimes. If you ask me, she’s more likely to be the problem than their marriage.”
“Corinna? I don’t like the idea of Beth working for her again.”
“Me neither, but it’s not our business.” Stewart sounded tired. “It’s her decision.”
“Maybe, but I’m telling you it’s a mistake.”
“If it is, then it’s her mistake and we have to let her make it.”
And that was one of the hardest things about parenting, standing by and watching your child make a mistake. She wanted to jump in and save them from it. She wanted to protect them from every hurt.
“It was easier when they were little.” Suzanne slid her arms into her robe and stood up carefully.
Stewart crossed the room in a flash and put his arm round her.
“Steady. I don’t want you collapsing.”
She smiled up at him. “Because you love me.”
“There’s that, but also I have no idea how to get blood out of a carpet.”
“Oh, you—” She punched his arm and lost her balance in the process. She would have fallen if he hadn’t caught her against him.
“You are the most stubborn, infuriating—”
“I think the words you’re missing are beautiful, talented, intelligent—”
He kissed her. “That, too. Get back into bed. Take another day to rest.”
There was a soft knocking on the door and Stewart waited until Suzanne had sat back down on the bed before crossing the room to open it.
Melly and Ruby stood there.
“We made cards for Grandma,” Melly said. “To help her get better.”
Ruby thrust them into his hand, showering glitter over the carpet.
The girls looked so adorable, Ruby with her riot of curls and Melly with her hair neatly caught in bunches.