When it became clear he wasn’t going to say anything, Violet shook her head. “Keep at it, Cain. Keep pushing away the one person who’s trying to help you, keep hurting my feelings every chance you get. Just know that one of these days, you’re going to push too hard. And I won’t come back.”
Twelve
You see what I mean?” Alvin asked triumphantly. “It’s glaucoma.”
Violet pulled back from staring intently at the older man’s eyes. “To be honest, I don’t know what I’m looking at. Aren’t there tests for glaucoma? You know, by actual doctors?”
He scowled. “Yes. But I’m beginning to have my doubts about Western medicine.”
She nodded in understanding, even as she mentally translated: he had taken a glaucoma test, and it had come back negative.
“Well, let’s keep an eye on it. Pun intended. We’ll give it a week, and if it’s still bugging you, we can start looking at alternative treatments. That okay?”
He beamed at her. “You really are the dearest. And you’ll be pleased to hear that my bowel movements have returned to normal.” Alvin made an A-OK gesture as he said it, and she made one back.
“Delighted to hear it. Edith in the parlor?” she asked, already moving that direction before he could launch into detail she really didn’t want to hear.
Edith stood at the sideboard, arranging a large bouquet of white and yellow roses when Violet joined her. “Ah, there you are. I’m so glad you could join me.”
“I rarely say no to happy hour,” Violet said with a smile. “Especially one of yours. It’s been too long since we’ve caught up.”
“It has,” Edith said, looking regretful. “Things have been so hectic with Cain—he won’t be joining us, by the way.”
“A shame,” Violet said, lying smoothly. She hadn’t had contact with the infernal man since the apartment tour, and the distance had been suiting her just fine.
“White wine okay?” Edith asked, moving from the flowers to the elegant marble wine chiller. She lifted a bottle of Chablis in question, and Violet nodded.
“Truthfully, Violet?” Edith said with a tired sigh as she poured them each a small glass. “I’m glad it’s just us today.”
“Oh?” Violet asked cautiously, accepting the glass and sitting.
Edith nodded. “I wanted to talk to you alone. Girl talk, I guess they call it?”
“Is everything okay?” Violet asked, a little thrown off by Edith’s mood. “I know I haven’t been around to help you as much as usual, but with the Cain thing—”
“Violet.” Edith set a hand on hers and took a seat beside her. “Stop. I’ve missed you, is all.”
“Oh!” Violet felt touched, but nonplussed. “I’ve missed you too.”
Edith smiled and sipped her wine. “So, tell me. How have you been?”
Violet blew out a breath, wondering how honest to be. “Let’s just say the past couple of weeks have been interesting.”
“That they have. But you’ve made significant progress. Cain’s different, isn’t he? His wardrobe’s noticeably improved. Most importantly, he doesn’t snarl at everyone in the office as he did in those first days.”
Probably because he’s been saving all his snarls for me, and me alone.
“He also seems to like the new apartment he moved into in record time,” Edith continued in a thoughtful tone. “I stopped by yesterday to see it. Can’t say I’d want to live there myself, but he seemed more relaxed.”
“I’m sure he is. It suits him.”
Edith was studying her. “You’ve been there?”
“I helped him find the broker. I hope that’s okay.”
Edith tilted her head. “Why wouldn’t it be okay? I asked you to help him settle into the city.”
“Yes, but I know you were probably hoping that it would be in Adam’s house.”
Edith took another tiny sip of wine. “Perhaps I was hoping that. But I think Cain had the right of it. I think a fresh start is best. For him, and for me.”
“How so?” Violet asked, genuinely curious. She loved Edith, but the older woman could be a bit set in her ways. She hadn’t even realized fresh start was in the woman’s vocabulary.
“I suppose I’ve realized a tiny part of me has been trying to simply insert Cain into the empty space Adam has left. That’s partially necessary, if I want him to take over the company, but on a personal level, I suppose I need to give Cain a chance to be Cain. Don’t I?”
Spoiler alert: Cain “as he really is” is an ass.
Still, it was a big step for Edith and for her relationship with her grandson. An important one. So Violet nodded encouragingly.
Edith looked down at her glass, seeming fascinated with the liquid, though she didn’t take another sip. “May I ask you something? A bit personal?”
“Of course.”
Edith looked up, her blue eyes searching Violet’s face. “How are things with you and Keith?”
“Keith?” Violet repeated. “He’s—we’re… fine. Same as we’ve always been. Fine.”
Edith looked like she actually bit her tongue at that, but she smiled. “I’m glad. It’s just, I’ve realized recently, you and Cain have been spending plenty of time together.”