"Now, you know how I get when things happen."
"This is what we're going to do. I’ll go upstairs and talk to Grandfather. Natalie is going to walk you through the party plans. She’s come up with some really good ideas." He looked at me with uncertainty, and I knew exactly what he was thinking. Should I even bring it up at all? I thought it could distract her, but maybe what Jeannie needed was just a friendly ear or some company.
"Jeannie and I will be fine," I assured him. I didn't know how I was going to achieve that, but I knew I could.
He nodded curtly and headed up the stairs. Jeannie smiled at me, and in those brilliantly blue eyes, I could see a hint of the woman I'd met before.
"Did he give you a hard time?"
"Oh, yes, actually, but I returned the favor and gave him shit.”
Jeannie started laughing. She dropped her head back, putting her hand on her chest.
"Oh my goodness, I would've paid great money to see that. You know, this is part of the reason I hired you," she said as we walked to the living room.
"What?"
"You just seem like the kind of woman who could put up with my grandson."
"How did you even know that I’d get the chance to do it?."
Jeannie winced and then pressed her lips together as if she'd caught herself talking out of line. "I just had a hunch, dear, that the chance ‘to give him shit,’ as you put it, might come up."
I dipped my head, ashamed. "I'm so sorry I used that expression in front of you. It was not professional at all."
"Don't you worry, darling. It took me out of my own worries for a minute there, and I desperately needed it."
It looked like I’d found my angle. We sat down in the living room on the couch, and I walked her through my ideas for the party. To my astonishment, she listened intently and nodded several times.
"This all sounds great."
"I can sense a ‘but’ coming."
"Well, now with Abe, I'm honestly not sure if traveling anywhere is a good idea."
Of course, she was right.
"I didn't think about that. That's not a problem. I can scout locations around Boston. You still have time to decide."
She nodded, and I could feel her slipping away.
"Yes, do that." She glanced behind her. "How long have they been upstairs?"
"Just ten minutes. Do you want to tell me what happened?"
Jeannie closed her eyes. "He clutched his arm and fell to the floor, became unconscious."
Heavens, that did sound like a heart attack. "What did the doctor say?"
"That he needs absolute and utter rest. I was such a fool, letting him go to the office."
"Jeannie, you can't blame yourself."
"Oh yes I can. Whitley men are extremely stubborn—please note the emphasis on extremely—even when it's not in their best interest. It's my job to make sure they don't get in their own way. God, if I lost him..."
"But you didn't, Jeannie," I said softly. "He's healthy, and you'll make sure he's resting properly from now on."
"Yes," she said absentmindedly. "Jake was so furious. I wasn't intentionally keeping it from him. I simply didn't find any time to call him."