At Last (The Idle Point, Maine Stories)(77)

Chapter Thirteen





Noah let her off at the top of the driveway, as close to Gramma Del's front door as possible. He offered to see her inside but she refused. He lingered in the driveway and he didn't begin rolling back down toward the street until she turned and motioned that it was okay for him to leave. A gentleman to the end.

At least she hadn't bumped into Ben or Laquita. She felt too exposed right now, too vulnerable, to make small talk. All she wanted to do was slip into Gramma Del's cottage unnoticed and try to make sense of the fact that the boy she loved was now a man with a child.

Unfortunately she wasn't fast enough because the side door of her father's house opened and Laquita stepped outside.

"Knee or ankle?" Laquita asked, falling into step with her.

"Ankle." Gracie made a face. "A sprain. I'm a chronic klutz."

"Lean on me," Laquita said. "A little ice, a little elevation, and you'll be good as new."

"That's what I was thinking."

"That's right." Laquita looked up at her. "You're a vet. So, tell me, what do you do when an Irish setter sprains her ankle?"

"I'll let you know when it happens," Gracie said

Laquita pushed open the door to Gramma Del's cabin and they stepped inside. Pyewacket strolled toward them with the world-weary air of one to the manner born. "That can't be Sam!"

"This is Pyewacket. Sam died five years ago." Now there was a conversation stopper for you. Nothing like talking about dead pets with your new stepmother.

Laquita motioned toward the chair. "Take off that wet jacket, then sit down and put your foot up on the coffee table while I get some ice."

"Funny," said Gracie as she shrugged out of her jacket, "but I don't remember you being this bossy when we were in school."

"Really?" Laquita walked back into the room carrying a large bag of mixed vegetables. "I don't remember you being so klutzy."

Gracie laughed even though she sensed maybe the slightest edge to Laquita's innocent words. Then again, she might have been guilty of that herself.

"No ice," Laquita said, kneeling down in front of Gracie. "This'll have to do."

Gracie jumped as the bag of vegetables touched her skin. "It would be easier to go out and play in the snow."

"Assuming we had snow The weather's been unnaturally warm. I can't remember ever reaching Thanksgiving week without snow." Laquita claimed the corner of the sofa next to Gracie then Pye claimed Laquita.

Traitor, thought Gracie. Fair-weather friend.

"So was that Noah's car I saw backing out of the driveway?" Laquita absently stroked behind Pye's ear with the finesse of a woman who was accustomed to cats. Pye looked like he was in heaven.

Gracie nodded. "He found me sitting on the curb and gave me a lift home."

"You should've asked him in. I have some cookies for Sophie."

"You know Sophie?"

Laquita lifted her left pant leg and pointed toward a fading bruise on her shin. "I know Sophie."

"What's with that kid?" Gracie leaned forward to readjust the makeshift ice pack. "I hear she bites too. Why don't Noah and her mother do something about it?"

"Noah's trying," Laquita said, "but it's tough being a single parent."

"Wait a second," Gracie said. "Back up. I thought Sophie's mother was in the picture."

Laquita looked at her strangely. "Noah didn't tell you?"

Gracie hesitated. "He told me that he isn't with Sophie's mother. That's about all."

"I thought you two were old friends."

"That was a long time ago." She shifted position, although her discomfort wasn't just physical. "So what's the story?"

"Apparently Noah just found out about Sophie a few months ago." She went on to tell Gracie about a holiday romance that ended amicably when Noah returned to Rome where he had been living and the woman in question, a journalist, went back to London. No angst. No strings. Except for the fact that the woman was pregnant and she chose to have the baby, even though she had no desire to raise a child on her own. Fiercely independent, the mother of his child never contacted Noah. When the little girl was born she gave the baby to childless relatives to raise and went on with her life.