A New Hope (Thunder Point #8)(82)

“I’ll be fine,” Charlie said.

“Of course you will,” Winnie agreed. “Have your cell phone?”

“What am I going to do if I wheeze up there? Call home?”

“I just wanted you to take a few pictures if you see anything interesting. It could be a while till I get up on that ridge to see for myself.”

“Right,” Charlie said, grinning. Then without any further conversation, he was scrambling down the stairs.

“Don’t worry,” Frank said. He put his backpack on the chair beside Charlie’s. “Can I leave this here?”

“Sure,” Lin Su said. “Please be careful.”

“We will, but it’s not dangerous. It’s a path, that’s all. He gets shots, he said. He shouldn’t have any problems.”

When Lin Su was alone with Winnie again, she sat down a little weakly.

“You should have that conversation with Charlie about going to school out here. He needs a little more freedom, a little challenge.”

“He has plenty of freedom!” Lin Su snapped. “I’ve been leaving him alone while I work for the last two years.”

“And I bet it’s driven you crazy. It would be better if he had a little more freedom while you’re nearby to nag him constantly.”

Lin Su scowled. “I think it might be time for your nap, Mrs. Banks.”

Winnie laughed. “Not on your life.”

* * *

Grace was amused by the amount of entertainment Winnie was getting out of her new friend Charlie. Any other daughter might’ve been jealous, but Grace was pleased. Charlie took some of the heat off her, absorbing all of Winnie’s opinions and objections and interfering. And because Winnie wasn’t his mother, he could take them in stride and dismiss them.

So, the dinner table was occupied with animated conversation about Charlie’s trek up on the ridge with Frank. He took a lot of pictures with his cell phone and, he announced triumphantly, he had not wheezed or had any allergic reactions.

Grace had brought home a pan of Carrie’s lasagna, garlic bread and salad, what she called a perfect Winnie dinner. Anything Winnie could stab with a fork or lift with her trembling fingers worked very well for her.

“I used to have a chef, you know,” Winnie said to Charlie. “And guess what? It wasn’t any better than this.”

“Isn’t having a chef kind of like someone else’s mother making dinner?” Charlie asked.

“Not quite as good as that,” Grace said. “Chefs are more in love with the art of their flavors and their presentation than what you really like. I asked for mashed potatoes for years but they didn’t come into fashion until a few years ago.”

“I love mashed potatoes,” Charlie said.

“Then the next time Carrie has meat loaf and mashed, it’s yours,” Grace said. “I love mashed potatoes, too! What’s your favorite, Lin Su?”

“Oh, this is amazing,” she said, taking a bite.

“Mom doesn’t like dinner that much,” Charlie said. “She usually isn’t hungry and maybe has a bowl of cereal before bed.”

“You cook just for Charlie?” Grace asked.

“Sure. He is always hungry. I make all his favorites and I freeze meal-size portions. Sometimes I have what he’s having, but he’s right, sometimes I just want a snack.”

“Do mashed potatoes freeze?” Grace asked.

“They sure do. You’d be surprised the things you can freeze.”

“Mom will freeze one asparagus spear,” Charlie said, shoveling lasagna in his mouth.

“That’s not so,” Lin Su said with a laugh. “But I don’t waste. And when I’m cleaning up your kitchen, neither do you!” she said. Then she stood and started picking up plates. “Charlie, when you’re done there, will you help?”

“Sure,” he said, gobbling two last bites.

“I’ll help,” Troy said. “Charlie looks like he might need a second helping. Hiking up to the ridge is hard work.”

“And I think I’ll get ready for bed,” Winnie said. “Somehow I missed my nap.”

“Yes, I wonder how,” Lin Su said, letting Troy take on kitchen duties so she could take Winnie to her bedroom.

Once Winnie had washed up, changed and was settled in bed with the TV on, Lin Su made sure her few evening chores were done. There was a little laundry to fold but she would put it away the next day. She gave the bathroom a quick clean, checked to make sure the extra lasagna and bread were properly stowed and gave the kitchen floor a once-over. The rest of the family was out on the deck with Charlie, watching the sunset over the bay.

“I’m ready to leave, unless anyone needs anything,” Lin Su announced to the gathering.

“I’m taking walk on beach before bed,” Mikhail said, rising from his chair.

“No one needs anything more, Lin Su,” Grace said. “Thank you for everything and I’ll probably see you when I get home from the shop tomorrow.”

“Good. Let me know if you want me to come up with dinner.”

“I’ll text you in the morning after I check out Carrie’s specials. Have a good evening.”

Charlie dragged himself up from his chair and followed his mother out to the car. He slumped back in the seat, worn out from yet another busy day filled with fresh air, sun and exercise.