Forbidden Falls (Virgin River #9)(65)

Both children were settled and Ellie was folding another load of clothes when Vanni finally appeared. “Well,” Ellie said, smiling, “you look like you had a little rest.”

“I apologize. I didn’t help you at all. I left you high and dry with them.”

“Don’t apologize, angel-cakes. I was having a nice time. This is a magnificent house you have here. I enjoyed tidying up a bit. Are you hungry? Why don’t I fix you some lunch.”

“Oh, don’t bother. Now that you’ve done so much and the kids are sleeping, you don’t have to stay—”

“I still have things to do, Vanni. After the kids wake up, I’m going to freshen their room. But while they sleep, I thought I could get you a fresh set of sheets, give your master bath a bit of a fluff and buff, maybe run the vacuum around in there.” She smiled happily. “You should take advantage of me while you can.”

“Only if you’ll have a little lunch with me,” Vanni said.

“I’ll make us a couple of sandwiches,” Ellie said. “How’s that?”

While Ellie made the sandwiches, Vanni snuck the clean clothes into the drawers in the nursery. Vanni stripped her own bed and got her sheets washing. Then they sat at the kitchen table together.

“So your children came as surprises?” Vanni asked.

“I think stunned and scared shitless would be more accurate,” Ellie said, biting into her sandwich. Vanni laughed in spite of herself. “Believe me, it wasn’t funny.”

“No, not that. I’m laughing at the way you swear. Must be quite a challenge for Noah.”

“Uh-huh. He’s talking swear jar in the church. Quarter a curse.”

“Mel and Jack have one of those!”

“So I hear. I also heard Mel’s taking the town on a cruise in the spring, just on the contents. Really, just so you don’t think I’m completely terrible, I never swear in front of children. I don’t even slip. I know that sounds far-fetched, but really. When I swear, I do it on purpose.”

“Well, at least you’ve got that going for you.” Vanni laughed. “So—the kids?”

“Oh, yeah. I got pregnant with Danielle in high school. My boyfriend was killed in an accident—motorcycle versus car, not his fault.” Once again she conveniently left out the fact that she had two children by two different guys, neither of whom married her. She chewed a little more and swallowed. “I was on my own. Well, with my gram’s help, but she died when Trevor was two.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, Ellie. I’m sorry for the loss of both your boyfriend and your grandmother. Is that the extent of your family?”

“I have a mother somewhere, but she hasn’t been around since I was, like, three months old. She drops in once in a while, but she never spends the night. She’s pretty much consumed with her own life, which is fine. My mother—she’s a real load. She needs taking care of. If she ever got the idea I could do that for her, I’d never get rid of her and she’s very self-centered.”

Vanni was quiet a moment. “I lost my mother almost six years ago.”

Ellie’s hand that held the sandwich slowly lowered to the table. “Oh, man. A mother and a husband? Oh, sugar, you’ve had such a rough time!”

“Same as you,” Vanni said softly.

Ellie shrugged. “I miss my gram all the time, but sometimes it’s like she’s right on my shoulder,” she said, patting the place. “I can hear her, feel her. Like she never really left me. She was seventy when she died. She’d been reading in her chair and died with her book in her lap and her glasses on her nose. We slept on the pullout sofa, Danielle on a small daybed and Trevor in the crib, all of us in one room. While I slept and she read, she passed. I found her in the morning. She must have been dead all night, but she went so softly, no one knew she was gone. Funny,” she said, “but I dreamt about her that night. I dreamt I was lying on the couch with my head on her lap, on her favorite corduroy jumper, and she was rubbing my head. I was real little when she did that, but it’s one of my favorite memories.” She looked at Vanni and noticed she had glistening eyes. “Oh, God, I’m sorry. My marching orders were to make you laugh, not make you cry!”

“Who told you that?” Vanni asked, wiping her eyes. “To make me laugh?”

“Noah. I asked him what I was supposed to do and he said, ‘You’ll know what to do.’ And added that it would be good if I could make you laugh. Noah thinks I’m a real stitch, but he’d like to shove me under a pew and keep his future congregation from seeing me.”

“And why is that?” Vanni asked with a laugh.

“Oh, he hasn’t been real specific, but I believe it has to do with my potty mouth, my tattoo, my cle**age and, when I’m not Mommy’s helper or Pastor’s painter, the way I like to do my hair and makeup. Kind of Dolly Parton.” She grinned. “I know it annoys him, but I can’t seem to stop.”

Vanni reached for her hand and smiled. “Don’t. Don’t change for anyone, especially a man.”

“Ah, we are sisters. I thought so.” The spin cycle stopped. “I’m going to put those sheets in the dryer, then we can make up the bed together. While they’re drying, why don’t I go see if your bedroom and bathroom could use a once-over. When I leave today, it’s my goal to see that everyone is happy and can relax in a fresh house.”