One Wish (Thunder Point #7)(35)

“I had no idea you all thought that way about me.”

“Pfft. The only thing I feel sorry for you about is that you just can’t dress yourself properly. You should be in double knits and wedgies like the rest of us over-sixty broads,” Lou said.

“Don’t listen to her,” Carrie said. “The best part about you is you’re unique. As long as you don’t make me dress like a cocktail waitress I won’t make you dress like a gray-haired grandmother.”

Ray Anne couldn’t answer. She felt the emotion in her throat. She’d give anything to be a grandmother. “You really think I’ll be able to help her?”

“If you have trouble...if you have frustrations, we’ll get together and hash it out. We’ve all been through the bitter side of life. It comes with breathing. Giving up was never an option,” Carrie said.

“I have a confession to make,” Ray Anne said. “It’s not like I didn’t feel sorry for myself sometimes. I’ve cried my heart out. Sometimes I cried till I couldn’t stand up straight. It’s just that I never cried like that in front of anyone.”

“I know,” three voices replied together.

* * *

Carrie was having trouble falling asleep. She heard the front door open and close. Then she heard the soft drone of the TV and she rolled over and looked at the clock. Almost one in the morning. She got up and found her robe and opened her bedroom door.

“Did I wake you up?” Rawley asked.

She shook her head. “I was tossing around, not sleeping.” She gave her neck a stretch, tilting her head from side to side, trying to touch her chin to each shoulder. “This is so late for you.”

“That Cooper. He thinks he’s a kid. They went to some party up in North Bend with some of Sarah’s old Coast Guard pals. Sarah had to drive him home.”

“He’ll pay for that.”

“I hope so. Why aren’t you sleeping?”

“I think too much,” she said.

“Come here, girl,” he said. When she sat beside him on the couch, he turned her so he could rub her shoulders. “Kids okay?” he asked as he massaged.

“They’re all fine. It’s Ray Anne’s kin that’s having trouble.” She told him about Ginger and her need for a change of scenery. “Brings to mind how I always complained so much about how hard my life was when I never lost anything that dear.”

“You lost a husband,” he reminded her.

“Exactly as I said. Nothing very dear.”

He made a sound that was almost a laugh. “Now you got some old vet taking up space in your house.”

“You fit in so well, too. You hardly ever visit that house in Elmore anymore,” she said.

“I almost never go to that house. I keep it as insurance for you.”

She looked over her shoulder at him. “What does that mean?”

“Means I don’t want you to worry none if you start to feel crowded and need your space—there’s a place I can go. But I ain’t got hardly a shirt left over there anymore. I never thought I’d end up living in some woman’s house. Who’d a thought there’d be a woman could put up with me?”

“You’re the easiest man I’ve ever known.”

“No one ever accused me of that before.”

“Rawley, I’ve been happy.” She patted one of the hands that massaged her tight shoulders. “You’re a good man.”

“I’ll do my best never to be a burden.”

“I’m the burden!” she said. “Bad knees, sore back and neck, a family that just seems to grow, friends who count on me, a demanding business!”

He leaned forward and kissed her cheek right below the ear. His lips were dry and his face whiskery, but she leaned back against him for a moment.

“We get along fine,” he said. “And you just tell me when you need something. I’ll help if I can and get out of the way if I can’t. Since we don’t have all that much time, might as well enjoy it.”

“I hope there’s plenty of time!” she said. “I might be getting creaky but I’m not ready to give up. Especially now that life’s gotten so sweet.”

“Maybe I should’ve said, there ain’t likely to be enough time. I know what. Let’s find the lotion and I’ll give you a proper rubdown. Get some of those creaks out.”

“That sounds lovely.”

Carrie went to her bedroom; the lotion was on the bedside table. The television was turned off and Rawley padded into the bedroom in his stocking feet. Carrie lay down on her side and, after just a minute, Rawley lay down behind her, rubbing lotion between his leathery palms. She lifted her pajama top all the way up, almost over her shoulders, baring her back and most of her front.

“My hands are gonna be a little cold,” he said.

“I think maybe you should consider renting that house in Elmore. You could let it bring you some income.”

“You in need of money, girl?”

She sighed. “No, Rawley. For the first time in my life, I think I have everything I need.”

“Then maybe we’ll sell that house. Put the money against retirement.” He put a hand on her shoulder and pulled a little, rolling her toward him. “How many houses we need?”