One Wish (Thunder Point #7)(75)

* * *

Troy and Grace were on their way to Bandon to have dinner with Winnie and Mikhail. They were both extremely quiet for the first fifteen minutes. Then Grace reached for his hand and gave it a squeeze. “I know you didn’t sign on for this. I really appreciate all your support, but I know how stressful and crazy it is. When you’ve had enough...I understand. It’s too much to ask of anyone.”

He squeezed back. “I’m not going to bail out on you in the middle of this.”

“We were just dating, seeing where it would go, then the world seemed to explode. Listen, I can do this. I can. I can go with my mother for a few days, get things a little organized, plan how it will go after her... Enough for her to have some peace of mind. Hopefully Ray Anne will find a suitable house and—”

“And if Winnie rejects that idea?” he asked.

“Then I guess I’ll be making some trips to San Francisco to visit her, but my life is here. I’m not moving. Not even for six months. The only way we’ll live near each other is if she’s willing to move here.”

“She said you have a trust from your father. Are you actually rich?”

“Nah. I have enough to ensure I won’t be homeless or hungry. I could’ve spent it in one weekend, but I’ve taken very good care of it.”

“Could you live off it?”

“The way I live? In one room? For a few years. But I love working. Listen, I’m never going to live the way Winnie lives. Do you think I’m just saying that? That’s one of the two main reasons we barely spoke for five years. I wouldn’t compete anymore and I wouldn’t come home to step into that life.”

“Was it hard?”

“I gave it a lot of thought. I’m not the first person to disagree with her parents or to reject their lifestyle for my own choice. But what was hard was disappointing my mother, letting her down like that. It made her so angry. I might have made a different decision had I known she only had five years. But as Mikhail would say, die is cast! I’m sorry this has landed on your shoulders.”

“Just do what you have to do and when I can help, I will.”

“Thank you,” she said quietly. “This isn’t what I envision my life to be—one crisis after another.”

“Gracie, sometimes that’s how it is. We can’t plan everything.”

“I try. I really try. I like to stay ahead of things, but this...jeez, it’s insane, that’s what it is.”

Winnie had chosen the same restaurant Troy had met her in last Sunday evening. This time when he approached the maître d’ he was expected. Mikhail stood when they approached the table. He grabbed Grace’s face and kissed her on each cheek in his way. Then they sat and ordered drinks while looking at the menu.

“Your flower shop is very cute, Grace,” Winnie said. “You must be proud of it.”

“Is perfect!” Mikhail said loudly.

Grace looked over the top of her menu. “All right, who are you and what have you done with my mother?”

“If I understood you, it’s exactly what you want. Yes?”

“Yes,” Grace said. “Why are you being so nice to me?”

Troy grabbed her hand. “Gracie, let your mother be nice.”

“Right. Thank you. Troy says we’re button-pushing maniacs.”

“He would be correct,” Mikhail said sharply. “Where is waiter? We should toast something. I don’t know what, but something. We are together. Is good enough.”

“I have an idea, Mother. Why don’t I go to San Francisco with you for a few days. You can tell me all the things you’re concerned about. We can make decisions about how you want things to be handled, and you can give me the names of agents and lawyers if you feel like it. Then I’ll come home. I already have someone looking for a house for you in Coos County so we can be closer to each other.”

“What?”

“I asked a Realtor to look for something nicer than the cottage you’re staying in here at the resort, one level with a full kitchen, and I asked for an ocean view. The ocean is beautiful in summer. It’s beautiful all year, but we have six months of mild weather ahead. I’ll be nearby and can see you all the time.”

“What about my house? My things?”

“We’ll have Virginia and the housekeeper pack and ship what you want with you. I think I can find a place and have it ready quickly. Let’s close up the house. I’ll deal with it later. With your instructions and Virginia’s help, I’ll take care of everything, down to the last crystal ashtray. Right now, I want you nearby. I want to spend more time with you if possible.”

“Then come to San Francisco!”

She calmly shook her head. “I don’t live there. In fact, with all the traveling you do, you don’t even spend six months a year there. I’m willing to do anything you say—dictate your instructions to whomever you like. If I know you, you’ve already done so. If you don’t like this idea then I’ll visit you as often as I can. But I’m not going to move to San Francisco. My home is here. But I can move you. I can find you a lovely place and excellent home care professionals if that becomes necessary.”

“Is excellent notion!” Mikhail bellowed. “We will toast it.”