Susannah's Garden (Blossom Street #3)(47)

“Oh.”

“Lloyd died five years ago and I’ve been alone ever since. I moved into Altamira two years back. I was absolutely delighted to learn that your mother’s living here now.”

“I think the world of Sally,” Vivian said, grinning shyly at the other woman. “I can’t tell you how pleased I am that we’ve met up again.”

“No more pleased than I am.” Sally gently squeezed Vivian’s hand. “I hope you’re coming down to the fireplace room for the ice-cream social this evening.”

Vivian nodded eagerly. “I wouldn’t miss it.”

This was exactly what Susannah had prayed would happen. She’d wanted her mother to find a friend so she wouldn’t feel isolated. Here was Sally, and already Susannah noticed a crack in her mother’s defenses.

The three chatted amiably for several minutes before Sally yawned and announced it was long past her naptime.

“I haven’t had my nap yet, either,” Vivian echoed.

Susannah walked Sally to the door and whispered her gratitude. “I’m so glad you sought out my mom. She needs a special friend.”

Sally’s tired eyes shone with humor. “We all do. Now, don’t you worry about your mother. I’ll keep an eye on her for you.”

“Thank you,” Susannah said fervently. “Oh, thank you.”

By the time she returned, her mother was in her favorite chair, feet propped up, her head resting against the cushion. She’d closed her eyes.

“I’ll leave soon, Mom, but I have a question first.”

Her mother’s eyes slowly opened. “What is it, dear?”

“Do you know anything about this?” She handed her mother the creased letter.

Her mother read it quickly and frowned. “I don’t understand. What is this?”

“It’s an agreement between Allan Presley and Dad,” Susannah said.

“That singer again?”

“No, Mom. Allan Presley is Jake Presley’s father. Remember, Jake was my high school boyfriend?”

Her mother nodded, but didn’t look convinced.

“Dad paid Mr. Presley five thousand dollars to move Jake out of Colville.”

Vivian shook her head. “Your father would never do anything like that.”

“Mom!” Susannah cried and because she was so upset and restless, she started pacing. “You’re holding the evidence. Look at that sheet of paper and you’ll see Dad’s signature and Mr. Presley’s.”

“That was a lot of money in—” she glanced at the date “—1973.” Her mother’s frown deepened. “Where would your father get that kind of money?”

“I don’t know.”

Her mother sighed. “He was very good with money. He was such an intelligent man.”

Susannah was in no frame of mind to think positive thoughts about her father. “It was underhanded and cruel…. I could hate Dad for this.”

“Now, Susannah…”

The distress in her voice must have broken through to her mother. Vivian eased her legs from the ottoman and leaned toward her. She stretched out her hand. “You’re upset.”

“Yes. I’m very upset.”

“But everything worked out for the best. You married Joe and you have two beautiful children. You and Joe have done so well.”

“Yes, I know, but I could’ve had a good life with Jake, too. I loved him, Mom, and it kills me to find out how my own father manipulated us.” She struggled to make her mother understand why this was important. Yes, she did have a husband and family—a husband and family she loved—but she’d never know what she might have had with Jake. She’d taken the path that led to Joe because the path she would have chosen, Jake’s path, had been closed to her. By her father.

“Oh, dear, do you think I was involved?” Vivian asked and then answered her own question. “I don’t know, I might’ve been, but I have to say it doesn’t sound the least bit familiar. That was a lot of years ago.”

Susannah felt sick to her stomach.

“I’ll tell you what, dear,” her mother said with the utmost sincerity. “I’ll speak to your father about this the next time he visits.”

“Mom…”

“George will remember. He was always good with details. He’ll remember and when he tells me, I’ll let you know.”

Susannah wanted to weep.

CHAPTER 18

At nine Chrissie still wasn’t back, and Susannah was growing increasingly worried. She phoned home, but Joe and Brian hadn’t returned from their fishing trip yet. Not that Joe would’ve been able to do anything even if he had been there. The longer she paced and fretted, the more irritated she became. This date of Chrissie’s was supposed to be an afternoon outing.

Still, Chrissie was almost an adult and Susannah had no choice but to allow her to make her own decisions. Nevertheless, Susannah had a bad feeling about this.

At nine-thirty, she phoned Carolyn. It wasn’t only Chrissie on her mind. The letter she’d discovered in her father’s filing cabinet that afternoon continued to bother her. She needed a friend, someone who’d listen and sympathize.

Carolyn answered before the second ring.