Wildest Dreams (Thunder Point #9)(82)

“Gwen,” Iris said sternly. “Why?”

“He doesn’t love me, Iris. I think he never has, but my generation... We get married and that’s it. Even if we have to live without love in our lives.”

“Gwen, Norm is a little grumpy, but he...”

“A little grumpy?” she asked, laughing outright. “He didn’t talk to his youngest son for how many years? I can’t get him to wear a clean shirt to the table! He doesn’t care about me! I’m setting him free. I’ll be going on my next cruise alone!”

* * *

“It’s the cruise,” Iris told Seth. “This is all about the cruise. Norm was delightful on the cruise. He had a wonderful time. He was very social. There were those widows who flirted with him and he loved it. Gwen’s feelings are very hurt. That’s all this is.”

“He wants to know if he can use our spare room until he finds his own place,” Seth said.

“Oh, my God,” Iris said. “I think my life just flashed before my eyes.”

“Maybe he’ll be delightful,” Seth said.

“No! No! Tell him to make up with his wife!”

“Iris, when was the last time anyone told Norm anything?”

“Oh, God, you told him yes. You told him he could have the spare room. I’m going to have to kill you!”

“Just for a few days,” Seth said. “It won’t take him any time at all to hate it. His dinner won’t be what he likes, won’t be on time. He’ll have to do his own laundry. Like I do,” he added, lifting one of those handsome, expressive brows. “He can’t make it here. And in no time at all there will be a screaming baby keeping him up all night.”

“Your days are numbered,” Iris said.

“I’ll talk to him,” Seth promised.

* * *

Seth took a slightly different approach than Iris had. He drove his patrol car to the station, wearing his uniform and armed. He parked on the side of the building rather than at the pump, went to find Norm and pulled him away from the other men so they could talk privately. “What in the holy hell is going on with you and Mom?”

“If I could explain her, I’d be a millionaire,” Norm said.

“She says you don’t love her, that you never have,” Seth said.

“She has a bug up her ass about that cruise. Worst idea I ever had, that cruise.”

“You had a good time, but she didn’t.”

“She worried the whole way up to Seattle that I wasn’t going to be nice, that I was going to be cranky and wear my Lucky’s shirt to the captain’s dinner. She lectured me for days. Be nice, Norm. Be courteous, Norm. So I was nice! Sue me.”

“Listen to me,” Seth said. “I want you to go by the flower shop and buy a great big bouquet. Get a bottle of nice wine—she likes that putrid pink shit. Maybe some chocolates or something. Go home, tell her you love her and work it out!”

“I packed a bag this morning. I’m going to go home and get it, bring it over to your house.”

“We’re eating out!” Seth said, at the end of his rope.

“Oh? Where? Because I only go to the diner. That Cliffhanger’s is too fancy for me.”

“We’re going to Cliffhanger’s,” Seth said, though they had no such plans.

“Okay. I’ll see you when you get home.”

“Dad, you can work this out if you try.”

“I dunno about that. She’s got a real bug up her ass this time. Might take a medical intervention.”

* * *

On Wednesday afternoon, the day before Thanksgiving, Charlie went to Blake’s as usual. But instead of his workout he asked Blake if they could talk about something.

“Sure,” Blake said. “What’s on your mind?”

“Well, I did something my mom isn’t going to like and I have to tell her. I found her adoptive family. I’ve been talking to her sister—my aunt Leigh.”

Blake was speechless for a moment. “Aw, man...”

“Well, I told you I wanted to know things. And she wouldn’t tell me. Plus, she made up shit. My biological father is not dead.”

Blake tried to think fast. “Okay, here’s the thing I should have thought of first and I didn’t. You should have warned her—your mother. You should have said you were going to look for the family if you had the chance, that you were determined. You would’ve had the argument at the front end of this adventure.”

“Too late now,” Charlie said. “Aunt Leigh has wanted to know where my mom is for years. She wants to see her, to see me. And that should be a good thing but I know it’s not going to be. My mom is going to be mad.”

“Why are you so sure of that?”

“Because she told me what she wanted me to believe and I didn’t believe it—that’s going to piss her off. But hey—I didn’t believe it because it wasn’t true!”

“There’s the part that’s going to be awkward,” Blake said. “You admitting you didn’t believe her.”

“But it should be good! She does have family! Maybe my father disappointed her and he’ll probably also disappoint me if I ever meet him, but isn’t it better to know the truth?”