fixing up Uncle Will’s house. You already know that.”
“ So, tell me more.” Laurel perked up her eyebrows and leaned forward.
“ Not much to tell. It’s only been a week.” She placed the napkin in her lap. “I’m doing a little painting.”
“ No. You?” She laughed. “I’d love to see. I didn’t know you had it in you.”
“ I’m painting walls, not a Da Vinci.”
“ Seriously, Frannie. You could hire someone.”
“ I could.” Not a lie.
“ You should put your time to better use.”
“ Doing what?”
“ They are missing you down at the shelter.”
“ No. That’s one day a week and they’re covered. The same goes for the other charities. I won’t be missed.”
“ Sweetheart, that’s only because you don’t dedicate more than the minimum to any of them. You spread your time around like you’re afraid to commit.” Laurel pressed her hands against the tabletop. “And I need your help with any number of things.”
“ No, you don’t. All you need is someone to run your errands and play secretary.”
One manicured hand drew up into a fist. “You are as difficult and argumentative as ever. I believe you practice it. I wish you’d try half as hard to learn civility and respect.”
The waitress ’s smile was too big and bright. Frannie sympathized. No sane person would want to be part of this luncheon party. The girl hurriedly moved their food from her tray to the table.
“ Anything else?”
“ No.”
Her mother whispered , but in a stage whisper that everyone within a few yards could hear. “Is your stomach upset again?”
“ No, I’m fine.”
“ Have you been taking your pills? You have your hand on your abdomen like you do when you’re having stomach trouble.”
Frannie looked down and brushed her sweater as if that had been the intent. “I’m fine.”
“ I care about you.”
“ I know.” Frannie tapped the hilt of her fork lightly on the table. “But I’m an adult. I’ve been one for an embarrassingly long time considering I still live at home and don’t have a real job.”
Mother shook her head. “No, darling. You had your sadness and so did I. One of the nicest things you ever did was to give up a bit of your independence to keep me from being alone.”
She waited to hear more about her personal dark time. Her mother took some kind of perverse pleasure in reminding her of it, but this time she didn’t.
Laurel sat up straighter. “You are correct. You deserve time on your own. I’ve been selfish. Do what you need to do. Remember, I’m your mother and I love you. I’ll be here for you whenever you need me.”
****
It was so very unsatisfactory, yet she had to admit few people could make an entrance, or accomplish an exit, with Laurel’s style. Her mother was who she was. At least, she tried.
Unlike her unfilial daughter.
Frannie sat in the car. With the sun hitting the exterior and no wind to speak of, it was cool, but pleasant. She’d parked in a public beach access lot. There were picnic tables near where the parking ended and the dunes began. There wasn’t another soul in sight.
What drove her? Guilt? Over being a bad daughter? Over resenting her father ’s death and holding it against her mother?
She didn ’t lie to herself. She knew her feelings were unreasonable.
There was something wrong with her . Something broken inside. Something that nibbled at her nerves and refused to let her be comfortable in her own skin. Refused to let her live her life without guilt.
Brian was gone when she returned to the house. Vaguely, she wondered what he did with his time when he wasn’t here.
His business. Not hers.
She was alone at Captain’s Walk , but that was okay because there wasn’t anywhere else she’d rather be just now.
****
That night she swam up out of sleep, looking for something, seeking frantically and finding only a dark room. A faint memory of soft crying, whimpering, lingered. This hadn’t happened in a while and she
“ So, tell me more.” Laurel perked up her eyebrows and leaned forward.
“ Not much to tell. It’s only been a week.” She placed the napkin in her lap. “I’m doing a little painting.”
“ No. You?” She laughed. “I’d love to see. I didn’t know you had it in you.”
“ I’m painting walls, not a Da Vinci.”
“ Seriously, Frannie. You could hire someone.”
“ I could.” Not a lie.
“ You should put your time to better use.”
“ Doing what?”
“ They are missing you down at the shelter.”
“ No. That’s one day a week and they’re covered. The same goes for the other charities. I won’t be missed.”
“ Sweetheart, that’s only because you don’t dedicate more than the minimum to any of them. You spread your time around like you’re afraid to commit.” Laurel pressed her hands against the tabletop. “And I need your help with any number of things.”
“ No, you don’t. All you need is someone to run your errands and play secretary.”
One manicured hand drew up into a fist. “You are as difficult and argumentative as ever. I believe you practice it. I wish you’d try half as hard to learn civility and respect.”
The waitress ’s smile was too big and bright. Frannie sympathized. No sane person would want to be part of this luncheon party. The girl hurriedly moved their food from her tray to the table.
“ Anything else?”
“ No.”
Her mother whispered , but in a stage whisper that everyone within a few yards could hear. “Is your stomach upset again?”
“ No, I’m fine.”
“ Have you been taking your pills? You have your hand on your abdomen like you do when you’re having stomach trouble.”
Frannie looked down and brushed her sweater as if that had been the intent. “I’m fine.”
“ I care about you.”
“ I know.” Frannie tapped the hilt of her fork lightly on the table. “But I’m an adult. I’ve been one for an embarrassingly long time considering I still live at home and don’t have a real job.”
Mother shook her head. “No, darling. You had your sadness and so did I. One of the nicest things you ever did was to give up a bit of your independence to keep me from being alone.”
She waited to hear more about her personal dark time. Her mother took some kind of perverse pleasure in reminding her of it, but this time she didn’t.
Laurel sat up straighter. “You are correct. You deserve time on your own. I’ve been selfish. Do what you need to do. Remember, I’m your mother and I love you. I’ll be here for you whenever you need me.”
****
It was so very unsatisfactory, yet she had to admit few people could make an entrance, or accomplish an exit, with Laurel’s style. Her mother was who she was. At least, she tried.
Unlike her unfilial daughter.
Frannie sat in the car. With the sun hitting the exterior and no wind to speak of, it was cool, but pleasant. She’d parked in a public beach access lot. There were picnic tables near where the parking ended and the dunes began. There wasn’t another soul in sight.
What drove her? Guilt? Over being a bad daughter? Over resenting her father ’s death and holding it against her mother?
She didn ’t lie to herself. She knew her feelings were unreasonable.
There was something wrong with her . Something broken inside. Something that nibbled at her nerves and refused to let her be comfortable in her own skin. Refused to let her live her life without guilt.
Brian was gone when she returned to the house. Vaguely, she wondered what he did with his time when he wasn’t here.
His business. Not hers.
She was alone at Captain’s Walk , but that was okay because there wasn’t anywhere else she’d rather be just now.
****
That night she swam up out of sleep, looking for something, seeking frantically and finding only a dark room. A faint memory of soft crying, whimpering, lingered. This hadn’t happened in a while and she
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