“Well, if leaving the shop worries you, relax. Even if I really screw up the next four days, your shop will be here when you get home,” Iris said. “And I promise you, I can keep the place standing.”

“You will never know how much I appreciate this,” Grace said. “I’ll make this up to you somehow.”

“Just go. Try to enjoy it a little even though it’s a heavy burden you’re dealing with.”

“We’ll be fine,” Troy said. “I’m anxious to see Grace’s home. Come on, Gracie, relax. Iris will take good care of things. Let’s go—our flight leaves in a little less than two hours and we have a drive.”

Grace gave Iris and Ginger hugs and let herself be drawn away. Troy picked up her suitcase. “Anything else?”

“That’s it.”

“I hope there’s a little time to go into the city,” he said. “If you can’t, I understand.” He hefted the suitcase into the back of the Jeep. “I love the city,” he said as he got in the car. He drove out of the alley and reached for her hand. “Are you really jittery?”

“Oh, maybe a little overwhelmed at all there is to deal with. But I’ll be fine once we get there.”

“It’s all good,” he said. “Pays to have friends like Iris. Not only is she taking care of the flower shop, she’s lining up a substitute for me for Monday and Tuesday. As much as I enjoy the kids, I’m looking forward to summer.” And he proceeded to talk about things he hoped to do over the summer. He realized she might be pretty busy this summer, but he hoped there would be time for a couple of short camping trips along one of his favorite rivers in Idaho. He talked a little bit about some of his favorite river trips in the five-state area. Although Grace nodded a lot, he could tell she was barely paying attention to him. But he thought he was doing her a service by regaling her with stories to take her mind off four days with her mother.

When they got to the regional airport he looked around. “I’ve never flown out of here. And get this—it appears parking in this lot is free.”

She gave him a strange look.

He pulled the suitcases out of the back and Grace took control of hers, extending the handle and pulling it.

“What airline is this?” he asked her.

“Oh, Troy,” she said, walking ahead. “I haven’t prepared you for this. I’m sorry.”

He held the door for her and they entered a small reception area banked by a counter behind which people worked on one side, offices and refreshment machines on the other. A sign pointed to the restaurant. A double door led right onto the runway. There were a few people waiting, and Winnie, Virginia and Mikhail were seated by the door. Mikhail stood up and greeted them. “Good, you are here. We can go.”

Mikhail took Winnie’s left arm while Virginia took her right and they carefully guided her out the door and onto the tarmac. They passed through what appeared to be a metal detector but nothing like the usual airport security.

“Where are we going?” Troy asked.

“Air Winnie,” Grace said, indicating the small jet straight ahead. There were air stairs, but a uniformed man waited at the bottom with a chair-like contraption for Winnie. The plane was not a little six-seater: it was a private jet.

“Shits of the gods,” Troy muttered.

* * *

Troy could not believe he was flying on a private jet. Like most people, just affording coach fares was a challenge. And when he thought about rich people, he thought they were very different, not people just like he was. “Did you always travel like this?” he asked Grace.

“No, not very often. We took a chartered jet on occasion. Now, I think my mother indulges this because of her condition. Her days of traveling are numbered.”

The jet was midsize, generously spaced with seating for ten, a large galley, large restroom, tables and closet space. The cabin was beautiful, the seats wide and comfortable. And Grace could tell from the glitter in Troy’s eyes that he was loving it. “This is shit-hot,” he whispered to her.

Hmm. He isn’t put off, she thought. Well, that was a good sign.

She wanted to tell Troy about the pregnancy test, but she didn’t dare. Not now, not at the onset of four days with her mother. The second they had this visit behind them, the moment they had some time alone that wouldn’t be interrupted by her mother’s needs, she would tell him. But the last thing she wanted was for Winnie to find out before she settled things with Troy. She had to know how he wanted to deal with this situation. What if he didn’t want it? What if he didn’t want her anymore? What if everything collapsed because she had screwed up the plan?

The captain came into the cabin and introduced himself to Winnie, saying a brisk hello to the others. “We’re ready if you are,” he said.

“By all means,” Winnie said.

“Our flight time should be just slightly over an hour,” he told her. “If you need anything at all, press your call button.”

“Thank you,” she said.

Once they were airborne, Winnie and Virginia had a little meeting. Virginia had her notebook out and made a list from Winnie’s comments. There were many details. Alex, Winnie’s driver, had left them at the airport and was driving the car back to San Francisco. A car service had been arranged to pick them up when they landed. Dinner at the house was being prepared and the guest rooms were freshened. There were people Winnie wanted called, household maintenance she wanted done, bills paid. Mikhail pulled out a deck of cards and started playing solitaire. And before long Winnie stopped dictating and nodded off.

“Are you all right?” Troy asked her.

“Sure. Fine. I just have very mixed feelings about going home. A part of me wants to see the place once more but...” She shook her head. “A part of me is afraid I won’t be able to leave.”

“Because you love it?”

“No, because I’ll be trapped somehow.”

“Don’t be irrational, Gracie. You can do what you want.”

“That’s always been hard,” she said. “Doing what I want instead of what my mother wants.”

“Yes, but now you’ve had some practice.”

Just over two hours later a black Cadillac SUV was passing through the iron gates into a Nob Hill neighborhood filled with large old houses fronted by manicured lawns and beautiful landscaping. Their driver pulled into a circular drive and right up to the front entrance of a rich-looking manor house. The driver parked and raced around to help Winnie get out. He was quickly replaced by Virginia on one arm and Mikhail on the other while Troy assisted the driver with the luggage.

“If you’ll help me get it inside, I can manage it from there,” Troy said.

“Be happy to, sir.”

When he passed through the big double doors Troy found himself not in a house but in an impressive courtyard with durable outdoor furniture scattered around, an outdoor sofa and two overstuffed chairs in front of a beautiful hearth. There were two sets of tables and chairs, vines climbing along the walls, small trees, flower beds lining the courtyard, hanging and standing pots filled with plants and a couple of decorative statues.

He brought a couple of suitcases into the courtyard, Grace brought his and her own inside, the driver assisted him with the rest, most of which must have belonged to Winnie. She traveled well, but she didn’t travel light. “This is fine,” Troy said. “I can get it from here.”