“That would be so nice...”

She walked over to the house where the flowers grew tall against the wall and began snipping them into a generous bouquet. “I don’t remember the last time Jacob brought a girlfriend around,” she said. “High school, maybe.”

“It hasn’t been that long,” he said.

“Bet it has,” she teased. “Here you go, carry these for Krista. Now, I want you to come back when you can stay a little while. We’ll have dinner. Let’s do it soon.”

“Thank you,” Krista said. “And thank you for all of this.”

“It’s a pleasure. I’m happy to share the garden with friends anytime. Now, you kids stay out of trouble,” she said, then laughed very happily at her own joke.

Jake gave Zoe a kiss on the cheek, told her to say hello to Richard, then escorted Krista to the truck and proceeded to load all the vegetables behind the passenger seat. Then he helped her in, putting the flowers in her lap, talking all the time. She didn’t hear a word he said.

She buckled up and watched the vast fields as they drove away. He was still talking. He was proud of Zoe, how friendly and generous she was. She was a nurse, had he mentioned that? So she would be sensitive to the fact that Krista’s cousin was fighting cancer. He hadn’t told Zoe and Richard about Andrea yet, and really, he couldn’t wait, but he was trying to be patient. He had a lot of explaining to do and wanted the time to do it.

“Hey,” he said, slowing the truck and pulling over. “You’re crying! Was something said that upset you?”

She shook her head.

“Then why?”

She turned her tear-filled eyes toward him. She hiccuped. “She’s so nice. She liked me...”

He rubbed a knuckle down her cheek, wiping away a tear. “Everyone likes you,” he said. “Know why? You’re very likable.”

She just dissolved into more tears. Sobs, really. Man, this crying thing, she thought. Once you let go, it was never-ending. Women who cried like this in prison were in for it. Someone took her aside that first week, covered her, protected her and told her to dry it up. Criers got beat up. But she was out now and the tears were freed.

Zoe was so nice. And Zoe liked her.

Jake put his arms around her while she cried into his shoulder.

Could it happen? Could it work? Could she live in the outside world among good people? People who didn’t wish to do anyone harm? Could she live in the arms of a good man? A man who didn’t want anything but her happiness? Could she? Could they?

“Good tears, I guess,” Jake said. He stroked her back. “Aw, sweetheart, everything is going to be okay.”

* * *

Jo didn’t bother knocking on the screen door at the lake house. The inside door stood open and she could hear voices. “Good morning,” she called, stepping into the house.

“Aunt Jo!” Charley and Meg both said.

“Ma!” Krista said. “What are you doing here? How did you get here?”

“I drove Aunt Lou’s car. I’m sorry I didn’t ask if it was all right—I thought it was time we all talked. I have some things to explain. How about a cup of coffee? If you can spare one?”

“Absolutely. I’ll get it. Sit down. Tell us what’s on your mind,” Krista said.

“Well, you know I’ve been talking with Louise?”

“How’s that been going?” Krista asked, passing the coffee.

“I went to see Lou and begged her to talk about it all, negotiate a truce, kiss and make up.”

“And?” Charley asked.

Jo was momentarily distracted by Meg. She moved to her right slightly to press her cheek, giving her a little kiss. “How are you feeling, darling?”

“Pretty good actually. I know I don’t look good, but that’ll come. I have a good appetite, Charley can vouch for that.”

“I so look forward to watching you blossom.” She sipped her coffee. “So, Lou and I have been talking, resolving our differences. It was much easier than I expected, really. We’re both to blame for our standoff. Without going into all the details, we were both angry about a lot of things. Lou feels afraid everyone blames her because she was the one to make the proclamation that the lake house was closed, forbidding anyone from coming back.”

“Well, it was her,” Charley said.

“And it was me who wouldn’t try to reason with her or change her mind. Don’t you think I could have come here anytime I wanted to? I was letting her simmer in her own juices. Her own lonely juices. I was withholding my affection and making myself emotionally unavailable because I was angry with her. It’s Lou’s way to lash out and let everyone know when she’s angry. Not me. I’m passive-aggressive.”

“Aunt Jo, you don’t have to be so forgiving,” Charley said. “Mother was hoarding all the booty from Grandma Berkey’s house! She can be so selfish.”

“Actually, she wasn’t hoarding. She was storing. She was saving all the valuable stuff for our retirement. Both of us. She was pretty sure I wouldn’t have anyone to take care of me and she intended to be sure I had the means. We’re planning an estate sale.” She shook her head. “She’s lucky that house of hers didn’t go up in flames. She’s lucky she wasn’t robbed. I fired her cleaning crew. We’re moving ahead. Then we’re getting rid of her house and my condo. We’re looking around for the right arrangement—probably a duplex of some kind. We’ll be very close neighbors but not roommates, if we can find something. We talked to an agent who says that should be easy.”

“Really?” Charley said, astonished.

“We’re both so relieved by this decision. Especially your mother. I didn’t realize how lonely she’s been. She has a lot of regrets and doesn’t quite know how to go about mending her fences. She’ll be the first to admit, she has a lot of foolish pride. I told her it would be easy—all she has to do is say that. Don’t we all want to be a family again if we can?”

“Well...sure...but we’re pretty busted up,” Charley said.

“The three of you managed just fine and I do believe you’re thriving. If this could be the first of many summers, wouldn’t that be nice? I think it could be. I told Lou we had to come right away and talk to you, explain our reconciliation, our plans. We want to know if there’s anything of Grandma’s you have an eye for before it’s all gone the way of the estate sale. There’s a lot of old junk but there are some beautiful pieces and if there’s anything... Well, we talked and talked and talked. I insisted we come right away. Putting it off makes no sense—the summer is almost over. But poor Lou. She’s terrified. She thinks everyone hates her. Blames her for everything. I told her that wasn’t true, that we’re all just sick of her cranky, sourpuss attitude.”

“You told her that?” Meg said.

Jo nodded. “Made her cry.”

“Mother doesn’t cry,” Charley said.

“It’s you she particularly wants to make amends with. When you were sixteen, when you were pregnant and she insisted you go away to have the baby, she wasn’t in her right mind. She couldn’t undo it and she believes you’ll never forgive her.”

“She might’ve tried saying she was sorry,” Charley said.

“She might be in a better place to do that now,” Jo said. “She’s not all alone now.”

“We’ll see,” Charley said. “When I see her next. I’ll be sure to visit her before I leave Minnesota.”

“You can visit with her right now,” Jo said. “She’s in the car.”

“She’s in the—”

“I got her in the car,” Jo said. “I couldn’t get her out. She said when you all turn her away, it will be too much. I told her she was a big baby and everything would be fine. She didn’t believe me.” She smiled weakly. “Twenty-seven years is a long time to nurse a grudge.”

“She’s in the car?” Meg said.

Jo nodded. “I’ve never seen her like this. Someone is going to have to go get her.”

“I can go,” Meg said.

“I think it should be Charley,” Jo said. “You’re the one she’s most afraid will never forgive her, never give her a chance. Are you ready to help me tidy up this mess?”

“Why do I always get the hard jobs?” Charley said.

“Well, you’re the strongest one,” Jo said.

“Wish I felt like the strongest one,” she muttered.

Chapter Eighteen

There were a dozen accusations Charley wanted to throw at her mother. Louise hadn’t called her, sometimes for years. They only talked because Charley initiated the call, not so much trying to be a proper daughter but something much less fitting. Never let it be said that Charley prolonged or contributed to this rift between them. Louise didn’t seem to care about her grandchildren—not the one she forced Charley to give away, not Eric, who Charley raised. Louise visited her in California twice and on both visits she didn’t bother to see Krista; Krista could have used a visit. On those occasions she did see or talk to Louise it had been like a fight just waiting to happen. Louise was hostile.

Charley stood on the porch and looked at the car, parked behind hers in the drive. It didn’t seem possible but Louise looked so small. Louise had never looked small.

Charley took a deep breath and decided to take one for the team. She walked out to Louise’s car and slid into the front seat, the driver’s side. “So, rumor has it you’re afraid to come inside. And I drew the short straw.”

Louise didn’t look at her. “I suppose you have good reason to be angry,” she said.

“And why is that, Mother?”

Louise gave a short laugh. “I guess I wasn’t prepared for you to ask me to list my mistakes. I’m sorry about the baby, Charlene. I couldn’t have kept you home and cared for your baby while you attended school, not so soon after losing Bunny. Things wouldn’t have worked out as well for you if you’d tried to keep her and raise her yourself—I know that seems cruel, but it’s true. If I’d been in a better place, maybe we could have found another solution. I’m sorry. That’s all I can say. It was a terrible mistake. I’ll apologize to Andrea if that would be appropriate.”