by Debby Mayne
She folded her arms. “Like what?”
He shrugged. “Maybe smile a little more and let him know you love him.”
With a flip of her hand, she backed into the condo. “He knows I love him. I wouldn’t put up with his nonsense if I didn’t.”
After she closed the door, he lowered his head and prayed for his parents. Yes, things were getting increasingly difficult, but it wasn’t just his dad. His mother’s lack of tolerance didn’t make the situation any easier to deal with. And maybe, just maybe, he was guilty of interfering a tad too much.
Jerry went back inside as his dad came out of the bedroom. “Dad, why don’t you go comb your hair and go for a walk with me?”
“You don’t like my hair?” He reached up and smoothed it. “You should see how some of the kids wear theirs.”
His mom laughed. “You’re not a kid. You just act like—”
She stopped as Jerry turned and gave her a warning look. She rolled her eyes and ducked back into the kitchen.
“Where do you wanna go?” his dad asked.
“Just around the block. I have plans for us in a little while, and I’d like to talk to you first.”
After a brief pause, his dad nodded. “Go on outside. I’ll be right there.”
Jerry waited less than a minute before his dad joined him. “Okay, so what did I do wrong this time?”
“I never said you did anything wrong. It’s just that…well, I’ve noticed how you and Mom bicker a lot.”
His dad chuckled. “Is that what you call it? Seems to me more like nagging.”
Jerry snorted. “Dad, seriously, this has me worried.”
“That’s your problem. You worry too much. Your mother and I are fine. We’re annoyed at some things, but it’s nothing you can do anything about.” He took a few steps before adding, “None of us can do anything about it—not even the doctors.”
“I’d like to see you at least try to get along.”
The elderly man snickered. “Where’s the fun in that?”
“Speaking of fun,” Jerry said, “I’ve made plans for you, Mom, and me to go to the movies with Amanda this afternoon.”
“Did you tell your mother yet?”
“No, not yet. I—”
His dad interrupted. “Why don’t you run along with Amanda and leave us here?”
“No.” The word escaped Jerry’s mouth too quickly. He cleared his throat. “I’m here with you and Mom, and I want us to do stuff together. Besides, I think Amanda might enjoy it more if it doesn’t seem like too much of a date.”
“What’s wrong with a date? Most girls like dates.”
Jerry shrugged. “I’m not sure. She seems a little skittish about anything that resembles a date, and I don’t want to frighten her.”
“I never heard that one before, but if you think it’ll help your cause with this girl, sure. It might be fun to see how my son operates.” He grabbed his collar with both hands and pretended to smooth it. “Your old man was once a very smooth operator.”
“Dad...” Jerry turned to warn his dad, but when he saw the smile quirking his father’s lips, he stopped. “This should be fun.”
By now, they’d circled the block, so they headed back to the condo. “Let me talk to your mother about our non-date with Amanda.”
Jerry laughed. “Okay, I’ll go get ready.”
When he came back out to the living room, both his parents looked him up and down. “Are you wearing that?” his mother finally asked, pointing to his clothes.
He glanced down then looked back at her. “What’s wrong with it?”
“Nothing, if you like boring.”
“Leave the boy alone,” his dad piped up. “You can’t pick out his clothes forever.”
Jerry shot him a warning look, making the elderly man chuckle. His mother pursed her lips and shook her head.
“What would you like for me to wear, Mom?”
She frowned and thought for a moment. “I guess what you have on is okay. But maybe we need to take a trip to a men’s store soon. I can help you pick out some things that are more flattering.”
“Ready?” Jerry asked and crooked his elbow in her direction.
“I s’pose,” she said as she took Jerry’s arm. “I’m not sure we’re doing the right thing, tagging along like this.”
He patted her hand. “Trust me, Mom, it’s the right thing.” Amanda was waiting outside when they pulled up to her house. Jerry wasn’t surprised.
She ran to the SUV, and he barely had time to get out, go around, and open the door for her. As soon as she got in and bucked her seat belt, she turned and grinned at his parents. “Enjoying your vacation?”
“Very much,” his mother said in a too-formal tone.
His dad snickered. “I’m thinking about taking up surfing.”
“Too bad the waves are too small for surfing,” Amanda said, “or I’d join you.”
He nudged his wife. “See, there’s one girl who knows how to have fun.”
Amanda tossed Jerry a confused look. He just shrugged.
The tension in the car was so thick, Amanda wasn’t sure if she’d made the right decision. But here she was, and she was determined to make the most of it.
“Have you decided on a movie?”
He handed her the paper. “I thought you could pick. I don’t know anything about any of them.”
Amanda scanned the listings. “Do we want to see adventure, science fiction, or romantic comedy?”
“Romance sounds good to me,” Harold quipped. “Anything else might be bad for my heart.”
Chapter Six
Jerry cast a quick glance in his rearview mirror in time to catch his dad’s twinkling eye. There was no doubt what he was up to.
“How about you, Amanda?” He stopped for a traffic light and turned to face her. “What do you prefer?”
Red had crept up her neck and covered her face. She was on to his dad, too. She shrugged. “I’m open to anything as long as it’s not too gory or risqué.”
Jerry wasn’t sure if this was such a good idea—all four of them going to a movie. But it was too late to change that now.
“How about an animated movie?” he offered.
She smiled. “Yeah, that might be good. That is, if your parents are okay with it.”
“Sure,” his mother piped up, “I’m always up for a cartoon.”
“Then animated it is,” Jerry said.
Even though Amanda tried to pay her own way and his mother grabbed her wallet, Jerry insisted on paying for all four tickets. Once inside, his parents told him and Amanda to find seats and said they’d be right there.
His folks joined them with containers of popcorn and four soft drinks. “I hope you like cola,” Jerry’s mother said. “The line was long, and I didn’t want to have to go back, so I got us all the same thing.”
“Sure, that’s fine,” Amanda said. “But you didn’t have to get me anything.”
“I know,” Rosemary said, “but we wanted to.”
“A movie’s no fun without popcorn and a drink,” his dad said.
With three sets of eyes on her, Amanda smiled. “Thank you.”
Jerry sat on one end with Amanda next to him then his mom and his dad beside her. While the two women chatted, he focused on the advertisements on the screen until the movie started. After it was over, Jerry stood up and stretched then instinctively reached for Amanda’s hand. She blinked, offered a shaky smile, and took his hand in hers. His mother leaned over, winked, and gave him a thumbs-up.
Once they got outside, his dad announced that he was starving and wanted some pizza. Amanda said she knew of a wonderful pizza place on Treasure Island. “GiGi’s has the best pizza in the area, and the employees are my customers.”
“Then we’ll go to GiGi’s.” His dad puffed up his chest. “Any customer of yours is a friend of mine.”
As they waited for their order, Jerry reached for his mother’s and Amanda’s hands. “Let’s go ahead and
say our blessing before the food arrives.”
Jerry was sweet and comfortable to be around. However, she felt some tension between him and his parents, and she couldn’t put her finger on the cause. Harold kept the conversation going, even though Rosemary shot him warning glances. Amanda didn’t know why, though, because the man was downright charming.
The waiter brought the pizza and placed it in the middle. “Smells delicious,” Rosemary said.
“It’s the best in the area,” the waiter said. “Would you like anything else?”
Jerry shook his head. “We’re fine.” He helped his dad with a slice of pizza and offered to get his mother one. She grabbed the server from him and got not only her first slice, but also Amanda’s.
“So, Amanda, how long have you lived on Treasure Island?” Rosemary asked.
“All my life.”
“That’s amazing. Not many people live somewhere all their lives.” Amanda nodded. “Especially in this area. I’ve seen some huge population growth.”
“I can imagine.” Rosemary took a sip of her tea and looked back and forth between Amanda and Jerry. “This is such a beautiful place; I can see why people want to move here. In fact, we’ve been thinking about it.”
“No, we haven’t,” Harold blurted, holding his slice of pizza a couple of inches from his mouth. “Why are you making up stories, Rosemary?”
“You have pizza on your chin, Harold.” Rosemary dipped her napkin in his glass of water and started to dab his face.
He swatted at her. “Stop that. I can wipe my own face.”
Rosemary glared at him before turning back to Amanda. “This really is a lovely place.”
Amanda nodded. “I agree. It’s beautiful.” She cast a nervous glance toward Jerry, who shook his head.
“Jerry, did your mother tell you she’s become a turtle lover?” Harold barked. “Next thing ya know, she’ll be out there hugging palm trees.”
“At least I’m not on some stupid treasure hunt all the time,” she snapped back. “Amanda, my husband seems to think there’s buried treasure somewhere on this island.”
His lip curled. “I never said it was buried. I just think—”
“Well, there’s probably not any treasure around here anyway,” she said, “buried or not.”
“Then tell me something, Miss Know-It-All.” Harold leaned forward, his eyes wide and his expression demanding. “If there’s no treasure, why do they call it Treasure Island?”
Rosemary held out her hands. “How should I know?” She looked at Amanda. “Was there ever a treasure on Treasure Island?”
“Actually, back in the early 1900s, one of the first developers came up with a gimmick to get people interested in his land. He claimed he’d found treasure on the beach, and word spread.”
“How interesting,” Rosemary said as she tilted her head and smiled at her husband. “So there’s no treasure here after all.” She paused while Harold fidgeted. “Did you hear that, Harold? It was just a real-estate gimmick.”
“Yeah, I heard, but that doesn’t mean there’s not any treasure now. I think there is.” He pounded his fist on the table, causing the patrons at the next table to look.
“Dad,” Jerry said softly as he patted his dad’s shoulder. “Calm down, please.”
Amanda’s heart went out to Jerry’s dad. He obviously wanted to believe there was treasure on the island, and suddenly she wanted it, too.
“So what else can you tell us about this island?” Rosemary urged.
“Well…” Amanda looked at Jerry, who offered an encouraging nod. “The first people here came from several walks of life, including fishermen and pirates.”
“There ya go,” Harold said. “That just proves it. Wherever you see a pirate, there’ll be some treasure. Everyone knows that.”
“Let her finish,” Rosemary said. “Go on, Amanda, I want to hear more.” As they ate their pizza, Amanda told them everything she could think of about the history of Treasure Island. She was thankful for the conversation because it kept her from having to answer too many personal questions. By the time she finished the history lesson, the pizza was gone and the server had brought the check.
“Ready to head home?” Jerry asked.
On the way to Amanda’s house, Rosemary started with the personal questions. “How long have you lived in that house?”
“Most of my adult life,” Amanda replied. “I bought it as soon as I had enough for a down payment.”
“I’m impressed,” Rosemary said. “Do you plan to stay there?”
“Yes, I think so. It’s small, but it’s close to my shop, and I really don’t need any more space—especially after my sister moves out.”
Jerry reached over and touched her hand to get her attention. When she looked at him, he mouthed, “Sorry.”
“Are your folks still around?” Harold asked.
“Harold!” Rosemary’s voice was shrill.
“What?” he asked. “Weren’t you wondering the same thing?”
“Let’s not drive Amanda crazy with so many questions at once,” Jerry said.
“That’s okay.” Amanda cleared her throat. “I’m not sure where my dad is, but my mother lives in a house not far from mine.”
“That’s nice,” Rosemary said. “I’d like to meet her someday.” She paused then started up again. “Your house looks very charming. What kind of car do you drive?”
“Mom.” Jerry cast a warning glance in the rearview mirror toward his mother.
“Okay, okay, I was just asking. If Amanda doesn’t want to answer my questions, all she has to do is say so.”
“I think we need to give her a break from interrogation.” Amanda appreciated the firmness of Jerry’s voice.
They rode the rest of the way in silence. When Jerry pulled up to the curb in front of her house, she turned to thank everyone and let them know what a nice time she had.
“I’m thirsty,” Harold said. “Got a glass of water for an old man?”
“We’re five minutes from our condo, Harold. You can wait.”
“I figured you wanted to see her place,” he mumbled. “I was only trying to help.”
“If you’re thirsty—” Amanda began before Jerry gave her a look that stopped her.
“That’s okay,” Jerry said. He got out and walked around to hold the door for Amanda. His parents were sweethearts, but she was exhausted and needed some time to herself.
On the way to her door, Jerry apologized profusely for his parents’ behavior. “I don’t know what’s gotten into them. Mom never used to be this bossy. A little manipulative, maybe, but she used to be quite a bit more subtle. And my dad, well…” Amanda detected the pain in his voice as it trailed off.
“Really, Jerry, I understand. Wait until you meet my mom.” She suddenly caught herself. What was she saying? Why would he ever meet her mother?
He grinned. “I’m glad you understand.”
They’d reached her door, so Amanda fumbled for her house key. As she turned toward Jerry, she saw his parents watching from the car. Surely he wouldn’t try to kiss her.
“I had a wonderful time, Jerry. Your parents are very sweet, and they’re just trying to deal with aging.”
“Yes, and I’m afraid they’re not dealing very well.”
“Your mother likes to feel needed.”
“I know. Too bad she doesn’t have her grandchildren nearby. My sister and brother don’t bring their families around much.” His voice cracked, so Amanda knew this was a painful topic.
“Maybe she’ll find a cause—something she can do to help others.”
Jerry shrugged. “I don’t know. If I suggest things, she’s quick to let me know all the reasons she can’t.”
“It’s hard taking care of parents.” She quickly decided it would be okay to admit her own relationship with her mother. “My mom wears me out with some of her issues.”
“You two gonna stand there all day?” his dad bellowed from the car.
Am
anda smiled and waved at the elderly couple in the car. “I’d better go in.”
Jerry reached for both of her hands and leaned over to kiss her on the cheek. She felt her face heat up as she turned away and shoved her key in the door. When the door closed behind her, she heard the sound of his car pulling away.
She’d barely been inside long enough to turn on the lights and kick off her shoes when she heard her sister’s voice, letting her know they weren’t alone. As much as she wanted to hide in her room, she was also curious about Brad, so she headed to the living room.
“Hey, there,” Lacy said. “Have fun with Jerry and his parents?”
“Yes,” Amanda replied as she turned to the very tall, very handsome man standing beside her sister. She extended her hand. “I’m Amanda Burns, Lacy’s sister.”
“Sorry,” Lacy said. “This is Brad…” Her gaze lingered on him for a couple of seconds before she gestured toward the little boy sitting on the edge of the sofa, who was rolling a toy car over the palm of his hand. “And that’s Timmy.”
“Hi, Timmy.” Amanda smiled, but he broke eye contact and went back to fidgeting with his car, so she turned to Brad. “So how was dinner?”
He looked annoyed as he pointed to his son. “Would’ve been good if we didn’t have so many interruptions.”
Amanda blinked. She didn’t like what she was seeing. Brad never should have said that in front of his son. “He’s just a little boy. I think interrupting is what they do best.”
Brad raked his fingers through his close-cropped hair. “I’ve tried teaching him manners, but he doesn’t listen very well.”
Timmy jumped down off the sofa and zoomed his toy car over her coffee table. Amanda had no doubt he was reacting to his father’s comments.
“No, Timmy!” Brad took a couple of strides toward his son, but Amanda held up her hand to stop him.
“Hey, Timmy, do you wanna see my bicycle collection?” she asked.
“He doesn’t want to see that,” Lacy whined.
“I do, too!” Timmy scowled at Lacy then turned and looked at Amanda. “Where is it?”
Amanda turned toward the sunroom and motioned for Lacy and Brad to stay put. Timmy was right beside her.
