Riley had acted more subdued than usual this morning after Linda had picked her up. She hadn’t even bothered to put on her play clothes yet. She’d just plopped down on the couch and watched Saturday-morning cartoons in her purple flannel pajamas.
“Nothing, sweetie. Why would you ask that?”
“Because you don’t act the way you usually do.”
“And how’s that?”
“Oh, you know. Thinking up fun stuff for us to do.”
“I’m sorry. Sometimes grownups get sad, just like you were that day when we transplanted those amaryllis.”
“Oh, the little baby ones. I remember.”
Linda ran her fingers through Riley’s uncombed hair. “Why don’t you run get me the brush, and I’ll see what I can do with all these tangles.”
As she brushed, she thought about Patrick. Silly that hair color could make such a difference. So Ann was a blonde like her mother, whom Linda’s stepfather—she tried out the new word—had apparently never quit loving. She recalled how his eyes had sparkled when Ann walked into the room. Oh, he never did anything cruel to Linda, but he just didn’t come alive around her the way he did around Ann.
“You’re sad, aren’t you?” Riley asked, even though she faced away from Linda.
“How can you tell, baby girl?”
“I can feel it, Granny. Kids know more than you think.”
Linda finished with Riley’s hair and set the brush on the arm of the big chair they sat in. She hugged Riley to her for a minute. “I know. And I’m glad we can tell each other what we’re thinking about and feeling.”
Maybe if she’d known the real situation between her parents, she would have been surer of who she was and what she wanted.
She sighed as Riley jumped to her feet and began to gear up for the weekend. “I’m feeling better now, sweetheart. How about you run dress and then help me make some decorations to put on the tables for Thanksgiving? Your aunt and her girlfriend are flying home from Chicago to be with us for a few days, and we need to make everything look special for them. Okay?”
“Okay, Granny. What do we do first?” Riley seemed back to normal, and Linda felt a little better than she had since Bree had exploded her world with the bombshell about her parents.
Chapter Twenty-two
Linda straightened the house after Riley left Sunday afternoon, lonelier than she could ever remember. Was Ann still at Bree’s house, celebrating their apparent reunion? Since late Friday night when she’d spotted Ann’s car in Bree’s driveway, Linda’s mind had taken her places she’d rather not visit, and not even her morning meditations helped.
She flopped down onto her leather couch like Riley had done yesterday. With Thanksgiving practically here, she had a million things to do, but she just wanted to sit and stare at TV.
The phone rang, and she plucked it from its cradle as if it were a baby pitching a tantrum. “Hello.”
“Hey, sis. Ready for Turkey Day?”
“Not really. But I will be.” Since when had Ann shown any enthusiasm for a family holiday? She rarely showed up, and when she did, she came late and left early.
“I’ve ordered a Greenberg turkey to be delivered Wednesday.”
“What? How big?”
“Oh, the one that feeds twenty to thirty people.”
She did a quick mental count. Her three children and their spouses, four grandchildren, Sandy and Ann and herself. “I expected thirteen or fourteen.”
“Oh. I invited Bree and her mother, and Carolyn. And maybe a few others. Is that a problem? Bree and her mother plan to make some pies, and Carolyn volunteered to bring a big fruit salad and rolls. Okay?”
Linda slumped back into the couch. Not only had Ann confiscated Bree and Sarah, but she’d taken charge of Linda’s Thanksgiving celebration as well.
“Linda? You there?”
“Sure you don’t want to have the meal at your house?” Linda tried to keep the resentment from her voice.
Ann didn’t slow down. “No, thanks. I’m not as good at that sort of thing as you. By the way, Bree told me about Dad.”
“She did? Why—”
“Don’t be mad at her. I wormed it out of her the other night.”
Linda choked on her tears.
“I’m glad she told me.” Ann’s tone sounded unusually soft and sympathetic.
“Yeah?” Linda couldn’t force out another word. At least she hadn’t slammed the phone down in a rage.
“I always felt bad that Dad favored me, and furious at how much better Mom liked you than me.”
Linda’s tears dried up, and she sat up straighter. “You realized Dad liked you best?”
“Hmm-huh. I always sensed it. And on some level you must have too.”
“But Mom didn’t like me more than you.”
Ann’s laugh sounded harsh. “Of course she did. But I never gave her a chance to like me as much as she would have. Dad gave me enough attention.”
“What do you mean?” Linda didn’t trust her.
“How about we call it even? After all, you have a fascinating mystery in your life. If I were you, I’d hop on the next plane to Paris and try to find all my long-lost siblings and their offspring. Maybe they’d act nicer to you than I ever did.”
Linda relaxed into the sofa cushions and chuckled. “You know, I might just do that. Want to come along?”
Ann laughed. “Sounds like fun, but I have my hands full right here. Good talking to you. See you Thursday with turkey in hand, if not sooner.”
As Linda lowered her phone, her head spun. How could she make it through Thanksgiving with Ann and Bree celebrating their reunion right in front of her? She had to talk to someone or she’d burst.
*
“What do you think, Sandy?” Linda stroked Zoe’s soft coat, who’d immediately cuddled up next to her and rested a paw in her lap. Cowboy covered Sandy’s lap as she leaned back in her oversized burgundy recliner.
“You’re sure keeping my life interesting lately, Linda. Without you, I’d never have known what a little Peyton Place this town was.”
“Watch it. You’re showing your age. I was younger than Riley when Peyton Place was popular.”
Sandy brushed away the comment with one hand. “Doesn’t matter. People will always sneak around to do what they want, no matter who they hurt. And don’t try to change the subject.”
Linda ran her fingers through Zoe’s coat again and began to relax.
Fidgeting in her chair, Sandy seemed to have caught the agitation Linda had just shed. “I’m stunned that Helen got pregnant by a stranger and had to get married.” She tossed the Sunday paper onto the floor. “I never suspected a thing.”
“Well, you’d have been about Riley’s age. You probably didn’t even know where babies came from.”
“Ha. When you grow up on a farm like I did, you know all about that.” She picked up Cowboy’s ear, then let it drop. “I probably just wasn’t interested in what the grownups were talking about. I was outside all the time playing like a wild creature.”
“Yeah. I can imagine that.”
“I’m sure the news about your parents was a shock, but has it changed anything?”
Linda shifted her weight. Zoe’s head was beginning to get heavy. “It’s strange, but things seem better between Ann and me now.”
“Better how?”
“With everything out in the open, it’s like we can both understand what was happening and why and finally let it be. That’s a relief.”
“So what’s bothering you now?” Sandy nudged Cowboy, who scooted over a bit.
Linda suddenly flushed all over, and it wasn’t from holding Zoe. “It’s Bree. I thought we had something special, but then Ann showed up and everything changed.”
“So the old sibling rivalry is still alive and well?”
“I’m afraid so. When I saw Ann’s car there late Friday night, I went to pieces.”
“And you haven’t heard from Bree since?”
“She called first thing the next morning, but I told her it was early and—”
“How did she sound?”
“Excited. That’s what got me, especially when she said, You’ll never believe what happened.”
“What had happened?” Sandy roused Cowboy and made her jump down.
“That’s just it. I don’t know. I cut her off, so she never had a chance to tell me. Whatever it was, it had to be about her and Ann, and I didn’t want to hear it.”
“What if she’d just won the lottery or had a wonderful dream about you or—”
“Okay, I get it.” Now Zoe jumped down too.
“Do you?” Sandy stood up and stretched. “I’m hungry. Want a sandwich?”
“No, thanks. You go ahead.” Linda sat in silence after Sandy left the room.
“Do you remember what we discussed about magic several months ago?” Sandy said from the kitchen.
“I’m not sure. You’ve told me a lot of things about it.” Sandy didn’t realize what a novice witch Linda was.
“Magic doesn’t create the changes you’re trying to make.” Sandy’s words floated into the room.
“You mean I can’t just wrinkle my nose like Samantha the witch used to do on Bewitched and get what I want?”
“Exactly.” Sandy emerged with a peanut-butter sandwich and a glass of milk. “Sure you don’t want something?”
Linda shook her head. “I’m fine.”
“Remember what I’m about to tell you.” Sandy set her glass on an end table and sat down next to her.
“Okay. I’ll try.”
“The changes you want have to come from inside you. That’s the basis of magic. Got it?” Sandy took a bite of her sandwich.
“Maybe. But how do the changes happen?”
Sandy chewed, then swallowed. “You have to put yourself in a position where what you want can occur.”
“That’s still kinda vague.”
“Okay. Let’s just say, theoretically, you’d like to have some type of romantic relationship with Bree.”
Linda glowed with heat and nodded. “Uh-huh. Theoretically.”
“Yesterday morning, she was excited and wanted to share something with you, but you didn’t want to listen. In fact, you cut her off. Was that an example of opening yourself so what you want with her can take place?”
Linda shook her head again. “No. Hey, your sandwich looks good. Okay if I make myself one?”
“Of course. Go ahead.” Sandy picked up her glass and took a long drink of milk.
“What should I have done?” Linda called from the kitchen as she spread a glob of crunchy peanut butter onto a piece of wheat bread.
“You tell me,” Sandy called back.
“Shared her excitement? Listened to her even though I was afraid what she’d tell me would hurt?”
“That’s it. You expected the worst, so you got it. You haven’t heard from her again, have you?”
“No.” Linda placed another slice of bread on her sandwich and slid it onto a paper plate. “And I probably won’t if I don’t call her. But what does not hearing from her have to do with magic?”
“I’ve already told you. Magic comes from inside you.”
“Yeah. And?”
“Well, it happens when you harness the amazing power of your spirit.”
Linda poured a tall glass full of milk, its coolness tempering the heat their discussion of Bree and magic had provoked. “And how do I do that?”
“If you want something, you have to play the game. But you also have to accept and enjoy both the times you win and the times you lose.” Sandy lowered her empty glass as Linda settled beside her on the couch again. “You just need to practice using your energy to make the changes you want in your own life and even in the world around you.”
Linda took a bite of her sandwich. “How? Go play the slots in Shreveport?”
“Might help you loosen up. But closer to home, you’re already doing your daily visualization, right?”
Linda nodded, her mouth full.
“Okay. Now I want you to cast a spell.”
“Cast a spell?” Linda almost choked on her sandwich.
“Yes. To set the mood, burn some incense or a candle with a certain fragrance you like. Then focus on what you want to occur and state your wish exactly.”
“And it’ll happen?”
“Yes. If you want it enough. Just make sure it’s what you want.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yes. Your ritual will help you focus your thoughts and intentions, and focusing on something long and hard enough will cause results.” Sandy looked thoughtful. “I remember dating a man who wanted to become rich. He always told me that if you wrap yourself around a stock—he was interested in Pennzoil at the time—and consider it a winner, it will be.”
“But he was forced to research companies like Pennzoil so extensively he could tell if they would make money. Right?”
“To some extent. And he did become a rich man.”
“So why didn’t you end up with him?”
“He got too wrapped up in making money instead of in me.”
Linda laughed. “So he achieved what he wanted but ended up lonely.”
“Not necessarily.” Sandy seemed to be really serious about the subject. “Maybe he eventually found someone who loved money as much as he did, but that wasn’t me. Like I said earlier, follow the advice you’ve probably heard all your life. Be careful what you wish for.”
Linda finished her meal and stood up. “And on that note, I’ll take my leave. Thanks, Sandy. For everything. You’re my hero.”
“No problem, kiddo.” Sandy wrapped an arm around her and squeezed. “What do you want me to bring Thursday?”
“Some kind of casserole? Just let me know in a day or two. Did I tell you Ann’s bringing a Greenberg turkey?”
“My God. It’s a miracle. Or perhaps magic.”
The twinkle in Sandy’s eyes made Linda feel better than she had since last week, before she’d learned about her dad. Maybe she’d take Sandy’s advice and try a little magic.
Chapter Twenty-three
Linda knocked on Sarah’s door at Silverado. “Yoo-hoo. Anybody home?”
“Sure. Come on in.”
The faint odor of oil paints and turpentine greeted her.
Sarah stuck her brush in a jar of paint thinner and pushed her red walker over to her recliner. “It’s good to see you, Linda.” She eased herself down. “I’ve missed you.”
“I’m sure the aides here are taking care of you. I gave them a special lesson but thought I’d stop by and check.” She knelt, then pulled up Sarah’s pants leg. “Ah. This looks better every time I see it.”
Sarah sat back after Linda finished. She seemed more rested and alert than she had since she’d moved in here. “Are you thinking about going back home now?” Linda sat down in the chair reserved for visitors, grateful for the new, more comfortable one.
Sarah shook her head. “No. I don’t want to risk another fall. Besides, I can’t ask Bree to give up her job and move in with me. And I’d rather be here than hire sitters.”
“I understand. I haven’t seen Bree in several days, but I suppose she’s probably getting ready to leave for Chicago. I hope she’s enjoyed her visit.”
“Oh, I’m not sure when she’s leaving. She’s found a beautician she likes at Foxx III, and she and Ann seem to have rekindled their friendship. Evidently Ann talked her into going to Dallas, shopping, today.”
Linda’s throat clenched and she stiffened. She’d been right. Bree and Ann had gotten back together, and Bree wasn’t in any hurry to leave because of that.
Fragments of Sandy’s advice about magic suddenly ran through her head. Magic comes from inside us. Cast a spell. Play the game. Have fun. Focus! Could she possibly affect Bree’s decision? Could she visualize Bree wanting to stay because of her?
“By the way, Bree told me about my birth father last week.” Linda kept thinking about him, and S
arah had actually met him. “What was he like?”
Sarah sighed and leaned back, as if she needed some support. “I’m glad Bree decided to let you know. We’ve lived with secrets like that for too long.” She stared at Linda as if gauging her ability to accept the truth. “From what little I know, he was a wonderful man. He and his French wife seemed very much in love when I stayed with them in Paris. They both appreciated literature and the arts, and they seemed to enjoy each other’s company immensely.”
“So why would he be unfaithful to her?” Linda had already asked herself the question a million times.
Sarah rubbed the velour fabric on the arm of her chair. “We’ll never know. Perhaps we’re capable of loving two people passionately at the same time, but usually we have to choose which one we’ll be loyal to. I don’t doubt for a minute that he loved your mom too. He was that kind of man.”
Linda relaxed back into her chair. “You’re sure?”
“Yes. I knew his mothers well and admired them tremendously. I’m certain they set a wonderful example.”
“They were lesbians, right? Bree said they were named Molly and Jaq.”
“Oh yes.”
“I’d love to have met them,” Linda said. “What did they look like?”
“When I knew them, Jaq’s dark hair was graying at the temples, and Molly’s red hair was turning white.” She stared at Linda. “In fact, it eventually turned the same pure white yours is becoming. She’d probably recognize you as her granddaughter.”
Linda’s heart raced. “I wish I’d known her. Not that I didn’t love the grandmother I had, but…”
Sarah laughed. “You sound exactly like Molly. Always sweet and considerate.”
Linda flushed. “But I bet she wasn’t a total wimp, like I tend to be.”
“You’re not a wimp.” Sarah shook her finger at Linda. “And she definitely wasn’t. She could have stayed here in Texas, but she followed her heart to be with the woman she loved. That wasn’t a small thing here in this part of the country almost a hundred years ago. You’re more like her than you realize.”
Linda straightened up in her chair, then stood. “Thanks for saying that. But say, I heard my sister invited you and Bree to spend Thanksgiving with us.”
Autumn Spring Page 22
