Home at Last

by Judith Keim

  She shook her head.

  “Maybe we can plan one together as friends traveling separately. Singles are welcome, of course, but having a friend along would be even better.”

  The surprised look on Rosalie’s face turned to pleasure. “I’d like to think about it, but a river cruise sounds nice. We can talk about it. Some of my friends have gone and loved it.”

  “It sounds nice, Mom.” Observing the pleased look Rosalie exchanged with Rafe, Lulu felt her heart fill. She knew Rafe well enough to know he was not making a play for her mother, but was just trying to help get her back into a normal life away from the struggles that had shaped her. Everyone who knew Rafe knew he’d given his heart to Lettie forever.

  Lulu was surprised when Rafe handed her a package. “For me?”

  His expression was full of excitement. “From Nonnee and me.”

  Before she even opened the package, tears filled Lulu’s eyes. She blindly opened the small box and stared at the tasteful, solitaire diamond earrings.

  Rafe’s smile was touching. “I discovered these in one of my drawers and thought they were the perfect gift for you. Cami and I both agreed that Nonnee would be pleased to see you have them.”

  “Thank you,” murmured Lulu, trying not to cry. She’d had bigger, more expensive gifts in her life, but none so meaningful.

  “How lovely,” her mother said softly, giving Lulu a tender smile. She turned to Cami and then looked at Rafe. “You’ve made my daughter feel welcome and such a big part of your family. I can’t thank you enough.”

  “I’ve got a present for you, Rosalie,” said Cami, handing her a gaily wrapped package with shiny stars.

  Rosalie opened the box and lifted out a gray fleece jacket with the Chandler Hill Inn logo and grinned. “I’ll put it right on. Thank you.” She unzipped the jacket and slid her arms into it.

  “It fits you perfectly,” said Lulu, noticing how touched her mother was.

  Amid laughter and warm sentiments, Lulu thought it was the best Christmas ever. And when she saw Cami become weepy over the picture frame filled with a photograph Lulu had taken of Cami and Drew together, she knew she’d made some wise choices.

  They’d just cleaned up the mess when Becca, Dan, and Miguel arrived.

  “Merry Christmas!” Becca cried, entering the house. Dan walked beside her carrying a huge palm tree.

  “We thought you could use this, Cami. You mentioned you needed a plant to fill the space by the sliding door on the south side of the house,” said Becca, directing Dan to set it down at the far end of the living room.

  Miguel followed, carrying a small, brightly-wrapped box and a red stocking full of dog treats. “And we didn’t forget Sophie. Here, Soph!”

  The dog trotted right over to him, grabbed the end of the stocking, and ran to the far corner with it.

  Miguel laughed. “Guess I got that right.” He handed the box to Cami. “I heard some people especially like Belgian chocolate.”

  Lulu hid her surprise. She knew he was referring to her and was touched by his thoughtfulness. She glanced at him but he’d already turned to Drew.

  Cami and Lulu introduced Rosalie to everyone, and then the house filled with chatter as Cami and Rafe handed a fruit punch to Rosalie and mimosas to everyone else.

  Lulu sat in a chair opposite her mother, who was resting on the couch next to Rafe. From her viewpoint, she saw her mother as the attractive woman she was. The air, change of place, and new medications were working their magic. And to be fair, maybe the freedom from worry over what her husband might or might not be doing with another woman was another factor.

  Becca was full of stories about the puppy she’d given Dan for Christmas. A black lab, Daisy was already a big girl weighing eighteen pounds at ten weeks.

  “She’s going to be a great dog on the farm,” said Dan. “Old Mike, the golden retriever we inherited from Rod Mitchell, the original owner of Lone Creek Winery, is starting to show his age.”

  Cami lifted Sophie into her lap. “She might not be as big as your dogs, but she’s a great little hunter. Right, Sophie?”

  The dog wagged her tail and barked on cue, bringing laughter to the room.

  “She’s great with the guests at the inn,” said Becca. She laughed. “I almost gave my mother a heart attack when I told her that Dan and I had a secret baby. But she calmed down when she realized I was talking about a puppy I’d bought for him.”

  “Once we complete work on the house at Taunton Estates, I’ll get a puppy,” said Miguel. “Not until then.”

  “How is the house coming along?” asked Rafe.

  “We’ve done as much interior work as we can. Come spring, we’ll do the addition.” He turned to Lulu with a grin. “You’re the one who made me decide to go ahead with it.”

  As all eyes turned to her, Lulu felt heat rise to her cheeks. “He showed me what it would be like,” she said awkwardly.

  “I agree it’s a very romantic idea,” said Becca, sitting next to Miguel. She nudged his arm. “But then he’s such a romantic guy.”

  “All the girls in the valley think so,” Cami said, continuing to tease him. “How many hearts are you going to break when you leave next week?”

  Miguel held up his hands. “Stop!” The smile that had been on his face was gone. “You know I don’t play around when it comes to the serious stuff. Sure, I date a lot and have fun, but that’s because I haven’t met the right girl yet. I’ll let you know when I do.”

  Lulu’s body tensed at his hurtful words. She worked hard to maintain a neutral expression while her body felt as if it had been pierced with an arrow.

  Cami stood. “Who’s ready for another mimosa?”

  Lulu raised her hand. “I am,” she said, ignoring the frown on her mother’s face.

  ###

  After a delicious brunch, Lulu helped Cami with the dishes and then announced she was going to lie down. Maybe it was all the emotions of the day, but she was exhausted. Rafe and her mother had already left for their walk through the vineyards.

  As she lay atop the bed, Lulu decided as soon as the holidays were over, she’d invite Will to visit Chandler Hill so they could have a chance to talk seriously about the future. Then maybe she would have a better idea of what it might be like to share a life with him. It was obvious that a relationship between Miguel and her was not going to happen. He’d stated very clearly that he hadn’t met the right girl yet. Pain squeezed her heart.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Over coffee the next morning, Rosalie asked Cami for permission to stay until January 2nd instead of returning to L.A. on the twenty-seventh of December as planned.

  “Rafe suggested I spend New Year’s Eve and day here at Chandler Hill. He knows how hard the holidays can be,” Rosalie explained to Cami and Lulu together. “He’s such a sweet man and still so in love with his Lettie.”

  “Of course, you may stay! I’m very happy you want to.” Cami’s eyes filled. “The relationship between Rafe and my grandmother is the kind I want with Drew. Loving and lasting.”

  “A good man is hard to find,” said Rosalie. “But your Drew seems very nice. And the two of you look happy together.”

  “I’m thinking of inviting Will here after the holidays,” said Lulu. “I’m still not sure whether I want to help him with his campaign or not.”

  In the silence that followed, Rosalie said to Cami, “Rafe also spoke to me about you and your need to know information about your father. He told me you’ve wondered about him for a long time and began searching for information right after you met Lulu.”

  “I feel like I didn’t know the real man very much myself,” Lulu said. “Is it going to hurt you to talk about him, Mom? If not, I’d like to hear too.”

  “It’s a good idea for both of you to know more about him. Human beings are complex. He wasn’t all bad like the press would make you believe. You, Lulu, know more than most that he truly wanted to do good things for our country, the world.”

  “
Yes,” Lulu agreed. She turned to Cami. “Is this a good time to sit and talk? I know you usually head to the inn at this time.”

  Cami checked the clock on the microwave. “Let me call Becca to tell her I’ll be late and we can do it now. Are you ready, Rosalie?”

  Lulu’s mother let out a long sigh. “I suppose now is as good a time as any, and I do believe Rafe is right. Both of you should have a chance to know about your father from someone other than political junkies or the press.”

  “I’ll fix more coffee,” said Lulu.

  “And I’ll refresh the plate of biscuits,” added Cami. “Even though my stomach is whirling with excitement, I think we should all be as comfortable as possible. Why don’t we go into the living room? I’ll get a fire going, making the room nice and cozy.”

  As Lulu prepared the coffee, her stomach was as unsettled as it had been for weeks. She realized how nervous she was about her mother remaining well and glanced over at her. Except for the way her mother’s eyebrows were drawn into a frown, she seemed at ease about the upcoming conversation.

  Lulu settled on the couch next to her mother; Cami curled up on a wide chair angled at the end of the couch toward them.

  “Rosalie, I’m so grateful for your agreeing to do this,” said Cami. “You have no idea how often I’ve wondered who my father was, what he looked like, why my mother refused to talk about him, and all the questions I had about him since I was a child. Nonnee and Rafe agreed to abide by my mother’s wishes not to press for information, but I’ve always had a need to know about him.”

  “I can imagine your curiosity, your desire to find out more. We all want to know about family.” Rosalie was quiet and then spoke softly. “As I’ve mentioned, I grew up an only child with parents who adored me. My father and I were always close and grew even closer after my mother died of cancer when I was twelve. Without my mother around, as I became older I grew into the role of hostess for my father. He was a successful businessman and was a part of society.”

  Lulu looked to Cami and made a face. “My mother made sure I did all those social things. Cotillion and all that.”

  “Yes, well I thought it best. At any rate, my father and Edward’s father decided Edward and I would make the perfect pair. William Kingsley had great political ambition for his only son and needed a wife for him who had the right connections and could oversee the social requirements necessary to help him succeed in politics. I’d just broken up with a man I truly loved when Bill Kingsley and my father approached me. Devastated at losing who I’d thought was my one true love, I agreed to meet Edward.”

  Rosalie took a sip of coffee and sat back against the couch lost in memory. “Edward was always an impressive man—good looking, bright, full of energy, and with the ability to appear to listen to others. I was intrigued from the beginning.” She let out a little laugh. “Who wasn’t?”

  “Did you know about his trip to Africa?” Cami asked, leaning forward.

  “That trip to Africa and Asia was all he could talk about for months, and then just after we were married, he grew quiet about it. We had Lulu right away and tried for more children immediately after that. But Teddy didn’t appear for some time.”

  The look her mother gave her was full of such sadness, Lulu held her breath.

  “We both loved that boy. And, Lulu, we loved you too. You were our first child. Teddy came at a time when we were trying to hold things together. We had a few good years and then ...” her voice trailed off.

  “Then he died,” Lulu said bluntly.

  Rosalie fought tears. “That was the end,” she said simply. “I knew Edward was having affairs. Believe it or not, that was something I could accept. But I couldn’t deal with the fact that I knew he’d always loved another woman more than me. That letter I once found from her was something he read over and over.” She turned to Cami. “Though he tried, he was never able to hide that.”

  “I’m sorry,” Cami said softly.

  “Oh, sweetheart, there’s nothing for you to be sorry about. I knew from the beginning that we’d both made a mistake by marrying. And after all we’d been through together, I grew tired of trying to be the picture of a perfect wife. I wanted a man who loved me just for being me. But, of course, divorce wasn’t an option. In politics, you hang onto a bad marriage to reach long-range goals. But one thing I want the two of you to know is that you were both loved. Your father was bright and dedicated, a lot like the two of you.”

  “Did he ever talk about me or my mother?” Cami asked, and then was appalled by her question. “I’m sorry, that may be insensitive of me to ask—"

  Rosalie cut her off. “We talked about her once, right after he came back from Africa, before we were married. Then we vowed never to speak of her again. And we didn’t. I had no idea about a child until I found the letter from Autumn. One reason I wanted to come to Chandler Hill now was to be able to reach out to you.” Tears trailed down Rosalie’s cheeks. “If your mother was anything like you, Cami, I can understand why Edward loved her.”

  Cami let out a soft cry and covered her face with her hands.

  Lulu went to her and sat on the edge of the seat of the chair. Hugging her, Lulu whispered, “I think our father would be pleased we are together.” She straightened. “And, Mom, Dad would be proud of the way you’ve handled this. You’re a true class act.”

  “Thank you, darling. I’ve always wanted more children. Maybe in time, Cami will accept me as part of the family.”

  Cami lifted her tear-streaked face. “I already do.”

  The three of them were still dabbing at their eyes with tissues when Rafe knocked on the door and entered the house. He gaped at them and blanched. “What’s wrong?”

  Cami ran over to her grandfather. “We’ve increased our family by two. Is that okay with you?”

  He glanced over to Rosalie and Lulu and nodded. “Lettie would love it.”

  “How about some coffee?” Cami asked.

  He shook his head. “I’m here to see if Rosalie wants to go see Taunton Estates. Thought we’d better get out this morning. Cold and rain are due here this afternoon.”

  Rosalie stood. “Give me some time to get ready, and I’d love to see your winery.”

  “Better take Cami up on her offer for coffee,” said Lulu with a teasing smile. “It might take a while for Mom to get ready.”

  “Okay, I’ll do that,” Rafe said agreeably, following Cami into the kitchen.

  Lulu left them and hurried to her mother’s room. Her mother was standing at the sliding-glass door leading to the deck outside her room.

  “Are you all right?” Lulu asked, coming up behind her.

  Her mother turned to her. “Just a little sad about all that’s happened. But I’ll get over it. Rafe understands what a difficult situation we’ve been through. While we weren’t a love match, I loved your father as a person—a flawed, controlling man I spent over half of my life married to. I still am struggling with his death. Rafe understands that too. He’s not over Lettie’s death. Truthfully, he probably never will be.”

  “Is there anything I can do for you?” Lulu said. “Have you taken your meds?”

  “Yes, Lulu, I have,” her mother said with an unmistakable edge to her voice.

  She hid her annoyance and forced a smile. “Just checking.”

  Her mother cupped Lulu’s cheek. “Thanks.”

  As Lulu walked her mother out of the room to meet Rafe, she felt more like the mother than the child. Then, seeing the smile that crossed her mother’s face, she pushed away her anxiety. Chandler Hill was such a magical place.

  ###

  Lulu saw little of her mother for the remaining days of her visit,. The inn was busy with guests arriving for the New Year’s Eve celebration that had become the “in” place to be on that evening. The Barn was busy with after-holiday sales, freshening the store with new merchandise, and blending catalog items in with the regular inventory.

  By the time New Year’s Eve came, Lulu decid
ed she was too tired to go to the inn. She’d been having headaches on and off, along with a nervous stomach, and she longed to spend the evening in her PJs reading a book or crying over a movie. Will had called and suggested coming to see her in Oregon for the holiday, but Lulu had nicely but firmly told him not to come until after her mother had gone, and she could concentrate on him.

  “Are you sure you want to stay home? After the party here, staff and friends get together to celebrate on our own,” said Cami. She was dressed in a long-sleeved, forest-green, silky sheath that complemented her strawberry-blond hair and trim body beautifully.

  “I’m sure,” Lulu said, stifling a yawn. “The thought of alcohol and rich food is nauseating. My mother and I are going to share a simple supper here. Besides, I have to work the morning shift at The Barn and want to be rested to do that. I have the next day off to take my mother to the airport. Rafe offered, but I told him it was important to me to do this for her.”

  “It’s been nice that they’ve become friends,” Cami said. “I think they’ve really enjoyed one another.”

  “Yes,” replied Lulu cautiously. Her mother had been doing so well, she was worried about her.

  ###

  At the airport before the flight home, Lulu’s mother began to fret. “I don’t want to go back to my old life. But I can’t leave California. Not now. I have Melba to take care of.”

  “Mom, Melba is the one who takes care of you. Not the other way around.”

  Her mother waved Lulu’s comments away. “Oh, I know that. But I keep an eye on her too. She’s like the sister I’ve always wanted. And what would I do if I left L.A.? All my friends are there.”

  “The one or two who have stuck with you through all the mess with Dad?” said Lulu, unable to hide her disgust. Her stomach roiled. “After you get home and get settled, you and I can talk about things. Hopefully by then, I’ll have come to some decision about Will and his campaign.”

  Her mother sighed. “All right. That sounds sensible.”

  When at last it was time for her mother to enter the security line, Lulu gave her mother another hug and kiss and said, “I love you. Safe trip.”