Secret Sundays

by Judith Keim

  Tiffany paused. In the past, she’d be close to tears. Now she was angry—angry at all that Muffy and Regard had done to her in the past and were trying to do now.

  “Well, what do you have to say for yourself?” said Muffy, glaring at her.

  “Get real,” Tiffany growled. “My marriage to Beau was in serious trouble long before he died, due in some part to you and Regard. As for my choices now, I’ll always love and protect Vanna from harm in any form, including belittling remarks from others. Kevin and Beau were good friends. Beau knew how Kevin felt about me, and he approved. So, don’t try to turn something wonderful into something hurtful. You’ve done it in the past. Those days are over. Get it?”

  Tiffany hadn’t realized she was shouting until she saw the shock on Muffy’s face. Kevin rushed into the room. “Everything all right?”

  Tiffany arose and stood on legs that felt like wet noodles. She glared at her mother-in-law. “Yes, everything’s fine. We’re just settling things between us. Right, Muffy?”

  Muffy nodded dumbly.

  Kevin turned to Beau’s mother. “Beau really did love you, you know. He just couldn’t understand why you wouldn’t let him live his own life as he wanted.”

  The blood drained from Muffy’s face. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered. “So very sorry.”

  She lowered her head into her hands.

  Tiffany walked over to her mother-in-law and patted her back. “We’re all sorry. Now, let’s start this visit all over again without judging. That’s the only way you’re going to see your granddaughter. Understand?”

  Muffy looked up at Tiffany and nodded.

  Tiffany forced herself to remain where she was. She had to be strong or it wasn’t going to work.

  Hildie appeared with Vanna.

  Tiffany walked over to Hildie and gathered Vanna in her arms.

  “Vanna, it’s time to meet your grandmother.” She carried her over to Muffy.

  Vanna pointed to Muffy. “Gamma.”

  Muffy laughed with delight then burst into tears. “She’s so, so precious.”

  Tiffany smiled. That was one judgment her mother-in-law would always be free to make.

  CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR

  LYNETTA

  After making sure Carol Ann was calm enough to face Lee and the others at work, Lynetta returned to her desk. She hadn’t had time to tell Carol Ann about the wonderful phone call she’d received from James over the weekend. He was due to arrive in Georgia that night. At the thought, Lynetta filled with joy. She and James had made such a wonderful, sweet connection. When he’d abruptly left for California to take care of his mother, her trust in what they’d had was shattered. And then, when she hadn’t heard from him, she’d written off the whole relationship. Men like James Mason hadn’t been much of a presence in her life. She’d married a loser and had been forced finally to dump him. Unlike her ex, James was quiet, confident, and capable.

  As she thought of him, Lynetta couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face. James was also the sexiest guy she’d ever known. As a teacher of woodworking and art at the local vocational school, he used his hands well. Those same talented hands were wonderful to her.

  Since his first phone call from California when he’d told her he wanted to see her, they’d spent a lot of time talking to each other. After each call, Lynetta became more certain that he was someone she wanted to be with.

  “Lynetta? I need you to stay late tonight,” said Lee, breaking into Lynetta’s daydreaming.

  Lynetta’s attention focused on her boss with a jolt. “I’m sorry. I have an appointment tonight. Something I can’t change. I have to leave at my regular time.”

  Lee glared at her. “You know what I said about people not pulling their weight during this time.”

  Carol Ann hurried over to them. “I heard, and I’ll stay in Lynetta’s place. I haven’t anything to do tonight.”

  Lee glanced from Carol Ann to Lynetta and back again. “Okay, Carol Ann. I’ll go along with it this time, but, Lynetta here, has to understand that the next time I ask her to stay, she must.” Without another glance at either of them, Lee walked away.

  Lynetta gritted her teeth. “She didn’t have to talk about me as if I wasn’t here,” she whispered angrily.

  “I know,” said Carol Ann. “She likes to do that. It’s very annoying and unprofessional.” Her expression changed. “What do you have going on? You looked so happy a few minutes ago. Is this about James?”

  Lynetta grinned. “School’s out. He’s flying in tonight.”

  “Ohhh! Is he staying?”

  “I don’t know,” said Lynetta. “He wants to talk to me about it.”

  “Ladies ...” Lee called a warning to them.

  “I’ll talk to you later,” said Carol Ann before rushing away as quickly as she could in her awkward state.

  Lynetta watched Carol Ann get settled behind her desk and thought of how Carol Ann and the other women in the Fat Fridays group had befriended her. It was an odd group in many ways, but she treasured each of the women in it.

  When at last it was time for her to leave, Lynetta’s nerves kicked in. Would James like what he saw?

  In the ladies’ room, Lynetta patted down her hair. The brown skin of her face was smooth and even in color. Her dark eyes sparkled with good humor she couldn’t hide. She patted the black skirt she’d worn for the occasion and straightened her white lacy blouse. Her body was pleasantly round—not too thin and not too heavy, but nice and curvy. He’d once told her he liked that about her.

  Pushing aside her insecurities, Lynetta applied her favorite red lipstick. It was too late to change anything now. As her mother had once told her, “Lynetta, you are what you are. Enjoy what God has given you.” It hadn’t been all that comforting then, and it wasn’t now.

  Lynetta emerged from the ladies’ room and waved to Carol Ann. “Thanks, girl!”

  Carol Ann smiled. “Have fun!”

  ###

  Lynetta pulled into the half-empty parking lot of Escapes and sat a moment in her car. Though Monday nights were typically slow for restaurants, Escapes was usually busy. She glanced around for James’ truck and realized he was probably using a rental car.

  James had told her he wanted to meet her here, not someplace in Atlanta. Lynetta was pleased he’d put so much thought into choosing this restaurant. It was the classiest place around.

  When she walked into the restaurant, the hostess greeted her with a smile. “Are you here with James Mason?”

  Lynetta nodded shyly.

  “Come this way. He’s waiting for you.”

  The hostess led her toward a corner table in the London room.

  When James saw her, he stood. Behind his glasses, his dark eyes sparkled, and a wide smile lit his face.

  Lynetta’s breath caught. He was as handsome as she’d remembered.

  “Hello, James,” she said, pausing by the table.

  “Lynetta, you look just the same.” He laughed. “I mean ... wonderful!”

  The tension that had made her body tighten left her in a rush of pleasure. “So do you. Look wonderful.”

  They laughed together, and then his arms swept around her.

  Closing her eyes with pleasure, Lynetta enjoyed the sensation of his strength. Taller than her by several inches, his body, surrounding hers, felt so very good.

  James helped her into a chair and sat in a chair opposite her. “Before I drove out here, I stopped at my apartment. I saw Jackson. He seemed real good.”

  Lynetta nodded. “Once he got away from that group in the complex, he straightened out. The football coach helped him get on the baseball team. He’s the kind of kid you have to keep active.”

  “Boys that age gotta keep busy,” James agreed.

  The waitress came over to them. “Can I get you anything to drink while you look over the menus?”

  James nodded. “Lynetta, how about some wine?”

  “Sounds good. You choose.”

&n
bsp; After the waitress had served their glasses of white wine to them, James held up his glass of wine to toast her. “Here’s to continuing where we left off.”

  Lynetta smiled and clinked her glass against his. “I’m all for that. Thank you for suggesting we meet here. It’s one of my favorite places.”

  James set down his wine and studied her a moment. “I promised my mother I’d bring you to a nice restaurant. This is the best one I know.”

  “Your mother? Why did she want you to do that?” Lynetta wasn’t sure she understood.

  James let out a long breath. “Before she died, we had several hours alone to talk about everything. I told her about you and how great things were between us. She liked hearing about you a lot.”

  “Aw, that’s so sweet,” Lynetta said, touched by the thought.

  “I know this may be rushing things, but I’m hoping you’ll go back to California with me. You and the boys.”

  Lynetta took a sip of wine while her mind raced. Was James proposing to her?

  James reached for her hand. “I want to see where this takes us, but I’m stuck for the time being in California. The good news is that I’ve got a great job. The bad news is it’s in California.”

  “But what about my job?” Lynetta said.

  “With your experience, I’m sure you can get another one. I know someone who works for MacTel out there. Couldn’t you try to get a transfer to their office near me in California?”

  Lynetta sat back in her chair, surprised. James must have thought about this for some time. “What about the boys?”

  “The schools in my district are good. Their sports teams are good too. I’ve talked to one of the coaches. They’re always looking for new talent.”

  “I see,” said Lynetta cautiously. It sounded too good to be true. “And your friends? What would they think of this?”

  “My best friend, Dee, can’t wait to meet you.”

  The sole almondine entrée they’d each ordered arrived.

  Lynetta took a bite of the fish and sighed with pleasure. “Delicious.”

  James grinned. “I thought you’d like it.”

  They ate in companionable silence for a while.

  Finally, Lynetta couldn’t hold back the question that had nagged her from the beginning. She looked across the table at James. “Why me?”

  His eyes widened. “Why you? Why not? I’ve been attracted to you from the beginning. And then when we got to know each other, I knew you were the one I should have married years ago, not the woman I ended up divorcing.” He reached across the table for her hand. “I’ve looked for someone like you for a long time. Maybe that’s why this may seem unexpected to you. But this is no sudden decision. I’ve had the last four months to think about it ... you ... us.”

  “And your mother?”

  His grin was sheepish. “She told me not to lose you.”

  Lynetta returned his smile. “I think I would’ve liked her a whole lot.”

  He laughed. “Are you’re willing to at least think about this weird proposition?”

  “Oh, yes,” she said, bubbling with happiness. “I certainly am.”

  CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE

  GRACE

  Grace eagerly walked into the Williston Hardware Store to begin her second work week with Bert. She was happier than she’d ever been about a job. Working for Bert required a lot of attention to detail, which she found oddly comforting. Checking inventory, going over shipments, researching pricing, all kept her mind busy with numbers. And though she missed her friends at MacTel, she’d discovered she liked running an office. Best of all, she liked the fact that Misty could stop by after school without its being a problem.

  The store opened at 7 A.M. Monday through Saturday and at noon on Sunday, and though it kept her busy, she could easily see Misty throughout the day.

  “Good morning,” said Bert from behind the sales counter. After hiring Grace, he’d moved back to the front of the store.

  Grace smiled. “Good morning to you.” She climbed the stairs to her office, relieved Bert didn’t require her to work his hours. Working eight to six was fine with her. As she was setting down her purse, she glanced out one of the windows in the office and let out a squeak of dismay. Entering the café across the street was a man she knew all too well.

  She grabbed her purse and hurried down the stairs. “I’ll be right back,” she called to Bert.

  He turned and nodded.

  Grace darted across the street and into the Molly’s By Golly café. She gazed around and saw him taking a seat in a booth in the corner of the main room. Her heart pounded so hard she thought she might faint. Gathering her strength, she headed right for him.

  He looked up at her with surprise.

  “What are you doing here, Josh? You should be in Ohio.”

  “What? It’s up to you to tell me where I can and cannot go?” he sneered.

  Other customers glanced their way.

  Grace slid into the seat opposite him. “I can guess what you’re up to, Josh. Leave my daughter alone.”

  “You run away with my daughter, and I’m supposed to do nothing?” He shook his head. “Misty is mine as much as she’s yours. Misty can decide where she belongs.”

  Grace’s heart bumped to a stop and then frantically tried to catch up. “She’s living with me now, Josh. She is and always has been my daughter.”

  “Yeah? Well, Kate and I didn’t think so. You just dumped her off with us.”

  “I thought you understood what the situation was. I thought you’d see that Misty got help in dealing with the trauma that she and I had both suffered.” Grace lifted the sleeves of her shirt. “These scars aren’t fake, Josh. They’re real. Buck was crazy but clever. And he hated us both.”

  “Misty had a better life without you—a life with friends who have high morals.”

  Grace got to her feet. “I’m warning you, Josh. If you do anything to trouble my daughter, I’m calling the police.”

  “What are you so afraid of, Grace? Are you afraid she’ll want to go back to Ohio with me? Is that it?” He shook his head. “I say she should decide. Not you.”

  Feeling sick to her stomach, Grace turned around and forced herself to walk away. She had the awful feeling that Josh wouldn’t go home without confronting Misty.

  At the thought of such a confrontation, Grace’s body turned icy cold. Though it was warm outside, her teeth began to chatter. She was shivering by the time she staggered into the store.

  “Grace! What’s wrong?” Bert asked her.

  She let out a trembling breath. “It’s Josh. He’s come here to Williston to try to take Misty home with him. He says Misty should choose where she wants to live.”

  Bert pulled a stool out from behind the sales desk. “Here. Sit down. Let me take care of the customer over there; then we can talk about this.”

  Grace watched numbly as Bert went over to the customer, helped him select what he needed, and then returned to the cash register to ring up the sale. After the customer left the store, Bert turned to her.

  “I know you don’t like the idea of Misty’s even seeing Josh again, but maybe that’s the way to end things once and for all. I’m pretty sure I know how Misty will react to him.”

  Grace hated the tears that sprang from her eyes. “I’m not so sure. Josh has a way of controlling people. When she was dying, Kate told me this. It was her form of apology to me.”

  Bert gave her a steady look. “I’ve read that as a parent you have to let your children go. I know this is hard for you, but maybe it’s best to leave the decision up to Misty as to whether she wants to meet with him or not. He’s going to try everything to make it happen anyway. And while we can, we need to talk to Josh to arrange a meeting time and place. Then, if Misty wants to meet him, we’ll be there with her instead of letting him find her alone.”

  “Yes,” said Grace. “It scares the crap out of me, but you’re right.”

  “Let’s go. I’ll lock the door, and we’l
l go across the street right now.”

  Moments later, as they were crossing the street, Josh emerged from the café.

  “Wait!” Grace called. “I’ve got a deal for you!”

  Josh turned and faced her. A tall man with dark hair, brown eyes, and sharp features, he gave her a triumphant smile that sent a thread of fear through her.

  Grace told him what they had in mind. “So, we’ll meet you here at the hardware store at four o’clock. We’ll leave it up to Misty as to whether she will be with us or not. That’s how you wanted it, so that’s what we’ll do.”

  He gave her a look of disapproval. “How do I know you won’t prevent her from meeting me?”

  “I give you my word, as Bert is my witness,” said Grace. “Unlike you, my word is something I honor.”

  “Okay, but there’s going to be trouble if she doesn’t show up,” he groused.

  “See you at four o’clock,” said Grace.

  She and Bert walked back across the street and into the store,

  “You okay?” Bert asked.

  Grace nodded and burst into tears. If Misty left her, she’d never be okay again.

  “You’d better call Misty and let her know what’s up,” Bert reminded her gently.

  Grace took out her cell phone and made one of the most difficult calls she’d ever had to make.

  Later, looking back on the call, Grace didn’t know whether to be surprised or pleased with Misty’s calmness at the news.

  “Yes, I’ll meet him. In fact, I really want to,” Misty had replied, sending waves of fear crashing against Grace’s heart.

  ###

  Grace worked feverishly on numbers, checking the clock much too often as the hours dragged by. She didn’t know whether or not to be relieved as the hands on the clock finally read three fifty-five.

  Bert called up to her, “Time to come downstairs, Grace. Misty is waiting for us, and Josh should be here soon.”

  He led her into the stock room and went upstairs to wait for Josh.

  When Grace walked in and saw Misty, her pulse began to pound through her with such force she thought she might faint.