Excerpt
CHAPTER 9
Winnie stood close to Jessie and whispered, “Do they all know where I’ve been this afternoon?” Jessie nodded affirmatively to her trusted friend and employer.
“Oh, my gosh! Thank you, dear heart, for the warning.”
Richard, Jr. stood by the large floor to ceiling wall of windows and talked on his cellular. The girls sat together on the couch.
“Hi, everyone. Where’s my grandkids?” Winnie sat in the recliner and smiled while noting each of their serious scowls. “Why so solemn? Is something wrong?”
Richard snapped his phone shut and came over to give her a peck on the cheek. “Hi, Mom. You sure look pretty today.”
“Thank you. So what are you doing in town?”
The girls sat quietly while Richard tried to act out a sense of everything being normal. “I’ve been here all day to complete the transfer of the last of Dad’s stock investments. Thought I’d crash here tonight and head back to Santa Barbara in the morning.”
“Of course! And so what is going on with you girls…your expressions are as sour as skunkberry pie!”
“Mother, puleeeze! Spare me the quaint, country colloquialisms.” Celeste placed palms against her temples as though trying hard to deal with the embarrassment of the moment.
Georgie laughed. “Listen, we have to let Mom have some time to enjoy the things she wants to do. Honestly, Celeste, you’d think this was the end of the world.”
“Would someone like to let me in on what it is I am supposed to have done that has caused such grief?”
Richard sat on a footstool next to her chair as he had done many times as a child. “Mom, Celeste’s friend saw you at the fairgrounds today helping some old guy sell produce. Now I told them it was probably for some charity thing. But they seem to think you’re quite interested in the farmer.” He shrugged his shoulders and raised his eyebrows like he was not clear on what was happening.
So this was the moment she had been dreading but knew would have to happen. “Not that it is anyone’s business, but yes, I was at the fairgrounds helping out a friend to sell his produce because his regular helper couldn’t be there. Clint is a very nice person and I enjoy his friendship very much.”
The girls started pacing about the room. Richard asked, “Well, could you tell me about your relationship to this man? Do any of the rest of us know him?”
Celeste came to a halt in front of Richard. “Do not glorify this whole thing as a relationship! I was with her when this guy came onto her and there was our sweet mother flirting right back at him. He is just some flea market peddler. Good grief! I cannot imagine what you are thinking about, Mom!”
Winnie bit her tongue until ready to bleed. Let them rant and rave and get it all out of their system.
It was Georgie’s turn to speak up. “Look, Mom, I know it can be lonely here in this big house. I’ve been talking to Fred about selling our house that we have long ago outgrown, why don’t we consider moving in here with you. Then you’d have the excitement of the kids around again, and you could still have your freedom to do what you want.
Richard raised both hands in the air to express exasperation with the whole affair. “Who said anything about worrying about the house? Georgie, quit trying to take control of everything. Mom, the only thing I worry about is someone taking advantage of your generous nature and try to swindle you out of your…”
“Stop this nonsense right now!” Winnie stood up abruptly. “Celeste, Georgie…sit down right now so I can speak to you.” They complied obediently. “Why are you grilling me as if I just embezzled the family fortune? Now, it is very true that I have kept you all in the dark about my relationship with Clint Jones…” A moan of displeasure swept through the three of them. “I met him at a senior citizens dance a short time before Celeste and I saw him at the fairgrounds. We have been emailing one another and talking on the phone over the last few weeks. I went to his farm and was utterly amazed at his lovely vegetable garden, greenhouse, and roses. So I stayed and had dinner with him. It was one of the loveliest evenings I have had in a long, long time. Today, I offered to help him in his produce stand and I’m glad I did because I had a wonderful day. Now, where in all that do you see that I am being such a wicked person?” She could feel the burn in her face that had nothing to do with the July heat.
Richard stood up and faced her with an expression across his eyes almost identical with his father. “Mom, I don’t care who you choose to be with. I love you and I know you’ll make the right choice. The concern my sisters have is that you and this man are from two different worlds. He’ll be uncomfortable in yours and you in his. There will always be this rift in your likes and dislikes…unless you always want to be the one to compromise and say, “Oh, I’ll do what you want’ all the time. I’m glad you’re getting out and able to have some fun. And this guy may be just the ticket to enjoy a lasting relationship…but I hope you’ll think in terms of what years together might be like.”
“Richard, you haven’t seen this hayseed.” Celeste grumbled, “It is mortifying to think of my mother taking such a person to one of her charity events.”
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