Big Girls Don’t Cry (Dundee, Idaho #6)(39)
Author: Brenda Novak

“Oh no.” Why the heck had she stopped watching the parking lot?

Lucky twisted to see what had attracted her attention. “Found you, eh?”

Reenie supposed it was inevitable. Dundee wasn’t big enough to hide in for long.

“There you are,” Georgia said.

“Hi Mom.” Reenie managed a small wave.

Georgia’s eyes swept over the sticky baby and Reenie’s melting sundae before looking pointedly at Lucky. “Could I talk to Reenie alone for a moment?” she asked.

Lucky hesitated, but when Reenie nodded, she slid out of the booth and released her daughter from the high chair. “I’ll wash Sabrina up.”

“Have a seat, Mom,” Reenie said.

Georgia slid into Lucky’s place as Lucky headed to the restroom with her daughter. “I’m sure you know why I’m here.”

“You want something to eat?”

“I want to talk to you.”

“There’s nothing to say.”

“You and Keith had a good marriage. I think it can be fixed.”

“I’m afraid it can’t.”

“What about counseling?”

Reenie opened her mouth to say that counseling wouldn’t help, but Georgia raised a silencing hand before she could get the words out. “I know your budget has always been tight.”

Because your son was supporting a whole other family. All the unnecessary penny-pinching was one more reason for Reenie to be bitter. But what good would succumbing to that bitterness do her? Keith had done what he’d done. Her best chance was to put it all behind her. With any luck, she’d be doing that—at least technically—in about three weeks.

“So I’m willing to pay for it,” Georgia said. “I can’t let your marriage fall apart. I love you and Keith, and my grandchildren, too much.”

Reenie felt a sharp stab of the pain she’d been working so hard to avoid. Breaking up with Keith wasn’t simple. Their lives had been intertwined for eleven years, fourteen if she counted how long she’d loved him. Her family was his family and vice versa. How did one tear all those relationships apart?

“He quit his job,” Georgia was saying. “Now he’s working at the hardware store. I think that shows you his intentions are good. He’s willing to change, to stay at home and be with you, to support you the way he should have all along.”

Don’t listen, Reenie told herself. It’s an illusion. She doesn’t know. But Georgia was saying all the things Reenie’s heart wanted to hear. And there was always that voice inside her, the one that said this wasn’t real, that she’d come out of it okay in the end. “I don’t think counseling will work, Mom,” she said, but she sounded less convinced than she had a moment ago.

Georgia seemed to take heart at the hesitation in Reenie’s response. “How can you say that without giving it a chance, honey?”

“I…I don’t know,” she said, because she couldn’t tell what Keith had done. She didn’t want the girls subjected to all the whispering, didn’t want them to know how badly their father had let them down.

“Reenie, you and Keith have been happy for years,” Georgia said. “Why throw that away?”

Because there was a woman living in California who was also married to Keith. And that woman had two children, which signified a lifelong commitment.

But Reenie hadn’t heard a word from Isaac or his sister since Isaac had come to her house. Maybe she was overreacting, assuming the worst. Keith was here, wasn’t he? He seemed to have cut ties with Liz just as he said he would.

Reenie supposed it was possible that Liz didn’t really love him, that she was willing to let him go. Maybe she had a lover of her own, or was only interested in the financial support Keith could provide.

She rubbed her lip, feeling a brief respite from the tension that had knotted inside her for three weeks. She could tolerate having Keith send off a monthly child-support check, couldn’t she? No one else would have to know. They could deal with this on their own, in the privacy of their home. Slowly rebuild the relationship.

She imagined her daughters’ faces as she told them their daddy was coming home.

Obviously sensing the fact that she was getting through to her daughter-in-law, Georgia took both her hands. “I’m pleading with you, Reenie. For the sake of your children, try counseling. That’s all I ask.”

Lucky came from the bathroom, holding a clean and happy Sabrina. When Sabrina caught Reenie’s eye, she clapped her hands and kicked her feet and Reenie actually managed a smile. Maybe the life she knew wasn’t over yet. Maybe there was still some hope.

“Okay,” she said. “Go ahead and set it up.”

Georgia squeezed her hands affectionately. “Wonderful, honey. I’ll tell Keith you’re willing to give it a try.”

CHAPTER TWELVE

ISAAC STRETCHED his legs out under the computer and leaned back in his chair, staring down at the napkin where Reenie had written her e-mail address. She’d also left her telephone number, but because it was less intrusive, he was more tempted to write than call. Ever since he’d left Dundee, he’d wondered how she was doing.

“Isaac?” Liz’s voice reached him from the top of the stairs.

He stuffed the napkin back into the file where he was keeping copies of his old grant applications and rubbed his eyes. The real-estate agent who’d helped him unload the truck was gone. It was late, too late to be up after a long day of moving, but he couldn’t seem to unwind. He kept picturing Reenie’s mother standing at the door. His name definitely hadn’t registered with her, so he doubted Reenie knew he was in town. But she’d find out soon enough and she wouldn’t be happy about it.

Still, Liz’s children had a right to be near their father just as much as Reenie’s did. Reenie couldn’t own the whole town.

“Yes?” he responded.

The stairs creaked as his sister came down. A moment later, she appeared at the door of the small basement bedroom he’d taken as his office, wearing a pair of baggy sweats. He suspected they belonged to Keith. Keith had left all his clothes behind when he’d rushed off three weeks ago. Because he hadn’t bothered to collect them, Isaac had wanted to give them to charity. It was Liz who’d insisted they bring them along.

“Here you are,” she said. “I thought you’d turned in for the night until I passed your room and saw that the light was on and the bed empty.”