It's Better This Way, page 23
Hillary lifted the fork from the place setting and then set it back down. “When the first one came, and I saw it was from Laura, I was tempted to block her.”
“Why didn’t you?” Carrie asked.
Hillary looked as if she wasn’t sure she knew. “I…probably should have. I had Blake read it. He thought it showed effort on Laura’s part, and, seeing how bad things are between me and Dad, I let it go.”
“Did you answer her?”
“No,” Hillary admitted.
“I didn’t, either,” Marie added. “I assumed it was a one-off thing, you know?”
“That’s what I thought,” Hillary added. “Then the next day there was another text, and the day after that, until I actually found myself looking forward to getting her silly jokes and stuff. She never tried to be my mother. The only really personal thing she offered was the name of her cousin, the florist.”
“It was the same with me,” Marie said. “I assumed that first text was a fluke. I decided to ignore it, and then they started coming every day like clockwork.”
“Have you answered her back?” Hillary asked, in what sounded like a challenge.
With a guilty look, Marie said, “Yes, once.”
“What did you say?” Carrie seemed intrigued. Everyone knew how strongly Hillary and Marie had objected to anything having to do with their stepmother.
Marie lifted one shoulder in a halfhearted shrug. “She sent a joke and it was really funny. I laughed out loud. I sent a text back that said: Funny. It was only that one time.”
Carrie looked to Julia. “What do you think, Aunt Julia?”
It was a logical question, knowing the antagonism between Laura and Julia. It appeared Carrie knew more than she was letting on, although Julia didn’t know how.
“Why should I mind? I’m the one who encouraged Laura to reach out.”
Her words dropped like a deadweight onto the middle of the table.
“What?” Hillary and Marie cried simultaneously.
Julia set her small teacup down and nodded, as if it was no big deal for her to be talking to the woman they all considered a world-class home wrecker. With her daughters staring at her with openmouthed disbelief, she began to explain.
“A couple weeks ago, Laura asked to meet me. It was shortly after that fiasco with your father,” Julia explained, looking to Hillary. “I debated if I should go or not, and was inclined to refuse, until I realized I couldn’t ask you to practice forgiveness if I didn’t do it myself. Unsure what to think, I agreed.”
Julia could see the girls were fascinated, and so she continued. “Laura was as nervous as I was. Yes, there’s bad blood between us, and I’ll admit it was difficult for her to ask for this meeting.”
“That woman isn’t short on chutzpah,” Marie murmured, using a word her father often used.
Julia talked about the awkwardness of that first meeting and what had transpired since. She watched as this news had the same effect on her daughters as it’d had on her. “Laura offered to do anything she could to help mend Eddie’s relations with you girls and promised to stay away from the wedding.”
“Dad won’t be there without her,” Hillary said, with a hard shake of her head.
“Which I mentioned,” Julia added. “I also asked why she had never reached out to either of you. Perhaps if she’d tried at some point it would have helped.”
“What did she say?” Marie asked with open curiosity.
Julia was pleased by her daughter’s interest. “Laura admitted she was afraid of being rejected.”
“Well, yeah,” Carrie said, with more than a hint of defiance. “She should be afraid.”
Hillary frowned. “You were the one who suggested she start with those text messages, weren’t you, Mom?”
Julia sighed before she answered. “I know you think I probably should have refused to help her. The thing is, Laura didn’t have a clue where to begin. She has sons, not daughters, and was at a complete loss. I helped her compose the first few texts.”
“Are you like bosom buddies now?” Hillary asked.
“Not exactly. We’ve met and talked a few times and made a few plans to bring everyone together.”
The stunned looks on their faces were almost comical. It was a good thing the server arrived when he did. He wrote down their orders, which broke the hypnotized gaze the girls had aimed in Julia’s direction.
“Did I hear you right?” Hillary asked. “Dad, Laura, and those wretched sons of hers were all at Heath’s place at the same time?”
“In the same condo?” Marie asked.
“In the same room?” This came from Hillary.
“Yes.”
“Was there blood?”
Julia laughed. “No. When Michael and Adam saw that Laura and I had set aside our differences, they asked for time to think it through. Since then I heard from Michael—”
“You did?” Carrie exclaimed. “What did he say?”
Julia was confused. “You know about this?”
“I do…long story, continue, what did he say?”
“Both Heath’s sons have agreed to give me a chance.”
Marie huffed. “That was big of them, giving you a chance and all.”
“Given the circumstances, it was,” Julia said, refusing to discount Michael and Adam’s willingness to look beyond past hurts and slights.
“The bottom line, Hillary,” she said, directing her attention to her oldest daughter. “Your father can be an idiot. Laura knows that as well as I do and was desperate to do something…anything to help him make up for his mistakes with you.”
“Dad can be an idiot,” Marie agreed.
“Tell me about it,” Hillary muttered.
Julia was pleased with how well the conversation seemed to be going. “That ridiculous idea of inviting his friends and the seating chart were his bumbling attempt to be helpful,” she said. “Your dad didn’t mean to insult anyone. I sincerely believe he was looking for a way to make everyone comfortable, given our circumstances.”
“Okay, I can give him that, but when he excluded Heath, that was insulting to you and just plain wrong.”
“You’ll be pleased to know your father and Heath have come to terms. They aren’t going golfing together or anything, but they’re cordial.”
“Dad owed Heath an apology.”
Carrie narrowed her gaze and asked, “Let me see if I’ve got this straight. Aunt Julia and Laura are talking. Would it be a stretch to say you’re friendly?”
“Not at all,” Julia told her.
“Which blows my mind.”
“Yours?” Hillary said, and shook her head. “It blows all our minds.”
“And,” Carrie added forcefully, apparently unwilling to lose her train of thought. “Heath’s sons have accepted Aunt Julia being with their dad.”
“Also,” Marie added, when it looked like Carrie had finished, “Dad and Heath aren’t threatening to kill each other.”
“It never got that far,” Julia felt obliged to correct them.
“Wow, that’s a lot to take in,” Hillary mumbled.
“You’re telling me,” Marie added.
Their food arrived, and Julia’s daughters and Carrie looked at the steaming dishes, as if amazed they were now being asked to eat after such stunning news.
Undeterred, Julia reached for her fork.
“Where do we go from here?” Marie asked.
After swallowing her first bite and savoring the taste of basil and curry, Julia said, “That’s up to you.”
Hillary looked like she was a million miles away. “Dad was crying?” she said, picking up on part of their earlier conversation. “I’ve never known Dad to cry, not even when his dad passed.”
“That tells you how badly he feels about this mess, doesn’t it?” Julia said, letting her daughter draw her own conclusion.
Hillary didn’t respond. She reached for her fork, and her phone pinged, indicating she had a text message.
Marie’s pinged at the same time.
Julia knew the text was likely from Laura.
Hillary reached for her phone and so did Marie. They read the message and their gazes immediately went to each other.
“What is it?” Carrie asked.
“It’s from Laura,” Marie explained.
“Mine, too,” Hillary said.
“Another joke?” Carrie asked.
“No. She asked if Marie and I would come to dinner.”
“Will you go?”
Julia continued enjoying her meal, when all three faces turned to look at her as if seeking out her advice.
“Mom? Should we?”
“Don’t look at me,” Julia said. “This is your decision.”
“But…”
“But nothing.”
“If anyone wants my opinion,” Carrie said, “you should, and I’ll go with you.”
Chapter 30
Carrie wasn’t sure what had led her to insist on accompanying her two cousins to dinner with Laura. As soon as she offered, she’d changed her mind, and then Hillary and Marie claimed they wouldn’t go without her. She apparently was to tag along as moral support.
Hillary sent a return text to Laura, stating Carrie would be joining them. She must have phrased the reply in such a way that indicated it was a package deal. No sooner had she sent the text when the okay came through claiming Uncle Eddie insisted he wanted to be there, too, and instead of meeting at a restaurant they should come to the house. Following that message, the three had a long discussion and decided to agree, seeing that Laura was happy to include Carrie.
* * *
—
Early that same evening, the three rode together, with Hillary driving. Blake had also been invited, but unfortunately had other plans that couldn’t be changed on such short notice.
Or so he said.
Carrie got the impression Blake wanted Hillary to make peace with her dad first before adding him to the mix. She could understand his reservation, given the history between father and daughter.
When they arrived at their father’s house, Hillary parked at the curb in front of the upscale one-level home. Carrie knew neither Hillary nor Marie had set foot inside before tonight.
Hillary turned off the engine, and no one made a move to climb out of the car.
“You ready for this?” Marie asked no one and everyone.
“I don’t know,” Hillary admitted, sounding uncertain.
“Is Laura a bad cook?” Carrie asked, hoping to lighten the mood. “Is that why you’re hesitating?”
“Oh, for the love of heaven, this isn’t about food, Carrie,” Hillary snapped.
Carrie giggled. “I know. Come on, I think I saw your dad pull back the drapes and peek outside.” She hadn’t seen any such thing; she feared her cousins would remain in the car all night if she didn’t prompt them to move.
“You’re right. We need to go inside.” Marie was the first to open the car door.
“Never in a million years did I think I’d be doing this,” Hillary muttered under her breath. She continued to sound apprehensive.
Carrie had the feeling her cousins badly wanted to repair the relationship with their father, but pride and a sense of betrayal had blocked them. They’d both come a long way since Hillary and Blake had announced their engagement.
As they approached the front door, it flew open before they had a chance to ring the doorbell. Uncle Eddie was in the entry, his eyes wide and smiling.
“Hi, Dad,” Marie whispered, and her voice cracked with emotion.
Uncle Eddie held his arms open and Marie walked straight to him, slipping her own around his middle. Carrie’s uncle embraced his daughter and then slowly closed his eyes, as if he’d been waiting and praying for this moment for the last six years.
He released Marie, who stepped away. Then he looked to Hillary, and with tears in his eyes, opened his arms to her.
Hillary paused, and while it might have been wrong of her, Carrie nudged her from behind, pushing her in the small of her back.
Taking a halting step, Hillary went to her dad and allowed him to hug her after Marie.
When her uncle and cousin parted, Carrie noticed Eddie had tears in his eyes. He wiped the moisture from his face, smearing the tears over his cheeks. With another sniffle, he offered them both a huge smile.
“I thought I’d never get the chance to hug my daughters again,” he said, and his voice shook as he whispered the words.
“You didn’t make it easy, Dad,” Hillary reminded him.
“I know. I know. I’m sorry. I never—” He didn’t finish, because Hillary cut him off.
“Please, don’t say anything more.”
Surprise widened his eyes. “Why not…I want to tell you how sorry I am.”
“I got it—you have regrets, yet every time you open your mouth it seems you make everything worse, so let’s go with you’re sorry and leave it at that.”
“Now, that’s a wise daughter,” Laura said as she entered the room. She came to stand at Eddie’s side and offered a tenuous smile. “I’d like to welcome you all to our home.”
“Thank you,” Marie said.
“And, Hillary, congratulations on your engagement.”
Her cousin stiffened and, after a tense moment, gave a slight jerk of her chin. “Thank you.”
“When do I get to meet Blake?” Uncle Eddie demanded. “If he’s going to marry my daughter, then I want to have a heart-to-heart chat with that young man.”
Laura looped her arm around her husband’s elbow. “Baby steps, Edward. Baby steps. Hillary will introduce him when she’s ready and not before.”
“Right,” he said and nodded. “I need to remember baby steps…tiny baby steps, a little at a time.”
“I’m Carrie,” she said, since it didn’t seem anyone wanted to introduce her.
“Welcome, Carrie. The three of you look enough alike to be sisters,” Laura commented.
“We hear that a lot,” she said, and they did. The family resemblance was strong.
“Come in, please,” Laura said, as she ushered them into the living room. It was tastefully decorated, but nothing like what Aunt Julia would have done with the place. Laura wasn’t nearly as talented as Julia in that area.
The fireplace mantel held family photos of Laura with her sons, and there were individual photos of Hillary and Marie, and then a couple more with her uncle and his daughters.
Carrie wasn’t the only one who noticed the framed photographs. As if he was reading their minds, Uncle Eddie said, “And, no, I didn’t put those up today. They’ve been on that mantel every day since Laura and I moved into this house.”
At the mention of Laura’s name, both Hillary and Marie turned their attention back to the other woman. Carrie didn’t know what they wanted, and they seemed to be waiting for her to speak.
Laura sat on the chair arm with her hand resting on Eddie’s shoulder. “I realize all of us started off on the wrong foot, and I want to apologize for the things I said and did that drove a wedge between you and your father. He loves you both very much.”
“Have you apologized to our mother for the things you said and the things you did to her?”
Laura’s cheeks filled with color. “I have, and the classy woman that she is, Julia has forgiven me. It was a stressful time and I behaved badly. I’m hoping you’ll find it in your hearts to forgive me as well. And if you’re willing, I’d like a second chance.”
No one spoke, and Carrie worried what would happen next. Finally, when Carrie was convinced all Julia and Laura’s efforts were to come to naught, Marie spoke.
“I’m willing to try.”
Uncle Eddie looked to Hillary. “And you?” he asked.
Carrie heard the yearning and the angst in his voice, as if he was afraid and hopeful at the same time.
Hillary nodded. “If my mother is willing to let go of the past, then I guess I can, too.”
“Thank you,” Laura whispered.
Carrie wasn’t sure, although she thought she might have seen the other woman blink away tears.
“One thing I want to get straight, though,” Hillary said, her voice stern. “I refuse to have anything to do with your two sons.”
Uncle Eddie barked out a laugh.
“It isn’t funny, Dad.”
“Right. It wouldn’t be if Michael and Adam hadn’t said the same thing about you two.”
Hillary wasn’t amused. “You should know there’s not a snowball’s chance in hell that the four of us will ever be on good terms. No offense, Laura, but your sons are…” She couldn’t seem to find the right word.
“Barbarians,” Marie supplied.
“No offense taken,” Laura said. “When it comes to protecting me, my boys turn into alpha males. Normally they are regular pussycats.”
“You mean alley cats, don’t you? Feral ones.”
Laura was good-natured enough to laugh. “You could say that. No worries, girls, Michael and Adam are as eager to stay away from you as you are of them. Perhaps one day—”
“Don’t count on it,” Hillary said.
Seeing that this line of talk could lead down avenues full of potholes, Carrie asked, “Is there anything I can do to help with dinner?”
“Thank you, Carrie, I have everything ready to serve.”
* * *
—
To her surprise, the meal went well, the conversation centered on Hillary, Marie, and the wedding. Just as dessert was about to be served, Uncle Eddie looked at Hillary.
“If you want to exclude me from your wedding, I understand. What’s important is that you and Blake are happy. I love you and am so very proud to be your dad. My prayer is that now that we’ve broken the ice, so to speak, we can move forward. Laura has promised to help me keep my foot out of my mouth, and I’ll try my hardest to be the best dad, father-in-law, and, hopefully one day, grandpa possible.”
