Page 60 of Already Home

She touched her blond hair and wondered if the short cut wastoo matronly. Serenity’s long hair was young and appealing.

“Good morning, daughter of mine,” Serenity called as shecrossed to Jenna and embraced her. Jenna glanced at Beth over the other woman’sshoulders and rolled her eyes.

Beth held in a giggle.

Serenity turned to her. “You’re here! That’s wonderful. How iseverything?”

“Good. Are you enjoying your stay?”

“I am. A few days ago, I explored Austin. A wonderful city. Andthe parks here in Georgetown. Yesterday I took the trail from the lake all theway into town and then walked to the university.”

“Walking?” Beth asked. “That had to be over five miles.”

“Yes. Don’t you sometimes feel you have to be outside,communing with nature?” She drew in a breath. “I was refreshed by it.”

Beth had the feeling she would only be crippled. A five-milewalk for fun? The whole point of her yoga class was it was exercise withoutsweat. Plenty of groaning and pain but not so much on the sweat.

“When I got back to the apartment, I did a mini-cleanse.”

Beth looked at Jenna, who shrugged. Beth wasn’t sure what wentinto a mini-cleanse, but she was comfortable not knowing the details.

“I’m a new person,” Serenity said, then sighed happily. “Whichprobably explains what happened when I was meditating this morning.”

“Being one with the universe is kind of a full-time job, isn’tit?” Jenna asked.

Beth pressed her lips together to keep from smiling.

Serenity nodded seriously. “It requires dedication.” She linkedarms with Jenna. “I was meditating about you.”

Panic chased across her daughter’s face. Beth didn’t know ifshe should rescue Jenna or let things play out.

Before she could decide, Serenity said, “I was wondering ifthis store is really right for you. While I love the space and can feel thehappiness here, I’m not certain it’s where you want or need to be.”

Beth stiffened. Talk about meddling. Jenna loved the store.She’d gotten off to a shaky start, but she’d recovered and was doing very well.It was so much better than working her butt off in restaurants where she hadcrazy hours and never got to have a social life.

Jenna pulled her arm free and faced Serenity. “I just openedthe store.”

“I know. It was a decision you made in a time of need. You putout a request to the fates and it was answered. But was it the right thing foryou?” Serenity smoothed Jenna’s hair. “You have so many gifts. Most people onlyhave one or two, so their choices are easy. But you have paths going in multipledirections.”

“I like the store,” Jenna said, sounding less sure ofherself.

“Of course you do,” Beth said quickly. “It’s going well, andyou’re having so much fun. You said how you enjoy being able to cook at your ownpace. Plus you’re helping other people with your classes.”

“I do,” Jenna said. “I like working with the public, which is anice surprise. I love seeing people cook something they would have sworn theycouldn’t make and then going home and re-creating the experience for theirfamilies.”

“I didn’t mean to suggest the store was completely wrong,”Serenity said gently. “I’m simply wondering if it’s your calling.”

“That’s for Jenna to decide,” Beth told the other woman. “It’sher life.”

“True, but we must guide our children.”

Jenna is my child, not yours.

Beth thought the words but didn’t speak them. Irritation burnedinside of her, but she did her best to keep her expression calm.

It was a style difference, she told herself. Nothing more.Serenity was only here for a short time. Eventually she would have to go back toher regular life and all this would be behind them.

“There were elements of being a chef I really loved,” Jennasaid. “But it wasn’t for me.”

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