Page 34 of Finding Home

Each flute had been handcrafted by a local business. She’d had one made for each parent, groom, and their best men.

“I love it!” Tobey pulled Elle into a side hug, kissing her temple. “I love you, cuz.”

“I love you, too.”She snuggled a little deeper into his side.

“Oh!” Janet squeaked, placing a hand over her mouth to stop her next sob fit.

“It was her!” Jerome pointed his flute accusingly at Elle.

“I come prepared. This will help.”Elle pulled out the bottle of booze for a toast.

“Lady Eleanor, you do the honors,”Jerome commanded, filling each glass.

“May winter never come.” She raised her glass in a nod to their favorite television program,Game of Thrones. “But if it does, may the love between you keep you warm and away from white walkers.”

THIRTEEN

“I have the highest respect for your nerves, they are my old friends.”

~Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice

Two hours of sleep, that’s all Elle got last night. Excited happiness for Jerome and Tobey, laced with dread about seeing her mother. Like sunset, it was inevitable. Today she would see her mom.

Thank god for the distraction of being tasked to entertain Janet until the wedding. Elle had scheduled them for mani/pedis at a spa in Batavia, a small city about twenty minutes away. The agenda of nails, a short lunch at a little café, and hair salon ensured they’d be back to the house with two hours to spare to finish making themselves fabulous for the day.

“This is so nice,” Janet purred with pleasure as the technician massaged her short legs.

“Agreed.” Elle sighed, her muscles relaxing with the technician’s soothing strokes.

“Not just the massage. That’s nice, though.” Janet looked down with an appreciative smile at the tech working on her legs.“It’s nice to get some one-on-one time with you. We never get alone time.”

Elle blinked. It had been years since they had any kind of solo girl time. Most of her time with Janet included Pete and Tobey. Her weekly calls were with Pete, not Janet. When Janet came to Long Beach, it was with Pete.

“You’re right. I’m sorry,” Elle said, a long sigh slinking through her.

“Honey, no.” Janet threaded her newly pink gel manicured hand in Elle’s. “I’m not using my Jedi-mom mind tricks to make you feel bad. I’m just saying how nice this is.”

“It is.” Her lips curled in agreement.

“I guess what I’m saying is, I’d like to have one-on-one time with you more often. Like maybe our own video chats. I know I annoy you with my constant interruptions during your weekly chats with your uncle, but I just want you to know that I’m there for you.” Elle started to protest but Janet forged on. “I know you don’t need us to be there. I think I know that better than your uncle. I was there to see you go from little girl to woman in an instant. I was there.” She choked back tears.

“I know you were there. I called you.” Elle whispered. The memory scalded over her.Thatday, with her mom limp under the blankets, Elle’s fingers had trembled as she’d dialed Aunt Janet.

“You can be so strong, so independent. You always have been. I remember being at Pete’s football games in high school with your grandparents. You were always there, cheering loudly. You were like three or four and had to pee. I offered to take you, but you insisted you were big enough to go by yourself. I walked about a foot behind you just in case you needed me. All the way to the bathroom, you never looked back, not once.”

“I don’t remember that.”

“You were so little but so determined to do it on your own. You still are.”

“I overheard you tell Clayton during the barbecue that you worry about me.”

“I do. Tobey will come to us when he needs us. You rarely did, and that has gotten more and more rare over the years. I worry because if we don’t know if you need us, how can we help? How can we be there, and will you let us?”

“But you are. You’re still a foot behind me every step of the way. Even if I don’t turn around, I know.” Elle turned to her weeping aunt.

“And we always will be. I know Pete and I aren’t your dad and mom. I keep my thoughts to myself about your mother because she’s Pete’s sister. Your dad, however, is a dick.”

“Ha!” She barked out a laugh.

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