Page 56 of Fa-La-La-La Faking It
He had to have. It was the only explanation for Gus’s abhorrent behavior toward her. He’d been willing to do whatever it took to make her go away so he could go back to acting like yesterday was dead and buried.
It wasn’t dead and buried, though, and nothing Jace’s uncle did or didn’t do could change that. TheBluebonnet Beaconhad said it best.
Marilyn’s spirit will live on in the hearts of those who knew and loved her.
Her spirit lived on in Gus’s heart, no matter how much it hurt. If Jace could get him to share that hurt with him, maybe he could finally let some of it go. Hanging on to it had been eating away at him for more than fifty years.
Jace steeled himself as he opened the door and walked inside the building. His Christmas tree still stood in the center of the lobby. Today, a group of schoolchildren were gathered in front of it, singing carols for the senior center’s residents. The wide room was a maze of wheelchairs and walkers, and Jace had nearly maneuvered his way to the hallway that led to the extended care unit when he spotted his uncle among the crowd, sitting beside Adaline’s grandmother.
Gus’s face was turned toward the performance, and his expression was as stony-faced and inscrutable as always. But he was there. He’d left his room to come watch kids sing Christmas carols. Jace knew better than to think his uncle had suddenly become warm and fuzzy overnight, but this was a start.
Also, Adaline’s gram was a miracle worker. Gus liked to complain about her trying to drag him to the various activities the senior center offered, but clearly the woman knew what she was doing. Jace liked her already, and he barely even knew her. No wonder Adaline adored her so much.
He backed into the corner of the room and leaned against a wall to wait until the concert was over. The kids sang a few more songs, concluding with “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer,” which prompted hoots and hollers from the elderly audience. Even Gus clapped along to the melody a few times, and Jace’s hopes swelled. Perhaps this long overdue heart-to-heart wasn’t going to be as difficult as he’d imagined it would.
He pushed away from the wall and headed toward his uncle to help him back to his room. Two kids from the concert zipped past him—a boy and girl chasing each other, although Jace couldn’t really tell who was running after whom.
“You’re gross!” the little boy yelled.
The girl stopped abruptly to blow him a kiss.
“I’m going to marry you someday,” the boy said, and then the chase started up again.
Jace smiled to himself. It felt like the fifth-grade versions of Adaline and himself had just darted past him—ghosts of Christmas Past.
“What are you doing here?” Gus said when Jace walked up to him, as if he didn’t visit his uncle every single day around this time.
“I came to hang out for a bit. It was nice to find you out here socializing and enjoying some Christmas cheer,” Jace said.
Gus’s gaze slid toward Gram. “This one wouldn’t let it go.”
“You’re welcome,” Gram said with a grin. Then she patted Jace on the shoulder. “Good to see you. I don’t suppose my granddaughter is around here someplace?”
“No, sorry. She’s at the bakery working on the wedding cake for Maple and Ford’s wedding.”
“Marvelous. I’ll see you there, yes?” Gram’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly, as if she could see straight through all the lies and all the pretense and wanted him to know she wasn’t fooled.
He nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Good. I have a little something for you—a Christmas gift, of sorts. But it can wait until the wedding.” She flashed him a knowing smile, and the white toy dog in her walker basket barked and wagged its tail as she steered the walker toward the hall that led to the assisted living wing of the building.
“What was that all about?” Gus muttered.
“I have no idea, but let’s get you back to your room. I need to talk to you about something.” Jace gripped the handles of his uncle’s wheelchair and braced himself for a sarcastic comment.
When none was forthcoming, with Gus simply sitting quietly while they navigated the wide hallways of the senior center, heavily decorated for the holidays, another spark of optimism lit up in Jace’s consciousness.
Adaline was rubbing off on him.
“Well? What did you want to talk about?” Gus said after he was tucked back in his bed.
Jace’s pulse kicked up a notch.It’s now or never.
“Marilyn Miller,” he said quietly.
Gus’s head jerked back as sharply as if Jace had reached out and slapped him. “What did you just say?”
“You heard me the first time,” Jace said, infusing his tone with as much grace and patience as he could muster.
