Page 19 of Beyond Reach

After lunch, Mrs. Driscoll left Papa Colm to pay the bill, and she walked Chanda out to the parking lot.

Mrs. Driscoll wrung her hands for a second and then looked Ch

anda in the eyes. “I’ll be honest with you, and I hope you won’t take offense, dear.”

Chanda tensed.

“I don’t want Garner to marry Marcella.”

Shock hit Chanda for the second time.

“She isn’t right for him, and while I can’t give you proof, I’m sure she’s not what she seems.”

“What do you mean?”

“It appears that she loves my son very deeply, but I’m not convinced. I haven’t seen any evidence that she isn’t after his inheritance. Now, before you get upset, let me tell you. I don’t judge people as to whether or not they’re trying to get something from my family. I don’t have to.”

Chanda knew what she meant. Mrs. Driscoll could look at most people and know what they were about. Chanda could as well.

“Marcella has always been kind to us and as far as we can tell to Garner. But…” Mrs. Driscoll chewed her bottom lip, her brow creased. “I can’t pinpoint any one thing about Marcella. I just don’t want him to marry her.”

“You’re not hoping he and I get back together?”

Papa Colm walked out of the restaurant, so Mrs. Driscoll spoke quickly before he came into earshot. “You loved him then, and you love him now.”

“I don’t!”

The older woman smiled and moved in to kiss her cheek. Instead of a kiss, she spoke softly in Chanda’s ear. “I will do everything possible to assist you in winning him back. I promise.”

Chanda would have denied Mrs. Driscoll’s claims, but the woman called her husband and walked off toward their car. Chanda was left in confusion with jangled nerves. She had no idea what to expect next or where this whole situation would lead.

She climbed into her car and pulled off the lot. Before she made it a few blocks down the road, her cell phone rang. She checked the screen and trembled a bit when she read Garner’s name.

God, how many times over the years had she yearned to see his name on her screen? A hundred times? A thousand? Probably a million. Yet, he had never phoned. She had told herself that he didn’t call after she left because he didn’t care, and it helped her to move on. She told herself he was relieved to be free.

“Hello, Garner.”

“You have my number saved in your contacts?”

She tried not to think he sounded pleased and failed.

“Don’t sound so happy about it. Marcella wouldn’t like that.”

“I heard you had lunch with my parents.”

“News travels fast.”

“They didn’t harass you, did they? What did they want?”

“This and that.”

“Chanda.”

“Does it really matter, Garner? Everything’s fine. They just want to do everything they can to support you and your wedding to Marcella.”

“I know that’s not true.”

“Huh?”

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