Chapter Nineteen
T he lights were off inside the cottage, and it was still and quiet. Yet Allie sensed someone was there. She was on high alert as she made her way to the kitchen and flipped on the light. A high-pitched “Oh!” made her jump, but it was followed by giggling laughter, directing her attention to the back porch.
On the rocking chairs were two figures, one male and one female, chatting animatedly. She’d recognize that curly blond bob hairstyle anywhere, because it had been her mother’s for more than two decades. Allie froze. Her mother was here? She wasn’t sure she was ready to see her. She’d only just now begun letting go of the anger. Her eyes shifted to the Christmas gifts underneath the tree. There was a pretty blue sweater wrapped in gold foil paper and a red bow. It had Mama on the tag—physical evidence of Allie’s hope.
Her mother had made the effort. She’d shown up. But just as soon as Allie was ready to run to the porch and hug her, the deep sound of a man’s voice stopped her. What kind of woman was able to giggle and flirt when her husband lay cold in the ground? Plus, her mother knew darn well that Allie didn’t like surprises. Did she really think this would be welcome after almost an entire year of barely speaking? Allie leaned against the cold kitchen counter to keep steady, her eyes stuck on the two figures talking and laughing on her back porch. Where in the heck was Sam?
They hadn’t seen her. She could sneak back out the front door and pretend like she’d never been there. It was approaching noon, so it would make perfect sense for her to drive to another island for lunch. Surely, something would be open on Christmas Eve. As she thought about it, she tiptoed to the front door, opening and closing it silently behind her. That’s when her heart fell to her feet. A black BMW was coming up the drive. She’d forgotten to text Joey to cancel.
Even if she wanted to pretend like she remembered their date, she couldn’t pull it off. Christmas Eve suppers were for velvet dresses and hostess gifts, and she was standing there empty-handed in jeans and a sweatshirt. There was no way to prepare for what was about to happen. No way to gracefully handle it.
The disappointed look on Joey’s face was becoming too familiar. She ran up to his car like she was trying to stop an accident. He rolled down his window.
“I’m so sorry, Joey! My mama just showed up out of the blue, and I wasn’t prepared.”
His face softened, and he put the car in park. “Where’s she in from?”
“Nashville.” She moved aside so he could open the door and step out.
He was dressed in thick beige corduroys and a navy blue sweater, his dark hair parted on the side and slicked back. Without a word, he took her hand and led her up her own front stairs into the house. “What’s your mother’s name?” he asked.
“Susie.” Her voice sounded small. “And I think her boyfriend’s name is John.” As soon as he grabbed her hand, she resigned herself to whatever was going to happen next. What choice did she have but to follow?
He went straight through the kitchen, saw them on the back porch, and opened the door. “Hey, y’all,” he said. “I’m Joey.”
The animated conversation they’d been having stopped, and the smile on her mother’s face faded. She quickly shook Joey’s hand, but her eyes were on Allie. “Oh, honey. I hope you don’t mind that I’m here.” What started as a soft, careful hug became tighter and tighter. “I’ve missed you so much,” she said, her voice thick.
“I missed you too,” Allie said, meaning it.
“I know you don’t like surprises,” she said into Allie’s shoulder. “Please don’t be mad.”
“It’s okay, Mama,” she said, pulling away. “I’m glad you’re here.” That part was true. But it was equally true that she was unhappy her mother had brought along the gray-haired man currently talking to Joey like he was interviewing him for a job on Wall Street.
“And Joey is your boyfriend?” her mother asked with a smile.
“My coworker.” As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Joey sidestepped closer and put his arm around her. Allie felt her face burn.
“Allie, this is John,” her mother said, kindly ignoring the man’s arm draped possessively across her daughter’s shoulders. “I don’t think you two have met yet.”
“Hi,” Allie said. “Merry Christmas.” She didn’t want to say nice to meet you , because it wasn’t nice to meet him. Thankfully, the man didn’t look like the type to hug her or force her into awkward unwanted conversation. He just smiled and said Merry Christmas back.
“How long are y’all here for?” Joey asked.
“A few days in Charleston, and then John rented us a place on Kiawah.” Mama stuffed her hands into the fur-lined pockets of the same old black Patagonia jacket she’d had for as long as Allie could remember.
“It’s cold,” Allie said. “Please come inside.”
“John, honey, would you mind getting the bags from the car?”
Allie cringed at the endearment. Were they planning to stay? There were only two bedrooms, and her old couch didn’t pull out into a bed. Her mother must have seen her panic.
“Oh, no, we’re not staying. I brought some things I thought you might want from the storage unit.”
What storage unit? she thought. “Mama? Did you move?” Was it even possible that her mother would leave another place without telling her?
“Of course not. Don’t you remember? I went through that whole cleaning phase after your father died.” She turned to Joey as if he should have full knowledge of her loss. “It was my therapy, it gave me something to put my mind to.”
Now that she mentioned it, Allie did remember her mother’s cleaning phase. She’d been busy with college graduation and looking for jobs, plus her apartment was in Midtown Nashville and her parents’ house was in Brentwood, so she wasn’t there every day. But she did recall her mother covered in paint and the house looking a little more refreshed and updated each time she came over.
John marched inside carrying two large shopping bags. Before he set them down next to Allie, her mother reached in and pulled out an old stuffed bear.
“Beary Bear!” Allie yelled, taking it gently from her mother and holding it to her chest. “I thought you threw him away!”
“I would never do that.” Her mother reached inside the bag and placed trophies, yearbooks, even an old white jewelry box with a ballerina figurine on the kitchen counter. “I thought you might want these, but I’m keeping your baby clothes for when you give me a grandbaby.”
“I thought all of this stuff was in a dump somewhere.” Allie was shocked at the intensity of the emotions it all brought up. Things she thought were gone forever were back . “I can’t believe it.”
“You thought I threw these treasures away?”
Allie nodded, her nose pressed against the bear.
“Why didn’t you just ask me?” Her mother sighed and reached for John’s hand. “Never mind. We don’t need to go back there. I mean, I would like to keep moving forward if we can.”
Allie nodded again. It was the first time she’d seen her mother look like she was in pain. Pain Allie had caused.
There was a ruckus outside the front door. The lock turned and Cuppie burst into the house. Allie was equal parts thrilled that they were okay and horrified about what they were walking in on. Sam was home, and Joey was currently meeting her only remaining parent. She immediately stepped away from him.
Cuppie ran to each person, sniffing them. When she got to John, she sat in front of him, staring up into his face, somehow still managing to wag furiously.
“Hey there, Buttercup,” John said, stroking her head. “Good to see you again, old girl.”
Sam came into the kitchen next. His face looked raw and his hair windblown. “Sorry I’m late, Colonel,” he said, aggressively gripping palms with John.
Allie looked back and forth between them. They knew each other? “John is your commanding officer?” It was more of an observation than a question. “He’s my mother’s boyfriend.”
Sam had a serious look on his face. “I was going to tell you.”
“You knew?” She couldn’t believe it. She turned to her mother. “And you aren’t here to see me—you’re here to see Sam?”
“Of course I’m here to see you.” Her mother reached for her, but Allie jumped back.
“No.” She felt a wildness take over her body. “No, you’re not. You’re here with them.” She took several steps backward, bumping into Joey. She’d forgotten momentarily that he was in the room. She turned to face him. He was possibly the only person here who hadn’t betrayed her. “I can’t—” She couldn’t get the words out.
“You can’t stay here?” He filled in the words for her. “Or you can’t leave with me?”
“I’m sorry,” she said, then she turned on her heel and ran for the front door. She left it wide open as she sprinted down the front steps. The last thing she heard was Sam ordering Cuppie to follow her.