Chapter 12
Linnea found the porch stairs difficult for her creaky knees these days, and she took her time descending them, needing to put both feet on each step for balance. Her arthritic hands ached and she had reluctantly stopped going to her beloved KnitWorks. She’d given up her car a year ago, and these days felt every one of her ninety years. Derek’s mother stopped in every other day now and they had tea together, and Linney’s friends often came by. Linnea knew they were all checking in to make sure she was alright; she appreciated that they didn’t say so.
In addition to the lovely lady who cleaned her house every Tuesday and cooked her a meal with enough leftovers to last several days, Jake had arranged for someone to shovel snow in the winter and take care of the gardening and the grass in the summer. She just had to water the flowerboxes on the porch, although even that had left her tired and short of breath this summer. Six months ago, Jake had also organized a service to deliver a meal on Fridays. Linnea could split each one into two, the portions were so big.
Her computer beeped with an incoming email from Linney in London and she shuffled slowly to the dining room table to read it. Jake had amended the settings so the type was big and easy for her to read.
Dear Gran,
Ten more days until I’m back with you at the lake. Work has been crazy, and I can’t wait to come home. I’ll stay with Jake for two nights and then rent a car and drive up. I miss you. Please let me know if there’s anything I can bring you from London. Maybe that nice hand lotion from Marks Spencer that you like? Or anything at all.
Love you!
A cough rattled in Linnea’s chest and she took a moment to catch her breath. She needed to see Linney, to talk to her and share her family stories one more time. It was time for her granddaughter to come home.
* * *
Linney lookedfor Jake and Rachael. Scanning the crowd at the airport, she found them, and waved, a huge smile on her face. Jake waved back, and it wasn’t long before he was giving his sister a welcome home hug.
“You doing okay?” he asked, and she nodded. It had been a difficult few months, but she was much better now.
“Let’s get you to the house,” Rachael said. “The kids are dying to see you. They’re so excited to see their Auntie Linney in real life rather than just on TV.”
“I know they’re really too old for them, but I’ve brought them some Buttons,” Linney said, referring to the British chocolates, “and some of that tea you two like.”
“Lovely. We’ll have some when we get home.” Rachael unlocked the car and Jake put Linney’s bag into the trunk.
“So tell us your plans,” Jake said, after he paid the parking fee and the arm raised, allowing him to drive out of the parking garage and onto the busy highway.
“I’m having a quick lunch with Olivia tomorrow. Derek’s out of town. He’s in Calgary for a couple of weeks helping out their Legal Aid office,” she explained. “I’m not sure I’ll even get to see him before I fly back. Dinner tomorrow with you two and the kids. And then up to the lake. Nothing exciting.” She yawned and leaned her head against the car window. Jake and Rachael glanced at each other and let her rest. There was silence the rest of the way home.
Linney was up early the next morning, her internal clock not yet set to the right time zone. She padded out to the kitchen, put on the coffee maker and then went to the front door to pick up the newspaper from the porch. She stood at the window and watched the sun begin to rise. She’d sensed tension in the house last night and hoped her brother and his wife weren’t having troubles again. Soon the kitchen was bustling with activity as Jake came down for coffee and the kids followed, dressed in their school uniforms. Rachael was right behind them and pulled premade lunches out of the fridge.
“Everyone into the car!” she shouted above the din. It was her turn to drop them off.
“Have a good day,” Linney said, and she noticed that Jake kissed the kids, but not Rachael.
“Something going on with you two?” she asked, as she poured another cup of coffee.
Jake rolled his eyes. “Same old, same old,” he said. “We go through these rough patches from time to time. We’ll get over it. We always do. I’m just sorry it’s happening while you’re here.” He grabbed an apple from the bowl. Over his shoulder, as he left for the day he said, “Enjoy your lunch today, but save your appetite. The kids are making a cake for dinner!”
Just before noon, Linney pushed on the big heavy door of the Bay Street building that housed Olivia’s firm. She’d never been there before and she was plenty intimidated. Feeling self-conscious about her casual dress and simple rubber-soled ballet flats, she pushed the button to call the elevator. When she reached the sixty-eighth floor, she stepped out into a sleek, modern lobby. Even the receptionist looked sophisticated and polished with her hair pulled back into a bun, and flame-red fingernails. Linney took a deep breath, pushed her glasses up her nose and walked to the desk.
“Hello. Linney McDonnell for Olivia Blake—I mean Hastings.” Olivia had kept her maiden name.
The receptionist’s head snapped up. “McDonnell? Linney McDonnell? From TCN News?”
Linney blushed and nodded. “That’s me.”
“I watch you all the time. I’ll let Ms. Hasting know you’re here.” The receptionist called Olivia’s number. “Of course. I’ll let her know.” She turned back to Linney. “Unfortunately, Ms. Hastings has asked if you can wait about ten minutes. I love your news reports.”
Linney made polite banter with the receptionist, surprised and amused to have a starstruck fan, until Olivia arrived.
“Linney!” she called out as her heels clicked on the marble floors. Linney took in Derek’s wife in a designer suit that hugged her lean body perfectly, and the four-inch heels that went with it. “Thank you for waiting. I’m so glad you could make the time.” The two women hugged politely and were soon sitting down at a chic boutique restaurant where Olivia had made reservations.
“Derek is so disappointed that he’s missing you,” Olivia said after they ordered. “Tell me all about the Rotterdam Port story. I feel like there was more than made it into your report.”
Linney smiled and launched into a story about the near calamity of shooting the final standup for that story, which had Olivia in stitches. They’d shot in front of Delft Gate as planned and then headed to the nearby botanical gardens for a contrasting backdrop. The lawn irrigation system had gone off just behind her while the camera was rolling, drenching the back of her jacket and pants. “Fortunately, when Grant reshot it, you couldn’t tell that water was dripping down the small of my back. But the worst? By the time we got back to the newsroom, the whole news crew had seen the raw footage and there was a sprinkler sitting on my desk!” she finished and they both laughed. “What about you? Can you share what you’re working on?”
“I’m afraid not,” Olivia said as their lunch arrived. “It’s an international acquisition but I’m under a nondisclosure agreement so I can’t say much. The whole thing is very hush hush.”
Linney was impressed. “When is Derek back?” she asked, changing the subject. “I’d hate to miss him altogether.”
“Not for two more weeks,” Olivia sighed, and Linney deflated. This would be the first trip home she wouldn’t see her old friend. “I miss him so much when he’s away. But being asked to help out in Calgary? They don’t ask for help for just anything. This is huge, and it could change his career. He wins this and he can have his choice of Bay Street firms.”
“Are you sure that’s what he wants?” Linney couldn’t picture Derek in Olivia’s over-the-top, yet somehow still cold office.
“Of course it’s what he wants. And he can still do pro bono cases from time to time.”
Linney nodded absentmindedly. It didn’t sound like the Derek she knew.
Dinner that night was a decidedly more relaxed and raucous affair. The kids ganged up on their dad, who gave as good as he got. Linney missed this camaraderie more and more the longer she was away from home. Over the kids’ cake, they laughed until they cried and caught her up on all the news from promotions to dance competitions and sports trophies. Despite their busy lives, Jake made it a point to visit Silver Lake often, although it was too disruptive with the kids now to spend the night with their gran.
“I get up at least once a month,” he told her as they cleared the table. His voice dropped. “She’s been ill more than once this winter and she has a cough that won’t go away. You probably know that from talking with her.” Linnie nodded. “Her doctor’s worried about her heart and she’s not always as clear as she used to be. The last couple of times we were up, she thought Abby was you. I think it’s time to consider a nursing home.”
“It was weird, Auntie Linney,” Abby said as she stacked the plates. “She sent me upstairs—you know, through that blue door. I wasn’t sure I should go, but it’s kind of neat up there.”
Linney paled and Jake quickly moved the conversation along. “That’s enough now,” he said to his oldest child. “I’m sure your Auntie Linney would like a good night’s sleep to get rid of the last of her jetlag before she drives up to Silver Lake tomorrow.”
* * *
As Linney droveout of the city, she replayed the sound of the low voices arguing that she’d heard last night when she’d gone to bed. She hoped Jake was right about this just being a rough patch. With her overseas, he bore all of the responsibility of taking care of Gran. He deserved a happy home life.
Linney drummed her fingers on the steering wheel of the cute little blue hybrid she’d rented but brightened up when she saw a familiar sign ahead on the road. Soon, she pulled over at the Tim Hortons and into the drive-thru. Getting back on the highway with a double double, she put her concerns aside and started looking forward. As she rounded a long curve, she smiled, knowing she was getting closer to Silver Lake. The tension left her shoulders. Life slowed when she was home and she felt like she breathed more freely. She couldn’t wait to get out in her kayak and skim across the lake.
Linney drove past the hospital and the hardware store before turning onto Main Street. She saw the town law office, the grocery store, and the park across from Page Turners. Taking a hard left, she turned the corner and parked behind the bookstore. She took a deep breath and pasted a smile on her face. It was Wednesday, so there was one more stop to make before seeing Gran.
“Room for one more?” she called out as she entered the back room of the bookstore.
“Linney!” There was a huge noise as the KnitWorks ladies dropped their knitting and rushed to greet their local superstar. She got the biggest hug from Anna, who set her up with a mug of tea and a cookie and told her Kirsten was working a shift at the hospital that day. The new owner gushed over the celebrity in her store, much to Linney’s embarrassment.
She spent the next hour chatting with old schoolmates, neighbours, and a few newcomers to town. Jennifer’s baby was due in another month and Mr. Jones was recovering well from a bypass operation. Carrie was engaged, and Mrs. Masterton had a new grandchild she was going to visit in Halifax soon, where her son and daughter-in-law lived. The Carvers were having trouble paying their bills. And the Soulier boy was in trouble again. The warmth that Linney had felt enveloping her when she arrived had turned to the gossip that irked her, so with hugs all around, she left the knitters and drove the final couple of kilometres home. She’d catch up with Kirsten tomorrow.
The gravel crunched as Linney eased the rental car into the driveway. She called out to her grandmother, who was napping on the porch. Linnea woke with a start, and soon the two women were in each other’s arms. “I’m so glad you’re home, Linney dear,” Gran said. “I’ve missed you so much.”
Linney squeezed her grandmother again. “Me too, Gran. Me too.”
* * *
The first days sped by.The fall weather was glorious and Linney took the kayak out every morning. Her muscles hurt more than she wanted to admit, but every day got easier, and she loved the meditative time on the water. She took photos in the marshes she traversed and of the wildlife she came across. She hadn’t seen a moose this visit, but she was still hopeful.
In the afternoons, Linney often read or scribbled notes about stories she’d like to cover while Gran napped in her comfortable armchair. Some days she headed into town and caught up with Kirsten or Anna. She cooked whenever Gran would let her, and in the evenings they sat together with mugs of tea. Despite bouts of coughing and shortness of breath that put a knot in Linney’s stomach, Gran insisted on recounting family stories of years spent at the lake. They were stories Linney knew so well from so many retellings over the years, that she could recite them alongside her grandmother, but she was happy to hear them again and they laughed often, remembering all the scrapes she got into as a child. Some nights, Gran told stories of her mother and father, and even of her own early years in Silver Lake. To Linney, each story felt like a warm hug as she listened to Gran reminisce.
One evening, she left Gran at home for a proper girls’ night out at a Bridgegrove bar with her friends. Dressed in her best dark denim jeans and a silk blouse, she first picked up Anna, finding her similarly attired in black jeans and a pink ballet sweater showcasing her long lean limbs. Anna climbed into Linney’s car and squeezed her hand.
“I’m so glad we’re doing this,” she said. “It’s been far too long.”
“I agree,” said Linney, putting the car into reverse and backing out of the driveway. “We’ll have fun tonight!
After pulling into the parking lot behind Page Turners, Linney slipped out of the car and ran upstairs to get Kirsten. “You look great!” she said, pleased her friend had continued with the hair and makeup tricks MJ had taught her. Sure, the loose tunic Kirsten wore wasn’t very figure-flattering, but it was a pretty colour at least and played up her eyes. “Ready to go?”
“Absolutely. It’s been a while since I’ve been out.” Kirsten locked the door, and they joined Anna.
“Here’s to girls’ night,” said Linney, putting her key in the ignition.
“Girls’ night!” chimed in the others in stereo and soon all three were singing along with the radio as Linney drove out of Silver Lake.
All eyes turned to the pretty trio as they entered the bar in Bridgegrove. They grabbed a table and a handsome waiter brought them three beers and a plate of nachos to share. They told their latest work stories, but soon the conversation turned to men.
“Is there anyone new, Kirsten?” Linney asked, always hopeful.
“Well, maybe. It’s just been three dates, but there’s an administrator at the college who I like a lot.” She popped a tortilla chip in her mouth.
“Details!” demanded Anna. “You’ve been holding out on me.”
“Well, you know that I’ve almost part way through my master’s degree. I might try teaching,” she explained to Linney in an aside. “When I signed up for a course last summer, Alan asked if I’d be interested in coffee. I agreed, and we’ve had dinner a couple of times now. He’s handsome, and he’s such a gentleman.”
“I’m so happy for you,” Linney said, squeezing Kirsten’s hand.
“Now what’s new with you? Are you dating anyone new?”
Linney took a swig of her beer. “Honestly? I’m not ready for anything new. I need a break. I really thought I loved Mac. But even as he was falling apart, he hurt me so much.” Her eyes teared up, and she swiped at them, frustrated that she could still be emotional about it. She needed to change the subject.
“How are the cottages, Anna?”
Anna and Danny’s cottage business had taken off, and they now owned seven that they rented out for good money in the summers and somewhat less in the off-season. Nevertheless, they were almost always full and supplemented their income from the dance studio and contracting business nicely.
“Danny has his eyes on another couple of properties,” Anna said proudly, if with a bit of worry. “We’ll need to hire someone to help turn them over—the ones we have already are difficult for us.”
“It’s amazing the businesses that you guys have built,” Linney said. “Who’d have thought we’d all have turned out the way we did? Me in London, Kirsten working on her master’s and you a savvy businesswoman. We’ve done well for ourselves.”
The three women brought their beer glasses together. “To us!” Kirsten toasted their success.
* * *
“Hold on, Olivia.”Halfway across the country and two time zones earlier, Derek covered the phone with his hand and gave instructions to a colleague. “Sorry, sweetheart, I’m back. I think we’re just about halfway done out here.” He stood up to stretch and scratch his five o’clock shadow. “I can’t wait to get home.”
“Me too. This bed is awfully empty without you. Especially when I’m wearing the lingerie you bought me for my birthday,” Olivia said in a sexy voice, having some fun with her husband. “Should I send you a picture?”
Derek was standing in the middle of a conference room filled with banker”s boxes full of paper, with other lawyers and paralegals. It was going to be another late night. “Um, maybe not just now,” he said quietly into the phone. “Too many people around. Give me a minute” He flushed beet red, and fled the conference room.
“Okay, I’m alone now,” he said, and a photo of Olivia in a wispy black chemise quickly came his way. “I miss you so much. Tell you what. How about we start trying for a baby when I get home and you get back from your Singapore trip?” Olivia was about to head out of town to close a deal. “For real this time.”
“I still think—” Olivia lapsed into silence before continuing. “Well, maybe.” She left the door open for the first time.
Derek’s smile couldn’t have been bigger. “Oh, we’ll have so much fun trying.”
* * *
Linney frettedover Gran’s obvious decline. Together they walked down to the dock after lunch every day, but Linney was distressed at how heavily Gran breathed after these short excursions. She insisted on seeing her grandmother’s doctor and was given a realistic report on her health. It turned out that Gran had not been entirely honest with her grandchildren.
“Ms. McDonnell, let me be frank,” said the doctor, putting down his file. “I know neither you nor your brother live close. And your grandmother is a fiercely proud woman. But her blood pressure has been high since I first started treating her several years ago, and since her first bout of angina—” Linney’s head snapped up. Jake had mentioned heart concerns, but angina sounded serious.
The doctor sought to reassure her as best he could. “We’re treating it, so there’s no imminent threat as long as she takes her medication regularly. But it will only get worse.” He folded his hands on his desk and looked at Linney seriously. “Your grandmother is over ninety. She doesn’t like to complain, but her health is in decline.”
“What do we do?” Linney asked, ashen-faced.
“I’ve been suggesting it for a couple of years now, but it’s time that you and your brother convince your grandmother she needs to accept more support. Maybe she could move in with him?” Linney shook her head. Gran would never leave Silver Lake. “Or perhaps she’d consider Graceful Care? In any event, she needs more care than she can get living on her own.”
Linney stood. “You’ve given me a lot to think about, and I know Jake agrees with you. I’m home for a while longer. I’ll see what I can do.” She left the hospital, not even looking for Kirsten, mulling over all she’d learned.
Linney suggested Graceful Care to Gran, but she wanted no part of it.
“I do not need to see that place,” she insisted, referring to the long-term care home. I am not leaving my house. I’m just fine here.” And no matter how gently Linney brought it up, or how many suggestions she made that Gran would have more company, would have better meals, would have all her friends visit, nothing would change the old woman’s mind.
“I don’t know what to do,” she complained to Anna and Kirsten. Gran slept most afternoons, and Linney had met them at the renovated tea house that seemed to be the new meeting place. “She needs more help, but she’s stubborn.” She threw her hands up. “It’s so hard being so far away.”
“Danny’s grandparents were at Graceful Care in their last years and we visited a lot. They took care of them really well,” Anna said, sipping her tea.
Kirsten nodded. “Their reputation is well-deserved,” she said. “Everyone at the hospital says Silver Lake is lucky to have such a good facility.”
“That’s all very well and good,” Linney said. “But she won’t even consider it.”
“You could consider hiring someone to live with her,” suggested Anna. “There’s room at your house. It’s expensive, but it’s another option.”
Linney licked her finger to pick up the cookie crumbs on her plate as she contemplated that idea. “I’ll look into that.” A live-in caretaker. It was a good idea.
After saying goodbye to Anna and Kirsten, Linney stopped at Page Turners and was surprised to find herself the only customer. She bought a novel to support the store and read the first few chapters in the autumn sun in the park across the road. She hoped things would turn around for Page Turners. It was an institution in Silver Lake and she couldn’t imagine the town without it.