Chapter Seven
The next day, Madelyn spent an hour in her room after her son left. It was always hard for her to watch her children go, knowing she wouldn’t see them for months.
Madelyn let herself cry for several minutes and then finally got her emotions under control enough to leave her room. She looked at herself critically in the bathroom mirror. Only if someone looked closely would they be able to tell she’d been crying. She knew the only way to get through her sadness was to get busy. Staying by herself alone in her room was the worst.
Madelyn walked down to the dining room and started adding food to her plate that she didn’t feel like eating when she overheard Pearl exclaim over recipes in the kitchen. She expelled a breath of relief—something to do to keep her mind off Carter. She set the muffin back on the platter and walked into the kitchen.
“Excuse me, Pearl, but do you need recipes? I overheard you asking someone about them.”
Daisy chuckled and walked out. “Good, you can deal with her.”
Pearl swung around and sniffed. “Yes, I’m sick of the regular things. We do the same things every year.”
“I have a few you might like. I make a great noodle salad everyone seems to like, and a few bars.”
“I’m willing to try anything.”
“May I help?”
“Why aren’t you relaxing?”
“I’m not good at it,” Madelyn said and grinned.
“I can understand that,” Pearl said, starting to pull out the ingredients Madelyn said they would need. Over the next few hours, they made two large pans of bars and a humungous bowl of noodle salad.
Pearl loved all of it and wanted Madelyn to write her recipes.
****
Garrett walked in on them, laughing. He hadn’t heard Pearl laugh like that in years. The woman usually scared people, so she liked to stay in the kitchen.
Garrett stiffened when both sets of eyes saw him, and both lost their smiles for different reasons.
Madelyn set down the towel she’d been using to dry dishes.
“If you’ll excuse me, I need to get my purse.”
“Why?” Pearl asked.
“I’m going to town to get a few things.”
Pearl looked confused. “But you’ll miss the party.”
Madelyn shrugged. “I think I’ll be back for the fireworks.”
“But you helped make some of the food,” Pearl said.
Madelyn impulsively hugged the older woman. “And it was fun. Thank you.”
Pearl stopped her before she made it to the door.
“Do you have any more recipes you could give me?”
“Absolutely. I’ve got several,” Madelyn said. “I’ll write them down for you.”
“I’d appreciate it,” Pearl said and turned back to the sink as Madelyn fled, going out the opposite door Garrett was blocking.
Garrett wanted to stop her but was afraid to scare or upset her as he did the night before. He’d wait until his brother was back to help him.
Garrett guessed his volatile emotions would settle after they had her between them, and she understood she was going to be theirs. But until then, he felt like he was hanging from a ledge by his fingertips.
Jesus, he needed his brother.