Chapter 34
Chapter Thirty-Four
I focused on my route to Pennsylvania while Angela and Rita kept Alicia occupied with conversation.
Sometimes I paid attention to the chatter, though my mind often wandered to how I could set up another room above my apartment and what might entertain the kid through the week.
I really had hoped for time with my parents.
On a long stretch of highway through New Jersey, I heard Angela ask Rita how she managed to snag an “almost beachfront” home in Stone Harbor. The story was less salacious than the one she had told me, but it was still interesting. “And,” she explained, “the cost of a home back then was manageable.”
“Were you upset when my parents built the home in front that blocked your view?” Alicia asked her.
“My daughter was, though we knew the lot was for sale. The cost for that piece of land was out of my range but I didn’t expect anyone to build a three-story modern structure on it.”
“Blame that on my mother,” Alicia noted. “She wanted lots of light for her art studio. And you know who got the house in the divorce settlement.”
No one responded to her barb, and I wondered who or what had made her so snarky. Heather told me so many sweet stories about her daughter’s youth, so I assumed the change was recent.
I focused on the directions provided by my GPS when the route went through a few small Jersey towns before dumping me back on an expressway. When I felt comfortable listening again, I heard Angela telling Rita and Alicia about her two sons, husband, and two horses which had stalls in her backyard.
“Jodie learned how to ride last spring,” she noted. “She was a fast learner.”
I gave a chuckle. “You were a great teacher, and I’m so glad I managed to canter without falling off the horse.”
I watched Alicia’s expression from the rear-view mirror as she turned to Angela. “Wow, that’s cool. Could you teach me?”
“Sure, and we should have good weather this week. Maybe Jodie wouldn’t mind if you stayed with my family for a few days.”
Gratitude almost choked me but I managed a sincere reply. “That wouldn’t be a problem.”
Alicia practically screamed. “OMG, that would be amazing. I mean, since Jodie doesn’t mind.”
“Wonderful,” Angela replied enthusiastically. “My boys can share a room, and you can help me arrange yours. Then, we’ll go out to muck stalls. That’s the first lesson in horse care.”
“I can’t wait!”
I stifled a laugh, but didn’t say a word. Rita, sitting in the front passenger seat, slyly snaked her hand to touch my elbow. I knew we shared our delight, though I felt unbelievably grateful for Angela’s intervention.
For the next hour, while I was busy handling the fast-paced stretches of highways into Pennsylvania and through Philadelphia until the drive settled down, I didn’t participate in the discussion about Angela’s rural home and her family. She could handle those questions on her own.
At close to five o’clock, Brad called just after I exited the Blue Route. “Are you almost home?” he asked.
“We are, all four of us.” I paused so he could hear everyone yelling, “Hi, Brad.”
He laughed. “That sounds like a party. Should I order a pizza?”
“Order three,” his sister called from the back seat. “I’ll take two home for my family and our guest. Alicia will be staying with us until your wedding.”
“Really? That’s awesome.”
I noticed Alicia’s contented smile from the rear-view mirror before adding, “We’ll be there in twenty minutes, so let’s meet in the parking area behind my apartment.”
He chuckled. “I’m already here, so I’ll call in our order while I wait. What toppings would you like?”
Everyone made their suggestions, and none of them were too outrageous. He promised to try his best to accommodate all tastes, which the girls seemed to appreciate.
“I’ll be there soon,” I told him.
“I can’t wait,” he replied softly.
I wanted to wrap him in my arms and hold on forever. His kindness and gentleness touched my heart and soul, and I wanted to hurry home to him. I hardly noticed my speed until Rita quietly pointed it out to me.
I took my foot off the gas pedal, grateful for her reminder. Shortly after, we both noticed the half-hidden police car looking for speeders. “Good call,” I told her.
Her laugh held a twinge of nostalgia. “Sam gave me the job of looking for the cops. I was his navigator.”
I gave a quick glance to see her sentimental expression. “Consider yourself mine, too,” I assured her. She looked pleased about my validation.
Rita kept me grounded, and I enjoyed her ability to find humor in everyday experiences, so I considered her presence for the week before my wedding a sign of good luck. That, in itself, made me happy.
After dragging Rita’s walker and suitcase to the guest room, Brad helped transfer Alicia’s bag from my car to his sister’s, then placed two boxes of pizza into her trunk.
Angela reached for her purse to pay him, but Brad gave a shake of his head.
“My treat,” he said. “Thanks for all you’ve done today. ”
She kissed his cheek. “We had a fun trip and we thank you for the pizza.” After turning to Rita and me, she added, “I’ll touch base with you tomorrow.”
I knew Angela wanted to get home, so I didn’t offer Alicia a tour of my apartment. We’d have the rest of the week for that, and I thought it more important to make Rita feel at home.
Brad, Rita, and I stood on the back porch waving them off, then we went inside. “Peace at last,” she sighed, looking around the kitchen. “Where’s the bathroom?”
When she emerged, I showed her my apartment while Brad put out the paper plates. “Beer, wine, or water?” he asked when we returned to the kitchen.
She chose a bottle of beer, as did Brad and I, then selected a slice of pizza. “I’m so happy to be included with your family. It’s an honor for me.”
“For us, too,” Brad said with an affirming smile. “How was your trip here?”
“Delightful, and Jodie did a great job managing the roads.”
Her quirky wink as an aside to me made me laugh. “I had my moments,” I admitted to Brad.
“Were you surprised when Angela invited Alicia to stay at her house?” she asked me.
“Yes, and I’m so grateful. We have other rooms upstairs, but they’re not furnished. As it is, I’ll be going up there when my parents arrive tomorrow.”
“We could rent a bed or something,” Brad said, “but why would my sister have invited Heather’s daughter?”
“I don’t know, although they seem to have connected. I’m happy they did—and we’ll play it by ear.”
When Rita nodded her agreement, I noticed how exhausted she appeared. Brad, too, looked tired, so I decided we should make it an early night. We each had two slices of pizza, leaving leftovers for the next day.
“Can you take tomorrow off?” Rita asked him.
He shook his head. “It’s a busy time of the year.”
She smiled. “One of these days, you’ll know when to let the people you hired take over. In the meantime, I need to go to bed.”
“Of course,” he said, kissing her cheek. “Sleep well.”
He knew I’d need to get her settled, so he decided to leave. After our kiss, he whispered in my ear, “May I call you later?”
“Please do,” I said as he headed to the back door.
He kissed me again. “I love you.” At the door, he gave his signature smile. “Good night, ladies.”
After locking the door behind him, I turned to Rita. “Let me show you to the guest room.” She looked ready to call it a night.
“I left a fresh towel and washcloth at the end of the bed. Do you need anything else?” I asked.
“You’ll be right here?” she countered.
“I’m directly across the hall, so yell if you need me.”
“That’s comforting,” she said, smiling. “Thanks for putting my rollator next to the bed.”
“I thought you’d want it when you get up during the night. I also made a charging station for your phone, so use that, too.”
She looked around the room, even noticing Heather’s art on the wall. “I feel your presence here, and that’s nice. Tomorrow you can give me a tour.”
“Definitely,” I agreed. “We also need to pick up my parents at the airport in the afternoon.”
She grinned. “Let the fun begin.”
For some reason, that statement tickled me. I laughed, even as my phone rang with a call from my parents. I picked up, putting them on speaker-phone. “I just reminded Rita that we’ll have a trip to the airport tomorrow. Say goodnight to her.”
They did that, then we all chatted for at least ten minutes more. It sounded as if they looked forward to meeting Rita in person, and I couldn’t wait for their arrival.
After disconnecting our call, I bid my guest a good night. As I headed to my room, I felt as if everything in preparation for my wedding was coming together. I could only hope that nothing would go wrong.
With that thought, I wrapped our leftover pizza, put it in the fridge, tossed the box into the trash bin, and wiped the table. Turning out the kitchen light, I hurried to get ready for bed before Brad called. Our nightly chats had become my favorite part of the day.