Chapter 25 #2
“Gavin knitted it,” Molly clarified. “Gavin is a knitting master.”
His scowl deepened, and she swore he growled.
“Aren’t you, Gavin?” Molly asked, looking up at him. Finally able to shove herself deep down inside so she could be perky and likable and not at all jealous. “Do you knit, Cassidy?”
“I do.” Cassidy nodded. “I love to knit.”
Of course she did. This was something they could do together. Cassidy wouldn’t even just sit aside and watch. She’d get right on in there with him.
“It’s a hobby,” Cassidy continued. “I’ve been doing it for a few years now.”
“That’s great.” Molly nudged Gavin with her elbow. “Isn’t it great?”
“Totally great.” Gavin didn’t move his hand from Molly’s shoulder as he said, “What are you working on, Cass?”
“She’s making me a sweater,” the little mini-Cassidy said. “A pink one. With a unicorn.”
“The unicorn is up in the air,” Cassidy said, reaching for her mini-me’s hand and swinging it between them. “I’m not convinced I can pull it off.”
Seriously, could these two be any cuter?
“I’m sure you’ll make it happen.” Molly grinned even though she felt a lot like vomiting in Gavin’s new knitting basket.
“Who is this?” Charlie asked, gruff as ever, but with enough kindness that Cassidy didn’t grab her kid and run out of the room.
“This is Cassidy,” Molly said. “And her daughter. I didn’t catch your name?”
“Gabby,” Cassidy said. “Gabby, this is mommy’s old friend Gavin and his friend, Molly.”
The kid’s name was Gabby? She may as well have named her Gavin, Jr.
Was it hot in there? Yes, it was getting hot. Molly was feeling very warm.
Agnes was now intently observing the interaction. The pointed glance she gave to Cassidy’s empty wedding ring finger had her scowling deeper than Gavin had at the beginning of this conversation.
“Oh no, no, no.” Agnes stared knitting needle daggers in Molly’s direction. “Molly, don’t you do it.”
Molly whispered to Gabby like they were conspiring together, “They’re being so silly because they think I don’t know what’s best for everyone.”
“Do you know what’s best for everyone?” Gabby asked with the innocence of a tiny human.
“I do.” Molly nodded. Because, well…she did.
“She doesn’t,” Agnes said, Charlie’s grumpy rubbing off on her, still in full force.
“I agree with Agnes here.” Gavin slung his arm around Molly and pulled her into his side, giving her a solid kiss on
the temple and whispering, “Knock it off, Mol.”
Cassidy took in the whole scene. Then she laughed. “I don’t know what’s going on here, but it’s great to see you both again. So soon, too.” She tugged on Gabby’s hand. “Let’s go find your unicorn yarn. Bye everyone.”
“What in the devil is going on here?” Charlie asked when Gavin and Agnes both continued glowering at Molly like she did when Ollie tracked mud on the carpet.
“I’m just trying to make sure everyone is happy.” Molly addressed Charlie, because—for the first time—he was the least grumpy in the crowd.
“We’re not all your responsibility,” Agnes said. Um, yes they were. “Yes, you most certainly are.”
Agnes gave Charlie the basics of Molly’s little first-date issue.
Gavin added in some points that really were not incredibly pertinent.
For whatever reason, he was totally ignoring the obvious.
Not that she’d set him up against his will…
She’d just lead him in the right direction so he could see he was wrong, and she was right.
Molly was seriously considering an attempt at the knitting thing again, just so she could stare at her hands and have a reason to do it.
“Agnes and I decided it’s not gonna work out,” Charlie announced.
Hold up, what?
Things were finally going Molly’s way… They couldn’t wreck that now. Right? Dammit.
“You decided.” Agnes gritted her teeth.
“Why aren’t you going to work out?” Molly asked, feeling a little more light-headed.
She needed them to hang tight for just a scooch longer.
Really, though, she’d like them to hang tight for forever. “Because Agnes won’t come with me to see my kids,”
Charlie grumped.
What on earth was he talking about?
“Move with you.”
Was Molly the only one lost here? She was seriously traipsing off the map without a compass.
“He wants you to move with him? Where?” Molly asked, making an attempt to follow along.
“Minnesota.” Agnes glared at him.
Oh. Well, hell. Minnesota was not up the street.
Molly held her breath, then forced herself to actually breathe.
“And I’m going to marry her so it’s legal and all,” Charlie said this like he was being forced to order liver and onions for dinner instead of a yummy steak.
Charlie had been in their lives for like a second in the scheme of things. He couldn’t just ask Agnes to marry him. Could he?
Molly’s heart thumped a quick beat in her chest because he could totally ask Agnes to marry him. She could say yes. Then they could have a happily ever after together. A happily ever after where they’d be…well, happy. Happy was wonderful.
Except, Molly figured happily ever after didn’t leave her…alone.
“Did he ask you to marry him?” Molly asked, setting aside her own feelings to evaluate later, when she was alone. “He told me.” Agnes glowered at Charlie. “He did not ask.”
That was not a good way to propose marriage. Not good at all.
“You want me to ask?” Charlie said, again with the sour-pants tone.
He should probably work on his proposal game. “You’re sort of supposed to ask.” Molly glanced between them. “That’s kind of in the rules.”
While she didn’t love the idea of being alone, with Agnes in Minnesota, she hated the idea of Agnes miserable more. The air had gone incredibly thick. “And, uh—” Molly licked at her lips. “Maybe say something nice to her to warm her up to the idea, first.”
Look at her, coaching him on how to do this the right way.
“I’m asking her to marry me. Move with me. What’s there to warm up to?” Charlie asked.
Um. Lots.
“Okay.” Molly splayed her hands, ignoring her own Gavin and Cassidy crisis. Actually, this could be a good lesson for Gavin, too. A lesson everyone needed to hear.
She made a mental note to add a web episode along these lines. What to do when you’re ready to go further! No. Not that further. The real further.
“When you meet the right person, you should tell them that. You should let them know that they are important, that you care for them.” She looked to Agnes. “If you want to be with them forever, you compromise. Make plans together.” She glanced to Charlie. “And you ask nicely.”
“Agnes,” Charlie said with true sincerity. “You’re the right person for me.” He looked to Molly.
She urged him on with a look.
“You’re important to me.” He glanced back to Molly.
“Tell her you care about her.”
“I care about you,” he said, oh-so very sincere. “Ask nicely,” Molly finished.
“Would you do me the immense honor of becoming my wife?” he asked without any grump in his tone, just a whole lot of love. “I’ll buy you a ring.”
Oh, that was good proposing.
Agnes seemed a little taken aback. More than a little, really.
Molly’s heart melted in a big pile of… Well, not Skittles. But something ooey-gooey and delicious. Agnes deserved all of the happy the world had to offer.
“Yes, Charlie. I’d enjoy that,” Agnes replied, like her heart wasn’t turning into the same puddle of mush as Molly’s. For the record, Molly was certain it was the same puddle—Agnes just had herself pulled tight and held her cards close to her chest.
Charlie leaned in for a kiss on the ol’ smackaroo. Oh.
Oh.
While Molly was so thrilled for them, she slid her gaze to the side when he started using tongue. And, dear God, he needed to put his hands in his pockets.
Molly cleared her throat, searching for her place in this whole thing and failing miserably.
“Charlie, I trust your intentions with Agnes are honorable?” she asked. It was weak, but it worked.
He pulled away from Agnes.
“Of course they’re honorable,” he grunted. “I went to bingo with her, didn’t I?”
“Congratulations, you two.” Gavin held his hand out to
Charlie. “I’m happy for you both.”
“Well, this is something that will shore up our matchmaking story,” Molly said, a little numb. A little shocked.
Also, excited. Really, she was excited.
She hopped to her feet and moved to give Agnes the biggest of big hugs. “I love you and I’m glad you have this.”
“Good, because I love you, too.” Agnes squeezed her right back. She patted Molly on the back. Then she leaned away and studied Molly’s face. “You’re my Molly.”
Well, that was nice. She came in second to Charlie’s son now, but at least she had a place in the line of Agnes’s life.
“What’s coming next?” Molly asked, leery of the answer.
“Things change,” Agnes said. “Life pushes us forward.”
Molly did not enjoy change unless she needed a quarter and found one in the bottom of her purse. That was the only kind of acceptable change.
“You’re going to Minnesota,” Molly said. Her throat felt like she’d swallowed a handful of sawdust at the thought. But it’d be fine. Totally fine.
Agnes nodded. “To be with Charlie’s son and his family.”
Gavin’s hand found Molly’s and squeezed. She didn’t squeeze back because she couldn’t really get her muscles to move correctly.
“Charlie’s son moved to Minneapolis a few years back. His wife is excited to have us close and his kids are ready for their grandpa,” Agnes said, gently and softly.
“And a grandma,” Charlie said, not a touch of grumpy at all.
Molly was happy, really she was. But Agnes sealed the
deal on her happily ever after just as Molly’s entire world opened underneath her.
Not literally, she didn’t pass out or hit the floor or anything like that. It just finally hit her like a load of brick emojis.
She just…
She was shaking a little.
Agnes was moving across the country? Who was going to check her milk?
That perfect house didn’t seem so perfect anymore. It had been perfect because Agnes was close.
Also, the stove-pot-filling faucet.
Her whole life felt lopsided. Like the counterbalance was missing.
Then Gavin was behind her, his palm against her shoulder, pulling her to his chest, giving her something to lean on.
“You’re moving.” Molly said, going for cheerful, but, dammit, her voice cracked.
“I’m moving.” A tear fell down Agnes’s cheek. “Life pushes us forward.” Another tear chased the first over Agnes’s cheek.
No, Molly couldn’t have that. Couldn’t let Agnes be sad when her life was moving forward at full speed into happiness.
So Molly did what she did best. She shook it off.
“This is fantastic,” she said, smiling as broadly as her lips would allow. “You’ll be so happy. And you’ll have grandkids. They’ll be so lucky.”
Gavin stiffened behind her, pulling her tighter against him.
“How soon?” he asked.
“Once we get Molly her matchmaking money, we’re going to put our houses on the market,” Charlie said. “Depends on how long they take to sell.”
In this market, at the right price, they’d go in a day. Molly knew this because she’d been monitoring the market like it was her job. As long as they didn’t use that real estate agent who priced things so high, they’d be golden.
She had all but won this matchmaking contest. A rousing success.
Except, she didn’t feel like she was winning. This felt like loss. Big loss.
“Do you both mind if we head out a little early?” Gavin asked, still holding Molly close to him. “I’m not feeling well.”
“You’re not feeling well?” Molly turned so she faced him. “What’s wrong?” She pressed the back of her hand against his forehead.
No fever.
He looked fine. Sounded fine. Didn’t seem faint or flushed or sweaty.
“I just need a little rest,” he said, his eyes understanding.
Understanding.Dammit, everyone was understanding here. How could she fix the understanding when she didn’t really understand?
“We should go, then,” she agreed. “So you can rest.”
She looked back to Agnes and Charlie. Charlie had taken a similar position behind Agnes, tucking her against his side.
Molly gestured between her and Gavin. “We’re gonna go. Gavin’s not feeling well.”
Agnes nodded. Charlie pursed his lips and nodded, too. “Great.” Molly beamed a smile. “And I’m so excited for
you both.” She was, mostly. Just not super excited for herself amid all their excitement.
She grabbed her knitting basket that came with the lesson, which didn’t make sense because, really, what was the point? She wasn’t going to actually knit anything.
Maybe she’d give it to Cassidy the next time they bumped into her. Yes, that was a great idea. She snatched her purse and headed for the exit. For the air outside.
Unfortunately, Cassidy was loading up her daughter and a whole lot of yarn into her…white Escalade. Cassidy and her gorgeous daughter and an entire bag of unicorn knitting supplies parked right next to Gavin in matchy-matched SUVs.
They didn’t take Molly’s car because…yeah, still in the shop.
No surprise there that they had the same taste in vehicles. Things would be so much easier when they eventually went car shopping together as husband and wife.
Molly needed away.
“Molly?” Cassidy asked. “Hey, are you okay?”
Molly didn’t reply. Not because she was trying to be rude, but because she needed to get out of there.
“She’s having a rough minute,” she heard Gavin say behind her, but she stopped listening.
Since she wasn’t particularly good at running away, she turned around just in time to see Gavin and his middle of the sidewalk chat with Cassidy.
She needed to walk away so he could have his future. So Agnes could have her future.
And Molly could have her present.