Chapter 16 - Robby’s House
Friday morning Robby was driving up the Trail, sipping his coffee, no music, thinking.
He was undecided. An unaccustomed place for him.
He couldn’t ignore how he was feeling. The question was whether or not to tell Grace.
He didn’t want to ruin where they were. On the other hand, he didn’t want to hide anything, especially now, when Covid had shown the world how unexpected life can be.
He felt oddly inexperienced. He needed advice .
. . What would Marie say? . . . Suddenly, he knew.
“Has something happened with Marie? You never look like a rock star when you come through that door, but this time you look . . . I don’t know . . . different . . .”
“Nothing with Marie. But maybe something else. Maybe when I’m with you, I’m not a rock star,” he said walking over, “I’m just Robby Song looking for Grace Wheeler.
” Grace put her coffee down and stood up, and he enveloped her in a bearhug, lifting her off her feet, and saying into her neck as he breathed in her almond scent, “You can’t know how many times I’ve missed you this week, or how good this feels.
Even I’m surprised.” He put her down, took her face in his hands, and kissed her, only stopping to begin unbuttoning her nightshirt.
“Aren’t you in a hurry to get back?”
“I hope I’m never in too much of a hurry to do this.”
Almost an hour later, they were stretched out diagonally across the bed, so Robby’s feet didn’t hang so far off.
Grace had her head on his chest, and he had his arm around her.
He put his free hand under her chin and lifted it so he could see her face.
“I have something to tell you.” He felt her tense but went on.
“I hope it won’t ruin this, but I can’t not tell you. ”
Grace pulled herself up on one elbow and opened her mouth—”
“I love you.”
“Oh.” Grace shut her mouth and drew back in honest surprise. “When did you come to that realization? That was not at all what I thought you were going to say.”
“This past week. When I kept missing you. Then, driving up here, I realized how much I was looking forward to being with you — and not just this part.” Getting no response, he went on, “I hope I’m not scaring you. It scares me a little bit. I don’t remember feeling exactly this way before.”
“That’s kind of hard to imagine at your age. You really expect me to believe that?”
“Careful now. Be kind. I may have said it before, but I didn’t feel like this. Are you okay with it? I’m not looking for you to say it back. I just don’t want to hide my feelings, especially after this past week, seeing how quickly life can change.”
“I understand. I might even feel the same way.” She looked up at him.
“I’ll take that,” and pulled her onto his chest and into a kiss.
**********
As Robby drove away from the cabin, Grace said, “Do you realize I’ve never ridden down the Trail with you?”
“First of many more times, and the happiest one I’ve had.” He looked over at her between jolting bumps on the road, “I’m a happy man, and I’m gonna enjoy it. And I’m gonna tell Russell to tell Marie I followed her advice. She was right, and it’s made me happy. She has to get well so she can see.”
“What was her advice?”
“Right before she went to the hospital and was admitted, she told me it was time for me to have someone in my life, to share life with . . . and to do what I had to do to keep that person. I figured out when we were split, you were that person. Now I’ve got to keep you.
” He glanced at Grace. “You’re okay with that, right? ”
“Yes. I’m glad we can be honest. We’re too old to play games . . . especially you.” She smiled over at him.
“Be nice. This is new for me. I feel different. You’re in control of your own life.
We talk. This is a different relationship for me.
” He reached over and squeezed her hand.
“That reminds me. I want to pull over and check messages when we get back in cell phone range to see if Russell’s called.
If he hasn’t, I’ll call him when we get to Grand Marais.
And I have to pick up my order at Johnson’s and go by the liquor store.
” He glanced at Grace. “You like champagne, right?”
“I don’t remember the last time I had it, but yes . . . but you’re being silly.”
“I told you, I’m happy. I feel like celebrating. No holding back.”
“Okay. I’m trying to believe in being happy. My life is so good right now.”
“Remember: No trying; only doing.”
No message from Russell, so when they got to Grand Marais, Robby pulled into a parking lot and called him.
“Hi . . . Yeah, she’s with me. Any word?
. . . That would be so great . . . If you do talk to her, tell her I followed her advice, and I couldn’t be happier, except she’s sick.
So she has to get well, so she can see Grace and me together .
. . Great. We’ll talk when you get home.
Bye.” He turned to Grace. “The morning report was ‘stable.’ All the nurses know Russell, and they’re taking the best possible care of Marie.
They’ve told him if she worsens, they’ll have her flown down to the cities. ”
“That’s got to be reassuring.”
“It is, but the best news is they said if he calls back between five and six p.m., he may get to talk to her. And you heard the message I gave him for her.” Grace nodded. “I’ll be at their house with the boys from four on, so Russell and I will have a chance to talk after he talks to her.”
“Where will I be?”
Robby looked off, thinking. “I hadn’t thought past picking you up.
I guess you’ll be at my house. I’ll be back about seven, and we’ll fix some supper.
” He paused. “But you’re welcome to come with me to Russell’s at four when the boys get dropped off.
‘Course, then, you’d meet my younger sister, Tina, who’s still older than you are .
. . Marie was okay with our age difference.
Tina practically runs the daycare at Fond du Lac.
She left work early yesterday, picked the boys up, and took them back with her for the night and all day today.
That’s why I was earlier picking you up — I didn’t have them.
You can think about it. Don’t feel pressured. ” He reached for her hand.
“I want to meet your family. The thought makes me nervous, of course. As for our age difference, my parents were farther apart than we are, and they were definitely in love till the day he died. I’m not worried about it — just don’t die on me.”
“I have no intention of dying. I’ve never felt better.” He pulled her across the vinyl seat, kissed her, but pulled back when she put her hand against his shoulder. “What?”
“Let’s finish the errands and get to your house. I want to see it.”
“Okay.” He buckled. “But it’s no palace. I didn’t want that. I want to feel at home when I’m here.”
**********
“I don’t think you can imagine how much I love being on the North Shore. But when I think of our ancestors,” she looked over at Robby, “both yours and mine, and think of winter . . . it’s a miracle either one of us is here.”
“I agree. Plenty of people up here love winter but you have to be prepared. You’ll need to decide soon, so you have a place and a vehicle, or are close to public transportation.
” He looked over at her, but she was looking out the window.
She’d been asleep the last time. So she was surprised when she heard the blinker and felt the truck slowing down.
Robby had both hands on the steering wheel as he turned left and stopped in front of a metal farm gate.
He looked over. “Slide over and drive through, so I can relock the gate.”
“Where are we?”
“My house. This is it. Sorry there’s no sign saying, ‘Here lives Robby Song, member of The Laughing Gulls’.” He laughed and got out. Grace drove through. Robby redid the padlock, got back in, and drove down the gravel road that curved through trees toward the lake.
“I didn’t realize it was on the lake.”
“Oh. Well, it is. Russell heard about this property. Pricey but a good investment. The house is simple — rooms aren’t big — but it has everything I need plus a couple guilty pleasures.
Russell and I designed it together. Interesting experience.
Then, the company he works for built it.
” He steered around a pothole. “I gotta fill these holes. They’ll only get worse.
November is rough here. The Edmund Fitzgerald. Remember?”
“I’ll never forget after that walk out to the lighthouse. Dead sailors trying to pull me under!”
Robby laughed. Then, the road curved left, the dark grey, board and batten house with the same pitched metal roof as Grace’s cabin appeared on the right.
The lake was beyond, sparkling blue as far as one could see on this clear morning.
The driveway ended in a neat gravel parking area in front of a large deck with black wood railings, but Robby pulled to the right to a white garage door.
Grace was staring at the lake. “Grace?” She turned toward him.
“I need the garage remote.” He pointed at the glovebox.
The garage was empty except for shovels, an axe, a wall of stacked wood, a wheelbarrow, and a snowmobile. They got out, went to the back of the truck, and Robby lifted the top. Grace looked up at him. “You must have a super cleaning service.”
“What’re you talking about?”
“You don’t see the difference between the inside of your truck and the inside of this garage?”