Olivia felt guilty she added, “It’s not that Jack and I don’t appreciate it, because we do. But Jack loves your cookies so much, he can’t stop himself from stealing one or two even though he shouldn’t.”
Her mother beamed with pleasure. “I always did like Jack Griffin. I was so pleased when you decided to marry him.”
“I like him myself,” Olivia said, smiling as she spoke. “Why don’t we compromise? You bake to your heart’s content, and we’ll freeze the cookies and other goodies.”
“Olivia, what a marvelous idea! That’ll make everyone happy. No wonder you’re such a good judge.”
“Thanks, Mom.” Olivia dried the clean dishes, put them back in the cupboards, then went to the laundry room. She had a load of whites she wanted to wash. To her surprise, she found them already clean and folded, sitting on top of the washer. Apparently her mother had taken that task upon herself. Unfortunately, she’d added something red—her new towel set? As a result, what had gone in white was now a fetching shade of … pink.
Groaning inwardly Olivia picked up the stack of clothes and carried them into the bedroom.
The phone rang just then, and the readout said Grace’s name.
“Griffin residence,” Charlotte’s voice answered when Olivia picked up.
“Good evening, Charlotte,” Grace said.
“I’ve got it, Mom.”
“You two girls go ahead and talk. I’ll get dinner on the table.”
“I’ll be there in a couple of minutes,” Olivia told her mother. She heard the phone click as Charlotte hung up.
“So how’s it going with your mother and Ben living at the house?” Grace asked.
“Okay, I guess.”
“It’s not always easy having your mother in your own home, is it?” Grace said sympathetically.
“I’ll tell you about it tonight.”
“Er, that’s what I was calling about.”
“You are going to aerobics class, Grace, and I won’t accept any excuses.” They’d stopped attending their weekly classes during Olivia’s cancer treatments, but they’d since resumed. This was their time and she wasn’t going to be cheated out of it.
“I promised Beth Morehouse I’d stop by her place on Christmas Tree Lane to meet some dogs she wants to bring into the Reading with Rover program.” As head librarian, Grace had started the program toward the end of the school year and now it had begun again. Beth, a local dog trainer, had been instrumental in its success. “Have you ever been there?”
“No. You aren’t trying to change the subject, are you, Grace?”
“No, I’m serious. She’s got quite the operation. Twenty acres of Christmas trees and a full working crew. The house is lovely, too—a big two-story place, charming as can be.”
“Grace, you know Wednesday is our exercise night.”
“Yes.” Olivia heard reluctance in her voice. “But I sort of got out of the habit.”
“Then it’s more important than ever for us to get back into it.”
“You’re right,” Grace admitted. “I’ll be there.”
“Good.”
“Thanks for the pep talk. I needed it, and to be honest, I wasn’t all that excited about driving out to Beth’s.” She sighed. “I can do it later in the week.”
“You’re missing Buttercup, aren’t you?”
There was a silence, and Olivia realized her friend was fighting back tears over the loss of her beloved dog. “Yeah, I miss her. She was far more than just a pet. She saw me through the darkest days of my life.”
Olivia felt her own eyes welling up with tears. She’d loved Buttercup, too. Years before, one of her mother’s friends was moving into an assisted living complex; she couldn’t take the golden retriever with her and Charlotte had suggested Grace might want the dog. Dan Sherman, Grace’s first husband, had disappeared a few months earlier and Grace had been alone for the first time in her life. Those had been dark days. It was more than a year before they’d learned of Dan’s fate.
“See you at seven,” Olivia said once she’d recovered her own voice.
“I’ll be there.”
Dinner that evening was a four-course meal Charlotte had spent most of the afternoon preparing. Ben had set the table, and Olivia noticed that he’d arranged their cutlery in the wrong order—very unusual for her always impeccable stepfather. They had squash soup, using squash from Charlotte’s own small garden. That was followed by a mixed green salad with homemade poppyseed dressing. The main course was meat loaf, mashed potato casserole, fresh green beans, plus homemade pickled asparagus and sweet corn relish. And for dessert, a chocolate zucchini cake.
Olivia would’ve preferred a light dinner because of her workout, but her mother wouldn’t hear of it.
“You’re much too thin as it is,” Charlotte murmured as she heaped a second spoonful of potato casserole onto Olivia’s plate. Olivia forced a smile, took one more bite and then excused herself.
Ten minutes later, Jack joined her in the bedroom. Ten extra minutes during which he was helping himself to seconds of everything on the table.
Olivia sat on the edge of the bed.
“Sweetheart,” Jack said, ever sensitive to her moods. “Are you upset about something?”
“My mother is trying so hard to be helpful and God bless her for it, but I’d rather do my own wash and I’d rather she stopped cooking like it’s Thanksgiving every single night.”
Jack’s face broke into a huge grin. “You don’t hear me complaining.”
“Wipe that smile off your face, Jack Griffin.”
He spread out his hands. “Honey …”
“Don’t ‘honey’ me. Look at this.” She flew off the bed to her underwear drawer and yanked it open, then removed the now-pink panties and waved them at him. “Did you see this?”
“Hey, when did you start wearing pink underwear?”
“Apparently today. Mom washed them with the new red towels, which by the way have also turned pink. Oh, and it isn’t just my underwear that’s this lovely color. You’d better hope no one catches a glimpse of you in your pink shorts.”
“Ah …”
“Not quite so funny now, is it?”
He frowned and didn’t answer.
“That isn’t all,” Olivia lamented. “Mom cleaned out my sewing room. I asked her to not touch anything
