CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Gran stood at the sink looking out the window as the morning sunlight streamed in when Hailey walked in.

“Regina is gone,” Gran said in a thick voice.

“She is?” A wave of relief cascaded over Hailey.

“I checked her room.” Gran faced Hailey. “All her stuff is gone. Just like that.”

Hailey could see the anguish etched on her grandmother’s face. “Any idea where?”

“I never know where.” Gran cradled her head. After several moments, she said, “When I first held Regina in my arms, I had so many hopes. So many dreams for her.” Gran’s eyes glistened, and she seemed to be lost in another time. “She wanted to be a ballerina. Begged us to put her in ballet. She wasn’t very graceful, but she tried hard.” A slight smile crossed her lips. “Then she wanted to play the piano, so we gave her lessons. In high school, she was interested in several things, like theater and choir, but it wasn’t easy for her like it was for your dad.” Gran let out a breath. “I thought I was encouraging her and helping her. Instead . . .” her sentence trailed off.

Hailey put her arms around Gran. “I don’t think—”

“You heard her. She thinks we favored your father. That we loved him, and we didn’t love her.” Gran stepped back, wiping at puffy eyes.

“We all know that isn’t true.”

“I gave her everything. I worked myself to the bone so she could have what she wanted. When she turned sixteen, we bought her a car. I don’t understand.” Gran collapsed into a kitchen chair.

Hailey sat in a chair next to Gran. “I don’t know if she even understands. But I do know you can’t blame yourself.”

“Who else is there to blame?”

“Regina. She’s a big girl. Has been for years.” Hailey laid her hand on Gran’s. “She’s made choices and now she has to live with them.”

“It’s so hard to watch her live like this. I want to save her from herself.” Gran seemed so defeated.

Hailey squeezed Gran’s hand. “I don’t think anyone can save Regina, but Regina.”

They sat in silence for several minutes while Hailey tried to ignore the thoughts that darted through her mind about her own life and its lack of direction lately. It was easy to point fingers at Regina and see that she’d wasted years of her life without much to show for it, but what about Hailey? What did she have to show? A decent job. An average apartment. A car. She thought she’d been moving toward the next chapter of her life with Kevin, but that didn’t pan out. So, where was she headed now? For sure she didn’t want to end up like her aunt, twenty or thirty years down the road with a string of old boyfriends and nowhere to call home.

When was she going to take her own advice and live the life she wanted, instead of floundering and allowing herself to be a victim of Kevin’s choices? Working all the time and watching Netflix while she hid out in her apartment to avoid Jimmy Vaughn and the rest of the world wasn’t the life she’d pictured for herself. All she needed to do now was figure out what, exactly, she wanted.

“I’m glad you’re here,” Gran said, jolting Hailey back into reality. “I know you can’t stay forever, but for now, I’m happy to have you. Thank you.”

Hailey hated seeing the sorrow in Gran’s eyes. She wanted to take it away. All of it. But she couldn’t. “I love you, Gran.” It was all she could offer.

***

Hailey finished checking over a few reports and making some notations in the file for Crandall Automotive. She fought the disappointment that she’d spent the last four hours working on spreadsheets and entering expenses for her clients instead of spending that time with her grandparents. She rubbed her eyes to counteract the strain from staring at the computer screen for so long when she heard a knock at the door. “I’ll get it,” Hailey said from her bedroom, eager for a break, but bracing herself in case it was her abrasive aunt returning for more carnage.

She opened the door to Darren. “Hi,” he said, sporting a closely trimmed beard.

“Hi. How are you?” She hoped she didn’t sound too surprised. He looked good in his cargo jean shorts and pale green polo shirt.

“Would you like to catch a movie later?” He raised his eyebrows and smiled.

“Yeah, I would.” It’d be good to get her mind off the mess Regina had caused, and she needed a distraction from her confusing feelings about Peter.

“Great. I’ll be back about seven o’clock?”

“Sure.” A movie with Darren might be exactly what she needed to have some light-hearted fun.

“See you then.” He gave her a wave.

Hailey shut the door.

“Who was that?” Gran asked from the kitchen.

“Darren. He’s taking me to a movie.” Hailey stepped up to the counter and helped Gran put clean dishes away.

“I’m glad you’re getting out. Even if you don’t like him much.” Gran put a glass in the cupboard.

“Not true.” A mischievous smile spread across Hailey’s face, and she filled a glass of water. “He’s hot. I mean, so hot he’s on fire.” She fanned herself. “Whew!”

Gran shook her head. “In my day, we would’ve called him a dreamboat. Doesn’t that sound better?”

Hailey laughed and decided to play along. “Okay, Darren is a dreamboat. Happy?”

“Yes.” Gran removed her brightly colored apron and smoothed her neon-pink blouse.

“He’s super nice too. A perfect date.” Hailey took in a gasp of air and laid the back of her hand across her forehead. “Maybe even marriage material. Why, Gran, I think you might’ve found me a husband,” Hailey teased dramatically.

Gran rolled her eyes.

“Isn’t that what you and Lila wanted? To have us date and then marry us off together?” Hailey began drinking her water.

Gran sighed. “That might have crossed our minds.” She held her hand up. “But that was before I realized you carried a torch for the speech therapist.”

Hailey sputtered and coughed. “I carry a torch for him?” She set her glass down and wiped her mouth.

Gran faced Hailey squarely. “That’s not quite right. Carrying a torch for someone means unrequited love, and that’s not true. He most definitely returns the favor.”

“Is that right?” Hailey leaned against the counter and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

“Absolutely. Like I said before, I know these things.” Gran gave Hailey a confident nod.

No longer interested in teasing, Hailey shifted her weight. “Remember when I said I wasn’t interested in a relationship?”

“That is what you said.” Gran walked into the living room.

Hailey followed her and said. “But you don’t believe me.”

Gran shook her head.

Hailey wanted to convince her, but Peter was making her think things she didn’t want to think and feel things she didn’t want to feel. It wasn’t that she never wanted a relationship again. She did. Eventually. But right now, she needed to focus on her grandparents. Besides, what would happen when she returned to Colorado? She absolutely did not want to return home only to nurse another empty, aching heart.

After some silence, Gran said, “I haven’t heard a word from Regina. Not that I expect to.” She fluffed a pillow on the couch and adjusted a picture frame near the table lamp.

“I bet she’ll be back.” Hailey wasn’t sure which was better—that Regina stay away or come back, which would inevitably lead to more trouble.

Gran’s eyes watered. Hailey wrapped her arms around her fragile grandmother. “Things will be okay.”

“I hope so, dear.”

When Gramps walked into the living room several minutes later, Hailey glanced at the gaudy gold clock on the wall. “Hey, Gramps, how about we work on some of your words?”

Gramps bristled at the idea.

“Please? It’ll be fun.” Hailey gave him an encouraging smile. She felt pressure to work with Gramps as much as possible because the more she worked with him, the sooner he’d regain his speech, and that was the reason she was here.

He gave her a softened look, indicating that he’d comply.

Hailey grabbed the worksheets as well as some flashcards she’d made from index cards from the list of common words they’d been working on.

They began their impromptu therapy session. Gramps struggled to make sentences, but he was saying some of the words more clearly. Hailey wanted to keep pushing him, but she could see he was becoming fatigued.

“You’ve done great today, Gramps.” She gave him a hug. “I’m so proud of you for working hard. I know it isn’t easy.”

“Th-th-thank you,” he said.

“You are so welcome.” She gathered the index cards together.

Gramps pointed at the middle of his chest, then pointed at Hailey. “L-l-love.”

“I love you too, Gramps.”

***

Hailey brushed through her long hair and then added some lip gloss. Going out with Darren would be fun. It would. She adjusted her pastel yellow shirt and added a pair of gold earrings. She decided to wait in the living room where Gramps was watching a movie.

“May I join you?” Memories of snuggling up with Gramps and watching movies filled Hailey with nostalgia and, once again, she was grateful she’d come to Florida to help her grandparents and make some new memories.

Gramps straightened in his chair and brushed at his brown plaid shirt.

Hailey sat on the couch near Gramps and said, “I have a date pretty soon.”

He gave her a knowing smile and touched his mouth.

Hailey knew exactly what he meant, but refused to acknowledge it. “Does your mouth hurt?” she asked with mock concern.

He shook his head.

“Oh, I know. You’re hungry.”

Gramps rolled his eyes and gave her an irritated look.

Hailey didn’t want to upset Gramps, so she said, “My date is with Lila’s grandson, Darren.”

Wrinkling his nose, Gramps shrugged a shoulder.

Her grandparents were both plotting against her. They meant well, but she preferred they stay out of her love life, such as it was. Or wasn’t. “What are you watching?” she said.

Gramps tried to say a few words but they didn’t make any sense. He tried again, but they were all gibberish. After another attempt, he let out an expletive.

“Harry, why are you cursing at Hailey?” Gran said sharply as she walked in, her perfume filling the room with a fragrant gardenia scent.

Gramps pushed out a breath of aggravation.

“He wasn’t swearing at me, Gran. He’s frustrated that he can’t tell me what movie this is.”

Gran glanced at the TV. “Oh, that’s Cary Grant in North by Northwest. Handsome fellow that man. I loved him in An Affair to Remember. One of my favorite movies.”

Gran sat on the couch next to Hailey and grabbed her knitting. “You’re waiting for Darren?”

“Yeah. He should be here any minute.” Hailey fumbled with the buttons on her shirt.

After fifteen minutes, Gran looked up from her knitting and said, “I wonder where he is.”

“Must be running late.” Hailey was losing interest in the date as each minute passed.

“I could call Lila to see where he is,” Gran suggested.

Hailey crossed her legs and sat back against the couch, absently fiddling with the earring in her right ear. “No. I’ll wait.” She had to admit she wasn’t in any particular hurry to spend time with Darren. Sure, he was handsome and nice, but Gran was right—no crackle and sizzle, as Gran had said, between them.

Another ten minutes passed.

“Odd that he hasn’t come.” Gran turned her knitting and started a new row. “Maybe he isn’t a punctual sort of young man.”

“Or maybe he decided he didn’t want to go out after all.” Hailey was a bit miffed now. Was he standing her up?

They finished watching the movie. If she’d been born a hundred years or so earlier she would’ve found Cary Grant attractive with his dark hair and brilliant smile.

“We can watch another one. I’ll make some popcorn in the microwave,” Gran offered. “I’m sure something came up. He didn’t strike me as a man who wouldn’t keep a date.”

“Whatever.” Hailey wasn’t that invested, but she was still bugged. She didn’t want to talk about it, and Gran seemed to be avoiding the subject Hailey was sure was on her mind: Regina.

“Look, Harry, Rear Window is on.” Gran turned to Hailey. “Your grandfather has always been sweet on that Grace Kelly.”

Gramps didn’t even try to hide his smile.

“Such a beauty. Real shame how she died in that car accident. She was a princess, you know.”

Hailey nodded. She had no idea who Gran was talking about.

After watching the movie, eating some popcorn, and downing a bowl of ice cream, Hailey said, “I better get some sleep. If I stay out here any longer, I’ll have to roll myself down the hall to my bedroom.”

“Good night,” Gran said. “I’m sure there’s a reasonable explanation for Darren not coming.”

“I guess.” Darren wasn’t the first guy to choose something, or someone, else. Kevin came to mind immediately, but Hailey shooed him right back out of her head.