Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 84868 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 424(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84868 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 424(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
“Penny for your thoughts.”
She set the last napkin down and faced me. “You never took it off?”
I held up my wrist and smiled. “I would’ve had to cut it off, and that was something I’d never do. I cherish it.”
“Cherish it?” Her head tilted, and though she had a slightly skeptical tone, a soft smile stretched her lips.
“Of course I do, Pip. You made me this.”
She started to chew on her lower lip, and I swore she wanted to ask something else. Instead, she cleared her throat and said, “We should go back to the kitchen and help grab stuff.”
Vivianne was just placing mozzarella cheese over the meatballs, and my mouth started to water. No one could make meatballs like Vivianne Wilde.
“My father would kill to have some of these meatballs,” I said with a laugh.
Ladd handed me two plates with sandwiches. “He’s in kale hell, I’m sure.”
It took everything I had not to laugh once again. Instead, I carried the two plates into the dining room and set them down. One in my spot, one in Ensley’s. We all sat and quickly fell into an easy conversation. Ladd asked about my travels, and at first I thought it would bother Ensley to hear, but she soon started asking questions, as well.
“What made you end up in Canada?” Vivianne asked.
“The main reason is because Grady had always wanted to go. Once I visited Banff, I fell in love. It reminds me a lot of River Falls, so I’m sure that was part of the allure. I actually thought I’d head home after that trip, but I found work on a ranch, and time just sort of slipped by.”
Ladd and Vivianne both nodded, as Ensley focused on the meatball that had fallen out of her sub. She was cutting it into pieces with her fork.
“Well,” Ladd eventually said, “I’m pretty sure Ensley didn’t invite you over for old times’ sake.”
Ensley’s head popped up in surprise. “Dad!”
Ladd shrugged. “What? I’m just being honest.”
I smiled as I wiped the corners of my mouth. “No, you’re right. Ensley suggested I get your advice on something.”
Ladd and Vivianne both gave me their full attention.
“My mother and father haven’t touched Grady’s room. And by that, I mean, it’s like a shrine. Not a single thing is out of place, and I’m pretty sure they hardly ever go in the room. If they do, it’s probably just to step inside and look around. It seems like it hasn’t been dusted in months, if not years.”
Vivianne set down her fork. “Have you talked to them about it?”
I shook my head. “I don’t know how to bring it up.”
“Do they talk about Grady at all?” Ladd asked.
“They did in the beginning, in our calls after I left, but they slowly stopped mentioning anything to do with him. Since I’ve been home, I brought him up once, hoping to talk to them about why I left, but my mother shut down the conversation before it could barely get started.”
“Maybe with your father’s heart attack and you recently coming home, it was a bit too much for her?” Ensley suggested.
Vivianne nodded. “I agree with Ensley, but I don’t think you should let it go. It’s important to keep Grady’s memory alive, and the only way to do that is to talk about him. If I were to hazard a guess…you left because you felt like you should have been able to stop your brother from doing what he did…and maybe you even think you did something to cause it?”
I sighed as I leaned back in my chair. “Yes, on both counts.”
“Son, I’m going to tell you what I told Ensley: no matter how much we love someone and think we know them, people harbor secrets. We can’t always see when someone is suffering. As much as we want to think we should have seen it, sometimes we simply cannot.” Ladd held my gaze intently. “The only thing guilt can do to a person is eat them alive. You have to learn to let go, and a good place to start is your brother’s room. Has anyone ever looked in the room for…anything he may have left behind?”
“I did,” Ensley softly said. “I didn’t see anything, but I’ll admit that I didn’t open drawers and such. I figured if he’d left a note, it would be out in the open.”
Vivianne and Ladd both nodded.
All I could do was stare at my plate. My throat suddenly felt like it was closing up, and my tongue was dry and thick.
“If you’re looking for advice on how to talk to your parents about Grady’s room, first…what do you hope to do with his things?” Vivianne asked.
I glanced at Ensley, then back to her mother. “I think it should be packed up. If my parents want to keep his things, then I won’t argue with that, but I think the room needs…I think it needs…” My voice trailed off.