Must Love Flowers(33)

“And to Maggie Herbert,” Maggie added.

Maggie went up to her room, and Joan started dinner. She was reading over the soup recipe again when the phone rang. Checking the caller ID, she saw that it was her son Steve.

“Steve,” she greeted, more than pleased to hear from him.

“Hey, Mom,” he replied, sounding cheerful as usual, “just checking in to see how you’re doing.”

“I’m good, really good.” And for the first time in a long while, Joan meant it.

“I talked to Nick,” Steve said, his upbeat tone changing, “and he said he’d pawned off a dog on you.”

“A puppy, you mean.” She glanced down at Edison, who was chewing on a toy, and smiled. Edison demanded a lot of patience and energy, but she’d quickly fallen in love with him.

Steve groaned with irritation. “A puppy?”

“It’s fine. I wasn’t keen on the idea at first, but I’ve come around. Edison adds light to my life.”

“Nick said you were lonely, and this was supposed to be a help.”

“His intentions were good. No worries, Steve.”

“You sure about that?”

“Well, I wasn’t in the beginning, but I am now. I’m happy with the puppy. Is that why you called?”

“Yeah, and to tell you I’m going to be in Seattle for some meetings in a week or so.”

Joan’s spirits raised. It’d been far too long since she’d last seen her son. “How long can you stay? I’ll get your room ready and—”

“Mom, hold up. It’s a two-day trip, and I’m going to be in meetings the entire time.”

“You will stop by, right?” If he was in town and didn’t come see her, she’d be devastated.

“I’ll do my best. It sort of depends on what flights are available. If I can catch an early-morning flight, then I’ll be by for sure.”

“What about after the conference?”

Steve exhaled audibly. “I tried to arrange that, but the warehouse is scheduled to do inventory right afterward. When I realized I would be in Seattle and might not have time to visit my own mother, I booked a flight in September for a week.”

Joan’s heart leaped with excitement. “Oh Steve, that’s wonderful. I can’t wait to meet Zoe. Will she be with you?”

“No, Mom. It’ll just be me.”

“Oh.” This disappointed Joan. She longed to ask what had changed between the two, but hesitated. The last time she’d brought up Zoe’s name, Steve had been quick to change the subject. Not wanting to cut off the conversation, she kept her questions to herself.

His phone buzzed, indicating Steve had another call coming in. “I need to take this, Mom. It’s work. We’ll connect soon, okay?”

“Of course.” With the call ended, Joan sighed. The conversation was far too short. She’d wanted to tell her son about the positive changes she’d made in the last few weeks, and that she’d taken in a boarder and gone to a therapist, but she hadn’t had the chance.

Next time, for sure.



* * *



—

All too soon it was time for Joan to leave for the therapy group. She dragged her feet as long as she could, dreading this. She would keep her word to Dr. O’Brien and attend this one session, but that was it. Once her obligation was fulfilled, she wanted nothing more to do with this group. Her main goal was to get through the meeting without breaking down into a sobbing mess.

The reason she’d sought a therapist was to dig herself out of the dark hole she’d buried herself in for the last four years. What she didn’t need was to meet others in the same pit and feel the weight of their grief along with her own. For the first time, she was making progress. She wanted to move forward, not backward, and she was convinced this group would impede her efforts rather than help.

“I shouldn’t be long,” she told Maggie, who’d taken to studying at the kitchen table. Joan was pleased that she chose not to spend all her time in her room. Maggie had one last final. Her plan, as she’d explained to Joan, was to work as many hours as she could over the summer months to save up for the next semester of schooling. She wouldn’t hear about the scholarship for another few days. Joan sincerely hoped Maggie received the financial assistance she needed to continue her studies. From everything she’d seen, Joan believed Maggie would make a wonderful nurse.

The parking lot was filled with several cars when Joan pulled in. She was lucky to find a space. She waited in her car until the last minute before she headed toward the office. Dr. O’Brien was in the foyer area and appeared to be waiting for her.

She opened the door for Joan. “I’m so pleased you came.”

“I said I would.”

“You could have easily found an excuse.”

Joan had come up with several. In the end she felt obligated to follow through, even if she had to grit her teeth the entire session.

“Is there anything you’d like to know before we go into the group?” Dr. O’Brien asked.

Joan shook her head, then reconsidered. “There are only eight members, right? That’s what you told me earlier.”

“Yes, and all eight are in the conference room already.”