The young woman’s eyes opened wide. “Clara, this is amazing. Thank you! How much do I owe you for all this?”
Clara waved away the question. “This is a gift. My idea, my pleasure.” Before Lauren could argue, Clara stood. “Let me show you how it works.”
Lauren hesitated, uncomfortable accepting gifts. She finally relented. “Thank you. I’ll heat some hot water.” She checked the kettle on the stove and turned on one burner while Clara got to work, measuring tea leaves.
“I’ll make one cup for you and one for me. Where is Jason? I think
he can use some of this, as well.”
The temperature changed in the room. Warm to chilly, Clara thought, certain she hadn’t imagined the drop.
“He should be here soon.” Lauren turned her back and pulled two mugs from a cabinet.
“Problems between you two?” Clara asked, deciding she couldn’t help if she didn’t pry at least a little.
“Fundamental disagreement is more like it.” Lauren leaned against the counter, hands braced on either side.
She carried her burdens like heavy baggage, Clara thought sadly. “No two families are alike. At their core, all people are different.” She offered the only words of wisdom she could.
“Especially our two families.”
The teakettle signaled the water had boiled and Clara took control, preparing two cups and setting them down on the table.
Clara lowered herself into a chair across from Lauren, whose tension hadn’t eased. “Relationships aren’t simple. They take work.”
“What Jason and I have isn’t a relationship,” she said without looking up.
In an attempt to soften the words to come, Clara placed her hand over Lauren’s. “Who are you lying to? Me or yourself?”
Lauren shook her head, no anger showing in her expression. “I’m not lying, just facing reality.”
A reality that could be changed, if the young woman wanted to make the effort. “Take a sip of tea. It will help you relax,” Clara urged, nodding at the mug.
Lauren took a long sip of tea and a genuine smile eased over her face. “This is delicious.”
“Thank you. Now let me ask you something. What about the power of positive thinking?”
Skepticism crossed Lauren’s face. “What about it?” she asked warily.
“I believe it’s life changing. Life affirming. Look what it did for Edward and me.” Clara’s belief was born of experience. All she could do was impart her wisdom and hope Lauren understood.
POSITIVE THINKING, Lauren thought. The concept wasn’t a new one. It had brought her to the precipice of something big in her career. But reality dictated there were too many burdens for it to succeed between Lauren Perkins and Jason Corwin.
But Clara’s excitement was tangible and Lauren looked up, really seeing the other woman for the first time. Her eyes sparkled. Her cheeks flushed pink. And her skin glowed.
Lauren had been so preoccupied with her own problems she hadn’t noticed the changes in the other woman.
“What’s going on?” Lauren wasn’t just curious-she genuinely liked Clara and cared about her.
“Edward asked me on a date!” Clara exclaimed, her joy obvious.
Lauren smiled. “That’s great news! It’s a huge step for him, isn’t it?” She vividly recalled the distraught man Jason had led to the car after Edward had discovered a Perkins and a Corwin were working together. The same man who’d hidden in his house for years, driven away from human contact by fear of the curse her ancestors had placed.
Clara held Lauren’s gaze as she spoke. “His medications are finally working. He’s seeing the world more clearly and it’s a beautiful thing! I waited years to see this happen.”
Lauren’s heart filled. “I’m so happy for you, Clara. I understand how long it’s been and what a difficult road.”
“But I never gave up on him. I never lost hope even when we were apart. I just waited for a sign that the time was right for us.” Clara wrapped her hand around the warm mug.