If I thought my life was complicated before, I didn’t know what the fates had in store for me.
34
Starlee
A quick glance between me and my grandmother confirms that neither of us had any idea she was coming. No hints during phone calls, no inklings.
“I thought you had months left on your trip?” I say once we’re back at the house. We left Katie to run the office so we could help Mom get settled and figure out what the heck is going on.
“I did,” she says, taking a seat at the kitchen table. Her suitcase is by the front hall. She’s dressed warmly, in a pair of black leggings and a fuzzy, warm-looking sweater. A long scarf is looped over her neck. “I had all these plans to travel, study, and discover Asia, but then Christmas came and went and after my last phone call with Leelee, I felt like maybe it was time to come back.” She smiles across the table and takes my hand. “Mostly, I missed you.”
“So you just came back?” I ask, trying to assess all of this.
“Yep. That’s the amazing thing about being an adventurer—there’s no limits—even on coming home.”
“I’m glad you made the decision. We’re happy you’re here.” Leelee says, placing her kettle on the stove. She pulls the pie stand off the counter and grabs a few plates and forks, placing them on the table. She genuinely does look happy to have Mom here, although to be honest, a knot of worry settled in my chest the moment I saw her.
Things have been better between us lately. Way better, but we’ve been doing it long-distance, which is way different than living together again. Is that what she wants? For us to live together? Or does she plan on us going back home. My chest tightens.
I force myself to breathe as my grandmother serves Dexter’s pie, the fruity filling oozing on the plate.
“Did that boy next door make this?” Mom asks. “What’s his name? Duncan?”
“Dexter,” I reply, my voice small.
She takes a bite and moans in approval. “It’s really delicious. He’s very talented.”
>
“He’s a good boy,” Leelee says. She loves Dex.
“Can the others bake?” Mom asks.
I place my fork on the table. What’s with all the questions? “No. That’s just his thing.”
She shifts the conversation to her flight and the airport in Milan. I don’t know what she wants or why she’s here, but I’m going to have to find out. She’s different though, I can sense it in her tone, in the way she tells stories about her adventures and the way she looks at me. The tight tension in her eyes is gone, but I’m still worried.
I fake calm until Leelee leaves to go check on the guest room and I finally blurt, “Why are you here, Mom? How long are you going to stay? What does this mean for us?”
“Fair questions,” she says. “Leelee told me you and your friends had some fallout over the runaway status I called in a few months ago. When I discovered you missing that morning…well, I’d never been so terrified. My mind went to a million horrible scenarios, but when I calmed down it made sense that you’d come out here. I called the police out of anger and fear. I’m sorry about that.”
“No, I understand. I just felt...” I don’t want to rehash all of it. “I’m sorry I scared you.”
She squeezes my hand. “I’m sorry for a lot of things, Starlee. I’m hoping that maybe now that I have a new perspective, we can rebuild our relationship.”
“Here?” I ask tentatively.
“Yes. Here.” She leans back in the chair. “I’ve rented out the house back home to a visiting professor for the rest of the school year. I’d hoped to stay here for a few weeks and catch up with you all and then make my reservation in Bali by February first.” She smiles. “That is, if your grandmother will let me stay.”
“I’m sure she can make some room.”
“On Monday I’m going to go down and talk to the police—get that record clear--and see if there’s anything I can do to help that woman next door. It sounds like she’s a godsend, taking care of those boys.”
“She is,” I say, “and that would be awesome. I think it would help a lot.”
There’s still so much up in the air—what to do about the twins, Dexter’s hearing in a few days, but this feels like progress. I stand and walk over to my mom. She meets me and we hug, and it feels good—like a step in the right direction.
Maybe the new year holds better things for all of us. Maybe we can put the last month behind us and move forward, together.