Ean leaned more heavily against the wall. “I guess some changes aren’t so bad. I hadn’t realized when I returned to Trinity Falls, I’d open a practice here. I think it
was the right decision.”
“I agree.”
Was there reticence in her voice? Ean swallowed his disappointment. He pushed away from the wall to sit beside her again. “Then why do you sound like you don’t?”
“Ean, I am happy for you. But you don’t need me anymore. Your father’s gone. What’s next for me?”
The sadness on his mother’s face stabbed him in his heart. “What do you mean?”
Her tormented brown eyes stretched wide in frustration. “I’m single again after more than forty years. That’s a lifetime. All of the decisions I used to make were as part of a couple. Now I have to make them by myself. I don’t know who I am anymore or what I want to do. I’m still trying to figure out my next step. And the biggest decision—what do I want to do with the rest of my life—I thought I’d already made. I wanted to spend it with Paul.”
Doreen buried her face in her hands and dissolved into muffled sobs. Ean was undone. He sprang to his feet and frantically scanned the area. He hadn’t unpacked. He didn’t have any tissues. What should he . . . ?
Ean jogged into the bathroom and returned with the liberated roll of toilet paper. “I’m sorry.”
Doreen accepted his offering with both hands. “This is fine. I don’t even know why I’m crying.” She used the quilted tissue to dry her eyes and blow her nose. “Your father and I built a good life. We raised a wonderful son.” She squeezed his arm and gave him a watery smile as he towered above her. “He’s not in pain any longer. I don’t have any reason to be sad.”
Ean dragged his chair closer before sitting. He took both of his mother’s hands in his. “You’re crying because you miss him. I miss him, too.”
Doreen drew one hand from Ean’s grasp and cupped the side of his face. “He was so proud of you.”
“And I’m proud of both of you. Look at what you’ve already accomplished, Mom. The bakery’s a huge success.”
“A bakery is a thing, Ean. It doesn’t need me. If I walked away from it tomorrow, no one would notice.”
Ean disagreed. A lot of people would notice. But he didn’t think his mother wanted to hear that now. Instead, words from his childhood returned to him. “Whatever you decide you want to do, Mom, I’ll support you.”
“That sounds like something Paul would say.” Doreen’s chuckle was unsteady.
“He did. On more than one occasion.”
Doreen squeezed his hand. “Thank you. I really needed to hear that now.”
Ean kissed her cheek. “You’ll figure it out.”
“I have to.” Doreen’s chin trembled once before she controlled it. She checked her wristwatch. “I’d better get back to work.”
Ean escorted her to the driveway. “Thanks again for lunch.” He helped her into her car.
“You’re welcome.”
Ean straightened to watch his mother drive away. He wished he knew how to help her. But as she’d said, it was her life and she needed to make her own decisions. All he could do was support them.
CHAPTER 18
The back door’s bell summoned Ean from the books he was stacking onto his dining-room bookcase. He straightened from his crouched position and crossed to the door.
“Ramona?” Ean couldn’t believe his eyes. Her presence at his back door seemed surreal. “How did you know where to find me?”
“It’s a small town, Ean. You know that.” She adjusted her shoulders under her winter coat. The material hung in fluid lines over her curves to her midcalf. “May I come in?”
Ean stepped back. “I don’t have any refreshments to offer you. I haven’t made it to the grocery store yet.”
Ramona strutted across the dining room. “It’s kind of small.”
Ean locked the back door. “It’s bigger than your condo.”