Ralph and his son."
Lillie peered around the door facing and pierced Ralph with a stiletto stare. “Why are you here?"
Ralph cleared his throat. “I don't know. Your daughter asked us to come over."
Lillie's piercing gaze shifted to her daughter. “You did that without bothering to talk to me first?"
Lynn drew a deep breath. “Yes I did.” She nodded toward the couch. “Ralph, Mother, sit down. I have has something to tell you."
Lillie chose to sit in a straight-backed chair near the door.
Ralph and Trace sat on the couch. Lynn dropped into Lillie's easy chair. As she opened her mouth to speak, Minerva came from the kitchen, walked across the floor with her tail up, hopped into Trace's lap, curled into a ball, and purred contentedly.
Lillie chortled, “Minerva likes you. You should be flattered. She's very discriminating about whose lap she lies in."
She was being upstaged by a cat. Lynn snapped, “Mother please, what I have to say is important."
Lillie shrugged. “You have the floor."
Chapter 14
Trace stroked the soft white fur of the cat that lay in his lap and watched Lynn's every movement. She looked so serene and collected. Was that contented state a result of spending the night in Joel Evans’ arms? He fought to control a sudden surge of blind anger. Damn this woman. She had, in the space of a few short weeks, turned his world upside down.
His wrath subsided to be replaced by a feeling of overwhelming tenderness. He couldn't put the burden of an explanation on Lynn's shoulders. He had set this chain of events in motion. It was his responsibility to admit his mistake and try to make amends.
He spoke with an assurance he didn't feel. “Lynn, please, let me."
Lynn held up her hands in a helpless gesture. “Go right ahead."
Lillie tapped her toe on the floor. “Will the two of you get to the point? I don't have all day to sit here and listen to prattle."
Trace felt like a small child being monitored by disapproving adults. In halting, sometimes disjointed sentences, he explained his distress when he learned of Ralph's liaison with Lillie. He went on to say that he'd told Lynn of his concern and asked for her help in putting a stop to the affair. He concluded by saying, “I was afraid that frequent bouts of sex would impair Dad's health."
Ralph bristled, “My sex life is none of your business.” He was obviously furious, and also more than a little embarrassed.
Lillie's response was calm, almost detached, “Wherever did you get the idea that sex was unhealthy?"
Trace rubbed his hand across his brow. “That's not what I said. I don't think sex is unhealthy.” He felt like a fool trying to explain what should be perfectly obvious to a woman who had outlived three husbands. “My concern was for the frequency of your ... encounters."
Lynn chimed in. “He does have a valid point, Mother. Ralph has a weak heart. He should practice moderation in all things."
Trace thought that maybe Lynn should practice what she preached. How could she sleep with another man the night after they had ... ?
He barked, “Let me handle this."
Lynn recoiled, seemingly puzzled by his acerbic outburst. “Well, excuse me."
Trace was immediately contrite. “I'm sorry.” He was apologizing again. The emotional roller coaster he was riding was making him crazy. “I'm a little on edge today."
"You're also insulting and offensive,” Lillie said. She asked incredulously, “What gave you two the right to discuss your parents’ sex life and then decide that they shouldn't have one?"
"We didn't decide anything,” Lynn replied, “We were concerned."
Lillie retorted, “You decided to interfere."
Trace braced himself. He suspected Lillie was about to launch into a tirade. He sent Lynn a please-do-something look, and was rewarded with a blank stare.
Ralph intervened. “Don't be too hard on the boy, Lil. He means well but he doesn't have an over-abundance of common sense."
Lillie sighed. “My daughter is no
Lillie peered around the door facing and pierced Ralph with a stiletto stare. “Why are you here?"
Ralph cleared his throat. “I don't know. Your daughter asked us to come over."
Lillie's piercing gaze shifted to her daughter. “You did that without bothering to talk to me first?"
Lynn drew a deep breath. “Yes I did.” She nodded toward the couch. “Ralph, Mother, sit down. I have has something to tell you."
Lillie chose to sit in a straight-backed chair near the door.
Ralph and Trace sat on the couch. Lynn dropped into Lillie's easy chair. As she opened her mouth to speak, Minerva came from the kitchen, walked across the floor with her tail up, hopped into Trace's lap, curled into a ball, and purred contentedly.
Lillie chortled, “Minerva likes you. You should be flattered. She's very discriminating about whose lap she lies in."
She was being upstaged by a cat. Lynn snapped, “Mother please, what I have to say is important."
Lillie shrugged. “You have the floor."
Chapter 14
Trace stroked the soft white fur of the cat that lay in his lap and watched Lynn's every movement. She looked so serene and collected. Was that contented state a result of spending the night in Joel Evans’ arms? He fought to control a sudden surge of blind anger. Damn this woman. She had, in the space of a few short weeks, turned his world upside down.
His wrath subsided to be replaced by a feeling of overwhelming tenderness. He couldn't put the burden of an explanation on Lynn's shoulders. He had set this chain of events in motion. It was his responsibility to admit his mistake and try to make amends.
He spoke with an assurance he didn't feel. “Lynn, please, let me."
Lynn held up her hands in a helpless gesture. “Go right ahead."
Lillie tapped her toe on the floor. “Will the two of you get to the point? I don't have all day to sit here and listen to prattle."
Trace felt like a small child being monitored by disapproving adults. In halting, sometimes disjointed sentences, he explained his distress when he learned of Ralph's liaison with Lillie. He went on to say that he'd told Lynn of his concern and asked for her help in putting a stop to the affair. He concluded by saying, “I was afraid that frequent bouts of sex would impair Dad's health."
Ralph bristled, “My sex life is none of your business.” He was obviously furious, and also more than a little embarrassed.
Lillie's response was calm, almost detached, “Wherever did you get the idea that sex was unhealthy?"
Trace rubbed his hand across his brow. “That's not what I said. I don't think sex is unhealthy.” He felt like a fool trying to explain what should be perfectly obvious to a woman who had outlived three husbands. “My concern was for the frequency of your ... encounters."
Lynn chimed in. “He does have a valid point, Mother. Ralph has a weak heart. He should practice moderation in all things."
Trace thought that maybe Lynn should practice what she preached. How could she sleep with another man the night after they had ... ?
He barked, “Let me handle this."
Lynn recoiled, seemingly puzzled by his acerbic outburst. “Well, excuse me."
Trace was immediately contrite. “I'm sorry.” He was apologizing again. The emotional roller coaster he was riding was making him crazy. “I'm a little on edge today."
"You're also insulting and offensive,” Lillie said. She asked incredulously, “What gave you two the right to discuss your parents’ sex life and then decide that they shouldn't have one?"
"We didn't decide anything,” Lynn replied, “We were concerned."
Lillie retorted, “You decided to interfere."
Trace braced himself. He suspected Lillie was about to launch into a tirade. He sent Lynn a please-do-something look, and was rewarded with a blank stare.
Ralph intervened. “Don't be too hard on the boy, Lil. He means well but he doesn't have an over-abundance of common sense."
Lillie sighed. “My daughter is no
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