heard my dual message loud and clear.
He soon lets me know that he did. I’ve got my head in the pantry searching for Chip’s doggy treats when Mike comes up behind me and loudly announces, “You can’t stay here, Ren.”
I fling around to inform him otherwise and whack my head on the pantry door. “Ow! Shit!” I yell, rubbing my temple. “You know what, Mike. I am staying here. I’m not going anywhere until Georgie Pa finishes his treatment,” I announce to him.
“No one will be allowed in to see him for the first few weeks, Ren. And we’ve got to go and see the Avalon’s, soon,” he says, pulling up a chair at the kitchen table. “Besides, don’t you want to see your mum, and meet Josh?” he asks, curiously cocking his head to the side.
“Of course , I want to see Mum,” answering what I know for certain. “I just feel that Georgie Pa needs me more right now.”
“ Hmmm,” he thoughtfully murmurs, repressing smirk.
“ And, I have absolutely no interest in seeing my Bloodstone father,” I snap.
“Where did that come from?” he asks, baulking.
“Aunt Romey said that he’s never been able to stay away from Mum for long , so I have a feeling that I’ll be running in to him sooner rather than later,” I answer, scowling. “How is it that the two people I have most wanted to meet have now become the last people I want to see?” I groan.
“ Your father, I get. But why don’t you want to meet Josh?” he asks, gesturing for me to sit too.
Desperately ne eding a cuddle, I pick up Chip, put him on my lap and say, “Let’s face it. I’m nothing like the woman he was married to. Her faith. Her courage. Who I am now doesn’t even come close. Look at him, and look at me. Talk about serving up a can of sardines to a man who’s expecting lobster!” I exclaim.
“What?” he snaps, clearly taken aback by my little speech.
“I’m just saying that p eople are going to end up very disappointed,” I admit.
“ If everyone trusts what they know, then no one will be disappointed,” Mike adamantly says as he reaches for my hand. The warmth of his golden fingers lacing with mine glows red on my cheeks. He chuckles as I try and skirt his gaze. “Look, Ren, all you have to do is meet him. What happens after that is entirely up to you. Remember free will? That’s what it all boils down to. Regardless of who you were, how you decide to live this life is still your choice and your choice alone. And, if it turns out that Josh won’t be a part of it, well, so be it,” he says matter-of-fact.
Relieved , I exhale a breath I didn’t even know I was holding. Thank God our first meeting is not going be like the medieval fix up I had conjured up in my head.
But then that gets me wondering about Josh’s assumptions, and his expectations.
“Yeah, but what does he expect?” I tentatively ask.
“ Strangely, nothing,” Mike says, shaking his head in disbelief. “When you were in talking to Georgie Pa, Rhoda told me about what Josh remembers-” His smile grows big, “and what he doesn’t,” he cryptically adds.
I sit on the edge of my seat, tightly hugging Chip until he squeals telling me, “Too hard!” and wiggles his way out of my arms. I quickly throw him a few treats and go straight back to eyeballing Mike. Seeing him this happily wired has to be a good sign.
“And?” I prompt.
“Ren, when Josh meets you, he will be meeting a total stranger. He doesn’t remember you at all,” he starts to explain.
Chapter 9
Mike recommends that I start packing.
“Where are we going?” I ask with my hands on my hips.
“ It’s sunny this time of year, but the nights can get cool, so pack a jacket,” is his infuriatingly broad answer.
We are smack-bang in the middle of an icy winter here, so where we are headed has got to be a very long plane ride away.
“ Sunny, huh. Should I pack bikinis too?” I ask, syphoning for more.
“ There’s water there, so sure,” he replies with
He soon lets me know that he did. I’ve got my head in the pantry searching for Chip’s doggy treats when Mike comes up behind me and loudly announces, “You can’t stay here, Ren.”
I fling around to inform him otherwise and whack my head on the pantry door. “Ow! Shit!” I yell, rubbing my temple. “You know what, Mike. I am staying here. I’m not going anywhere until Georgie Pa finishes his treatment,” I announce to him.
“No one will be allowed in to see him for the first few weeks, Ren. And we’ve got to go and see the Avalon’s, soon,” he says, pulling up a chair at the kitchen table. “Besides, don’t you want to see your mum, and meet Josh?” he asks, curiously cocking his head to the side.
“Of course , I want to see Mum,” answering what I know for certain. “I just feel that Georgie Pa needs me more right now.”
“ Hmmm,” he thoughtfully murmurs, repressing smirk.
“ And, I have absolutely no interest in seeing my Bloodstone father,” I snap.
“Where did that come from?” he asks, baulking.
“Aunt Romey said that he’s never been able to stay away from Mum for long , so I have a feeling that I’ll be running in to him sooner rather than later,” I answer, scowling. “How is it that the two people I have most wanted to meet have now become the last people I want to see?” I groan.
“ Your father, I get. But why don’t you want to meet Josh?” he asks, gesturing for me to sit too.
Desperately ne eding a cuddle, I pick up Chip, put him on my lap and say, “Let’s face it. I’m nothing like the woman he was married to. Her faith. Her courage. Who I am now doesn’t even come close. Look at him, and look at me. Talk about serving up a can of sardines to a man who’s expecting lobster!” I exclaim.
“What?” he snaps, clearly taken aback by my little speech.
“I’m just saying that p eople are going to end up very disappointed,” I admit.
“ If everyone trusts what they know, then no one will be disappointed,” Mike adamantly says as he reaches for my hand. The warmth of his golden fingers lacing with mine glows red on my cheeks. He chuckles as I try and skirt his gaze. “Look, Ren, all you have to do is meet him. What happens after that is entirely up to you. Remember free will? That’s what it all boils down to. Regardless of who you were, how you decide to live this life is still your choice and your choice alone. And, if it turns out that Josh won’t be a part of it, well, so be it,” he says matter-of-fact.
Relieved , I exhale a breath I didn’t even know I was holding. Thank God our first meeting is not going be like the medieval fix up I had conjured up in my head.
But then that gets me wondering about Josh’s assumptions, and his expectations.
“Yeah, but what does he expect?” I tentatively ask.
“ Strangely, nothing,” Mike says, shaking his head in disbelief. “When you were in talking to Georgie Pa, Rhoda told me about what Josh remembers-” His smile grows big, “and what he doesn’t,” he cryptically adds.
I sit on the edge of my seat, tightly hugging Chip until he squeals telling me, “Too hard!” and wiggles his way out of my arms. I quickly throw him a few treats and go straight back to eyeballing Mike. Seeing him this happily wired has to be a good sign.
“And?” I prompt.
“Ren, when Josh meets you, he will be meeting a total stranger. He doesn’t remember you at all,” he starts to explain.
Chapter 9
Mike recommends that I start packing.
“Where are we going?” I ask with my hands on my hips.
“ It’s sunny this time of year, but the nights can get cool, so pack a jacket,” is his infuriatingly broad answer.
We are smack-bang in the middle of an icy winter here, so where we are headed has got to be a very long plane ride away.
“ Sunny, huh. Should I pack bikinis too?” I ask, syphoning for more.
“ There’s water there, so sure,” he replies with
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