Page 19 of A Recipe Called Home
“Thank you for meeting me today. I know there’s a lot left unsaid between us, but I’m hoping we can try to work through it." Barb ran her fingers through her short brown hair. “I want to be in your life, Jules.”
Fidgeting with her keys, Jules wavered. She’d heard a version of this so many times over the years, but it never stuck. Barb always went back to prioritizing her wants over everything else, including Jules.
Today, though, felt different. Barb seemed different. Ignoring her instinct, Jules enveloped her mom in a hug. A real hug this time. She wasn’t ready to forgive her, but she could start by acknowledging her efforts to be a better person. They’d see where things led.
After their goodbyes, they made tentative plans to see each other again before Jules went back to D.C. at the end of the month.
As she turned into the drive of the old red brick house, Jules’ phone rang, which it hadn’t done in days. During a normal day, she talked to Becca or the secretary multiple times on the phone if they weren’t in person together.
Picking up after two rings, she heard Winnie on the other end.
“Why is Miles texting me, asking for your number? What did I miss over the last forty-eight hours? Are you ignoring my texts?”
Jules sighed. Why did things always get so complicated when she came home? She wasn’t used to this type of first-hand interrogation of her personal life, although she could use Winnie’s advice.
“Hey there. Can I come over? I’ll bring wine.”
Being the great friend she is, Winnie agreed before remembering she should check with her partner first. Thankfully, Emily gave an enthusiastic, “Of course! We’ll make it a girls’ night,” in the background.
Jules told them she’d be over after getting her grandma settled for the evening and picking up the promised wine.
Making her way back through the house to the kitchen, she smelled food cooking and knew her grandma was already working on dinner, to Jules’ frustration.
“I know, I know, I should be resting,” she said, standing at the stove before Jules could say a word. “But my physical therapist also said that I needed to move a few hours a day, so that’s what I’m doing.”
“Ok, I’ll allow it this time. But this better not mean you’re kicking me out of the kitchen for the rest of the time I’m here,” Jules said. “We still have three weeks together. I need to stay busy!”
“I know someone who could keep you busy, if only you weren’t so stubborn,” Grandma Rosa said with a tilt of her head.
“Grandma!” Jules exclaimed in horror.
“What? I’m old, not dead. Everyone with decent eyesight can see Miles is fit. Not to mention those muscles. I imagine he would look great without a shirt.”
Jules groaned. She hated talking about anything sexual with her grandma. It just felt wrong, but Grandma Rosa didn’t seem to care. She always had a bit of a dirty mind.
“I’m going to choose to ignore you said that.”
“It’s what you’re good at.”
“Alright, well, since you just want to poke fun at me, I’m going to go to Winnie’s and drink some wine. Looks like you have dinner covered. Do you think you can manage the stairs by yourself, Miss Independent?”
Grandma Rosa turned from the pot she was stirring, giving Jules a narrowed look.
“Baby girl, I’ve been going up and down those stairs by myself since the day after I got back home. I just needed you to feel helpful.”
“Wonderful,” was all Jules said as she stood to kiss her grandma on the cheek and headed back out towards the car.
“Don’t drink and drive,” Grandma Rosa shouted after her.
***
Junk food sprawled across the living room table as Jules entered, holding two bottles of wine up like a gift at the altar. They didn’t mess around on “girls’ night.”
Glasses poured, shoes kicked off, and bags of Lays opened, they settled in for a few hours of chit chat and laughs. It felt like the old days when Winnie and Jules would have sleepovers, taking over Winnie’s basement for the night and camping out in mounds of comforters with candy and soda always on hand.
“I don’t want to be nosey, but tell us everything,” said Winnie, popping M&M’s into her mouth.
Emily feigned a gasp, hand to her heart. “You, nosey? Never.”
