“Yes.” I smile, liking the sound of calling myself an artist. “I had put it aside, but started to draw again recently, with Mike’s encouragement.”
“I should be delighted to see your work, if you are inclined to show it to anyone.”
“I don’t have many finished pieces, but I could show you on Monday.”
“And so, we have the date.” Elke offers her hand again but this time, I see past her cool manner. There are shadows in her eyes, a hint that this wasn’t easy for her.
But she did it for Mike.
I impulsively step forward and give her a hug. She stiffens for a moment, then hugs me back.
“Friends,” I say to her. “With a date.”
“Yes,” she agrees with more warmth in her smile. “I am so glad of it, Sylvia.”
“Me, too.”
We’re standing together like that when Mike comes down the stairs with Sierra and I see the relief in his expression. Then he explains that he has to take Elke to her rental in Havelock. I need to take Sierra home, and our ways part for another night.
39
MIKE
Dad has been in a foul mood ever since he lost the appeal to the Havelock city council. The fact that everybody else in Havelock is loving the invasion of Luke’s fans – and the infusion of cash they’re bringing – isn’t making things any better. I’ve barely seen him, which isn’t a bad thing. Candace says he’s practically moved into the golf course, and I can’t think of a better place for him to be.
I still don’t know how to fix things with Sylvia. Neither of us are texting or calling, which means I’m not alone on that island. I doubt that anything can get sorted so long as everything’s in upheaval and she’s working extra-long shifts at the café. I figure consistency and reliability aren’t bad traits right now.
Lila is scheduled to arrive on Thursday when her mother drives her down. I get a barrage of pictures and a Facetime introduction, which gives me a plan for Friday. I drive into Canadian Tire and get one of the smokeless fire pits Sierra was ogling when we bought the Muskoka chairs. I takeit out to Una’s and am setting it up between the house and the trailer when Sylvia comes out of the house. She’s dressed for work but her expression isn’t encouraging.
“Sierra wanted it,” I say then make a joke. “It was added to the vision board.”
Sylvia doesn’t smile. “You can’t buy her everything, Mike.”
“Can you blame me for wanting to?”
She shrugs, looking dissatisfied. “You know it’s not good for her to have all the things.”
There is that.
“But given the choice between being the hard-ass dad and the pushover dad, I know which one I’d rather be.”
That gets me a ghost of a smile.
“I thought it would be good for making ’smores,” I say. “And safer than a bonfire.”
Sylvia nods, still not convinced.
Okay, this is a money thing. Or maybe it’s a control thing. She has boundaries and I need to respect them. “How about this?” I say. “It’s my firepit and I’m lending it to you all this weekend.”
“For ’smores,” she says.
“And then I’ll take it back to the house or to the farm.” I pause but Sylvia’s waiting. “And no more impulsive purchases without your approval in advance.”
“I don’t think of you as impulsive,” she says and I feel her thaw. Finally, I’ve said the right thing.
“You bring that out in me,” I admit easily because it’s true. I hand her the manual and take the box, stopping in front of her. Like a million years ago, I can’t guess her thoughts. “Have a good weekend.”
Sylvia exhales. “I need to talk to you,” she says. “I don’t know how to say what I need to say, or maybe more accurately, I don’t know how you’ll respond.”
