“Water?”
“No, I’m fine.”Her mother looked around and her gaze settled on the stools and drinks at the island.“Are you all justperchinghere in the kitchen?”
“Ah…we were just going to sit down at the kitchen table.”Heather grabbed her glass and headed to the table. Donna sent her a grateful glance.
Her mother slid effortlessly into a chair and they all took seats around her. Her mother glanced over at the stack of boxes leaning like a falling tower in the corner.
“What are all those boxes?”
“I…uh…I was just clearing out some things. Going to send some things to the thrift store,”Donna quickly said, glancing over at Evelyn, not sure if her sister was ready to tell their mother the news about Darren.
“I see. Well, they really clutter up your kitchen.”She smoothed an imaginary wrinkle from her pristinely pressed slacks with her tanned hands that sported an impeccable manicure.
Evelyn’s eyes filled with apprehension. Donna sent her a look of encouragement. Even though Evelyn had always been her parents’favorite—that had always been evident to everyone—her mother was not going to welcome Evelyn’s news.
“Mother…”Evelyn started, paused, took a breath, then continued.“I’m moving in here with Donna.”
“Why in the world? Oh, are you redecorating your house? I know it does need a slight refresh. Houses get like that. Good for you for jumping on it before it gets out of hand.”
Donna couldn’t think of even one thing that needed updating at Evelyn’s house…
“No, it’s not that. It’s…”Evelyn looked over, her eyes pleading for help.
“She going to live here for a while.”She came to her sister’s aid.
Heather jumped to her feet and went to stand behind Evelyn.“Father’s leaving Mom. He’s asked for a divorce.”
“No, that’s ridiculous. He wouldn’t do that.”Her mother frowned.“There would be talk and it might hurt his business.”
“He did ask me for a divorce. Well, not in person. He sent papers by courier. That’s how I found out.”
Donna’s eyes widened. That’s one detail she hadn’t known.
“You should try and work things out with him. Get him back.”Her mother frowned.“That’s the right thing to do.”Her mother looked at Evelyn critically.“Maybe you could update your haircut. You need a new dye job, too. We could go shopping for some new clothes…”
“Not happening, Grandmother.”Heather put her hands on her mother’s shoulders.
“But she should. That’s what we do. He’s her husband.”Her mother honestly looked confused.
“Not for much longer, Mother. He doesn’t want to work things out. He’s found someone new.”
“He’ll tire of her. They always do and come back.”
Donna looked at her mother with new eyes. Had that happened in her parents’marriage?
“Mother…I don’t want him back.”Evelyn simply shrugged.“Ever.”
“That’s just foolishness on your part.”She stood and took her expensive clutch off the table.“Pure foolishness. You need to rethink that stance. He’ll come back.”
“Mother—”Evelyn started to speak.
Her mother held up a hand.“No more foolish talk. Try to work it out.”With that, she swept out of the kitchen, the door closing firmly as she left.
“Welcome, home, Mother,”Evelyn said softly.
Chapter 23
The next evening Donna sat with Heather, Olivia, and Evelyn in her kitchen. They’d all had long days. Evelyn had put the finishing touches on the gala. Olivia had solved about a million problems that had come up with the renovation of Parker’s, and Donna was beginning to question whether they’d made the right decision. Heather had helped her mother with the gala and gone over and hauled more of Evelyn’s things to storage.
