Charlie Grace shook her head. “Albie and I go way back. He’s a good man.”
Gibbs tried again. “Charlie Grace, I’m sorry. Please don’t tell Albie.”
She held up a hand, silencing him. “Save it, Gibbs. Save your apologies and excuses. I’ve heard them all before. And honestly, it’s not about me anymore. I couldn’t care less who you spend time with—clothes or not. But not on my time.”
There was a pregnant pause, the weight of regret and reflection hanging in the air.
Charlie Grace turned to Lizzy as the girl scrambled back into her clothes. “Lizzy, you’re young. I hope you find what you’re looking for in life, but it isn’t in a barn with your boss’s ex-husband.”
The girl was stupid enough to simply shrug.
“By the way…you are both fired. I’ll get your final paychecks ready.”
Lizzy parked her hands on her hips. “Fired? You can’t do that.”
“I think I just did.” And, with that, Charlie Grace left the barn and returned to the house, her resolve even stronger.
She was in the kitchen only a minute when the back door flew open, and Gibbs raced inside. “Charlie Grace, we need to talk.”
“We’re done talking.” Charlie Grace patted Jewel on the shoulder. “Honey, go outside and play, please.”
“But, Mom. I’m about to win,” her daughter argued.
“The cards can stay on the table. Go outside. You can resume your game with Grandpa in a little while.”
Her daughter glanced between her parents and seemed to recognize the gravity of the moment. She sighed. “Well, don’t fight.”
“Go,” Charlie Grace said and pointed to the door.
As soon as Jewel was safely out of earshot, Gibbs launched into trying to change Charlie Grace’s mind. “Look, I know it looks bad. But we’re both adults. You’re overreacting.”
“You’re both employees using my time for personal…uh, matters.”
She glanced over at her dad, waiting for him to come to Gibbs’ rescue. Strangely, he held his tongue.
She marched into the office with Gibbs trailing her. “Look, okay…maybe that wasn’t the best decision, but you can’t fire us.”
“I can, and I did,” she told him, repeating what she’d said to Lizzy earlier. She retrieved the business checkbook from the desk drawer. She plopped it down, grabbed a pen, and quickly made out two checks, calculating the amount due in her head. She tore the checks out of the book and turned to face him.
That’s when she noticed her dad in his wheelchair only feet away.
So did Gibbs. He turned to her father. “Clancy, talk some sense into her, will you? Who’s going to feed and make beds if she cans the people employed to help her?”
Her father wheeled slightly closer. “Were you messing with the help on company time?”
Gibbs rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, yeah…but?—”
Charlie Grace winced at his lack of ability to accept responsibility for what he’d done. “Lizzy Cayman is years younger than you. And my employee. And Albie Barton’s niece.” She shook her head in disgust. “Some things never change.”
Ignoring her, Gibbs continued to make his case to Clancy. “This is a minor infraction. Nothing that deserves termination.” He pointed back at Charlie Grace. “She’s working off emotion here, just like always.”
Clancy’s face darkened.
Gibbs frowned. “Clancy, tell her.” There was desperation in his eyes.
“Son,” Clancy began, with a steady tone that demanded attention. “I listened to my daughter cry night after night because of what you did to her. I heard her heartbreak. Now, it’s not my place to tell her how to feel or what to decide. She gave you another chance…in fact, more than one. Foolishly, I’m to blame for some of that.” He harrumphed. “Trust is like fine china—once broken, you can glue the pieces, but it’s never the same again, no matter how well you try to mend it. Sadly, it appears you think you can keep slamming the china piece down believing she’s obligated to reglue it again and again.”
Clancy looked at Charlie Grace, then back at Gibbs. “Whatever she decides, you’re going to have to respect it.”
