Lined With Silver (21 page)

“Were you just having dessert?” The waiter
was polite.

“No. I want to see what you have.”

“We don’t really have a dessert menu. We
bring by a cart after the meal is over.” He replied.

“Bring it over, then.” Granny ordered.

Obediently, the waiter had the dessert cart
delivered.

“I’ll have a slice of cheesecake. What did
you want, dear?” She directed her question at Sondra.

“Umm.” She looked at Zack, trying to decide
how to handle this. He wasn’t any help. He looked like he was
enjoying the moment. “I’ll have the key lime pie.”

“Good choice. I haven’t tried this place out,
but I’ve never been disappointed in key lime. Zack?”

“I’ll have the cheesecake, too. I want the
slice with the cherries.”

The waiter served them all their dessert and
then asked, “Did you want anything else?”

“I’ll have the Caesar chicken salad.” Sondra
said.

“I’ll have the chicken club sandwich.” Was
Zack’s order.

“I’ll have the spinach and artichoke dip with
chips.” Granny’s voice was firm.

“The appetizer?”

“No. It will be my meal.”

“But it’s an appetizer.”

“No. My appetizer is the cheesecake. I’ll
have the spinach and artichoke dip for lunch.”

“Okay.” His face said the customer is always
right―especially little old lady customers with floppy red ostrich
hats.

Just before she started eating her
cheesecake, Granny pulled out a small white pill. “This is for my
diabetes. I figure if I eat an extra pill, I can eat some
sugar.”

Sondra blinked, and then said, “Whatever
works for you. At your age, no one can tell you how to live.”

“I wouldn’t listen if they tried.” She
swallowed her pill and then dug into her cheesecake as if it was
the best thing she’d ever tasted.

The food was good, but it was the constant
and varied chatter from Granny that made the meal an event. She
seemed to know a little about everything, and she didn’t mind
sharing.

After spending the afternoon visiting
Granny’s favorite sites, including the stairs used in the film
“Rocky,” Granny said, “I thought we could do dinner at the Reading
Terminal Market.”

“Are you up to it?” Zack asked.

“Of course. I’m still alive, ain’t I?”

Zack chuckled. “Yes, you are. The Reading
Terminal it is then.”

They parked close to the terminal and worked
their way into the crowds. As they moved through the terminal,
Sondra could see why Zack was concerned. The meal was taken pieces
at a time at various small booths. It was the crowds that were
overwhelming. Zack was careful to work his way ahead of his
grandmother so she didn’t have to push and shove as she walked.

They stopped at a small table tucked in next
to an ice cream shop. They’d already eaten their ice cream
appetizer and had found a sandwich shop just a couple of aisles
over. Granny unwrapped her sandwich and bit it with a relish. “This
is the best in the city.”

“You’re only saying that.” Zack chuckled.

Granny stopped chewing and swallowed. “Young
man. I have tried every restaurant in town. This is the best. I
know.”

“Okay. Okay. I’ll take your word for it.”
Zack took another big bite. “I don’t have time to visit every
restaurant in Philly.”

“Of course you don’t. That’s where you learn
to listen to others. And you can start by listening to your old
Granny.”

“You know I do.” From her seat next to him,
Granny reached over and patted him on the head. Sondra smothered a
laugh. She guessed this same scene had been repeated since he was
small.

* * *

As Zack was walking Granny to her door, he
said, “Sondra and I have a hotel just a few minutes away. We’ll be
here in the morning to take you to breakfast.”

Granny stopped and glared up at Zack, her
enormous feather swaying with her angry breaths. “You’ll do no such
thing, Young Man.”

Zack’s brows furrowed. “What do you mean?
Don’t you want to go to breakfast with us?”

“You know breakfast is my specialty. Have you
ever come to visit where you haven’t had my waffles?”

Zack shook his head and caught Sondra’s gaze.
He looked trapped. He could tell she hadn’t been thrilled by her
eating arrangements, but this was his Granny.

She continued as Zack and Sondra tried to
communicate telepathically. It wasn’t working very well.

“And furthermore, I’ve never had my family
here without them spending the night. I don’t care if you’re on
your honeymoon. You can honeymoon just fine in my big house. I
won’t bother you.”

Sondra’s eyes grew wide. Her alarm wasn’t
lost on Zack. He had to make a quick decision on his own and hope
Sondra would go along. “We wouldn’t want to miss your waffles,
Granny. Of course we’ll stay here. You’re right. We always do.”

“Why on earth you would go and get yourself a
hotel when I have all this space is beyond me. You go call that
hotel place and tell them you won’t need a room tonight. Go
ahead.”

She watched carefully as a reluctant Zack
pulled out his cell phone and dialed the hotel. “Hello. This is
Zack Carlson. I had a room for two reserved for tonight…” Sondra
wondered if the hotel clerk was looking at the reservation and
seeing two separate rooms, not one room for two. Hopefully, he’d
just think Zack had misspoken.

“And tell them you won’t need it as long as
you’re here in Philly.” Granny insisted loud enough to be heard the
next block over. And they were big blocks.

“And we won’t be needing the rooms again.”
Zack talked a bit longer and then shut the phone. This time, Sondra
hoped Granny didn’t pick up on the plural.

“Granny, I need to go grab our things from
the hotel. We’ll be back in a few minutes.” Zack assured her.

“Take your time. But make sure your time
isn’t any longer than an hour. I want you to watch my favorite
episode of ‘Conspiracy Theory’ tonight.”

“I thought that show was cancelled.” Sondra
said.

“Oh it was. I like watching re-runs.”

Sondra managed to stop an eye roll.
Joy.
She thought.
Reruns of “Conspiracy Theory.”
Just how I want the night to end.

While they were driving back to the hotel,
Sondra turned to Zack. “Isn’t there some way around this?”

“You saw Granny. What do you think?”

Sondra chewed her lip a moment. “I suppose we
can make it through a couple of nights at her house. Did you tell
her when we were flying out?”

“No. But knowing Granny, she’ll just make it
her business to find out.”

Sondra sighed. “She sure seems to know
everything Jade knows.” Unconsciously, she rested her hand on her
stomach.

“Well, they’re tight. But still, Granny
would’ve made a great lawyer.”

Sondra laughed. “Interrogative investigation
is certainly an asset.”

When they arrived with their luggage in tow,
Granny was ready for them. “I’m tired. It’s a tad late for me. We
can watch my show tomorrow.” Sondra’s heart swelled at the comment.
She hadn’t been looking forward to a night with conspiracy
theories, although she did wonder which episode was Granny’s
favorite.

Granny continued through Sondra’s thoughts,
“I’ve made up the master bedroom.” Granny glanced at Zack. “I
haven’t slept there since Grandpa died.” He nodded. “I sleep in the
room next to my studio. That way, I don’t have to walk as far.”

“You know,” Sondra said, “when Zack told me
you and Ibraham had built this home, I wasn’t picturing such a big
place.” They talked while Granny led them upstairs and down the
hallway.

“It took us years to finish. To tell the
truth, there are some spots we never got to.”

Sondra laughed. “That’s quite an admission.
Did you have any help with the construction?”

Granny nodded while she opened the door. “My
son and a few laborers. Grandpa seemed to know where to find
quality men who were willing to work for a reasonable rate and a
bite to eat.”

“However way you did it, I’m impressed with
your home. It’s beautiful.” Sondra enthused.

“Ibraham was a bit eccentric.” Granny said
while she led them into the room with the cherry poster bed.

Sondra couldn’t help the thought
It takes
one
… while Granny continued. “He designed the house himself. He
figured if anyone could do it, then he could too.”

“He certainly proved himself right, didn’t
he?” Sondra asked.

“He did. Many times. Did Zack tell you about
his ranch in Stockton?”

“Actually, that’s how we met.” Sondra admired
the colorful quilt that adorned the bed while they were talking.
She had noticed it during their earlier tour. This time, she took
the time to examine the stitching, which was even and straight. It
almost looked machine stitched, but an occasional stitch was just
enough off to indicate the hand that had put it there. She caught
Granny’s eyes. “Did you make this?”

“Jade said something about that.” Granny
addressed Sondra’s first comment and then continued to answer her
second. “That quilt was made by my grandmother from scraps she
gathered after her kids outgrew their clothes. Isn’t it beautiful?”
She patted the quilt and then continued the thought she had stepped
out of. “Ibraham inherited the Stockton ranch from his maternal
grandmother and liked to spend summers there.”

“That must’ve been fun.” Sondra touched the
old fabric and then smiled at Granny.

“I didn’t go.” Granny admitted. “I have no
interest in ranches. I had too much I wanted to do here. It was a
nice break for us. How does the song by Chicago go?” Granny drew
her brows together trying to remember the words and then continued,
“Ibraham spent the summers in Stockton while I would work on my art
here. I would go out for a couple of weeks to spend with Mitch and
his family while they were visiting.”

“I’ll bet that made for some fun memories for
all of you.” Sondra paused and then continued, “Did you ever hold
an art show?”

“Several, but it’s very hard to break into
the art world.”

“I can’t imagine.” Sondra said.

“It’s always been more of a hobby for
me.”

“Based on the art I saw,” Sondra waved in the
direction of the studio, “you’ve certainly worked hard enough for
it to be more than a hobby.”

Granny was quiet a moment and then nodded.
“Many hobbies can be time consuming. It’s important to find
something you want to leave for the world. I found that, and it
keeps me active and involved.”

“What a blessing for you.” Sondra smiled.

“It has been.” Granny walked over to another
door and opened it wide. “This is the master bath. I haven’t
changed anything since Ibraham died. I hope you’re comfortable
here. Call if you need me. My room is on the other end of the
hall.” Granny waved and closed the bedroom door behind her with a
decisive click.

Sondra inspected the basic bathroom. She
opened the medicine cabinet and was surprised to find a variety of
colognes and a boar bristle brush settled into a hardened soap. “Is
that your grandfather’s?” She turned to Zack.

He nodded. “He never switched to shaving
cream. He said nothing works the same as the old shaving soap.” He
ran his hand over his almost non-existent stubble. “Not that he
owned a lot of whiskers. I inherited my facial hair from him.
Cherokee on his mother’s side.”

“I thought I saw American Indian in your
face.”

“You were right. It does cause problems with
genealogy. We haven’t been able to find any written records a few
generations back.” Zack sat on the bed and removed his shoes.

Sondra hissed, “Are you really going to sleep
in here?”

“Why not? It’s comfortable. There’s plenty of
room for both of us.” He waved his arm indicating the mattress. “I
sincerely doubt Granny has changed any of the other sheets in the
house since my last visit. She makes an effort to keep this one
clean for company. And besides, knowing Granny, she’ll check on us
bright and early to make sure the honeymoon lovebirds are content…
and still here. Granny would be hurt if we bailed and headed to a
hotel.”

“Given the status of our marriage, I’d feel
better sleeping in a separate bed.”

“I don’t want Granny hurt. Besides, we have a
reputation to keep.” He grinned.

“Jade seems to have taken care of that one.”
She sounded bitter.

“Well, it was me that mentioned…”

Sondra held up a hand. “Don’t say it. Just
don’t.”

He swallowed. He’d seen too many tears the
last few days. He wasn’t fishing for more. “Surely we can humor her
a couple of days.”

“You really have been good about this whole
event.” Sondra conceded. “I appreciate your support, and I know
you’re sacrificing a great deal. I suppose two days won’t be the
end of the world. I have one request, though.” She reached for the
thick white sheepskin that hung over the back of the oak rocking
chair and rolled it up.

“And what’s that?”

“We sleep with this between us.” She tossed
the skin in the middle of the bed.

“I can’t guarantee its bug free.”

“At this point, I don’t care.”

“And what will we tell Granny?” he asked.

“You seem to be good at coming up with all
kinds of stories.” She sent him a hard look. “I’ll bet you can come
up with something interesting.”

He rubbed the back of his neck. “I’ll get
right to work on that. In the meantime, I’m exhausted.” He caught
Sondra’s gaze. “I haven’t been sleeping well lately.”

She flounced on the bed. “And I suppose
that’s my fault?”

He zipped his fingers over his lips.

“Fine.” She rolled her eyes. “I’ll just go
change.”

When she walked into the bathroom, she found
a bottle of bubble bath sitting on a shelf next to the porcelain
claw-footed tub. “Sandalwood.” She opened the bottle and sniffed.
“Oooo. I have to try this.”