Rolling his eyes, he sighed. “I’m sorry. Now what has caused you to call me so bright and early on a Friday morning?”
“I’m at the airport,” she began.
Startled, he sat up abruptly and had to grab Hannah to keep her from sliding off his chest. His pleasant mood was quickly dissipating. “Which airport,” he snapped.
“
Miami,” Mrs. Meyers answered. “Now, I’ll need you to come pick me up.”
Interrupting again he said, “In Florida?
They have car services for that, or if none are available, there are these cute yellow vehicles, I believe they’re called taxis, which should suffice.” His voice was positively dripping in sarcasm.
“No, not in
Florida,” his mother said untouched by his foul mood, “I’ll be landing in Charlotte at 10:26am.” She paused for dramatic effect. “I’m coming for Easter. This rift in the family has gone on long enough.”
Even without Hannah’s help, he knew his heart was pounding in his chest.
“And just where are you planning on staying?” He asked weakly, already anticipating her response.
Her tongue clicked.
“Why, the same place I always stay. I’ll be with you, of course.” She chuckled then said seriously, “Now don’t be late.” And she hung up without even saying goodbye or giving Gavin an opportunity to speak.
Gavin dropped his head back against the lounger, realized that he had missed the pillow, but thinking a few more blows might help, he began to thrust his head back against the hard wicker surface.
He had managed to nail his head soundly about three more times before Hannah caught his attention.
“Stop,” she mumbled as she grabbed at his shirt and struggled to open her eyes.
“Huh,” he said, “I had you pegged for a morning person.” He stared down at her seriously.
“Depends on how I wake up,” Hannah responded.
“And I had you pegged for sane.”
Sighing, he explained.
“My mother called. I have to leave in a few hours to pick her up at the airport.” Gavin watched Hannah, awaiting her reaction. Whatever he expected, it wasn’t this.
Hannah burst from the chair, vaulting to a standing position. “Oh, my God!” She screamed. “I’m going to meet your mother!” She ran her fingers through her hair and began to pace. “How long is she staying? Where is she staying? Doesn’t she know it’s Easter weekend?” And then she turned on him and planted her hands on her waist in a challenge. “Did you know about this in advance?”
Slowly moving to stand on the other side of the lounger, Gavin said wryly, “In response to your questions: yes, I don’t know, here, and apparently.”
“What?” Hannah asked in exasperation.
“Yes, you will meet her.”
He ticked the questions off on his fingers as he spoke. “I don’t know how long she’s staying. She plans to stay here. And I didn’t know in advance about her arrival. She does this. I’m convinced it’s to annoy me.” He planted his hands on his waist, mirroring Hannah.
Suddenly, she softened.
He hadn’t sprung this on her. He was as surprised and unnerved as she was. Slowly she walked toward the end of the lounger. “Come here,” she sighed. Hesitantly, he moved to join her. Once they were toe to toe, she wrapped her arms around him in a warm embrace. “So, we’re in this together, right?” She asked against his chest.
Instantly he relaxed.
“Yes.” He said. And liking the sound of it, he repeated, “Together.”
Pulling back, Hannah smiled.
“Okay, I’m instituting a do-over.”
He eyed her curiously, wondering what she meant by that.
Before he had a chance to dwell on it, she was speaking again.
“Good morning, Gavin,” she said shyly.
“Thank you for taking care of me last night. I know I was a mess. And I really appreciate that you were there for me.”
His chest tightened at her words.
“Morning, Hannah,” he said and planted a kiss on her temple.
Immediately, she withdrew.
“So, now we have to prepare. I’ll get ready then run to the grocery store. I guess we’re going to have a big family dinner for Easter?” She watched his reaction and saw him swallow. “I’ll take that as a ‘yes.’” She eyed him a moment more. “A bigger family dinner than even your mother?” He nodded weakly. She took a fortifying breath and exhaled slowly. “Okay then. I guess I have my work cut out for me.” She paced back and forth a few times thinking. “At least the kitchen will be finished today. So we’ve got that going for us.” She gave him a half smile.
“Hannah,” he began to protest, “You don’t have to go all out for this.
It’s my family. I will be more than happy to have it catered. I don’t want to add to your stress.” He stared at her sadly.
She shrugged.
“No big deal. I haven’t cooked in weeks. And it’ll be nice breaking the kitchen in on a holiday.” And with that she turned and flounced back into the house, leaving Gavin to stare at her in wonder.
Something had changed between them.
Hannah could feel it…and see it…and hear it. Since leaving the house Gavin had called no fewer than three times. He called the first time to make sure that she was paying for all of her purchases with the new Black American Express card he had ordered for her on his account. Then he had called because he wanted to tell her how much he appreciated her for offering to cook on Easter. And now, as she was carrying groceries into the house, with the girls trailing behind her, her text chime sounded.
Dropping the bags onto the counter, she paused for a moment to admire the finished cabinetry before checking the message.
It was, no surprise, Gavin announcing their impending arrival. “Madge,” she called in a panic, only to remember that it was a holiday and Madge probably had the day off. Hannah sighed loudly and wondered aloud, “How in the ham sandwich am I supposed to get everything done in twenty minutes?”
“You called?”
Madge asked, stepping into the kitchen with a box of dishes that had been stored in the dining room. Without waiting for a response, she began unpacking as quickly and efficiently as she did everything.
Hannah felt her eyes tear up.
“I thought you were off today,” she said weakly.
“I can leave if you want,” Madge said seriously, “but Mr. Meyers offered me double my usual pay to help out all weekend.”
“Gavin?”
Hannah asked confused.
“He called while he was on his way to the airport, told me you might need the help, explained that he was picking up his mother,” she shuddered. “I said, ‘Say no more.’ And then I dressed and came right over.”
Standing there beaming, Hannah marveled at Gavin’s consideration.
“I can’t believe he did this,” she said quietly.
“Oh, I can,” Madge said with a knowing look.
Then she turned her attention to readying the kitchen.
Just shy of twenty minutes later, Gavin walked through the door calling for Hannah and the girls.
“Come meet my mother,” he said seriously. For some reason, he was filled with apprehension at the mere idea of the encounter. Yet what did he have to worry about? Why was this so important to him? And he swallowed hard. He wanted his mother to like Hannah. He wanted Hannah to like his mother. And the same was true of the girls. This was rapidly growing far more complicated than he had ever envisioned. What should have been a simple case of revenge had become a case of unrequited love.
People streamed into the foyer from everywhere.
Rory and Zoe were carefully making their way down the stairs while Hannah and Madge walked in from the keeping room.
Madge gave a quick polite nod to the stuffy looking woman standing next to Gavin, “Mrs. Meyers,” she said.
And then she backed away.
Hannah was about to perform the same ritual when Gavin realized what was about to transpire and stared at her stricken.
She paused and waited to take her cue from him. The girls had reached the foyer and moved to either side of their mother.
“Mother,” Gavin began formally, “this is Hannah, the woman I told you about.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Meyers,” Hannah said with a warm smile.
“And these little angels,” he added while looking affectionately at the twins, “are her girls, Aurora, Rory for short, and Zoe.”
“I don’t have a nick name,” Zoe mourned.
Her sister scowled at her.
“That’s because your name is already short enough,” Rory said and rolled her eyes impatiently. Then, like the miniature adult she was, Rory held out her hand. “It’s nice to meet you,” she said shyly.
Mrs. Meyers, one not easily impressed, was nearly instantly charmed.
She did something Gavin could never remember her doing. Squatting to the girls’ eye level, she asked, “I don’t suppose you could give me a hug?”
Glancing up at their mother for approval, the girls awaited her response.
Once they had the reassuring nod, they beamed and walked straight into her outstretched arms. Instantly, Hannah realized that Mrs. Meyers truly was desperate for grandchildren. And for now, hers would do. She looked at Gavin for a reaction. He stood there stunned.
Quickly regaining her composure, Mrs. Meyers straightened and adjusted her dress suit.
“Now if you’ll carry my bags to my room, I’d like to freshen up before lunch.” And with a poke to make sure she had his attention, she headed down the hall to Gavin’s room.
Once he had left the foyer to do as his mother requested, Hannah turned to look at Madge with a frown.
“I thought there was only Gavin’s room down that hall,” she said.
“There is,” Madge said seriously while tugging at her chin.
“Oh,” Hannah said, still contemplating the situation. “So where do you suppose Gavin will sleep?” She wondered.
Raising her eyebrows until they formed shocked peaks on her forehead, Madge replied, “I guess we’ll see.”
Hannah tilted her head to study her.
Something in Madge’s tone suggested that she already knew the answer to the question, but wasn’t going to reveal it. “Well,” she said as they headed back to the keeping room. “She seems nice.”
“Humph,” was the reply.
“Looks can be deceiving.” And with that she grabbed her mug from the coffee table and headed toward the kitchen.
“Hey,” Hannah said.
“Where are you going?”
Glancing at the clock, she said, “Well, Mrs. Meyers likes to have a light lunch at
noon, take a nap from one thirty to three thirty and follow that with high tea once she’s freshened up.” She sighed. “And dinner will be served precisely at seven.”
Frowning, Hannah remarked, “That will never do.
The girls have to be in the shower at seven.” She shrugged. “No worries. I’ll talk to Gavin.”
In the past, Madge might have argued that it would do no good, that the ways of the house were set in stone when Mrs. Meyers was in residence, but now she knew that it was different.
She knew that if Hannah pressed Gavin, she would get whatever she wanted. She knew that if she really pressed him, she could have more than she bargained for. And smiling, she hoped that Hannah would simply flatten him. They needed a change.
At first, Mrs. Meyers had been reluctant to see reason, so Hannah had simply suggested that she and the girls would eat dinner earlier so that she might keep with their routine.
Finally, unwilling to give up the idea of a real family meal, Mrs. Meyers had relented and decided that she could shorten her nap, move up high tea, and have dinner at six. Realizing that a huge concession was being made, Hannah showed her gratitude by cooking a phenomenal repast.
When Mrs. Meyers had walked in on her during the process, she had looked stricken.
“What are you doing?” She asked with a horrified look. And glancing wildly about the room she asked, “And where is Madge?”
“Home for the night,” Hannah announced confidently.
“I’m perfectly capable of cooking a decent meal, if that is your concern.” And she returned her attention to the romaine lettuce she was washing.