Chapter 23

Two weeks before Thanksgiving, I arrived home to a telephone message from J.J. which included an invitation for Lizzie and me to join him and his family for the long holiday weekend. It wasn’t easy to tell my own mother that we wouldn’t be coming to her place after all, but she understood when I explained the situation. Her new husband’s family would be there, so she wouldn’t be alone. And we promised we’d come for leftovers the day after we returned.

Lizzie and I boarded a plane and flew to what turned out to be an intimate and emotional family gathering with Mrs. Reynolds, who had been staying with her son and Meg since the day after she left. There were tears and laughter, endless conversations about the past and future and, of course, delicious Thanksgiving fare.

Later in the day, while everyone was stretched out on the sofa digesting the meal, I smelled coffee brewing, so I went into the kitchen to find Mrs. Reynolds scrubbing a pot at the sink. She asked if I’d like a cup of coffee.

“I’d love one,” I replied.

She withdrew two mugs from the cupboard. “You and Lizzie seem to be getting along well,” she said as she poured.

“Better than well,” I replied. “I can’t imagine what my life would be like right now if I hadn’t met her.”

Mrs. Reynolds grinned at me. “I’m glad you’re happy. She is happy with you too.”

“For the most part we are, but I have to be honest, Mrs. Reynolds. I’m having some trouble dealing with the way things have turned out.”

She inclined her head. “How so?”

I paused. “I’m a family man. You were like a second mother to me when I was kid. J.J., Wendy and Lizzie were like family to me, too, and it’s killing me to think that I might have played a part in the problems between you and your husband. I know I’m not your husband’s favorite person in the world, and maybe if it weren’t for me, you would never have moved out. It seems that ever since the day I walked through your door, your whole world has been exploding.”

“In a good way,” Mrs. Reynolds said. “And it’s hardly your fault that I’ve left my husband. That’s been building for years.”

I nodded. “I just don’t want Lizzie to lose her family. She hasn’t spoken to her father since the night he and I got into a scuffle in your kitchen.”

Mrs. Reynolds sat down at the table. “You know, I thought after she stood up to him and walked out, Bruce might finally see the light and stop being such a hard-liner, but he didn’t. He just couldn’t.”

I swirled the coffee around in my cup. “I’m sorry to hear that, because the main reason I came in here to talk to you was to tell you that...” I paused for a moment and lowered my voice even further. “I know this might seem a bit sudden, but I want to marry Lizzie.”

Mrs. Reynolds sat up straighter in her chair. “I haven’t proposed or anything. But when that day comes, I’d like to ask both you and your husband for your blessings. I just don’t know if I’ll ever get that from him. I’ll accept it if I have to, but there must be some hope with you. And if Lizzie says yes to becoming my wife, I want her to know that she’ll have family with her on her wedding day, that at least you’ll be there to help her pick out a dress and someone will be able to walk her down the aisle.”

Mrs. Reynolds smiled. “Nick Wallace, if you get down on one knee to propose to my daughter, you can be sure I’ll be there for dress fittings and helping her choose flower arrangements and whatever else she needs. I couldn’t be happier to hear this, Nick, because I know you’re a good man. I’ve always known it.

“You were like a second son to me. You have my blessing ten times over. How’s that?”

I swallowed hard over a dense lump in my throat. “It’s pretty darn good, Mrs. Reynolds.”

She rose to her feet. “And I think it’s time you started calling me Joan,” she said with a smile as she held out her arms.