not using any names or physical descriptions, of course. But she did describe some of their problems. “Imagine finding yourself broke and in need at the age of seventy! I can’t wait to see how her story turns out. That’s a real wake-up call. It really got me thinking—my mother could have been left with no resources and what would we have done?”
“Your sister would have stepped up...”
“My sister. I wonder if she even knows how lucky she is. What Scott has done to her is terrible, but she has a job.”
“A job you said is in peril,” Jake reminded her.
“I’d better check in with her tonight. How’s your stir-fry?” she asked.
Jake put down his fork. “It’s very good. Adele, you look wonderful, you know. I’m sorry if I haven’t said so enough.”
“I have a long way to go,” she said.
“You’ll do what you want, but I think you look wonderful. I thought you looked wonderful before.”
“And better now?” she asked.
“Addie, I have a lot of admiration for anyone who works at being their best, but I’ve always thought you were beautiful.”
“I’m going to have to get up very early to get my walk in and make it to work on time,” she said, as if she hadn’t heard him.
But she had heard him.
“Luckily the sun is coming up earlier, but the beach is still foggy early in the morning. And will be till ten or later. You be careful,” he said.
“I’ll be careful,” she said. “But we don’t have trouble around here.”
“Mostly nuisance stuff. But I wouldn’t want you to be the first one with real trouble.”
“Nothing can scare me off my program,” she said. “Everything about it feels better. And did I mention I have a job?” She couldn’t stop smiling.
Chapter Six
Justine knew work could be a beacon, a white light. The right kind of work even more so. Just the sound of Addie’s voice was magical when she called to say she had a job. She sounded so much more filled with life than she had in years. As her sister had been consumed with responsibility, monotony and drudgery, Justine had wondered if Addie would ever break free from her isolation and come to life.
Such could be the plight of the caregiver. You wanted to do it because you loved the patient and felt personally responsible, but there was no harder work. And at the end of the day you had succeeded only when things weren’t worse.
Without their mother at the house to check on, Justine hadn’t seen her sister in weeks. They’d talked every couple of days, mostly so Justine could keep Addie apprised of the divorce situation. Her lawyer had filed, Scott had signed the settlement agreement and it could be over in as little as two more weeks. The girls were still very upset but they were hanging in there, and school would be out soon. They both had summer jobs, which would keep them busy and might help them rein in their emotions.
She enrolled them in counseling, which took a great deal of time. They needed individual sessions—they were too different to attend together and their coping methods would not be anything alike. Amber went to the counselor on Mondays and Olivia on Thursdays.
Tonight Scott was planning to be home to make dinner for the girls so Justine decided to be absent. She didn’t want to run into any neighbors so she went to Chen’s since it wasn’t too far from home. She ordered a glass of wine and was studying the menu, not feeling the least hungry when she heard a familiar voice.
“Justine?”
She looked up into the warm brown eyes of Logan Danner. She was so surprised her mouth hung open. “It’s you,” she said.
“It’s me,” he said with a smile. “I never expected to see you here but I’m glad I ran into you. I’ve been wondering how you’re getting along.”
“You could have called,” she said.
“I would have, eventually. Once it was pretty obvious you were no longer a client. While you still might want my