idea that by the time you girls were done with college, things would slow down. I’m in no hurry, but I plan to be a very fun grandmother. Before we get to that, depending on how the next few years stack up work-wise, maybe we’ll take a really great trip—just you, me and Amber.”
“I bet Amber, who has always had a boyfriend since kindergarten, will find someone to marry her. But I’ll go with you,” she added, grinning.
When they got home, Adele was wearing one of Justine’s hand-me-down outfits. It was black slacks with a camel-colored knit top. It made Justine smile and tilt her head, appreciative of the look. “I think that looks better on you than it did on me.”
“You’re beautiful. Mind if I chop and stir in your kitchen?”
“That would be great.”
“I invited Jake,” Justine said. “He looked a little doubtful, but I told him to come. And then his brother put a move on me. Marty.”
“Not to burst your bubble in case you were feeling special, but I think Marty has put the moves on every woman he’s ever met.”
“I think I’m at least a dozen years older than he is.”
“And according to Jake, he’s got a serious girlfriend. And two ex-wives. And kids.”
Justine just laughed and headed for the kitchen. “Not my type, sorry.” She put her groceries on the counter and located the cutting board. “Help me out here. I need olive oil, a large skillet or wok and your spice rack.”
“I haven’t done that much cooking,” Adele said, rummaging around for things. She turned up garlic that was spoiled and black, but Justine had bought new. No soy sauce, but Justine had anticipated that as well, and bought some. There was olive oil, since it was important to Adele’s new diet. The spices, kept in a drawer, were bleak and old.
“Okay, I’ve got this now,” Justine said. Amber was on her phone in the other room, Olivia curled up on the couch with a book. “Pull up a stool and just talk to me. Tell me more about your new job.”
“Well, the best part is that I’m in counseling, by accident. A couple of times a week I get about thirty minutes with one of our best social workers, and she’s hearing my life story. Are you getting any counseling?”
“Not at the moment,” Justine said. “That marriage counselor Scott had us seeing, to what purpose I can’t imagine, was so useless, it turned me off counselors for the time being. I’m feeling pretty good at the moment. I might wake up tomorrow feeling horrible, but right now I feel good. But I think counseling is a good thing and I’m glad you’re going.”
“I had no idea how much I wanted someone to listen to me until Ross, the social worker, said, ‘Tell me everything.’ And I did.”
“That’s fantastic. Tell me more.”
Adele explained that they talked about everything in her life from junior high on. There was still so much to talk about because in a couple of thirty-minute sessions, they’d barely scratched the surface.
There was a knock at the front door and Adele let Jake in. He’d brought a bottle of wine, flowers and some ice cream. “For the girls,” he said.
The five of them sat around the table, enjoyed a light and delicious meal of teriyaki chicken, stir-fried veggies and rice, and conversation. Amber and Olivia both got phone calls, which they took care of quickly. Then as they were about to pick up the dishes, Justine’s phone chimed. She looked at it and saw it was Scott. “I’ll get back to him later,” she said. But her phone chimed again and again. “Well, I guess he won’t give up. Sorry, Adele.”
Jake took that opportunity to carry dishes to the kitchen but Adele stayed where she was, nursing a glass of wine and listening.
Justine answered the call. “Scott, couldn’t you leave a message?”
“No, I couldn’t,” he said. “Have you asked the girls to refuse to meet Cat? I want to take them to dinner. They’re refusing