looked at the pine-clad walls of the living room, then through to the equally pine-clad kitchen and dining room. “The guy who decorated this place either had a whole lot of timber that he needed to use to free up some space, or he really liked pine.”
Finn laughed. “Either could be true. It’s everywhere. And there is a third option. Pine is the cheapest wood, so that’s what gets used most.” He beckoned with his finger. “Take a look at what I’m working on.”
Joel followed him into the tiny dining room, where the table had been covered by a sheet. On it sat several pieces of shaped wood in different sizes. “What’s this?”
“I’m making a rocking chair for Levi’s grandmother. It’s her seventieth birthday soon, and he commissioned me to make it.” Finn smiled. “As if I’d say no.”
Joel stroked one of the pieces. “I think you’re very talented. I also think it’s a great idea.” He frowned. “This the same person Lynne was talking about? The one who makes cookies?”
Finn smiled. “That’s Grammy. She’s a very special lady. Not many people would do what she did.”
Joel was intrigued. “What did she do?” Finn bit his lip, and Joel regretted his curiosity. “Look, if you don’t want to tell me, that’s okay. It’s none of my business.”
Finn sighed. “It’s not a secret—I mean, all Levi’s closest friends know, and so does most of Wells, if it comes to that, because you know how things get around—but Levi doesn’t talk about it much.” He pulled out a chair and gestured to the one facing it. “Please, have a seat.” Joel did as instructed, Bramble beside him, his nose on Joel’s knee. “The thing is… Levi’s mom got into bad habits when she was younger. We’re talking younger than Nate, by the way. Bad habits—and worse friends.”
“What kind of habits are we talking about?” Joel asked cautiously. Not that he didn’t already have an idea.
Finn’s gaze met his. “You do know Maine has an enormous drug crisis going on, right? It’s in the news often enough. It’s been that way for years, but I think it’s worse in inland areas.”
Joel nodded. “I think drugs are becoming a bigger problem wherever you live in this country.” He knew Nate was sensible, but Joel hoped to God his son didn’t start along that particular road. It has to be a temptation, right? One he prayed Nate was strong enough and wise enough to resist.
“Anyway, when Levi’s mom was eighteen, she left home. She made a whole lot of excuses about feeling trapped and having no freedom, and she was of age, so there wasn’t a whole lot her parents could do. She got herself a job, moved away from Wells, and sort of stayed in touch.”
“How do you know all this?”
Finn shrugged. “Levi told me. He shared it with all of us. He said Grammy was worried sick. And then the day came when his mom turned up on Grammy’s doorstep, pregnant.”
“Oh God.”
“Yeah. She didn’t know who the father was—or at least that’s what she said—and she swore to Grammy she’d turn things around.”
“Why do I get the idea that didn’t happen?”
Finn met his gaze. “Because you’ve seen enough to know how these situations usually work out? And you’re right, of course. It wasn’t long before she slipped back into her old ways.”
“But… she was pregnant.” Joel couldn’t understand how any woman could abuse their body with drugs when they knew there was a life growing inside them.
Finn nodded, his face somber. “Apparently, she stuck around for a while, then moved back to wherever she’d been living. Grammy was going out of her mind. So when they woke up one morning to find a baby on the doorstep, with a note saying he’d be better off with them, they weren’t really surprised.”
“Did they try to find her, to make sure she was okay?”
“Yeah. Grammy had social services working on it, and she even went so far as to hire a private detective. But the thing is, most social services are in the southern Maine/Portland areas. That’s a very small part of a very large state. People living outside the area don’t often have access to the help they need.”
“Did they eventually find her?”
Finn shook his head. “No one in Wells has heard from her since she left Levi with Grammy. Levi doesn’t know if his mom is alive or dead.”
Joel’s heart went out to Finn’s friend. He’d burned his bridges with his own parents