at me as if I hadn’t said anything.
Barry came toward us carrying a stack of paper plates with pizza slices. As we stepped aside to let him through, Heather touched his arm in a possessive manner. “Your leg bothering you, hon?” He said he was fine and went on outside.
“Don’t worry, Jeffrey and I will take care of the cleanup,” Heather said to me. “It’ll be a bonding experience.”
“Whatever,” I said walking through my kitchen. The last thing I needed right now was to watch Detective Heather show off her mothering skills. More than ever I longed for my room. As I passed the hall, Samuel came out of his room. “You should do something. He’s taking over the place.” He pointed toward the closed door of his room. “I had to put the cats in there.”
I was getting a little close to the edge. I didn’t say anything, but I thought of how my other son Peter had complained when Samuel had moved back home. And now Samuel was complaining about Barry.
“There’s too much commotion around here. I’m going over to Nell’s,” my son said. He’d started seeing CeeCee’s niece. I wasn’t sure if it was good or bad. Either way it was really none of my business. “She’s got that great guesthouse. Too bad we couldn’t build one here,” he said. He went back in his room and came out holding his guitar case. “Got a gig later,” he called as he went toward the front door.
I was already rethinking my plans as I entered my peaceful domain. No way could I relax in a bath, and did I really want to fill up a bowl with rich ice cream under Detective Heather’s judgmental stare? How had I managed to lose control of my own house?
When Mason had first mentioned that his daughter was getting married—back when he simply referred to her as “my oldest”—I’d decided to make a wedding hankie for her because of how I felt about him. I’d found a white linen one with no edging and then added a lacy trim with white crochet thread. I’d always intended to give it to him so he could pass it on to her. Now seemed like a good time to take it over there even though I’d be showing up unannounced. I wrote a note and wrapped the hankie in some tissue paper and put them in a rosy pink small shopping bag.
I took the back roads to get to Mason’s. It was dark and atmospheric as I passed the giant eucalyptus trees along Wells Drive and turned onto Valley Vista, which twisted though the rustically landscaped area of Encino. Mason’s house was on the other side of Ventura Boulevard and eventually, I turned onto a side street and headed north. It wasn’t quite the soothing bath I’d envisioned taking, but the ride did a lot to smooth out the kinks.
I parked in front of his sprawling ranch-style house. Soft lights illuminated the white-barked beech trees in the sloping front yard. I rethought the idea of just ringing his doorbell, and was about to call him on my phone, but then decided a call would make too big a production out of it. If no one answered the door, I would just leave the package.
I loved the redbrick walkway that led to the small porch in front of the door. I was pleased with how I packaged the hankie in the deep pink shopping bag. I punched the bell and, after a beat, bent down to leave the package. When I felt the whoosh of the door opening, I grabbed the bag and straightened.
“I thought you weren’t home,” I said expecting to see Mason. Instead a blond woman stood in the doorway, looking me up and down.
I admit I was also eyeing her, wondering who she was. I had a sudden desire to leave. I’d been the third wheel enough today. “If you could give this to Mason. It’s for his daughter,” I said pushing the shopping bag on her. “I made her something for her wedding, but I don’t really know her.” I was babbling and I wanted to get out of there. She took the bag and rustled through the tissue paper. She pulled out the hankie and didn’t seem to know what to do with it. Finally she dropped it back in the bag.
“Molly, don’t go,” Mason’s voice called from inside. Mason’s and my relationship had moved up a notch beyond just friends,