been alive to witness her loaning their son that chunk of money for the bathroom remodel six months earlier he’d have had a fit. William now had a new position in his company and was making a boatload of money. So far there had been no mention of paying her back. He would, though. Eventually. Hopefully.
“Why don’t you come with me on my cruise?” Denise suggested.
“Oh, I don’t know...” Catherine hesitated.
“Come on,” Denise urged. “This Christmas cruise is going to be fabulous. We’ll hit all those European Christmas markets, drink Glühwein, eat gingerbread...”
“Blow our diets.”
Not that Denise needed to worry about that. She never went more than five pounds over svelte. Catherine, on the other hand, rarely made it within twenty pounds over her ideal weight. If only she didn’t like to bake...and eat what she baked.
“We can get back on them in the new year.” Denise pointed out the coffee shop window at the gray Seattle sky. “Don’t you want to get away?”
Catherine did, indeed, want to get away, not just from the Seattle rain but from her life. But you were stuck in the skin you were in, and no matter where she went she’d still be going through what she was going through.
“I don’t know,” she said with a sigh, and shoved away her to-go cup and the last half of her muffin.
“I really don’t want to be in a stateroom all by myself. That darned Janelle, backing out at the last minute.” Denise shook her head. “It won’t be half as much fun if I have to go by myself.”
She wouldn’t be by herself for long. Unlike Catherine, Denise instantly made friends wherever she went.
“And who’s going to keep me from eating too much kuchen?”
“Kuchen?”
“Cake. German pastries are the best, trust me. Just think, Amsterdam, Heidelberg, men in lederhosen.”
Catherine raised an eyebrow. “In December?”
“Okay, maybe not. But who knows who we might meet?”
Denise the merry widow. She’d been on her own for ten years. Carlisle, her dead husband, had been her one true love, but that didn’t stop her from enjoying a string of boyfriends or traveling with girlfriends. Denise had adapted well to being on her own. Catherine wasn’t sure she ever would.
Denise brought out her brochure with pictures of the towns and cities where the ship would stop. “Isn’t it magical?”
It did look magical. The brochure showed her town centers with fountains and cobbled streets, stately ancient churches with their spires piercing the sky, pictures of the Christmas markets all lit up and thronged with happy shoppers. And there was a picture of the boat, all decked out in lights.
It was indeed. And tempting.
“We can split the cost of the room,” Denise continued, “and I’m sure my travel agent can work things out with the cruise company to get you on the plane since Janelle only pooped out on me yesterday. Your passport’s up-to-date, right?”
“It is.” Catherine had been looking forward to using it after Bill retired. She’d never gotten the chance.
“Then dust it off and let’s go. After we get back you can have Christmas with me and Carrie and the girls.”
A trip down the Rhine River, checking out scenic towns and bustling Christmas markets or sitting home alone, yearning for the past, being miserable in the present and worrying about the future—decisions, decisions.
“All right,” said Catherine. Why not? “You talked me into it.” Suddenly, the month of December was looking much brighter. Almost merry.
“Should you be traveling?” asked her daughter when she mentioned it during a phone conversation later that night.
Lila had called to see if Mom could come stay with the kids the night of James’s office Christmas party and had been shocked to hear her mother wouldn’t be around.
“I think I’ll be fine. I’m feeling pretty good.”
“It’s only been three weeks since your surgery.”
“I know. But my energy’s starting to come back. I’m fine. Anyway, it will have been over a month by the time we go.”
“You shouldn’t be traveling halfway across the world all by yourself,” Lila said firmly.
“I won’t be by myself. I’ll be with Denise. Anyway, I want to do something fun this December.”
There was a long moment of silence. Did Lila think Catherine was guilting her? Hmm. Maybe she was, just a little.
“I still think it’s a bad idea, but it’s your decision.”
No kidding. “Yes, it is.”
Lila heaved a sigh. “I’d better start calling around for a babysitter.”
“Yes, you had.” Because Catherine was going to have a life.