and sighed. “Then after Dana’s husband was killed, we tried to help her, but everything we did only pushed her further away.”
"Don't blame yourself," Theo said. "You loved her and did the best you could. Our children have to grow up to make their own choices. And the hardest thing to do is let them, especially when a grandchild’s welfare is at stake.”
“Watching the way she treated Shelby, all the men coming and going and the constant moving, it broke my heart. And if I said anything, Dana would avoid us for months. Then when my husband, Stan, died, Dana made a brief appearance at her father’s funeral and left the next day. I was devastated.”
Theo hated to see Alice hurting like this. “I understand. And I am here for you and Shelby, no matter what.”
“Thank you,” she said.
"I think all parents, or at least the good ones, worry about the same thing. I’ve had plenty of days I wonder what I could have done differently or better with mine.”
"You too?" Alice said.
"I wonder with my Cam if I put too much pressure on him to do well in school and to succeed. And now look at him. He lives in Seattle and all he does is work. But I realize, that’s his choice for now. As parents, we have to step back and let them learn their own lessons.”
Alice nodded. “I guess so. It’s hard when you want to help, save them the pain and lessons we’ve already gone through.”
“We survived,” Theo said with a smile. “They will, too.”
“I agree,” Alice said. “It’s Shelby who concerns me most. She wants to spend her last two years of high school in a stable environment and I think that would be best for her. But I’ve never been good at standing up to my own daughter.”
Theo agreed. He didn’t want to interfere, but there was something to be said about helping those in need.
"Sounds like we need to call out the reserves,” Theo said. “I’m in.”
Alice laughed. "You have no idea the battle we will be facing.”
"I’m sure all the members of Shelby’s dog walking club will do what they can to help. Shelby is sixteen now, right? Legally she’s able to make her own choice of where and who to live with.”
Alice sighed. “That’s true, if Dana will let her.”
Steph wandered back to their table. “Anything else I can get you two?”
“Excellent, as always,” Theo said. “Just the check please.”
Theo paid the bill and escorted Alice outside. On their way home, they kept under the shade of the tall trees as much as possible. There were few other walkers on the path, mostly young people, and a family rode by on bikes of various sizes in the street. Heat waves rose off the lake below, but the beach was as crowded as ever with colorful umbrellas making the sand look like an old fashioned painting.
When they reached Alice’s porch, Theo gave Alice a reassuring hug. "I hope you know I'm here for you."
Alice looked up into his eyes. "I feel so lucky that we've found each other, even so late in life. I never thought…”
Theo smiled. "And I never dreamed."
"And yet here we are," Alice said. "Mature enough to finally realize love is a gift, no matter when it graces us.”
“And wise enough to know we have to say ‘yes’ to it while we still can."
Alice smiled. "Yes," she said.
Theo smiled back. "Definitely, yes."
Chapter 32
Shelby had an appointment to walk Karma today and Mindy would be joining them. Mindy had requested for Shelby to continue walking with them as she recovered. Shelby was keeping her dog walking schedule reliable no matter what, and wasn't going to let her worries change that.
Before she left, she texted Logan to see how Mutt was doing and let his family know the latest progress on Mrs. Williams. Shelby had been relieved to hear Alice and Eleanor had visited the hospital yesterday. Mrs. Williams was recovering. Even though she had been alone the night they’d found her, Mrs. Williams said she could not remember a thing about it. Sometimes, Shelby thought, that was a good thing.
Mrs. Williams’ daughter had arrived and was making arrangements to transfer her mother to a care facility. Shelby thought about her own grandmother. How alone Alice had been since Grandpa died, and how much better she seemed to be with Shelby here. She hoped Mrs. Williams would end up living with someone who loved her. And of course, Mutt too.