Page 40 of Welcome Home to Ivy Falls (Ivy Falls #3)
FORD
Hairline Fracture
My mother looked out of place amongst the colorful booths, bounce houses and food vendors lining the square. With her hair pulled back in a tight bun, her high heels clacking against the brick-paved sidewalks, she blended in about as well as a crow in a snow bank.
I didn’t know why she was here but her silence made the knots in my shoulders tighten. When Claudia Cannon Beloit Foster showed up anywhere unannounced it meant things were seriously wrong.
‘How is your leg feeling? Are you still going to physical therapy?’ I said, needing to break the tension.
‘I still have a little achiness, some tightness, but the PT helps with those issues.’
‘What about the cane?’
She shot me a deadly look. ‘I’m too young to be using a damn cane.’
‘If it helps with your balance.’ I gave an annoyed look at her heels. ‘You should use it.’
Her lips stayed tight as we passed the P&P and the Dairy Dip. More than once people stopped me, shook my hand, thanked me for taking care of their child’s fever, their wife’s cold or a friend’s rash. Each time it happened, the lines in my mother’s forehead bunched together.
By the time we reached the end of the street, the reason for her unexpected trip to Ivy Falls gnawing at me, I pulled her down onto a wrought-iron bench in front of the hardware store.
‘Mother, you did not come all this way to see Piper’s show. What do you want? Do you need me to say I’m sorry for not telling you about my new contract? Because I do feel bad for keeping it from you, but I’m not going to apologize for following my passion. For going where my skills are needed.’
She was about to answer when Greta and Silvio turned the corner. Greta made a beeline straight for me with Silvio hot on her heels.
‘Doc,’ she said, giving me a quick wave. ‘Didn’t our girl do a bang-up job tonight?’
‘She did.’
Greta’s gaze flicked to my mother. ‘I know most of the folks in Ivy Falls, but you’re a new face.’
‘I’m Ford’s mother,’ she said with a brittle smile.
Greta lit up like a Fourth of July rocket.
‘Well, how do you do?’ She reached for Mom’s hand, pumping it up and down.
‘You’ve got to be real proud of your son.
He’s taken care of this town like a pro.
Most of us old folks around here don’t do well with change, but Ford’s kindness, generosity, has won us all over. ’
‘It’s true.’ Silvio gently extricated Greta’s hand from my mother’s.
‘When my sweetie here got sick a while back, Ford stepped right in. Made sure she got the best care. Ever since, he’s been to our place regularly, making sure she’s improved.
’ He gave Greta a weighted look. ‘Taking her medicine. There aren’t enough words to say how grateful we are for having him here for a short time in Ivy Falls. ’
‘You’re being too generous. All I’m doing is my job.’
‘No siree, mister,’ Greta objected. ‘You’ve got a keen eye.’ She turned to Mom. ‘Just by doing a few tests, he had an idea of what was wrong with me. Sent me right off to the emergency room at Vanderbilt. Connected me to a world-renowned cardiologist there. Your son is truly something special.’
My mother’s lower lip trembled, the steely facade she always wore like an expensive suit cracking with a hairline fracture.
Mayor Wright stepped into the square and called to Silvio about needing more trash bags from the hardware store.
‘Duty calls.’ Silvio smiled. Greta gave Mom’s hand one more firm pump, before she walked to a bench where Isabel and Tessa were sitting.
The screech of kids, sweet scent of cotton candy and grilled hot dogs tinged the air. Every time there was an event to celebrate, Ivy Falls sure knew how to put on a show.
‘This place is charming,’ Mom said quietly.
‘It is, but I’m not letting you change the subject. You never answered my question. Why are you here?’
She scrubbed her hands up and down her pants. ‘Your father and I had a fight after the anniversary party.’ Her head swiveled to where a group of boys from the show were cheering each other on as they shoveled hot dogs into their mouths. ‘They remind me of you and Gray,’ she said wistfully.
‘The argument,’ I said quietly. ‘Was that because of me?’
‘Yes, but that isn’t your fault. It only brought to a head problems that have been brewing for a long time.
’ Her gaze returned to the pack of boys.
‘Since you were young, your father and I have been at odds about parenting. I wanted you boys to have a chance to run a little wild. To have fun, make mistakes, all without the pall of the Foster name weighing on you.’ She shook her head in defeat.
‘My father was not a kind man. Whenever I made even the smallest mistake, brought home the wrong grade, didn’t get picked as valedictorian, missed graduating summa cum laude by a few points in college, he was quick to berate me.
In the stiffest, coldest voice he’d say I’d sullied the Beloit name.
It was too much for me. Made me insecure.
Second-guess every choice I’d made in my life.
’ She sucked in a heavy breath. ‘I never wanted that for you and Gray.’
‘What happened then? Why did you always go along with Dad?’
‘He bulldozed over me in his tyrannical way. My own father was cruel, and sadly, I ended up marrying a man exactly like him’ She patted stiffly at her hair.
‘I’m sixty-one years old and tired of living by your father’s rules.
It’s time I break this ridiculous cycle of expectations.
And,’ she gave me a determined look, ‘you and Gray don’t need to live by them anymore either.
’ She tilted her chin down. Clasped her hands firmly in her lap.
‘I asked your father to leave. Told him the only way he could return is if he changes. Starts respecting the choices his sons make. I’ve stood by for too long and let this nonsense go on. ’
Miss Cheri and Miss Marta from the elementary school passed by and gave me big waves.
A pained smile crossed my mother’s lips. ‘They really do love you here, don’t they?’
‘It’s mutual,’ I said.
‘That young woman, Piper. I heard she let your dad have it at the party.’
‘Yeah, she did. I just wish I’d spoken up sooner so she didn’t have to go off on him. That’s a mistake I won’t make again.’
Mom surveyed me for a long beat. ‘She means a lot to you.’
‘Yes,’ I said without hesitation.
‘By the guarded way she looks at me, I’m going to assume Gray told her I was a viper.’
I gave her the side-eye and she laughed.
‘He’s not far off sometimes. Even I know I can be over the top.’
The sounds of children’s laughter, the whoosh and hum of the air compressors running the bounce houses, filled the air. All the intensity in my mother’s posture faded.
‘Your father isn’t the only one who needs to change.
I don’t want to lose you or your brother because I’m too tied to the past. To the rules of a society that don’t matter anymore.
In time, I hope you’ll see that I do love you, and I’m proud of what you’ve done with your life.
’ Her lower lip quivered again. ‘It’s hard to accept you being thousands of miles away for another long period of time, but I can see by this town’s reaction to you that you’re good at what you do.
That your skills are needed in important places. ’
‘Thank you. I’m glad you’re seeing how much my work means to me.’
She waited a beat before saying, ‘Have you told Piper how you feel about her?’
‘Is it that obvious?’
Her answer was a soft smile I hadn’t seen since I was very young.
‘It’s complicated. She lives here. I need to go back to Senegal.’
‘I know I’m years too late to give you advice, but if you’ll indulge me this one time?’
‘Go ahead.’
‘Happiness is a dream we often spend a lifetime chasing. When you find it, you should hold on tightly with both hands and never let go.’ She held my gaze. ‘If she owns a part of your heart, tell her.’ She reached out and patted my cheek. ‘Do you understand me, Crawford?’
‘Yes, Mom. I do.’
‘Good. Now, I smell brisket.’ She stood and turned her head toward the food booths. ‘Why don’t we grab a bite to eat and you can introduce me to the place you’ve been calling home.’
I held out my arm and she took my offer of support. All of this was hard for her, but I had to give her credit for showing up, for telling me how she felt. The question was could I find that same strength to confess my feelings to Piper?