the door.
“Are you still up?” She came into the room and sat on the foot of the bed. “Of course you’re still up or I wouldn’t be sitting here, would I?” She removed the ribbon and a band from her braid and started to loosen her hair, running her fingers through it and groaning with pleasure. “So tell me, did you have a good time? What do you think of The Trip?” Her hair billowed out around her shoulders. “You and Jason seemed to be getting along better. Did he ask you out?”
“Yes, for next Saturday.” Charlie sat up. “I hope your friend can teach me not to be such a klutz.”
“I’m sure he can. I saw him after you left and he’s agreed to meet you at The Trip on Tuesday morning. He says he’ll work with you right up to the weekend, but he thinks it probably won’t be necessary.”
“Why would he do this for me? He doesn’t even know me.”
Janelle gave her an odd look. “No, but he’s a friend of Matt’s and mine, and around here people help out their friends.”
“I guess I’m not quite used to that.” She changed the subject. “Did you have a good time tonight?”
“Yes, I did, but Jack scolded me for not introducing you.” She toyed with the ribbon she’d removed from her braid. “We’ve been going out for a few months, but I still feel guilty, as though I’m not being true to Matt’s memory.”
“Jason says Jack is a nice guy.”
Janelle smiled. “He is. Matt knew him, of course. He liked him, too.”
“Well then.” Charlie smoothed her hand over the quilt, choosing her words carefully. “It sounds like Uncle Matt would have approved,”
“You know something? You’re right. It’s time I stopped beating myself up for being human. I have a lot of years left.” Janelle looked at her steadily. “What about you? I hope you’re not going to let your experience with the former boyfriend influence your future relationships.”
“Maybe at first.” She felt a blush creep into her cheeks. “But not now.”
“Good.” Janelle picked up her crutches. “Let’s have breakfast together, okay? I bought a waffle iron because you were coming and I’m dying to try it out.”
“I saw some strawberries in the fridge.” Charlie slid down in the bed. “I can taste them already.”
Janelle leaned over and stroked her hair. “Goodnight, kid.”
* * *
“I can’t believe I’m having seconds.” Janelle dusted powdered sugar over the waffles and spooned strawberries on top. “But these are good.”
“I learned how to make waffles one year at camp. I was assigned to help out in the kitchen.” Charlie slid her plate into the sink and sat back down opposite her aunt. “I hope you’ll let me know what needs doing beyond the regular cooking or housework.”
Janelle licked powdered sugar from her lips. “I will, but the dance lessons come first. She shoved her plate aside and took a sip of her coffee, cradling the mug in both hands. “By the way, how did you make out in the attic yesterday? I forgot to ask you.”
A tingling sensation crept down the back of Charlie’s neck. For some reason, she wasn’t quite ready to discuss what she’d discovered. She picked up her aunt’s plate and walked to the sink. “It was interesting. There’s a great spot to read up there, did you know?”
Janelle gave a vague wave of her hand. “I haven’t been up there in ages. The attic’s not my favourite place.”
“You were right about the books. There’s a good selection and a comfy chair and lamp. And oh, yes, that sweet little teapot that was on the table here the night I arrived.”
Janelle frowned. “Here?”
Charlie tapped the center of the table. “Yes, right here. It had lavender in it.”
A shadow crossed Janelle’s face and she shook her head. “No, you must be mistaken. I know the teapot you mean, but I haven’t seen it for years.” She smiled brightly. “I’ll bet you remember it from your visit here when you were small.”
“But…” Charlie
“Are you still up?” She came into the room and sat on the foot of the bed. “Of course you’re still up or I wouldn’t be sitting here, would I?” She removed the ribbon and a band from her braid and started to loosen her hair, running her fingers through it and groaning with pleasure. “So tell me, did you have a good time? What do you think of The Trip?” Her hair billowed out around her shoulders. “You and Jason seemed to be getting along better. Did he ask you out?”
“Yes, for next Saturday.” Charlie sat up. “I hope your friend can teach me not to be such a klutz.”
“I’m sure he can. I saw him after you left and he’s agreed to meet you at The Trip on Tuesday morning. He says he’ll work with you right up to the weekend, but he thinks it probably won’t be necessary.”
“Why would he do this for me? He doesn’t even know me.”
Janelle gave her an odd look. “No, but he’s a friend of Matt’s and mine, and around here people help out their friends.”
“I guess I’m not quite used to that.” She changed the subject. “Did you have a good time tonight?”
“Yes, I did, but Jack scolded me for not introducing you.” She toyed with the ribbon she’d removed from her braid. “We’ve been going out for a few months, but I still feel guilty, as though I’m not being true to Matt’s memory.”
“Jason says Jack is a nice guy.”
Janelle smiled. “He is. Matt knew him, of course. He liked him, too.”
“Well then.” Charlie smoothed her hand over the quilt, choosing her words carefully. “It sounds like Uncle Matt would have approved,”
“You know something? You’re right. It’s time I stopped beating myself up for being human. I have a lot of years left.” Janelle looked at her steadily. “What about you? I hope you’re not going to let your experience with the former boyfriend influence your future relationships.”
“Maybe at first.” She felt a blush creep into her cheeks. “But not now.”
“Good.” Janelle picked up her crutches. “Let’s have breakfast together, okay? I bought a waffle iron because you were coming and I’m dying to try it out.”
“I saw some strawberries in the fridge.” Charlie slid down in the bed. “I can taste them already.”
Janelle leaned over and stroked her hair. “Goodnight, kid.”
* * *
“I can’t believe I’m having seconds.” Janelle dusted powdered sugar over the waffles and spooned strawberries on top. “But these are good.”
“I learned how to make waffles one year at camp. I was assigned to help out in the kitchen.” Charlie slid her plate into the sink and sat back down opposite her aunt. “I hope you’ll let me know what needs doing beyond the regular cooking or housework.”
Janelle licked powdered sugar from her lips. “I will, but the dance lessons come first. She shoved her plate aside and took a sip of her coffee, cradling the mug in both hands. “By the way, how did you make out in the attic yesterday? I forgot to ask you.”
A tingling sensation crept down the back of Charlie’s neck. For some reason, she wasn’t quite ready to discuss what she’d discovered. She picked up her aunt’s plate and walked to the sink. “It was interesting. There’s a great spot to read up there, did you know?”
Janelle gave a vague wave of her hand. “I haven’t been up there in ages. The attic’s not my favourite place.”
“You were right about the books. There’s a good selection and a comfy chair and lamp. And oh, yes, that sweet little teapot that was on the table here the night I arrived.”
Janelle frowned. “Here?”
Charlie tapped the center of the table. “Yes, right here. It had lavender in it.”
A shadow crossed Janelle’s face and she shook her head. “No, you must be mistaken. I know the teapot you mean, but I haven’t seen it for years.” She smiled brightly. “I’ll bet you remember it from your visit here when you were small.”
“But…” Charlie
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