“Baxter residence,” a cheerful voice answers. Thank God.
“Mrs. Baxter? This is Callie.”
“Just a moment, dear. Let me go into my office.” A hand covers the phone, and I can hear her explaining something about ordering drapes before a door closes. “Callie, sweetheart. How are you?”
Oh, good. Wes and Shane haven’t turned their entire family on me yet. “I’m okay. You?”
“Lovely. By the way, if we get interrupted, and I start talking about fabric, just play along. The boys are here today, and they think I took a work call.”
Great. “So I guess Shane told everyone what I said.”
“Well, not entirely. He got here just a bit ago and said that things were a little strained with you this last week because you said some pretty mean things about Wesley. Wes just asked Shane what was said when you called, so I haven’t heard the whole story. Do you want to talk about it?”
I groan. “I’m so sorry. I never intend to stir up trouble with your family, but I somehow manage anyway.” I pinch the bridge of my nose and rest my elbow on my desk. “I basically told Makenna that Wes needs to grow some balls—pardon my language—and stop making excuses for himself, that life is hard for everyone and he shouldn’t shut down just because he’s had some bad things happen to him. It made it all a little worse that I was kinda hateful to Makenna over it, and of course, she told Shane, too. I’m so sorry, Eve.”
“Honey, you don’t have to apologize to me. I don’t think you said anything that wasn’t honest. Just give it some time. It will all blow over. Oh, uh . . . hang on just a minute.” She lays the phone down and I hear her asking someone what’s going on. A muffled voice answers, but I can’t tell who. She sighs and a door closes. “You still there?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Well, the boys are arguing and Robert is about to blow his top. We should meet up for lunch one day, and we’ll talk about everything. Was there a reason you called?”
“Oh, if you’re too busy . . .”
“No, no, no. What is it?”
Here goes nothing. “Chesley Adams.”
Everything is silent, and I begin to wonder if she’s hung up the phone. “Well,” she finally whispers. “That’s not a name I hear too often. What about her?”
I go on to explain how she showed up at Wes’ house the morning after the banquet and everything that was said, including the fact that I sent her our picture. Then I read the email to her, word for word. I can only faintly hear her breathing, so I know she’s still with me, but she doesn’t say anything.
“Eve, I know I shouldn’t have gotten myself mixed up in all of your family matters, and I apologize for crossing the line. If I tell her that I can’t help her, I get the impression that she won’t push the issue, but part of me thinks he needs this. It’s clearly none of my business, though. I just need your advice. You tell me how you want me to handle it, and that’s exactly what I’ll do.”
“Callie, you can’t tell anyone this, but I’m the one who gave her Wesley’s address.”
“You? But why?” If he ever found that out, he’d be pissed.
“Like you, I think he needs the closure. He needs to hear what she has to say, but I know he won’t listen to anyone. That’s a decision he needs to make on his own. I thought that if she showed up there, then he’d be forced into it. But of course, he wasn’t home when she went by there, and I think the gift on his doorstep freaked him out.”
It sure did. I saw him before and after, and “freaked out” doesn’t quite do it justice. “So maybe Chesley should talk to you about this. Maybe the two of you could set something up, so I don’t have to be involved at all.”
“No, Callie,” she stresses. “Wes can’t know I’m a part of this. He’ll look at it like I’m trying to push him on her, like I don’t want him anymore. You can imagine what that will do to him. To me, Wesley is my son, not hers, and I don’t love the idea of him having any sort of a relationship with her. But I also have a feeling that it could be healing for him. I think you should meet up with her. Talk to her, talk to Wes, and see if you can make some kind of breakthrough with him. He’ll listen to you. He won’t give you any idea that he’s listening, but he will be. It may not turn out for the best in the end, but like I said, closure could make such a difference with him.”
I expected her to tell me to ignore Chesley’s email or to tell her I won’t be a part of it. I never ever expected her to tell me to go for it. She’s been his mother for . . . well, I don’t know how long, but long enough that he considers her to be his mom. I’m shocked that she’s actually pushing for him to see the woman who gave him up. “You’re sure about this?”