Refuge(66)

“Is everything okay?” he asked with a note of concern in his voice.

“Everything is great. Why?”

“Because you usually call every few days and we talked last night. You’re sure you are okay?”

I stretched out on the bed. “I’m sure Tristan would have told you if anything was wrong.”

There was a short pause before he cleared his throat. “So he told you. I thought I should know what kind of people are taking care of you out there. Your . . . grandfather sounds like a nice, responsible person, and he cares about you very much.”

“I’m not mad at you, Nate. I think it’s kind of sweet actually. I just don’t know why you didn’t tell me you two were becoming long-distance pals.”

“I didn’t want you to think I don’t trust you or that I’m checking up on you. If you don’t want me talking to him, I won’t.”

“No, I think it’s great that you two are getting to know each other. Just do me one favor and please, please don’t talk about my love life with him ever again. Do you know how awkward it is to find out that your uncle and your grandfather have been discussing your boyfriend situation?”

Nate laughed. “Okay, I promise no more of that. Is there a boyfriend situation?”

“Nate!”

“You can’t blame me for trying.”

I let out a loud, exaggerated sigh. “No, there is no boyfriend. I think I made a friend, though.”

“You think you made a friend?”

“Well, with Jordan it’s hard to tell. She can be a bit prickly, and she’s not really a people person.”

“Hmmm. Sounds a bit like a girl who used to live here for a while.”

“My uncle, the comedian,” I quipped, earning another laugh from him. “Anyway, you’ll meet her when you get here. You are still coming for Thanksgiving, right?”

“Wouldn’t miss it.”

“Tristan told me he’s sending the jet. Wait’ll you see this thing; it’s like the whole rock star treatment.”

“I can’t wait.”

“And don’t forget Oscar.” I couldn’t wait to see him again, although the imps probably wouldn’t be as happy about his arrival. I still needed to pick up a litter box and food for him, and I made a note to ask Tristan if I could go shopping in town. Terrence and Josh went into Butler Falls all the time and no one seemed to have a problem with it.

“Don’t worry; he is at the top of my list.”

“List? What else are you bringing?”

There was a noticeable pause before he answered. “A box of things from your old house.”

I felt my brow crease. “What things? I have all my dad’s stuff.”

Another pause. “These are some things your father kept of your mother’s. I held onto them because I thought you might want them someday.”

“I don’t,” I replied stiffly, too shocked by his revelation to say more. I’d always assumed Madeline had taken everything of hers when she left us. Now to find out that Nate had kept some of her belongings all this time . . .

“I know but I thought Tristan might like to have them. It’s just some old books and photo albums and a few letters, but they may be of sentimental value to him.”

I started to say something not so nice and stopped myself. I felt nothing but animosity for Madeline, but she was still Tristan’s daughter and it was clear he cared about her. I saw the pain he tried to hide whenever I refused to talk about her. Madeline’s belongings meant nothing to me, but they might mean a great deal to him.

“I’m sure he will appreciate that, Nate.”

We talked for another ten minutes, mostly about his book. He told me that a reporter from a New York literary magazine had contacted him yesterday about doing an interview. The woman was coming up from New York next week to meet with him, and I could tell Nate was pretty excited about it. He promised to tell me all about it when he came to visit.

I hung up and started to log into my computer when I heard a soft knock on the door. Glancing at my clock, I saw it was after nine thirty, and I wondered who was visiting me this late. I was surprised to find the hallway empty, except for a small flat box on the floor in front of my door. Who would leave me a package? I picked it up and shook it, but it didn’t make any noise.

Closing the door, I carried the box to my desk and lifted the top to reveal a folded sheet of heavy linen stationary lying on top of the tissue paper that concealed the contents of the box. I opened the note and felt a second jolt of surprise when I saw who had penned it.

I hope you will come to love these as I do. Desmund.