The Magnolia Cafe(28)
“You can’t blame yourself for your father’s death. One argument doesn’t cause a person to die. You know he must have had heart disease, right?”
“I only know he asked me not to go. To wait another year. To stay and help him. But I didn’t.”
“It wasn’t really your responsibility to save your father’s business, or the family, or any of that. You were so young. Your parents were supposed to be… well, parents. They made choices. Your mother could have worked more, they could have hired more staff.”
“Money was really tight then. We spent so much money for Kat’s medical bills and converting the house so it was wheelchair friendly.”
Hunt wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close. “I’m so sorry. I wish I would have been here. Found some way to help.”
“It wasn’t yours to fix. But you know who did help a lot? Kevin. I think he felt sorry for us. He actually built the ramp into the house and repaired I don’t know how many things for me at the cafe. He was so handy at stuff like that. He always had some silly story to tell Katherine to make her laugh.”
Hunt’s stomach rolled, and he clenched his jaw. Kevin’s secret wrapped around him like barbed wire, digging at him, taunting him if he tried to move or breathe.
“Anyway, I owe it to my father to keep the cafe going. Provide for Kat and Mother. Writing was just a crazy dream of mine.” Keely stared out into the darkened yard.
Two secrets revealed in one night.
Hunt sat in silence, holding Keely against him. Any words he had to say that could help her were lodged firmly in his throat.
~ * ~
Keely had turned down Hunt’s offer to walk her home. She walked home alone every night. She sure didn’t need an escort tonight. The town was as safe as any town could be these days. Besides, her walk home from work gave her time to unwind from the day. Not to mention she was feeling uncomfortable about sharing all her guilt with Hunt. He probably didn’t understand anyway. He’d always been free to do what he wanted. Travel. No responsibilities. He just couldn’t understand what it was like to have no choice. And his remarks about how everyone had choices just grated on her. She didn’t have a choice. Not at all.
She looked up at the moon, brightly lighting up the sky. It was either almost a full moon, or maybe just past a full moon. Waxing or waning so slightly she couldn’t tell. When she was young, she’d always kept track of when the next full moon would be in her journal. She wondered when she’d stopped doing that. Probably after Kat’s accident. It had seemed frivolous to look forward to such a silly thing as a full moon.
She reached her house after a few minutes’ walk and turned for one last glance at the moon before heading in the house. The front room was empty, but she could see the kitchen lights spilling out into the hall. She walked back to see who was still up. Katherine sat in her wheelchair pulled up to the kitchen table with papers spread out before her.
“Hey there, KitKat, what are you up to?”
“You haven’t called me KitKat in years.” Katherine looked up from her papers and smiled. “I’ve kind of missed it.”
Keely dropped down into the chair beside her sister. “Summerfest plans?”
“I’m just making some notes to talk to Bella about tomorrow. We’re going to meet at the cafe before she opens the shop. Can I catch a ride with you in the morning?”
“I leave really early. I could come back and get you.”
“No, that’s okay. You don’t have to make a second trip. I’ll go in with you and keep working on my plans until Bella shows up.”
Keely nodded. “Mom go up to bed already?”
“She did. After arguing with me about working on planning Summerfest. And watching Natalie’s boys.” Katherine grinned. “Oh, and let’s not forget me learning the books at the cafe and the—and I quote verbatim—the silly, ridiculous patio that’s just a waste of good money.”
“Well, I see she at least has her list of complaints at the ready.”
“And I think I found a car and a guy who can convert it to hand controls for me.” Katherine pushed a paper over with precisely written notes and a total for the car and conversion. “Do you think we can swing this? Is it too much?”
“Not at all. Very reasonable.” Where the heck was she going to come up with the ready cash?
“I’m sure it will take me a while to learn to drive again, especially using the hand controls. But I’d like to get my license again. I want the independence.”
“Well, we’ll make it work to buy the car then.” Keely quickly tried to figure how to rob Peter to pay Paul. Or more likely rob the renovation fund to pay for the car. But she’d find a way to make it work. Katherine didn’t ask for much.