Leaving Normal by Stef Holm (best ereader for graphic novels TXT) 📕

"Oh, good grief," Natalie said. "I invited Greg and his girlfriend, so it's already going to be a merry bunch."

"You invited Greg?" Sarah's gaze widened.

"He's picking Cassie up at the airport on Easter Day and driving her to my house. It would have been awkward if I hadn't invited Greg and his girlfriend in for a drink and hors d'oeuvres…I don't know. I figured I'm an adult and I should act like one."

The fact that Natalie had invited Greg was pretty big.

Fred mulled over the possible scenarios if Iris came, and the best he could say was, "I'll let you know. Maybe I'll ask her. We'll see."

His daughters smiled, two broad smiles that worried him. They'd be after poor Iris like fingers in icing on a cake.

He didn't know if he was ready to do that to his Iris.

Natalie stared at the phone when she got home from her dad's. She took a long hard look at it and decided it wasn't going to get any easier the longer she waited.

She picked it up, dialed a number and waited.

The line was answered on its second ring. "Hello?"

"Hi, Tony. It's Natalie."

"Hey. What's up?"

She bit her lower lip, gathered her thoughts. "I was wondering if you were free on Tuesday to come over for dinner."

"Sure."

Just like that. Sure. "Well, great."

"What can I bring?"

"Wine would be nice."

"Merlot?"

"Whatever you want would be fine."

She tucked her hair behind her ear, paused, and tried to think of something else to say. She couldn't. She grew anxious, uncertain.

This seemed so staged…so set up.

"Thanks for inviting me, Natalie," he said, pulling her from her thoughts.

"I wanted to." Before she could change her mind, she said, "Why don't you come over about seven."

"Sounds good. See you then."

He hung up and she disconnected the call.

Natalie sighed, straightened her shoulders and set the phone down. It was a done deal now.

She'd just sealed her fate. The ball was in motion.

Heading for the stairs, the phone rang and she had a moment of dread.

He's calling back to say he can't make it after all.

Natalie glanced at the caller ID, saw it was Cassie and let out a sigh of relief.

"Hi, Cassie."

"Hi, Mom."

The distance between them seemed so far. Sunday nights weren't the same without Cassie with them, and this Easter it would be nice to have her back.

"How're things going?" Natalie asked, walking through the house and turning off lights to head upstairs for the night.

"Good."

There was a pregnant pause.

Cassie didn't have to say anything. By the faintest sound of her daughter's breathing, Natalie could read into the length of silence. It wasn't good news.

"What happened?" she blurted, fearful.

"Nothing, Mom. Geez."

"Well, something's on your mind. I can read you like a book."

Cassie waited a few seconds, then she said, "I'm not coming home for Easter. I'm going to Minneapolis with Austin."

The news didn't readily register.

"You're what?"

"I'm taking spring break at Austin's house with his mom. I already changed my ticket, so you can't say no. Northwest flies into Minneapolis and the fee to reroute me wasn't that bad."

"Cassandra, I paid for that ticket," Natalie reasoned, trying to keep her voice calm. "You had no right to change it and have my credit card billed with the higher fee. Not to mention, you should have run this past me first."

"If I had, you would have told me I couldn't go."

"You are so right. We had plans for Easter. You knew you were expected here."

"I know, but Austin—"

"Austin came for Christmas and I was nice about it. I'm not going to be nice about this. I'm upset with you."

Natalie felt her ire rising. Cassie might be on her own, but she still had certain family obligations, especially when that airline ticket was already bought and paid for.

"Mom, I don't want to get into it with you and I'm sorry if I hurt yours and daddy's feelings."

"Greg knows about this, too?" That dinner invite was going to be yanked right out from under him if he had any clue about the change in plans.

"No, I was hoping you could tell him for me."

"Absolutely not. You'll have to call him."

"Okay. I will." Defiant, she continued, "Mom, this is important to me and I wish you could understand. Austin asked me to go to his house and that's a big deal for him. He wants me to see where he lives."

Once more, silence stretched between them, Natalie thinking how extremely unhappy she was.

And how she wished her daughter had never met Austin Mably.

"Mom?"

"I'm still here."

"Mom, please don't be angry. I'll come home soon. We'll look on the calendar and we'll set a date for a long weekend. Okay?"

Natalie dragged in a breath. "I'm disappointed."

"Oh," Cassie groaned. "Kids always hate it when their parents say that. Please don't."

"Well, it's true. I'm disappointed you didn't check with me first."

"I'm sorry."

Natalie couldn't say much of anything else. The reality was, an eighteen-year-old who thought she was in love thought she knew all the answers. But the real truth was Cassie didn't have enough experience to know that they weren't all the right ones.

In a case like this, Natalie had a feeling her daughter was just going to have to learn the hard way. And maybe the increase in airline fare was a small price to pay for the lesson.

Chapter Twenty

Sheet Music

Tony couldn't remember the last time he'd had a dinner cooked for him. Kim had never been big on domestic skills but that had never really been a problem for him. He knew how to cook, plus he ate a lot of his meals at the fire station.

Going out to dinner was a nice break from cooking. He had his favorite places and liked being waited on. But a home-cooked meal by a beautiful woman was far more preferable.

Tonight Natalie had set the table with place mats and red napkins. She'd put flowers in the center and had lit candles, as well. He sat sipping a glass of wine, watching her at the stove. She was