“I could find out from her attorney what it would take to end it on good terms,” Brie said. “If they want to go the distance, we can take your case to the mediator. Usually abandonment factors in the bottom line. She left you. She never lived with you after that. She might only be successful in getting half of your net worth at the time of separation and nothing more...”
“It wouldn’t be much,” he said. “I’m a pack rat. A tidy pack rat, but I have all the old tax returns and bank statements. I’m self-employed; I kept very good records.”
“Let me give it a go.”
“I think that would be a good idea,” he said. “Thank you.”
11
KAYLEE HELPED WITH the holiday baskets on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and again it brought her great pleasure. Her mother used to always say, Feeling a little sorry for yourself? Do something nice for someone else. Particularly someone you don’t know. That will put you right. She hadn’t done it intentionally but it never failed to be completely true. And it wasn’t a case of seeing people who had it worse and thus making her feel better. It was about giving. Her mother was right. Giving fed the soul.
When she got home, she fed her kitty and then went straight to Landry’s house. She found him in the shop, working on his sculpture. “Did you go to Eureka and get seafood?”
He grinned at her. “Shouldn’t you kiss me before you ask if I’ve done my chores?”
She hopped right into his arms and kissed him long enough and lovingly enough to convince him of her gratitude.
“Can I see it?” she asked.
“First we have something important to do. Go pet your dog and then I have somewhere to take you. I have something to show you.”
“What?”
“A surprise. You’re going to like it. Let’s not waste a lot of time with you trying to figure it out.”
“I’m not that crazy about surprises.”
“No arguing for once!” he said. “If you don’t like this one I promise I’ll never do it again!”
“Fair enough,” she said, running out to the kennel to check on Lady. The new mother was looking so good. She’d filled out, her coat was clean and shiny and thick, her puppies were getting big and playful. Lady looked to be a yellow Lab with the most beautiful American head, a long sleek nose, and deep, soulful brown eyes. Kaylee learned all this by looking through a lot of Landry’s books about dogs. When Lady saw Kaylee she seemed to smile. She wagged her tail and shook off four puppies and went directly to Kaylee, putting her face right against Kaylee’s face.
“I’m happy to see you, too, but I hear there’s a surprise of some kind. Such a pretty girl; such a good girl. You have to stay here. I’ll see you later. Stay.”
Kaylee ran back to Landry. “Okay, let’s do this. I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.”
“There could be food involved in this surprise,” he said.
“I hope so.”
She told him about her day of delivering food boxes with Mel as he drove right through Virgin River. “We’re not going to Jack’s?” she asked.
“Not this time,” he said. “Haven’t you had enough of Jack’s after the last two days?”
“Probably, but did I mention I’m starving?”
“A time or ten,” he said, laughing at her.
Just a few minutes later they pulled up to the Templetons’ house.
“What the heck, are the Templetons back in town?”
He parked his truck right in the driveway. “Why don’t we have a look?” he said. “This is your surprise. Go ring the bell. I’m right behind you.”
“You’re so cute,” she said. “What a nice surprise. They must be here for Thanksgiving and you set this up.”
She ran up the stone walk to the front door and rang the bell, but it wasn’t a Templeton who answered. It was Janette. “Well, hello, cookie,” she said. Right behind her was Korby. “Hey, girlfriend.” And crowding in were Michelle, then Terri and Maggie. And then there was a group hug and of course, tears.
“Oh my God, my God, my God, what are you doing here? You’re here, you’re here,” Kaylee exclaimed. She couldn’t stop crying.
“We’re going to have a replay of last Thanksgiving, our last one all together and one of the best ever!” Janette said.
“But how did you get this house?” she asked.
“I got a call from Bonnie Templeton and she said it was all arranged. There’s not quite enough room at your place, so we needed something larger. This place is great! I may never leave.”
“But your families?” Kaylee asked, wiping the tears from her cheeks.
“Everyone is taken care of,” Janette said. “It was a little last-minute, but sometimes the girl squad has to step in and make it happen. Now, don’t you be expecting a reunion every year, but this was a good idea.”
“I’m blown away,” Kaylee said. “Wait! Where’s Landry?” She pulled out of her girlfriends’ arms and saw his back as he was leaving.
“Hey, you!” Janette called. “Where do you think you’re going?”
He turned and waved. “You girls have a good party. I’ll get Kaylee’s bag.”
“I have a bag?” she said to Janette.
“I asked him to throw a few overnight things together for you. Anything he missed I’m sure one of us has. But don’t you let him get away. He doesn’t have to sleep over but he stocked the place with food for us and he’s very cute so he stays to eat. And I won’t hear any argument.”
“You won’t hear one from me,” Kaylee said.
When Landry handed over her small duffel, she said, “You have to stay. At least through dinner.”
“And come back for the feast tomorrow,” Michelle said. “You can be our mascot.”
“I should probably be your chaperone,” he said.
And there was a loud pop as the champagne was opened in the kitchen. Six women shouted, “Woo!”
* * *
Landry flipped burgers on the grill for the sisterhood, who put together the side dishes. It was cold and dark outside and he stood alone, but the women were not far away and he thrilled in hearing the talk and the laughter. They got a fire going in the big stone fireplace right away and lit candles all around the great room. “Be careful of those,” he heard Kaylee say. “This place already burned down once.” He chuckled and shook his head. She was pretty bossy. He loved it.
Janette had contacted him. She’d had a call from Howard Sloan, Kaylee’s father. He wondered what it would take to bring all of Meredith’s friends together for Thanksgiving for Kaylee. Janette then called Landry and the Templetons and of course she called the tribe together. Only Korby had kids around for Thanksgiving and her husband happily agreed to take them to his parents’ house for the holiday. Janette’s kids were married and spent their holiday with in-laws, so it all fell together. She had explained the plans a half-dozen times as he scribbled notes because there was no way he’d remember everything.
Then Janette texted him a shopping list. All she really needed him to do was buy that seafood in Eureka, but he’d done much more. Every one of them threw extra groceries into their cars. All of them lived on the West Coast; they met at Janette’s and drove up in three cars, packed to the brim with food, drink, extra blankets and their bags. They also brought poker chips, cards, board games and a five-thousand-piece jigsaw puzzle.
“We may not get to it all, but there is a diversion for everyone,” Janette announced with a smile.
They set the table in the dining room, put the sides of deviled eggs, a relish tray, baked potato slices and condiments on the table, and sat down to eat together through laughter, teasing, poking and praising. Landry sat next to Kaylee and all through dinner he learned how Kaylee and Meredith had been both mother and daughter as well as the best of friends, but they each had these other units of friends closer to them in profession or interest and certainly age. And then over time the groups had blended. Now they were a group that ranged in age from thirty-five to sixty-five. They were all healthy, energetic, scary smart and hilarious. And also very insightful.
He realized he had never seen Laura in a group like this. When Laura was in a group, she was the center of attention. She held court. It was a struggle to get to know the others because she dominated them.
But in this group of friends, who were all gathered to remember Meredith, there were many differences and yet complete equality. They bounced off each other so nicely. Korby was a little loud and the most hilarious, though they were all funny to some degree. Terri was a middle school teacher and the bossy one.
Janette had been Meredith’s closest friend since high school. She’d been a teacher who transformed herself into a counselor, was part of a small counseling practice, and frequently worked for the county in the school district. She was divorced, her children were grown and she lived alone. There was something about her that made her the leader. The others seem to defer to her in a way that suggested she held the wisdom card. And it became clear right away that she was fiercely independent.
“How is John?” someone asked her.
“He’s good,” she said. “He’s working a lot but he’s spending Thanksgiving with his son and daughter and their kids. These patchwork families manage to piece together one way or another.”
“You two aren’t living together yet?” Kaylee asked. “Haven’t you been a couple for years?”
“Six years,” Janette said. “But we’ve both already had spouses and kids and we’re a little set in our ways. Honestly, I’m not looking for someone to share a house with, I just want someone to share a life with. Our arrangement is very satisfactory. We do spend a few nights a week together. And he’s a great travel companion.”
“I want a man with a tool belt to move in with me as soon as possible,” Michelle said, making them all laugh.