Page 45 of Something Borrowed

“A dog!” Vic clasped her hands over her chest, and somehow it didn’t look fake or pretentious. “You should. You really should.” She lowered her voice as if she, too, was aware that there was something private about these revelations, as if they said a little bit too much about each of their personal longings or something. “I really want to get a cat.”

Cal could immediately see Victoria curled up in her blanket with a skinny little feline on her lap and told her so.

Her eyes shone. “You think so? I’ve never had a pet, but this guy—” she motioned to a hefty gray fighter spread out on the floor behind her—“he’s got me thinking.”

“You should do it. Totally,” Cal affirmed.

He paid and then they were both a little flustered. “I’ll be back,” he said, finally. “Thanks for your help.”

“You’re welcome—and great plan. We get new stock all the time, and Madeline’s always going on buying trips. Checking in regularly is perfect.”

Cal was halfway to the door when he turned back. “Vic?”

“Yeah?”

“It’s fine either way, really, so no pressure, but what are you thinking about the house repairs? Do you still want me to do them, or would it be awkward or something?”

Vic looked relieved, by what he wasn’t sure.

“Are you sure you don’t mind? I wanted to call and find out if you were still willing to tackle the jobs for me, but then I figured I’d probably harassed you enough.”

Not nearly enough, Cal thought ruefully.

“I’m happy to do the work,” he said. “So how about we stick to the original plan? I’ll text next time I have an opening, and we’ll go from there.”

Chapter 24

With the snow that had started to fall and white twinkle lights trimming every line of the house’s exterior and windows, plus a yard full of brightly lit trees and other festive ornaments, the Second Chance Shop looked like something out of a Christmas movie, and Vic, stupid, stupid Vic, had thought Audra might want to see it.

Audra rarely left the house and hadn’t driven very much, at least not since Vic arrived. She ordered groceries and other shopping needs by delivery, and Vic generally did the same. There was no real reason, however, not to drive the little Honda Civic that Audra kept gassed up and in good repair. Just last week, Vic had to leave work early because Audra made an appointment to have winter tires put on the car without consulting with Vic first so she could pick a time that didn’t interfere with her job.

“Like you need to work anyway,” Audra sniped. “You know you’re just waiting for me to kick off, so you can have all my money.”

Thankfully, Madeline was awesome and hadn’t seemed put out in the slightest by Vic asking to leave early to take the car to the shop.

So today, Vic had the genius idea to see if Audra wanted to go to The Second Chance Shop. Really, it was sort of self-serving. She felt a bit pathetic going in on her days off, like Madeline and Gwen would think she didn’t have a life outside of work. Of course, they’d be right if they thought that, but it would be nice not to broadcast it. Bringing Audra along would make it seem like a nice mother-daughter outing.

She cajoled Audra into a pair of trousers and a nice sweater, instead of her usual loungewear. Audra wheezed as if the effort to dress was a marathon, sending concern shooting through Vic. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Audra managed, but the words sounded more like a gasping cough than actual language.

It had been a while since her last fruitless attempt and she didn’t hold out a lot of hope, but Audra’s blue-lipped face made Vic try again. If not her family doctor, maybe Audra would see someone else?

“I don’t know if you’ve heard, Mom,” Vic started lightly, striving to merely sound conversational, “but there’s a new medical clinic in town, a walk-in, no appointments necessary. Maybe while we’re out and about—”

Audra let loose a string of curses that would’ve made a trucker blush. “I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a thousand times. I’m not going to an effin quack.”

Vic grimaced. Overreact much, Audra? It made her more resolved than ever to keep pursuing the items on her list, especially the one about learning to curb compulsive behaviors because a lot of that apparently centered on emotional regulation, and it was no big mystery why Vic struggled in that area. Nature and nurture.

“He’ll just ask if I’ve quit smoking yet, like he’s the first bloody genius to think of it.” She sucked in a wheezing breath. “And if I give him the satisfaction of saying I have, he’ll say, ‘Well, you know, Audra’—as if I told him he can use my first name!—‘a few months doesn’t make up for a lifetime of smoke damage.’” Another gulping breath. “Like it’s not obvious? Like you need to go to medical school for that gem? Thanks, but no thanks.”

Vic fought to keep the shock off her face. Say what now? Audra had seen a doctor? When? And had they actually given her a diagnosis of some kind?

But Audra could tell Vic was trying to think of how to ask about it. She held up a bony hand. “Forget it. If you’re going to lecture me all day and all night—”

“What? I’ve hardly said a word,” Vic didn’t understand why Audra’s comment stung. By now, nothing Audra said or did should faze her, yet somehow her razor tongue always did.

“Forget it! I’m not going. Your hippy-dippy bullshit store doesn’t interest me anyway. Why would I want to look at, let alone buy, someone else’s unwanted crap?”