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Wrapping her hands around her mug and sitting across the yellow laminate kitchen table from her mother-in-law, both of them too hyper to sleep, was as good a chance as Vivian was going to get to broach her idea with Susan. If Vivian didn’t jump now, she’d probably chicken out from jumping later, and then how would she ever learn to fly?
“I was thinking of taking over Healthy Food when you retire.”
Susan didn’t do more than blink at Vivian’s bald statement. Now she knew where Karl had gotten his poker face. Her mother-in-law slurped her hot chocolate, leaving Vivian with nothing more to do than shift in her seat.
“None of my children are interested in Healthy Food,” Susan finally said. That wasn’t a no. “Do you propose to wait until I die and hope I leave it to you in my will?”
It wasn’t a yes, either.
“Well, I was hoping to buy you out.” Vivian took a noisy sip of her hot chocolate, hoping to cover the nerves making her heart beat a million times per minute.
Susan’s mug clunked on the table. “Vivian, I enjoy having you live here and think you are great at Healthy Food, but, well, you’re living here because you have no money.”
The flat tone her mother-in-law used when pointing out the flaw in her otherwise great plan made Vivian squirm. She tried to cover it up by sipping more hot chocolate, but Susan probably saw through the ruse. “I know. And, since I am working, I should probably be paying you rent or something. I’m not family.”
Susan’s face darkened; Vivian had insulted her, which was the last thing she had wanted to do. “So long as you are the mother of my grandchild, you’re family. I don’t want to hear anything said otherwise.”
The warmth spreading through Vivian had nothing to do with the hot drink or overheated kitchen. “Thank you. That means a lot.”
“When the baby’s born, you should invite your aunt Kitty and your cousins to visit. And your father—it would be nice to meet him.”
Vivian grimaced. “You’ll be meeting my father sooner rather than later, if his email was any indication. Just promise not to give him any money.”
Susan cocked her head, her concern on her face clear. “Is that what buying me out at Healthy Food is about? Not having any money to give to your father when he comes?”
“No.” Her father’s email had prompted her to think about why she was working at Healthy Food and if Healthy Food offered her more than just money. So, the germination of the idea had come out of fear—fear for when her father finally tracked her down. But, before presenting it to Susan, Vivian had given herself time to think it over without her father’s email bounding about in her head. “I like Chicago. I like the people who come into Healthy Food. I know I’m not Polish and I’m especially not a Polish cook, but I’d like to stay a part of it all.”
“You don’t have to be a part of Healthy Food to be a part of the community. You’re Karl’s wife and,” Susan continued before Vivian could interrupt her, “the mother of his child, no matter the state of your marriage.”
“I want something on my own terms.” I want a solid foundation without relying on Karl for it.
Susan picked up her drink and eyed Vivian for a long while over the edge of her mug. “This is what you really want to do?” she asked before taking a big swallow.
“Yes. The idea is new, but once I had it…” Vivian trailed off, not sure how to put how she felt into words. “Once I had it, I knew it was right.” She played her trump card. “Right for both me and Jelly Bean.”
“Humph.” Susan knew what Vivian had done there but didn’t seem inclined to argue. “Raising a child is hard enough, especially if you’re going to be a single parent. How will you manage to do both?”
Vivian bit her lip. The hopeful part of her had expected Susan to be wholeheartedly supportive, even though the rest of her had known that wasn’t realistic. Family or not, they were discussing a business deal. Vivian straightened her shoulders and faced her mother-in-law like a business partner—lip no longer between her teeth.
“I’m sure it won’t be easy. But women have figured out how to manage a child and build a career before I got pregnant. I’ll figure out how to do it after I give birth. And I’m sure I can start figuring it out in between.”
