Amanda told Suzanne she was waiting for Jerry and then took a seat near the door. She didn’t think Jerry could possibly make it back on time, but the group was larger than usual, and it took awhile for Pastor Zach to get everyone’s attention.
“Hey, thanks for saving my seat,” Jerry said as he slipped into the chair next to her. “My parents have been pushing themselves pretty hard lately, so I needed to get them back to rest.”
“I understand,” Amanda said, as she opened her workbook to the page where she’d filled in the blanks for the weekly Bible lesson. She showed him the verse they were studying, so he opened his Bible to follow along.
After introducing himself, Pastor Zachary Holister had everyone say their names and where they were from. Then he asked everyone to bow their heads for an opening prayer.
As she sat there while Pastor Zach prayed, she was aware of the effect Jerry’s presence had on her nerves. It had been a very long time since she’d been in church with a man. When the prayer ended and she opened her eyes, she turned to Jerry. He sat staring straight ahead at the pastor, who’d taken his place on a stool at the front of the room.
The Bible study lasted about forty-five minutes. As Pastor Zach wrapped it up, he invited anyone with questions to go to the front of the room, and then he was swarmed.
Jerry turned to Amanda and gave her a thumbs-up. “He’s a gifted preacher.”
Amanda nodded. “We’re fortunate to have someone who can relate to so many people.”
He shifted from one foot to the other. “I’d like to chat with him, but I don’t want to leave my parents alone too much longer.”
“They’re probably fine,” Amanda said. “They just looked exhausted, but I bet that’s from doing so much. I know how I am when I go on vacation. I want to get it all in before I come back home.”
He cleared his throat and looked around before settling his gaze back on her. “I wish that’s all it was. There’s something I failed to mention. Not only is my dad in the early stages of Alzheimer’s, but my mother just found out she has Parkinson’s. They’re in an independent-living retirement facility in Atlanta, but it’s just a matter of time before they either have to go into assisted living or move in with me.”
Amanda’s heart lurched. “Oh, I didn’t realize that.”
“I know.” Jerry gestured toward the door. “Let’s walk out together… that is, unless you want to hang around for something.”
“No, I’ll walk with you.” They headed out in silence, and when it was time to part ways in the parking lot, she turned to face him. “Is there anything I can do? I mean, if you need someone to help out or something…”
He slowly broke into a grin and shook his head. “I appreciate it, but I think we’ll be fine. They’re still able to do things without me, but they tire easily and Mom is so worried all the time. That’s part of the problem. In case you haven’t noticed, they’re on edge with each other.”
Amanda opened her mouth but closed it before she stuck her foot in it. From what she could tell, Jerry was at least as worried and as on edge as his parents were. Calling that to Jerry’s attention wouldn’t bode well at the moment.
“Thanks for inviting us to your church.” Jerry took a step back.
“I’m glad you all came.” Suddenly, Amanda remembered his mother’s address book. She pulled it out of her handbag and handed it to Jerry. “Do you mind giving this to your mom?”
Jerry chuckled as he took it from her. “She doesn’t give up.”
“I can see that.” The brief brush of his hand against hers sent a tingle up her arm.
He hesitated for a moment before lifting his hand in a wave. “See ya.”
Amanda turned and headed toward her car, but she heard her name. Suzanne was flailing her arms. “I wondered where you went after the Bible study!”
“What’s up?” Amanda asked.
Suzanne looked like she was ready to pop with excitement. “Jerry is very cute! So what’s next with you two?”
Amanda shook her head. “He’s a nice guy, and I’m trying to make sure they have a good vacation.”
“Why is he with his parents?”
After Amanda explained what Jerry just told her, Suzanne’s eyes widened and she nodded her approval. “Don’t let this one get away, Amanda. Any guy who cares enough about his parents to take them on vacation is a great catch.”
“I’m not looking to catch anything.”
“That’s your problem. You’re letting one lousy experience with a guy who was a complete idiot get away with messing up your whole life.”
“That’s not true.” Amanda looked down and kicked the asphalt with the toe of her shoe. “My life is just fine without a man, and I don’t want to change anything.”
“I’ve got news for you, girl. Your life is going to change, no matter what you do or don’t do. The Lord has brought this wonderful man into your life, so don’t let him slip away.”
Amanda snickered. Leave it to her friend to find a spiritual angle. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Seriously. He’s a Christian, he’s nice, he loves his family, and he obviously likes you. What’s wrong with giving him a chance and seeing where this thing can go?”
“I don’t know, Suzanne. I just don’t think I’m ready.”
“You’ll never be ready unless you open up a little.” Suzanne reached out and placed her hand on Amanda’s shoulder. “I’m not saying you have to fall in love with him and make plans for the future. All I want is for you to open up to the possibility of a relationship.”
“I’ll think about it.” Amanda hugged her friend. “Thanks for caring. I need to run. Why don’t you stop by the shop one afternoon this week, and we can hang out for a little while?”
“Okay, fine. I know when you’re closing me off. But you know I won’t give up, right?”
Amanda nodded. “Yeah, you can be pretty persistent.”
“Only because I know what’s good for you.”
“At least someone does.” Amanda unlocked her car door and got in. “See you soon, okay?”
“Oh yeah, you can count on it.” The sound of Suzanne’s laughter faded as Amanda closed her car door.
All the way home, she thought about Jerry’s parents. She knew they had some physical limitations, but she didn’t realize how serious they were. From what she knew, neither Alzheimer’s nor Parkinson’s could be reversed. She wondered about the brother and sister Jerry had told her about. Were they as active in Rosemary and Harold’s lives as Jerry was?
When she got home, she found Lacy still in her nightgown, sitting at the kitchen table sipping coffee and flipping through a fashion magazine. She glanced up. “So how was church?”
“You might want to go sometime and see for yourself.”
“My, aren’t we snippy today?” Lacy stood up, crossed the kitchen, and poured more coffee.
Amanda instantly felt bad. Sarcastic comments weren’t good for a gentle witness, and they definitely wouldn’t make her sister want to go to church. “Sorry.”
“That’s okay. I figure something must have happened between you and Jerry, or you’d be a lot happier.”
Okay, that did it. “Why does everyone think my moods can be made or broken by Jerry? He’s a nice guy, but I have a perfectly fine life without a man in it.”
Lacy held up her hands and leaned away from Amanda. “Whoa, you’re really in a snit today. Sorry I said a word. Let me know when I can talk to you without having my head bitten off.”
“I’m sorry.” Amanda looked down at the magazine. “So what’s the latest in fashion?”
Lacy turned the magazine around so Amanda could see the picture. “Look at these Louboutins. Aren’t they the cutest?”
“How can anyone walk in those?” The heels had to be at least four inches high.
“Lots of girls wear them.” Lacy gave her a pleading look. “I want some.”
“Where would you wear them? Certainly not to work.” The mental image of Lacy teaching kindergarten in stilts made her giggle.
“Of course not, silly.” Lacy ran her fingertips lovingly across the page, as if she could actually feel the shoes. “These are special-occasion shoes.”
“There’s no occasion special enough for me to ever wear something that I’d never be able to stand up in,” Amanda admitted.
“What if Jerry asks you out to someplace really nice?”
Amanda sat down at the table and started fidgeting with the placemat. She felt Lacy watching her, but she wasn’t sure what to say. Both Lacy and Suzanne had acted like she and Jerry should be an item, so she must have given off some sort of signal that indicated that. Now she needed to undo whatever she’d done to give them the impression that there was even a chance. She flipped the edge of the placemat back and forth a couple of times, creating a rhythmic thump-thump.
After a few seconds, Lacy reached out and grabbed Amanda’s fidgety hand. “Stop doing that. It annoys me.”
If Amanda told Lacy all the things she did that were annoying, they’d be here all day. Instead, she stood up. “I think I’ll change clothes and go for a bike ride.”
“That’s your answer to everything, isn’t it?” Lacy said. “Have a bad day, ride your bike. Too many customers, ride your bike. Not enough customers, ride your bike. Argue with me, ride your bike. You need to give yourself some time to deal with your issues and not just take off on your bicycle every time something happens that you don’t like.”
Amanda stopped in her tracks and planted her fists on her hips. “And how do you suggest I do this?”
Lacy shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe just be still for a while.”
As much as Amanda hated to admit it, her sister was right. When she wasn’t busy, her mind raced, and that was depressing. So she rode her bike to let the Gulf breeze lift her problems and take them away.
“I can’t just sit around here all day. What do you suggest I do?”
Lacy stood up, grinning. “Let’s go shopping. You need some new things.”
“Like what?” Amanda couldn’t keep her voice from squeaking.
“Like some new clothes and makeup. You’ve been stuck in a rut, and you could certainly update your look.”
Amanda had no doubt Lacy wanted to make her over for the relationship she was supposedly having with Jerry. No matter how many times Amanda denied there was anything between them but friendship, Lacy stuck to her fairy-tale dreams. Oh, what did it matter? Her wardrobe was rather boring. Maybe a couple of new tops and a brighter shade of lipstick would serve two purposes: It would get Lacy off her back, and it would add some choices for what to wear to church.
“Okay, but don’t even try to talk me into any of those killer high heels.”
Lacy giggled. “Don’t worry. If I see them, they’re mine anyway.”
An hour later, they were on their way to the mall in St. Petersburg— something that always brought a smile to Lacy’s face and a lilt to her voice. “The sales are still going on, but they might be picked over.”
“That’s fine,” Amanda said. “I’m not all that picky—at least not about what I wear.”
Lacy widened her eyes and offered an exaggerated nod. “I know, and that’s part of the problem.”
Amanda felt her jaw tighten. If she talked to Lacy like Lacy talked to her, they’d be in an all-out sister war.
Jerry had looked in all of the rooms and still his parents were nowhere in sight. Their queen-size bed showed signs that someone had lain down on top of the comforter; it was still rumpled. It had only been an hour and a half since he’d dropped them off—not nearly enough time to get the rest they said they needed.
At least his mother was gone, too, so they were probably together. He would have been more worried if his dad had gone out by himself since even at the early stage, the Alzheimer’s took away his sense of direction.
He’d hoped to treat his parents to lunch out, but since he had no idea where they were or when they’d be back, he decided to fix something at the condo. As he put the finishing touches on club sandwiches, he heard the door open and slam shut. Then his mother’s voice echoed through the condo.
“Harold, you can be such a pill sometimes.”
Jerry cringed. Before his parents were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, they rarely argued. Now the tension was so tight, he felt like he was walking on eggshells most of the time.
“Mom, Dad, I have lunch ready,” he called out, trying his best to sound cheerful.
His dad was the first to appear in the kitchen doorway. “What did you fix?”
“Sandwiches.” Jerry gestured toward the table where he’d put their heaping plates.
“That’s not lunch,” his dad grumbled. “It’s a snack.”
His mother stabbed her finger toward the chair. “Just sit down, Harold. When your son goes to this much trouble, you don’t need to act out.”
“He’s your son, too.”
Jerry cleared his throat. “When I came back and didn’t see anyone here, I was worried.”
His dad pointed to his mom. “Your mother got some lamebrained notion that we could go watch turtles mate.” He snorted. “That sounds about as exciting as watching paint dry.”
“That’s not exactly true, Harold, and you know it.” She turned to Jerry. “One of the ladies downstairs told me that this is turtle nesting season. I just wanted to see if I could find some of their nests.”
“Did you see any?” Jerry asked.
Once again, his dad spoke up. “All we saw was a bunch of half-naked bodies covered in grease and sand.”
“Stop complaining, Harold.” Jerry could hear the weariness in his mother’s voice.
“Oh, I’m not complaining.” He lifted a section of his sandwich and inspected it. “What all did you put in here? No onions, I hope. They give me heartburn.”
“No onions,” Jerry assured him. “Just a little honey maple turkey, some turkey bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese.”
“Turkey bacon, huh?” His dad made a throaty noise. “That’s not real bacon. What’s wrong with pork?”
“Nothing’s wrong with pork bacon if you don’t care about your cholesterol,” his mother said.
“No one ever worried about cholesterol until some health nuts started telling everyone it was bad for us.”
Jerry held his hands up to silence his parents. “Okay, you two. That’s enough. You never let us kids get away with arguing at the table, and I’m not going to let y’all do it. Let’s say our blessing and enjoy our food. If you want to argue later, fine. But not now.”
“Did you hear the boy?” Jerry’s dad grinned with pride. “He actually paid attention all those years.”
“So tell me more about the nesting turtles,” Jerry asked his mother.
“According to our neighbor, loggerheads make nests on the beach around this time every year.”
“Sounds interesting,” Jerry said. “I wonder if we’ll see them.”
Jerry noticed his dad intently eating his sandwich and pretending not to listen. His mother shot a glance in her husband’s direction then turned back to face Jerry.
“I certainly hope so. It would be a shame to miss something so special…so natural to this place.”
After lunch, both of his parents headed off to their room for naps. Jerry took his time cleaning the kitchen and trying to think of something his parents might enjoy later. Maybe Amanda would know of something.
When Amanda’s cell phone rang, she was tempted not to answer. One of the two people who ever called her was with her, and the other—her mother—was on a cruise with some friends.
“I hate it when people just let their phones ring,” Lacy said. “At least look and see who it is.”
Amanda pulled it out and saw a different area code, so she punched the TALK button and said, “Hello?”
The sound of Jerry’s voice gave her an instant tingle. She rubbed the goose bumps on her arm and glanced over to see if Lacy noticed. The smile on her sister’s lips let her know nothing had gotten past her sister’s eagle eyes.
“I’m looking for something to do with my folks this afternoon. Any ideas?”
“Um…” She glanced over to Lacy, who watched with a smirk. “Can I call you back in a few minutes?”
“Sure, take your time.”
“It’ll only be a few minutes,” she said. “Want me to call this number?”
“That’s fine.”
As soon as she flipped her phone shut, she glared right back at Lacy. “Why are you looking at me that way?”
Lacy tilted her head back and laughed. “You should see the goofy look on your face when you talk to Jerry.”
“How do you know it’s Jerry?” She cleared her throat to get rid of the squeak in her voice.
Lacy was still grinning. “C’mon, Amanda. I can tell.”
Time to change the subject. “Okay, so I need to call him back with something for him and his parents to do this afternoon.”
Lacy lifted a finger to her chin as she thought about it. She really was a sweet person—just a little misguided about some things. “What do they like?”
“I’m thinking maybe a movie,” Amanda said.
“They can do that anywhere. How about one of the day cruises?”
“It’s probably too late for that,” Amanda replied. “But that’s a good idea for another day.”
“There’s always shopping.”
Amanda smiled. “Yes, and I need to call him back so we can finish ours.”
She pulled up Jerry’s number and punched Call. He answered before the end of the first ring. “What took you so long?” His chuckle let her know he was kidding.
“Why don’t you take them to a movie today and maybe to one of the day cruises tomorrow?”
“Good idea,” he said. “Any chance you might want to join us for a movie since your store is closed?”
“Sounds good, but I’m at the mall with my sister, and we probably won’t be back for another hour or two.”
“The folks are napping, so that sounds perfect.” He paused before adding, “That is, if you’d like to join us.”
“Okay,” she blurted. “Want me to meet you somewhere?”
“We can pick you up at your place,” he offered. “Or if you’re not comfortable with us doing that…” His voice trailed off.
Since he’d put it that way, she didn’t want to say no. However, it now seemed an awful lot like a date.
“That’s fine.” She gave him her address as Lacy stared at her, looking smug.
Once she got off the phone, Lacy smirked but didn’t say a word. That drove Amanda even crazier than if she’d had to endure her sister’s relentless taunting.
“Okay, so I’m going out with Jerry and his parents. Are you happy now?”
Lacy quirked an eyebrow. “The question is, are you happy?”
Amanda looked away. “Stop it. Let’s get this shopping thing over with so we can get back home.”
“For once, that sounds like an excellent idea,” Lacy said. “As much as I enjoy shopping, your love life must come first.”
“Wait a minute!” Amanda felt the heat rise to her face as she thrust her fist onto her hip. “No one said anything about a love life.”
“Then don’t get so worked up. I just made a comment.”
Lacy was right. “Okay, we can let it drop then.” Amanda had gotten way too worked up over a silly little comment.
“Besides, Brad and Timmy are stopping by a little later. They’re taking me to dinner.”
“Do you think that’s such a good idea, with Timmy being one of your students?”
Lacy looked genuinely puzzled. “Why wouldn’t it be?”
Jerry went out onto the balcony to read the Sunday paper. He heard the sliding glass door and turned to face his mother. “Did you get enough rest?”
“Yeah, until the bear’s snoring woke me up.”
“Mom, seriously, you and Dad need to stop this sniping at each other.”
Her shoulders sagged as she stared out over the Gulf. “Yes, you’re probably right. We’ve gotten into a bad habit, I’m afraid.”
“Then just break it.”
She looked at him and smiled. “It’s not as easy as all that. We’ve been doing this for years—since you kids grew up and left.”
“I’ve been around you enough to know it hasn’t always been this bad. Last year when we came here on vacation, you actually seemed to enjoy each other.”
“Anyone can behave for a couple of weeks,” she said. “If you think back, your father and I barely spoke to each other during the whole vacation last year.”
Now that he thought about it…
“We made a pact to not talk so you wouldn’t worry. But this year, we didn’t. I figured you needed to see how things really were.”
Jerry was puzzled. “But why would you ever hide anything from me? I’m your son. I love both of you no matter what.”
She leaned down and gave him a brief hug but quickly straightened up. “We love you, too, and that’s why we tried to protect you from the ugly truth.”
Worry coursed through him. “Is there something you’re not telling me?”
She shook her head. “Nothing you haven’t already seen on this trip. Your father is getting more and more difficult to live with, and we haven’t gotten along in a long time. I’m not sure how much longer I can control him.”
Jerry looked out over the water as he inhaled deeply and slowly blew out his breath before turning to face her. “Have you thought that maybe you shouldn’t try to control him?”
“You’ve seen him. He wanders off, and he gets mad at the slightest thing.”
Jerry nodded. “Yes, and you fuss at him all the time. Maybe you should try a different approach.”
She folded her arms. “Like what?”
He shrugged. “Maybe smile a little more and let him know you love him.”
With a flip of her hand, she backed into the condo. “He knows I love him. I wouldn’t put up with his nonsense if I didn’t.”
After she closed the door, he lowered his head and prayed for his parents. Yes, things were getting increasingly difficult, but it wasn’t just his dad. His mother’s lack of tolerance didn’t make the situation any easier to deal with. And maybe, just maybe, he was guilty of interfering a tad too much.
Jerry went back inside as his dad came out of the bedroom. “Dad, why don’t you go comb your hair and go for a walk with me?”
“You don’t like my hair?” He reached up and smoothed it. “You should see how some of the kids wear theirs.”
His mom laughed. “You’re not a kid. You just act like—”
She stopped as Jerry turned and gave her a warning look. She rolled her eyes and ducked back into the kitchen.
“Where do you wanna go?” his dad asked.
“Just around the block. I have plans for us in a little while, and I’d like to talk to you first.”
After a brief pause, his dad nodded. “Go on outside. I’ll be right there.”
Jerry waited less than a minute before his dad joined him. “Okay, so what did I do wrong this time?”
“I never said you did anything wrong. It’s just that…well, I’ve noticed how you and Mom bicker a lot.”
His dad chuckled. “Is that what you call it? Seems to me more like nagging.”
Jerry snorted. “Dad, seriously, this has me worried.”
“That’s your problem. You worry too much. Your mother and I are fine. We’re annoyed at some things, but it’s nothing you can do anything about.” He took a few steps before adding, “None of us can do anything about it—not even the doctors.”
“I’d like to see you at least try to get along.”
The elderly man snickered. “Where’s the fun in that?”
“Speaking of fun,” Jerry said, “I’ve made plans for you, Mom, and me to go to the movies with Amanda this afternoon.”
“Did you tell your mother yet?”
“No, not yet. I—”
His dad interrupted. “Why don’t you run along with Amanda and leave us here?”
“No.” The word escaped Jerry’s mouth too quickly. He cleared his throat. “I’m here with you and Mom, and I want us to do stuff together. Besides, I think Amanda might enjoy it more if it doesn’t seem like too much of a date.”
“What’s wrong with a date? Most girls like dates.”
Jerry shrugged. “I’m not sure. She seems a little skittish about anything that resembles a date, and I don’t want to frighten her.”
“I never heard that one before, but if you think it’ll help your cause with this girl, sure. It might be fun to see how my son operates.” He grabbed his collar with both hands and pretended to smooth it. “Your old man was once a very smooth operator.”
“Dad...” Jerry turned to warn his dad, but when he saw the smile quirking his father’s lips, he stopped. “This should be fun.”
By now, they’d circled the block, so they headed back to the condo. “Let me talk to your mother about our non-date with Amanda.”
Jerry laughed. “Okay, I’ll go get ready.”
When he came back out to the living room, both his parents looked him up and down. “Are you wearing that?” his mother finally asked, pointing to his clothes.
He glanced down then looked back at her. “What’s wrong with it?”
“Nothing, if you like boring.”
“Leave the boy alone,” his dad piped up. “You can’t pick out his clothes forever.”
Jerry shot him a warning look, making the elderly man chuckle. His mother pursed her lips and shook her head.
“What would you like for me to wear, Mom?”
She frowned and thought for a moment. “I guess what you have on is okay. But maybe we need to take a trip to a men’s store soon. I can help you pick out some things that are more flattering.”
“Ready?” Jerry asked and crooked his elbow in her direction.
“I s’pose,” she said as she took Jerry’s arm. “I’m not sure we’re doing the right thing, tagging along like this.”
He patted her hand. “Trust me, Mom, it’s the right thing.” Amanda was waiting outside when they pulled up to her house. Jerry wasn’t surprised.
She ran to the SUV, and he barely had time to get out, go around, and open the door for her. As soon as she got in and bucked her seat belt, she turned and grinned at his parents. “Enjoying your vacation?”
“Very much,” his mother said in a too-formal tone.
His dad snickered. “I’m thinking about taking up surfing.”
“Too bad the waves are too small for surfing,” Amanda said, “or I’d join you.”
He nudged his wife. “See, there’s one girl who knows how to have fun.”
Amanda tossed Jerry a confused look. He just shrugged.
The tension in the car was so thick, Amanda wasn’t sure if she’d made the right decision. But here she was, and she was determined to make the most of it.
“Have you decided on a movie?”
He handed her the paper. “I thought you could pick. I don’t know anything about any of them.”
Amanda scanned the listings. “Do we want to see adventure, science fiction, or romantic comedy?”
“Romance sounds good to me,” Harold quipped. “Anything else might be bad for my heart.”