The meal was quite possibly the strangest one they'd ever had in the Gustafson home. As Gia looked around the table filled to capacity, she couldn't help but be overwhelmed by how much their family had grown in the last couple of years. Between the men in her sisters' lives, the growing number of children underfoot, and now, a new sister—another Gustafson girl, for surely, that's what she would become! And of course, there was Ricky. There'd always been Ricky. In fact, when all the extra leaves were pulled from the table and it was put back to its normal set up, it seated four... and over the years, in her mind, that fourth seat had become Ricky's. He was as much a part of their family as any of them.
She felt the empty places, too. Maman and Papa, John, Phoebe's Lily, and now George and Colleen, too. But this was a table where life was happening, where hearts were healing. The past was never forgotten, but in this circle, new beginnings were born and nurtured.
Sitting across from Cheryl, Gia marveled at the similarities between them. The shape of their hands, the almost translucent webbing between fingers, the forked pattern of the creases at their elbows. The dip of their chin when listening, the smile that brought out dimples in their cheeks. The cadence of their voices, even the choppy laugh that Ricky liked to tease her about; now it came in stereo. At one point, they'd both reached for the salad bowl on the table between them at the exact same time, and it had been like watching a synchronized dance, the way their gestures mirrored each other.
She could tell she wasn't the only one disconcerted by it all. The boys, at least the younger two, stared openly back and forth at them, Levi's usual conviviality magnified by his delight in the situation. Gia couldn't remember the last time Judah had been so silent during a meal, transfixed as he was by the entertainment they provided. Her grandparents, too, kept eyeing the two of them, albeit much more surreptitiously, and she realized they must be wondering how this would all play out over time.
Because it would take time. No one was naive enough to think otherwise, and although the conversations ebbed and flowed as dishes were passed and food served, although laughter and tears came easily around the table, it felt a little like trying to maneuver across one of the freshly planted vegetable plots in Gramps' garden right after the rows had been smoothed over. One false step could be disaster, but with the right amount of care, the seeds had the potential to take root and flourish.
Gramps, Gia hadn't failed to notice, looked exhausted, his shoulders drooping, his poor battered head seemed almost too heavy for his neck to hold up. Besides his physical condition, he had to be emotionally drained. Not only had he unloaded one of the biggest secrets he'd ever had, but he'd also talked more in one sitting than he had as far back as Gia could remember. However, he often said his favorite thing in all the world was sharing a meal with the people he loved, and so, she knew he would remain at the helm until Gran forced him to go lie down.
When the late lunch began to wind down, Tim gave the boys permission to leave the table. "Stay in the back yard," he ordered, tipping back in his chair a little to make sure all four of them made it through the slider in one piece. Gia worried the poor old wooden chair would give under the man's bulk, but he lowered the front legs to the ground again without a mishap.
Thankfully, Ricky stayed close to her side, his hand steady at her back, or on her knee, or with an arm draped across the back of her chair as it was now. In all the upheaval of the week, his presence offered her the most stability, and she leaned into him, if not bodily, definitely in spirit.
Why had she, for even one moment, doubted that she needed him, wanted him? Loved him.
She loved him. She traced a heart on the table between their plates. When his fingers curled around her opposite shoulder and gently squeezed, she glanced up to find him grinning knowingly. He mouthed the words, "Me, too."
Under the table, Gia's foot bumped Cheryl's. It wasn't intentional, but when their eyes met, Cheryl—her very own tall, redheaded, freckle-faced sister!—arched a brow at her in question. Gia started to apologize, but Cheryl chuckled—a sound that might have come out of Gia's mouth, so familiar it was to her—and said, "It's my fault. Me and my long noodle legs. You should see me when I have my combat boots on. Total klutz." She shrugged. "But I love them. What can I say?"
"Wow," Ricky moaned. "Two of you in combat boots? This might be more than I can handle. How long did you say you were in town for, Cheryl?" The question was asked in jest, but everyone turned to hear her answer.
"Oh. Um, I'm not exactly sure." Her smile faded slightly and she began toying nervously with her silverware. "I kind of left it open-ended because I didn't know what to expect." She let out a self-conscious chuckle. "I never dreamed I'd be sitting here having lunch with all of you today." She raised her gaze to Gia first, and then toward Gramps and Gran. "I don't know how to thank you... for—for all of this." She swallowed hard and her eyes grew bright. "I didn't know what to exp—" Her voice cracked and she looked down at the fork in her hand. "Thank you," she finished quietly.
"Where are you staying?" Juliette asked.
Cheryl smiled brightly then. "You know that Holiday Inn over by the mall? I have a room there. I have it reserved for a week, but I figured I'd stay as long as I needed to."
"Goodness, that's going to get expensive," Granny G began, then she glanced over at Gramps, almost as though for confirmation. Sure enough, he nodded and patted his wife's hand. Granny G said, "We have a spare room; you can stay with us. It will give us all a chance to get to know each other. It's certainly nothing fancy around here, not like a hotel at any rate, and you'll be stuck fending for yourself much of—"
"Oh no," Cheryl interrupted. "No, I'm fine where I am. You're just home from the hospital. You don't need a guest to worry about, too. Besides, it's not a bad price and the room is really nice." She was blushing and Gia felt awkward right along with her. "To tell you the truth, I'm kind of enjoying my solitude." Her pretty pink coloring darkened considerably, and she hurried to explain. "Please don't misunderstand. I really appreciate the offer, and it's not because I don't want to get to know you." She leaned forward and slid her hand across the table toward Gia. "I do. I came here hoping against hope, and praying for just that."
Gia studied her water glass, suddenly afraid to meet Cheryl's eyes lest she be able to read her mind. Gia wasn't so sure she was quite ready to have this stranger—no, this sister—sleeping in the tiny guest room just down the hall from her, in the bed that had once been Gia's before she moved into the 'Big Girl Room' where her sisters had spent their teenage years. She needed a little time to process all that had happened today, this week, this last year and more, because it seemed like lately, every time she turned around, she was being hit with something new and monumental, something life-changing.
Yet, wasn't Cheryl's presence in her life what she'd been waiting for, longing for as far back as she could remember? Hadn't she always known she was different? Not like the others? The ugly duckling, so to speak? And now, finally, she had answers. Finally, things were beginning to make sense. So why was she hesitant in this?
"Why don't you stay at my old place?" Juliette offered, slipping her hand into Vic's where it rested on the table. "It's sitting there empty right now until I can figure out what I'm going to do with it. It's almost fully furnished and everything."
"Oh goodness. Mrs. Cork and Mr. Bobo will just love you," Ren said in full agreement, and then explained, "Juliette's old neighbor and her little dog. She thinks Gia is the cat's pajamas, and she'll get a kick out of meeting you."
"It's closer to here than the Holiday Inn, too," Vic added. "And it would be free."
"Come on," Phoebe cajoled when Cheryl's mouth opened, then closed, clearly at a loss for words. "You know you want to say yes. There's no use denying it; it's written all over your face." Phoebe pointed a finger between Cheryl and Gia. "And we know that look perfectly well, girlie. We've been reading that face for almost twenty years."
Cheryl giggled self-consciously and lifted her hands to cover her warm cheeks. "That sounds... amazing. But of course I'd pay you."
Juliette shook her head, adamant. "No, you won't. It's yours for as long as you're here."
"I can't stay for free," Cheryl said firmly. "I won't."
"If you pay me, I'll just donate it to charity," Juliette replied, her quiet stubbornness rearing its Gustafson head. Suddenly, her eyes grew wide. "Wait. I know." She sat forward a little. "Instead of paying me to stay in my place, how about you donate to a charity of my choice? Because we know of a good one, don't we, girls?" Her eyes darted around the table, meeting Gia's, then Ren's, and finally Phoebe's.
"Absolutely," Phoebe concurred. "Good call, Jules. Good call."
Cheryl nodded agreeably. "Sure. That works for me." She glanced around at the table just as Juliette had done a moment ago, also ending on Phoebe. "If you don't mind me asking... what's the charity?"
Phoebe's smile softened noticeably. "The Ark. It's a non-profit program run by a couple named Cal and Alice Masters," she said. Then she cocked her head and eyed Cheryl inquisitively. "Hey, you know about our parents, don't you? You know what happened to them?"
Cheryl nodded. "I do. My dad told me about them when he told me about all of you. I'm so sorry."
Gia was humbled that this girl who had lost everything in her life could be so sensitive and sincere.
"Well, Alice Masters is Angela Clinton's mother," Phoebe said. "Angela was the girl driving the car that day, the one that hit our parents."
"Oh. Oh!" Cheryl's eyes grew large as Phoebe's explanation sunk in. "You've stayed in touch with her?"
Gia didn't blame her for being surprised by the notion. "Jules started exchanging letters with Angela in prison almost two years ago," she began, not sure why she was taking it upon herself to explain. "And Phoebe connected with her mother over art. Alice has been following Phoebe's career all along."
"She's been keeping track of all of us all along," Ren amended, and for a moment, Gia couldn't tell if that bothered her or not. Then she added, "From afar. Making sure we did all right without our parents. And to let Angela know we were okay."
"Angela is being released from prison any day now," Granny G stated. "She wants to get together with the girls."
"Wow," came Cheryl's stunned reply. "That's pretty wild."
"Yeah, it is," Phoebe agreed, and then she chuckled softly. "We weren't all so thrilled about it at first, believe me. I wanted nothing to do with Angela when Jules first told us about her, but then I connected with Cal—long story, but he's my grocer, of all things—and he brought Alice and me together." She leaned over and kissed Trevor on the shoulder. "Trevor came along as my protector and defender and ended up having a bit of a bromance with Cal. It was a good night, wasn't it, love?"
"A good night, indeed," Trevor agreed. He and Phoebe went on to describe to Cheryl the program the Masters operated out of their home, the one they'd lovingly dubbed The Ark. "Because they offer women a temporary safe place to hide in the middle of the storm, and then release them when they're ready," Trevor finished.
"Speaking of..." Phoebe cast a tentative look at Gia, then turned to her grandparents. "Gramps, Gran, I need you to tell us if you need help the rest of the day. We have that dinner with them tonight, but I did tell Alice there was the slight possibility of needing to reschedule until we knew better how you'd be doing. I need to let her know one way or the other."
Gramps straightened in his chair at the head of the table, and then turned to Granny G with a raised brow. "I'm putting my feet up the rest of the day. Just as the doctor ordered. How about you, Sarah? Are you needing the girls for anything?"
"Absolutely not. I'm looking forward to the lot of you skedaddling out of here so Gramps and I can have some peace and quiet," she teased.
"Remember what Dr. Hottie said," Phoebe quipped, reaching over to pat Gramps on the cheek. "No heavy breathing allowed now, got it?"
"Phoebe Gustafson!" Granny G's reprimand was made less potent by the twinkle in her eye. "Your grandfather and I will find an old timers movie and fall asleep in our respective chairs before the end of the opening credits."
"I'll be here," Gia said quietly. "I can help if they need anything."
All eyes turned to her, some in question, some in understanding. But it was Ricky who asked, "Why aren't you going, Georgy Girl?"
Her cheeks warmed and she ducked her head. Suddenly, her reasons for not attending the dinner with the Masters seemed childish and mean-spirited. In fact, she was having a hard time remembering exactly why she didn't want to go. Because they hadn't asked her if she wanted to? Because everyone had just assumed she would? Because everyone thought they knew her so well and knew what she'd say? Because they all thought she was such a good girl?
Well, maybe they hadn't exactly asked, but they'd been talking about getting together with Angela ever since she first wrote back to Juliette. It wasn't like Gia hadn't had any opportunity to voice her opinion on the matter. And they'd probably assumed she would be all right with going because they knew her so well. They were her family. Her family.
And a good girl? Well, when all was said and done, she was. "I am a virgin, after all," she muttered, and then slapped both hands over her mouth when she realized she'd said it out loud. She lifted wide eyes to peer around the table, hoping against hope that no one had heard her.
Not a chance. It was only telltale half smiles and quiet snickers at first as everyone tried to be gracious, but when Gramps quipped, "Thanks for sharing, Gia pet," the group burst into laughter.
Ricky drew her close and let her bury her face in his neck. She could feel his body shaking just the slightest bit as he, too, laughed at her expense, but it was contagious. Even though she kept her hands over her face, she gave in and snickered.
When things had settled, Ricky surprised her by saying, "If it makes you feel any better, I'm a virgin, too."
Gia straightened and stared at him. "You are?"
"Geez. Don't look so aghast," Ricky said, pretending to be offended. "John and Tim offered to take me hunting when I was sixteen. Back when John realized I was looking at you like you were a girl." He grinned down the table at Tim. "Do you remember what he said to me?"
Tim chuckled and cleared his throat. "If I recall, it was something about treating a woman right because it was really easy to get lost in big buck territory during hunting season, right? So it worked?"
Ren turned wide eyes on Tim. "John said that? And you stood by and let him threaten poor, sweet Ricky?" She shook her head in disbelief.
"Poor, sweet who?" Trevor cut in, patting his young cousin firmly on the shoulder Gia wasn't leaning against. "Are we talking about this guy right here? Have you seen the way he looks at your sister, Renata?"
"Okay, okay," Ricky laughed, ducking his head a little. Now he was blushing, Gia noticed with delight. Across the table, Cheryl looked like she couldn't decide whether to be appalled or amused by the personal nature of their teasing.
"It's not always like this," Juliette said to her. "Some of us in this household still have a shred of dignity."
"Oh, please," Phoebe quipped, rolling her eyes. "Says the sister who got pulled over for driving like a duck?"
Vic leaned over and kissed his new wife on the temple. "You had me at 'quack,'" he teased. Juliette blushed and laid her head on his shoulder. They were ridiculously cute together, Gia thought.
"You kids are going to scare poor Cheryl away," Granny G declared, laying her napkin on the table beside her plate. She took a deep breath as though she had something important to say, and then straightened her shoulders. "And Gia, sweetie, I've been thinking about tonight and this dinner with the Masters. I think you should go.”
“At the risk of sounding pushy,” Juliette said, reaching over to put a hand on Gia’s arm. “I think so, too. Maybe hear Cal and Alice out tonight, and then decide whether or not you want to talk to Angela when she gets home. What do you think?”
When she didn’t respond right away, Granny added, “God is a master orchestrator, sweetie, and when he all but rolls out the blueprint for us, it's usually in our best interests that we go by his plans and not our own."
“I know,” Gia finally murmured. “I don’t know why I’m so resistant to it. Maybe I’m just being a big chicken.”
Ricky’s arms tightened around her shoulders. “I think you should go, Georgy Girl. Your sisters will look out for you.”
“You know it,” Phoebe concurred. Ren and Jules nodded in a show of solidarity.
Granny turned her resolute gaze on Cheryl. “You know, we don't believe in coincidences in this house, my dear. You're here on this day, at this time, for a reason, quite likely for lots of reasons. When you consider how things lined up today, it's hard to deny, isn't it? You arriving when the whole extended family just happened to be here, Juliette's condo open and waiting to welcome you. We even had a meal prepared, as though we knew you were coming." She reached over and slipped her hand into her husband's large one, his nearly swallowing hers up. "I think you should go with your little sister to the Masters' dinner. I think she'll need you there."