relaxed. If her grandmother took to the new resident as well as her house cats had, all would be well.
Trying to slip the orphan cat into Darla’s horde without question didn’t bother Lillie nearly as much as the fact that her grandmother had continued to treat her as if she’d never been away.
Lillie decided it was time for a serious discussion. She found her grandmother in the living room, sat down beside her on the sofa and brought up the subject of her permanent relocation.
“I’ve decided to move back to Gumption,” she announced, taking Darla Sue’s hand so she couldn’t use the TV remote and create too much of a distraction.
The older woman blinked and then smiled. “’Bout time. What took you so long?”
“I thought I was happy in the city.”
“Bah! You might of fooled yourself but you didn’t fool me. You never did belong in Chicago.” She poked a finger under the elastic edging of the shower cap to scratch her scalp. “All a body needs is right here. I’ve always known that.”
“Then why didn’t you try to stop me from leaving?”
“I couldn’t make a choice like that for you. If you hadn’t left, you might have spent your whole life wonderin’ if you’d missed something. Now you know you didn’t. And you’ll be more content right here.”
“I guess that’s true,” Lillie agreed. “I’ll need to find a new job and a place to live, though.” She was taken aback when Darla Sue’s head snapped up, her eyes growing suspiciously moist.
“You’ve already got both, girl.”
Lillie shook her head soberly. “I know you’d let me stay with you as long as I wanted and work at the café for a while but that’s not fair to you.”
“What’s not fair?” Her lower lip had begun to tremble though she’d lifted her chin defiantly. “If I wasn’t tickled pink to have you here I’d say so. And as for the restaurant, it can use some younger blood.” The slump of her shoulders made her look every one of her seventy-plus years. “I’m tired, honey. Wrung out. It’s not just your grandpa’s shenanigans that’s done it, either. I’ve worked hard all my life and I need a little break. I thought, with you back home, I’d be able to rest a tad.”
“You can. I didn’t mean I wouldn’t help you out. I just thought…”
“Thought what? That I’d want my café to pass to anybody but you?”
“Well, you could always sell it and retire on the profits you earned.”
“Now why would I do that?”
“So you could take it easy?” Lillie’s brow furrowed. “I get the feeling I’m missing something here. What is it you’d like to see happen?”
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