Last Chance Hero by Cathleen Armstrong Read Free Book Online Page B

dream never wavered, they did occasionally turn the conversation to more lucrative disciplines of medicine, they never seriously tried to talk her out of it.
    She looked across the table at Lainie, who was laughing up at Ray, and found herself wishing two things. First, she would love it if Lainie did decide to come to her for her obstetric appointments, although it was pretty clear that if Elizabeth and Ray had anything to say about it, that might not happen. And second, she really hoped she and Lainie would be friends—close friends. Whatever her early circumstances had been, Lainie was funny, confident, and easy in her skin. Jess liked that.
    Elizabeth sat down and picked up her spoon. Everyone else at the table followed suit, and not for the first time that evening, Jess found herself eating until her spoon scraped the bottom of the bowl.
    â€œElizabeth, I honestly can’t remember having a meal I enjoyed more.” Jess finally put her spoon down and leaned against the back of her chair. “I thank whatever gods there be that you were outside this morning when Andy and I came by. I wouldn’t have missed this meal for anything.”
    This time there was no mistaking it. Andy, Ray, and Lainie did exchange glances, but Elizabeth didn’t bat an eye. “Well, I’m thankful too.” Her blue eyes crinkled in a smile. “I hope this is just thefirst of many meals you take at this table. Now, why don’t you all go on into the living room, and I’ll get things put up in the kitchen.”
    â€œNope.” Lainie got to her feet and put her hands on Elizabeth’s shoulders to direct her toward the living room. “It’s your turn at the recliner. I’ll get these dishes done in no time.”
    â€œNope.” Ray stacked all five empty peach cobbler bowls into one tower, causing his grandmother to gasp a little. “You go sit down too. Put your feet up on the coffee table if Gran will let you get away with it. And take Jess with you. I’ll do the dishes and Andy’ll help. Right, Andy?”
    â€œYou bet. It’ll be just like old times.” Andy scooped up a handful of silverware and winked at Jess over his shoulder as he headed for the kitchen. “Miss Elizabeth treated everyone like her own. If you were here at mealtime, there was a chair at the table for you. If you were here at bedtime, she found a place for you to sleep. And if chores needed to be done, you did those too.”
    â€œI remember those old times.” Elizabeth shook her head. “It didn’t always work out well for the kitchen.”
    â€œGive us some credit, Gran. We might have grown up a little in the last, oh, fifteen years or so.” Ray tried to balance an iced tea glass on his forefinger and caught it as it fell.
    â€œRay! For pity’s sake, be careful!” Elizabeth marched across the room to snatch the glass from his hand, but Ray held it out of her reach.
    â€œJust teasing you, Gran. We’ll be careful.” He grinned and put the glass on the counter just inside the kitchen door. “Go on in and sit down. We’ll join you in a little bit.”
    Even after Elizabeth was settled in her recliner with her feet up and her crocheting on her lap, she seemed to keep an ear directed toward the kitchen, flinching whenever a dish clanked too loudly against another.
    Lainie laughed. “Seriously, Gran. Ray does know what he’s doing. He’s no stranger to the kitchen, I promise you—no matter what he’s tried to make you believe since we came back.”
    â€œI know. I’m just not used to having men in my kitchen unless they’re eating, that’s all.” Elizabeth rearranged the afghan she was crocheting and wrapped the yarn around her fingers again. “Take that sofa cushion, honey, and put it under your feet. You’ll be more comfortable.”
    Lainie did as she was told and turned to Jess. “How about you?