Beachcombing in the Bahamas (Once Again #11)

Chapter 25 – Adeline

25

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ADELINE

T he nerve of them. They cut me out of the family meeting.

I don’t move quickly these days. And sometimes I hold on to a chair back or two. But no one stops me as I make my way to my granddaughter.

I can’t miss this opportunity. Eying Jodi until she steps back, I wrap my arms around Kacey. The girl clings to me. I count on that.

Then I stand back, holding her shoulders in my disgustingly frail hands.

Are these my hands? How many of us think we’re still thirty-five? Until we look at our crooked fingers and the age spots and remember all the aches and pains in our joints.

“It’s been a terrible day for you, my dear. First, that horrible boy getting himself arrested for betraying you.” I let my voice rise only slightly, but enough to make sure everyone hears. Especially Jodi. “And then you come home to find your mother’s treachery.”

Brock jumps to his feet. “Adeline.” His voice snaps through the air.

The girl needs a reminder that it isn’t only her boyfriend who has betrayed her. So has her mother and her uncle. Especially her mother. Kacey begins to cry. She has so many tears ahead of her before this is all over.

And when it’s over, I will make sure she never speaks to her mother again.

I expect Brock to drag me away. Even Trevor might do it. Yvette is too stunned. She’s always been a weakling. She never deserved to be a Donnelly.

But it’s Jodi who leans close to me and says, “You’re making it worse, Grandmother.”

I can’t believe I hear censure, not from her. After all, it’s her mother and her uncle. Yet a surprising amount of battle light shines out of her Donnelly-blue eyes, and she adds softly, perhaps so no one else will hear, “Stop making trouble, Adeline.”

Adeline . It’s the first time the girl has ever called me anything but Grandmother. Or spoken with anything but respect.

The girl has gumption. I’m suddenly proud of her. Because Jodi is just like me.

I have to consider how I can use that to my advantage.