“The more pressure you put on me, the more I want to shut down again. You want everything to go back to normal, but I don’t know if it ever will. And every time I come back, I hope I’ll feel differently, that the anger won’t be as strong, but then I get pressured from all directions and all I want to do is leave again. So please, let me try and get past this on my own time.”
She was quiet for so long he thought she wouldn’t answer, but finally she spoke, her tone sad but resigned. “I promise to give you all the time you need.”
Mari had figured the novelty of Paradise would wear off eventually, yet she only seemed to fall more and more in love with the idyllic town. A week had passed since Della’s birthday party, and over the course of that week, Mari had become completely immersed in the small town and its residents.
Yesterday she’d gone shopping with Charlotte and Lexie, then enjoyed a tour of the Paradise Post offices from Lexie, who was the editor-in-chief of the local paper. The day before that, she and Austin went over to Maddie and Owen’s for a movie night. And although Jake and Bree were back in Denver, Mari was now Facebook friends with Bree and the two women constantly chatted online.
She couldn’t believe how amazing Austin’s family was. They’d welcomed her into the fold with open arms, and she was even beginning to forget that Charlotte was a famous singer—the woman was so laidback and fun to be with that Mari felt like they’d been friends for years.
The only thing that put a damper on her happiness was the fact that Austin was moving at a snail’s pace when it came to making inroads with his mom. He’d gone over to Della’s several times this week for breakfast or lunch, but Mari could tell that his guard was still up, and when he spoke about the visits, his voice lacked enthusiasm.
It was almost like he was standing in front of a massive wall, trying to figure out how to scale it, all the while oblivious to the door right in front of his face. He couldn’t seem to move forward and fully forgive his mom, and Mari desperately wished he would just open that door of forgiveness so he could finally reach the other side of the anger wall.
Which was why, on this bright Monday morning, Mari decided it might be time to speed up the process. Austin had gone to help Owen and his crew with a construction job, but he’d left Mari the SUV—and her first order of business today was a visit to Austin’s mother.
She hadn’t told him she was going there, but she had called ahead to make sure it was okay with Della, who’d sounded thrilled to have some company. Mari knew that Austin’s mother had been a homemaker her entire adult life, and was now living comfortably off her late husband’s life-insurance policy, and she imagined Della got pretty lonely all by herself in that big house. It made sense that she tried so hard to be involved in community events. Mari couldn’t imagine not having a job and twiddling her thumbs in boredom all day long.
Standing on Della’s porch, Mari hoped that Austin wouldn’t think she was overstepping by visiting his mother. But she didn’t intend on spilling his secrets or anything. She genuinely wanted to spend time with Della, and maybe see if there was a way to bridge the distance between mother and son.
Seconds after Mari rang the bell, Della answered the door with a beaming smile. “I’m so happy you came by, Mari! Would you like to sit out on the deck? It’s a lovely day and I just made some fresh-squeezed lemonade.”
“Sounds great,” Mari answered as she walked inside.
The two women headed into the kitchen, where Della grabbed a pitcher of lemonade from the fridge and two tall glasses from one of the white cupboards. With their drinks in hand, they stepped out on the deck and settled in a pair of comfortable patio chairs around the large glass table.
When Mari spotted the sketchbook and drawing pencils on the tabletop, her eyes widened in surprise. “You draw?”
Della’s cheeks took on a rosy hue. “I do, but not often. It’s more of a hobby.”
“Austin never mentioned it.”
“That’s because he doesn’t know. It’s my secret hobby.” Della smiled ruefully. “I’m very critical of myself, so I don’t show my drawings to anyone.”
Mari gestured to the book. “How about making an exception for me? Because I’d love to see your work.”
The older woman looked both embarrassed and reluctant. But the reluctance slowly seemed to fade away, and then she slid the book across the table.
Mari opened the first page to find a pretty sketch of a mountainous landscape with an eagle swooping above one of the majestic peaks. The next page showed another landscape, this one a gurgling creek with a deer bending over to lap at the water. Nearly all the drawings showcased different aspects of Paradise, and the little town came to life in front of Mari’s eyes. The forests and lakes and mountains, the historical buildings and little shops, a gorgeous fireworks display in the town square.
“You’re really good,” she said earnestly, finally meeting Della’s anxious gaze. “I’m terrible at landscapes. But you really managed to capture the sheer beauty of this town.”