Climbing out of bed, she slid her feet into her slippers and quietly tiptoed out of her room, wondering where Edith might have hidden the good snacks. She was all for eating healthy in front of Manny, but a woman could not live on veggies alone.
She snickered to herself, thinking how quickly her attitude toward food had changed since arriving in Gracemont. At home, she was fine with simple fare, but she’d gotten spoiled staying under this roof.
Edith lived on Main Street, so while it was dark, there was enough light provided by the streetlamps outside, as well as the few nightlights Edith had scattered around that house, that she could make her way to the kitchen without turning on a lamp or employing the use of her phone’s flashlight.
Which was good, because she refused to pick her phone up again tonight just in case Martha had persisted.
Once she was in the kitchen, she walked to the fridge, peering inside. Edith had done an admirable job hiding the good food. Ella considered pulling out the bag of carrots and the hummus, but what she really wanted was a cookie.
She quickly closed the refrigerator door when the kitchen light came on.
Edith stood in the entryway.
“I’m so sorry,” Ella said, in hushed tones. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”
Edith chuckled as she walked into the room. “I’m eighty-two years old, Ella. I’m up every three hours to go to the bathroom. You could set a clock by me. What are you doing up so late? Hungry?”
Ella felt guilty admitting that, since she understood Edith’s reasons for cleaning out the fridge. Before she could respond, Edith answered for her.
“Because I am. Put the kettle on,” she directed, as she walked toward the pantry. “I’ll make us some chamomile tea to go with…”
As Edith spoke, she pulled out a box of rice cakes.
Ella must not have done a very good job of hiding her disdain, because Edith chuckled.
“Don’t panic, dear girl.” Reaching into the box, she pulled out a baggie of her homemade chocolate chip cookies. “I told Manny I pitched these. Think the poor boy might have shed a tear or two. Had to hide them somewhere he’d never look.”
Ella laughed as she filled the kettle and turned on the stove. While they waited for the water to boil, they worked together pulling down mugs, grabbing the tea bags, and putting a handful of cookies on a small plate.
When the kettle boiled, Edith poured the tea and then they took their seats at the kitchen table. Sitting with Edith like thisreminded Ella of midnight snacks she’d shared with Gigi over the years.
“So, what’s got you up so late?” Edith asked.
Ella moaned in bliss as she took a bite of the cookie, and Edith grinned.
“My sister,” she replied. “She called earlier. She’s anxious for me to come home.”
“Oh.” Edith, bless her, didn’t even try to hide her disappointment. “I understand if you have things you need to return home for, but I’ll admit I was hoping you’d stay longer.”
“I told her I wasn’t sure when I was returning,” Ella said. “Being here has been…” She hadn’t mentioned Gigi’s passing since that day she fell apart in Edith’s arms. “My sister only recently started talking to me again. And by recently, I mean since I’ve been here.”
Edith frowned. “The two of you had a fight?”
“Not just the two of us. Right after Gigi died, Dad showed up at her house with his pastor in tow.”
Edith nodded, probably thinking Dad’s intentions had been good. Ella had known they were not. It was why she’d refused to invite them in, standing in the doorway while making them stay out on the porch.
“Dad said he was giving me a month to find somewhere else to live.” She recalled her dad’s face, how he’d put on this grand show for the pastor, like he was some benevolent man, graciously giving his daughter a whole month before kicking her out of her home.
“He was kicking you out of your own home!?”
Edith’s shocked tone proved that Ella’s family wasn’t the norm. She knew that, of course. But sometimes it was easy to forget when she’d never spent a great deal of time around functional families. Silas had been raised by a single mom, Ella hadn’t been allowed to go to friends’ houses growing up, andshe hadn’t formed close friendships with her colleagues at the station. That was why Sunday dinner at the Storm house had been so illuminating.
Ella nodded.
“Were he and your mother hoping to move in?” Edith was obviously trying to put a reasonable spin on something that wasn’t normal.
“No. Their house is bigger than Gigi’s, and closer to Martha and the grandkids. He said he was donating the house to the church.”