She slanted a glance at Scott. “About your parents’ barbecue and open house this weekend.”
Scott grunted. “I told them not to expect us.”
“I’d like to go.”
He glanced at her with sudden wariness. “Why?”
“I want to see the house renovation. Will you take me?”
He groaned so low Hugo lifted his head in curiosity. “Sure.”
*
They arrived early enough to help with the preparations. While delighted to see her again—Scott’s father went so far as to kiss her cheek—Scott and his father shook hands like prize fighters and then retreated to their corners: Scott to watch a ballgame while his father begged off to finish working on his office files.
“The house is gorgeous.” Cole reached for a head of lettuce. She’d offered to make a green salad. “And finished so quickly.”
“Yes, it’s very nice to have a fresh coat of paint everywhere. Of course there are things lost that can’t be replaced.” She paused and, very much like her son, shook her head to toss off the emotion that threatened her. “We are blessed to be alive and whole.”
She perked up. “Scott’s father is doing remarkably well. His doctor said it was a wakeup call. Now my husband lets me feed him more vegetables and we’ve taken all red meat off the menu.”
“I’m glad. We were so worried.”
She glanced at Cole. “I’m not prying but I have to ask, how are you and Scott doing?”
Cole smiled. “We’re well. We have some things to work out. It’s a cliché. We were young and both made mistakes. This time we know what the potholes look like.”
She reached out and squeezed Cole’s arm. “I’m so very happy to hear that. I knew the very first time I saw you together that you were the best thing that had ever happened to him. He just glowed around you.”
“Thank you for telling me that.” Cole put her rinsed lettuce in a colander to drain. “May I ask you a sensitive question?”
“About what, dear?”
“Gabe. We met once but I know almost nothing about him.”
Again, Cathy Lucca’s eyes lost their brilliance but she nodded. “What would you like to know?
Cole dried her hands and turned toward Scott’s mom. “Tell me about him. What was he like?”
Cathy continued peeling potatoes for boiling. “He was a beautiful child. Smart and curious about the world. There was a fire in his eyes practically from the day he was born. He loved adventure. ‘No’ was a dare to him. Scared me to pieces.”
She smiled at some memory. “He crawled out over the top of his crib before he could walk and never stopped moving. He was strong, so much energy. By three years old he’d tackle older boys on the playground just for an excuse to wrestle. He was physically fearless.” Mrs. Lucca shook her head again as more memories spooled out behind her thoughts. “I told his father we’d need to channel that lust for a thrill, or he’d get into trouble we couldn’t handle.”
“Scott never mentioned Gabe being in trouble.”
Cathy set her paring knife down to give Cole her full attention. “That’s because we shielded Scott from most of his older brother’s antics. Scott thought the sun rose and set on Gabe. And Gabe loved Scott, and his adoration. Scott was probably the only person Gabe never tested growing up. But Gabe was driven, loved the thrill of testing his limits. When he couldn’t find a challenge, he went looking for it. Finally, we couldn’t keep him from getting into trouble.”
Cole licked her lips, wondering if she was pushing too hard, but she had to know, for Scott’s sake. “What kind of trouble?
Cathy looked away from Cole and returned to peeling. “There were a few minor things at first, stealing a beer from the fridge, smoking with some friends in the boys’ restroom at school. Most of it was typical kid stuff but the summer he was fifteen he was arrested for boosting a car.”
“He stole a car?” Cole couldn’t control her surprise.
She sighed. “Gabe said he didn’t know the car was stolen. That he just went joyriding with friends. The police let them go with a warning to the parents. But, a few days later, two of Gabe’s so-called friends robbed the house of the man whose car had been stolen. It seems they had found the owner’s house keys in the glove compartment when they stole the car. The police came and arrested all the boys involved in the car theft with breaking and entering and burglary, as well as grand theft auto.”
“Why didn’t I know any of this?”
Both women looked up guiltily to find Scott standing in the doorway to the family room.
His mother’s cheeks pinked. “Scott, how long have you been standing there?”
He leaned a shoulder against the jamb. “Keep talking, Mom.”
She straightened up, putting on her family-court judge face. “You should understand your father and I were trying to protect Gabe, and you. You were just ten years old.”
Scott was silent.