The room was filled with fabric. Lush jeweled colors and muted beiges. There was a sitting area and a work area, books on design and fabric. Even though it wasn’t Jenna’s area of expertise, the female in her squealed with delight.
“Oh, it’s lovely.”
“Girl stuff.”
She rolled her eyes at Ty and they walked on down the hall. “This is my room. Prepare yourself.”
He opened the door and it was as if time had stood still. It was precious. A twin bed sat under the double window and the room was painted a bright blue. Trophies of all kinds filled the shelves on the walls. A small desk cornered one end of the room. Photos of Ty at different ages filled several shelves on the walls. She stepped in the room and scanned the photographs of Tyler missing a front tooth, one of him with his hair falling over his eyes like it still did today, and one of him as a baby.
She put her hand over her heart and looked up at him. “This is so sweet.”
“I’ve tried to get her to let me pack up all this stuff and put it in the attic, but she won’t let me. It’s creepy.”
“It is not. She obviously loves you.”
“She could turn this into a guest room.”
Jenna sat on his bed. “Why would she?”
“Because people need to move on. I’m not a kid anymore.”
“Maybe she loves these memories of you. Look at all these trophies and certificates.” She stood and scanned the framed certificates listing Ty’s accomplishments on the Honor roll, dean’s list, even his academic scholarship letters.
She turned to him. “Weren’t you a smarty?”
He crossed his arms. “Not just a dumb jock, ya know.”
She was learning more about him every day, and she liked what she saw.
“Your mother is very proud of you.”
“She could be proud of me by putting my crap in a scrapbook.”
She laughed. “My parents have the trophy room in our house. Stuff from Mick and Gavin and my childhood, all the way through high school and college. Remind me to show it to you sometime.”
“Yeah?”
“Yes. A room dedicated just to us kids and our accomplishments. So believe me, it’s not just your mom. And it’s as embarrassing for us as it is for you. Some parents like to show off their kids. Your mother is not creepy.”
He shrugged. “Maybe not. But I’d be happier if this room had a futon and maybe an elliptical in it. Something for my mom. It’s like I died or something and she’s afraid to touch anything in here. She’s enshrined it.”
Jenna snorted. “It’s a parent thing. Get over it.”
They went back downstairs and through the dining room, which held a tableclothed rectangular cherry table with matching china cabinet and hutch. The furniture had to be antique. Ty led her through the doorway into the kitchen, which obviously had been remodeled. There were dark gray granite countertops, cherry cabinetry, and stainless-steel appliances as well as lots of open window space.
“Oh, I love your kitchen, Louise.”
She turned and smiled. “Thank you. When I’m not sewing I’m trying out a new recipe, so I spend a lot of time in here. I remodeled a couple years ago, got rid of the ancient appliances and tacky countertops. Out with the old, in with the new is what I say.”
“Except for my room,” Ty grumbled.
“Hey, I like your room,” Jenna said, taking the glass of wine Louise passed to her.
“So do I. Some of my best memories are of Tyler’s childhood. And I want him to feel at home when he visits, which isn’t often enough.”
“Because I’m too tall to sleep in that twin bed,” Tyler said, rolling his eyes at Jenna when his mother’s back was turned.
Jenna grinned at him.
Ty’s mother led them into the living room, where they sat and drank.
“You are not too tall for that bed. It’s extra long,” his mother said as she sipped her wine.
“My memories are fine without you leaving my room the same way it was when I was six years old.”
Louise turned to her. “It’s a constant point of contention between us. He doesn’t like that I won’t pack up his things and shove them in the attic. But I love those memories of his boyhood.” She took a sip of wine. “Life was simpler back then.”
Jenna slid Ty a look. He shrugged.
“I saw your sewing room, Louise. And your bedroom is amazing. Did you make the spread and window coverings yourself?”
She beamed a smile. “I did. My mother taught me to sew. It’s not something I had time to do until I retired a few years ago.”
“Oh, how nice for you. What did you do before you retired?”
“I was executive assistant to the president of one of the banks. Years ago I started out in clerical work, then as a secretary. Worked my way up over the years into executive work. It was nonstop busy, and I’m glad to be out of it.”
“It sounds very exciting.”
“Oh, it was,” she said, inhaling and letting out a sigh. “But my real joy has always come from sewing. Now that I have the time to do it, I love to make things for the house. I even have friends asking me to redo some of their rooms.”
Jenna saw the excitement on Louise’s face as she talked about designing for her friends.