I Love You Again by Kate Sweeney Page B

happening? “Dale knows the owner of the local skydiving company.”
    “Oh, dear.” Helen laughed then. “No way out of it now.”
    “Who says I want a way out of it?” Kit looked at Bess, who whistled and absently looked at the sky.
    “No one. If you want to jump out of a plane, go right ahead.” Helen shook her head. “What else is on your schedule for tomorrow beside the walk-a-thon and terror at ten thousand feet?”
    Kit ignored the sarcasm. “Dale is going to learn how to fly fish around eight.”
    “It appears you have a full day for your birthday.”
    “Is that eight o’clock in the morning?” Bess asked.
    “Yes.” She could feel the eyes of scrutiny upon her and avoided both women.
    “And who is going to teach her?” Helen asked sweetly.
    “You know full well who,” Kit said angrily and stood.
    “Hmm,” Helen said thoughtfully as she rocked. “I think I would like the professor to teach me the art of fly-fishing.”
    Kit’s eyes nearly bugged out of her head. “No, you don’t.”
    “Yes, I really do.”
    Kit looked at Bess, who put her hands up. “I don’t care what it is. I’m not getting up at the butt crack of dawn for anything.”
    “Mother, you don’t even know which end of the rod to hold.”
    “That’s why I need instruction.”
    “No, what you need is—”
    Helen raised her cane. “Ah, ah. Remember to whom you speak, young lady.”
    “I’m going back to the room.”
    “Have fun,” Helen said.
    “Mother?”
    “Yes?”
    “I beseech you…”
    “Beseech? Oh, dear, that sounds dreadful.”
    “Please, we’re only here for a few days. And it’s my birthday.”
    “I know!” Helen said happily.
    “Please don’t start anything, well, anything more than you already have. If not for me, think of Roz.”
    Helen beamed. “Are you thinking of her?”
    Kit dropped her head. “Dear God.”
    “Oh, all right. I said I’d behave.”
    Kit narrowed her eyes. “Why don’t I believe you?”
    “I don’t know. I’m a believable woman. Maybe it’s you?” Helen asked with a slight smile.
    Kit shook her head. “See you at dinner.”
    “Seven,” Helen called after her. “Don’t be late.”
    As Helen watched Kit walk back toward the lodge, Bess watched Helen. “You promised. Did you have your fingers crossed?”
    “With my arthritic hands?” Helen huffed indignantly. She then touched her temple. “I had them crossed in my mind.”
    “The scariest place on earth. Oh, Helen, I think Kit is serious.”
    “I won’t have to do much.”
    “Like a gentle nudge?”
    “Gentle, my Aunt Minnie, who was hit by a car, as well, if I remember. Did you see the way they looked at each other when we arrived?”
    “I’m not sure that was love. It looked more like they were completely flummoxed, bordering on terrified.”
    Helen raised an eyebrow. “Don’t kid yourself, Bess. What do you think love is?”

 

    Chapter 6

    After she dressed for dinner, Helen walked through the bathroom and knocked on the adjoining door to Kit’s room.
    “C’mon in, Mom,” Kit called.
    Helen poked her head in to see Kit standing in front of the mirror.
    “Mirror, mirror on the wall,” Helen said.
    Kit smiled and tightened the belt on her robe and ran her fingers through her wet hair.
    “You have a beautiful complexion,” Helen said as she sat down. “I’ll take credit for that. And you should go without all that makeup. Roz loves…”
    Kit turned around to her. “I don’t care what Roz loves anymore.”
    “Go peddle that story to someone who doesn’t know you. I came to get you, but as usual, you’re running late.” Helen stood with a groan. “I’ll see you downstairs.”
    “Okay, I’ll be done in a few minutes.”
    “Wear something sexy,” Helen said as she walked out before Kit could respond. She laughed, though, when she heard the loud groan.
    Helen was still chuckling when she found Roz staring into the fireplace. She shook her head as she approached. “Youth,” she