Loving the Ice Queen

Chapter 27

Ryan

Seeing Barbara again was a blow to the heart. Her eyes looked... sad.

Someone else might not have noticed, but I did. I knew her enough to. And I was the person who'd put that look in those spectacular eyes.

I was such an asshole.

Guilt gnawed at my guts on the drive back to my mother's house to pick up Jeremy. I parked the car and got inside, to find Jeremy and my mother in the back garden. Their clothes were streaked with dirt, their hands deep in the soil. A corner of my mother's backyard was a small greens' garden. She'd developed a love for it after retiring.

She was an active person, which was the reason she had opted for a professional career instead of spending her time enjoying her wealth as most her peers had done. Retiring had her looking for different ways to spend her time and effort, and gardening had won her heart.

Jeremy enjoyed it as well, which made it a bonding activity for the two of them. She even got him matching overalls. Lady sat right next to Jeremy as he patted the dark soil around a seedling. That dog was his shadow.

"You guys need help?" I called out.

The two looked over their shoulders.

My mother said something, Jeremy nodded and stood up. He wiped his hands on his pants, dirtying them further, and jogged towards me, followed by Lady.

"Dad! Did you see Barbara? When can we see her?" he asked as soon as he stopped in front of me, his eyes bright.

"She told me she'll let me know," I replied. Unlike what Barbara might have thought, Jeremy did actually want to see her.

"Okay!"

Then he was inside, dirt flickering everywhere he stepped. I smiled to myself. If I had done that as a kid, my mother would've blown a fuse. But Jeremy got a pass for pretty much everything.

Lady sat down in front of me, her tongue lolling out and her brown eyes sparkling. I showed her my empty hands. "No treats."

She gave a bark and trotted inside. I swear that dog could understand English.

Elizabeth Davies stood up, her white hair covered in a gardening hat. She took off her gloves and made her way towards me, the blue overalls considerably less dirty than Jeremy's.

"Have you made up with your girlfriend?" She asked, putting her gloves in her pockets and removing her hat.

I chuckled. "How did you even know- never mind. Jeremy."

Standing next to me, she turned to look at the garden. The sun broke through the clouds, the colors of sunset peeking over the evergreen surrounding the property.

"At least you have enough sense to go after her. She's a catch, you know."

I looked at her. "You know she's Graham Owens' illegitimate daughter, right?"

"I've heard the gossip. Why do you think I go to that book club?"

"To discuss books?"

"Oh, don't be naive, Ryan." She rolled her eyes. "What does her being an illegitimate child have to do with anything?"

"I don't know. I thought that might bother you."

She gave me a look. "Why would it? One cannot help the way they were born. If anything, it is Graham Owens who should be ashamed for cheating and not taking responsibility for his child. The poor girl."

I turned to her. "What do you mean?"

"Her childhood must not have been easy."

"How did you know?"