Rose Harbor in Bloom by Debbie Macomber

Author:Debbie Macomber
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Fiction
ISBN: 9780345528933
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine
Published: 2013-08-13T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

Annie walked a complete circle around one of the tables that had been set up in the reception hall where family and friends would be gathering later that afternoon. The hall was beautifully decorated with flower centerpieces and balloons waiting to be attached to the chair backs. Her fear was that this anniversary party was destined to be an unmitigated disaster. It would be a miracle if her grandparents didn’t end up killing each other before the end of the day. What had happened? What had changed? Where was the loving couple she remembered from her childhood?

“Where would you like these chairs?” Oliver called out from the other side of the hall. Folding chairs lined the walls, ready to be placed around the tables.

Annie couldn’t do anything but stare back.

“Annie?”

She scooted out a chair and slumped into it. “This isn’t going to work,” she whispered.

With his hands braced against his lean hips, Oliver surveyed the room. “I think the setup is perfect.”

“I’m not talking about the room. I’m talking about my grandparents.” It was hard to believe that just a few days earlier Annie had told friends she wanted a marriage just like theirs. They had built their lives around each other. They’d raised their family; they’d supported and encouraged each other through the years. They were living proof that love lasts a lifetime.

Oh, my.

“Annie?” Oliver asked, cutting into her thoughts. “What’s the problem?’

“You need to ask?” she cried. Her stomach was tied up in one huge knot and she could easily picture the entire anniversary party going down in flames. If her grandfather mentioned one word that they’d rushed into the wedding because of the fear of pregnancy it would mortify her grandmother and shock their friends.

Oliver joined her, sitting down across from her. He leaned forward and reached for her hands, gripping them both with his own.

“Are they always like this?” Annie asked, pleading with him to tell her this behavior wasn’t the norm.

“No,” he assured her.

“Thank God.” But his words didn’t help ease her worries. “They’ve done nothing but argue from the moment they arrived. Grandpa won’t wear his hearing aids, and then Grandma shouts at him. Then he gets irritated with her for yelling.”

“I know.”

Oliver chuckled, although what he found amusing Annie couldn’t guess.

“Kent gets dressed, and Julie says what he’s wearing isn’t appropriate and insists he change,” he said, adding to her list.

“Exactly.” Annie lifted her hair off her forehead and held her hand there, not knowing what to do. She felt sick to her stomach. “I thought I wanted a marriage just like theirs,” she said, and was surprised the words had been audible.

“Annie,” Oliver said gently, reassuringly, “people show love in different ways.”

“By fighting? I don’t think so.”

“Your grandparents are nervous about this party. This celebration wasn’t your grandfather’s idea. He’d much rather be back in Portland, playing poker with his buddies. Saturday afternoon he plays cards. He’s going ahead with this whole setup because he thinks this is what your grandmother wants, but he’d prefer to not be part of any of this.

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