Falling into Place Read Online Free PDF Page B

white curtains in their windows,” her dad said. “They want all the houses to look the same from the outside.”
    â€œBoy, your mother must hate that.”
    â€œShe does, but Carol Woods is a retirement community, and retirement communities have rules.”
    â€œI know they do,” Wendy said, “but you have to admit, some of them are pretty silly. Your poor mother had a fit when she got the letter about hanging her wash on the line.”
    â€œRules are rules, Wendy.” Her dad’s voice had been tired. Margaret could tell he didn’t want to talk about it anymore. As she ran back to her bed and slipped beneath the covers, she’d been filled with indignation. Gran will
never
put up with people telling her what to do, she thought as she pulled the blanket up to her chin.
    But Gran was putting up with it now.
    Margaret sat up. “Why don’t you go
talk
to the Steering Committee about it?” she said encouragingly. “You never let people tell you what to do. Remember that time they were going to widen Blackberry Lane and everyone was going to lose five feet from their yards, so you led a big protest and they stopped? Do that here.”
    â€œI’m afraid I was a lot younger and had a lot more energy back then, Margaret.” Gran leaned her head against the back of the couch and closed her eyes. “And I don’t think I can bear to hear about one more thing I’m not allowed to do.”
    â€œBut maybe if you talked to him . . .”
    â€œPlease. Don’t hound me.”
    Margaret sat back, hurt. She wasn’t
hounding
Gran, she was trying to rev her up. Trying to make Gran stand up for herself, the way she always told Margaret
she
should. But there Gran was, leaning back in that exhausted way with her eyes closed as if she didn’t have the energy to do
anything
anymore.
    Tears of frustration prickled behind Margaret’s eyes.
    â€œI hate Mr. Whiting,” said Roy.
    â€œMe, too,” said Margaret.
    â€œMe, three,” said Gran. Then her eyes shot open and she actually laughed. “Listen to me,” she said, sitting up straight. “I sound like a child.”
    She was all energy again, filled with love and concern as she patted the couch on either side of her. “Come here, both of you,” she said. “I’m sorry I’ve upset you.” She put an arm around each of them as they settled down next to her. Roy immediately slumped against her, but Margaret held herself stiff. “You mustn’t worry about me. I’m fine, really. I don’t know what gets into me. I go along perfectly happy for days at a time, and then something happens to set me off. Seeing your shining faces makes me think of how much Tad would love to be here, enjoying you the way I am.”
    â€œAre you going to die of a broken heart?” said Roy in a small voice.
    â€œNo, Roy, I’m not.” Gran’s voice was firm. “I may have to live with one for a while, but I’m definitely not going to die of one. I was married to your grandfather for a long time, so of course I’m sad. But I think that if I missed him one iota less than I do, that would be more sad, don’t you?”
    She looked at Margaret’s glum face, and then at Roy’s, and laughed. “Look at you both!” she said. “You’re two of the gloomiest cheerer-uppers I’ve ever seen. Come on, what would you like to do this afternoon?”
    Roy was caught up in her new mood immediately. “Can we go to the zoo?” he said. “The one you took me to when I was little?”
    â€œWhat, you’re not little anymore?” Gran laughed. “I don’t see why not. How about you, Margaret?”
    Margaret hesitated. It was scary, the way Gran kept changing. One minute she was sad, the next minute she was happy. Margaret wasn’t sure she could trust this new mood, but there
was
something she wanted to