“I’ve been thinking—”

“Should that admission make me nervous?”

“You could ask Liza to open the letters. That way you’d know what was in them.”

It was unsettling to know that Martha’s mind had been moving in the same direction as her own. “And she would also then know what was in them.”

“What’s wrong with that? Why not let her share it with you? You’ve said you’re not close. Sounds as if you’d like to be. She might like the fact you’re involving her. It might bring you closer.”

Or it might have the opposite effect.

“If I’d wanted to open the letters, I would have opened them.”

“You didn’t want to open them before—I get that. You must have been so mad with Ruth. Trying to move on. But things change, don’t they? I mean, if you asked me now if I wanted to marry Steven I’d say definitely no way, but there was a point where I wanted to, obviously, or I wouldn’t have done it. People are allowed to change their minds.”

That wasn’t it. That wasn’t it, at all.

Kathleen felt something flutter inside her.

Martha had no idea.

She didn’t understand that the reason she hadn’t opened those letters wasn’t out of some childish wish for revenge, or even a wish to keep the past in the past. It was because she’d been afraid of what they’d say.

She was still afraid.

Martha thought she should read the letters, but Martha knew only a tiny sliver of the story. That was all Kathleen had shared.

“I appreciate your concern.”

“But you want me to stop talking now.” Martha gave a good-natured smile. “I don’t want you worrying, that’s all. And I know you are worrying, even though you won’t admit it.”

“I don’t know why you would think that.”

“You’re quiet. And you’ve stopped actively trying to fix me up with Josh.”

“I consider my work in that area to be complete. If you can’t see what a perfect rebound experience he would provide, then I’m at a loss to know what more I can do to convince you.”

“I’m not going to have a rebound experience, Kathleen.” Martha finished her fries. “But I admit it’s good having him with us.”

Yesterday Martha had given Josh the silent treatment. Today she’d been chatting away, very much back to her usual self.

Sometimes it took a while to get used to an idea, Kathleen thought. You had to plant a seed, water it and let it grow.

Josh returned to the table and he and Martha promptly started arguing about dessert.

Adorable, Kathleen thought.