The Cottage

“He's all right. Frustrated that he can't walk yet. He's asleep. It's hard helping him get around with those casts.” And he was heavy for her.

“You should get him a nurse. You can't do all that yourself.” It seemed foolish but admirable of her.

“I like taking care of him. I haven't had a chance to in a long time. And it's probably my last chance.” And Coop realized he'd been tactless. She probably couldn't afford to pay for a nurse for Jimmy. Although she had style, it was obvious that they didn't have much money. The only evidence to the contrary was the fact that Jimmy paid a stiff rent at the gatehouse, but Coop suspected he did so out of insurance money Maggie must have had, and that would run out sooner or later. Everything else he saw suggested that he, and his mother, lived on a shoestring. Albeit in her case, a silk one. Valerie O'Connor was a very distinguished woman.

“Is Alex working?” Valerie asked pleasantly, as she got out of the pool and came to sit beside him. She wasn't going to stay long. She didn't want to intrude on him. She thought he looked distracted.

“Naturally. The poor girl works too hard, but she loves it.” And in his own way, he admired her for it. She certainly didn't have to, which made it even more noble, or more foolish, depending on how you chose to see it.

“I saw one of your old movies last night,” Valerie said easily, and told him which one. She had seen it in the middle of the night when she was taking care of Jimmy. “You're a remarkably good actor, Coop.” It had surprised her. “It was an excellent movie.” And a far cry from the cameos and commercials he was doing now. “You were a very serious actor, and still could be.”

“I'm too lazy to be,” he said honestly, with a tired smile. “And too old. You have to work awfully hard to make movies like that. I'm too spoiled now.”

“Maybe not,” she said, looking at him with more faith than he had in himself. But she'd been impressed by the caliber of the movie. She had never seen it before, nor heard about it. She figured he must have been about fifty when he made it, and he was embarrassingly handsome, and still was. But in his younger years, he had been even more amazing. “Do you enjoy your work, Coop?”

“I used to. The things I do now aren't very challenging, Valerie.” On any level. It was all about easy and fast, and quick money. He had sold out so long ago, it was hard to remember back to when he hadn't. “I keep waiting for the right part to come along. But nothing has in a long time.” He sounded sad about it, and somewhat discouraged.

“Maybe if you shake the trees a little bit, you'll surprise yourself. The world deserves to see you in a great film again. I really enjoyed that one.”

“I'm glad to hear it.” He smiled at her and they sat in silence for a while, as he thought about what she had said to him. He knew there was truth to it, and what she had said made him think about it. “I'm sorry about your boy,” he said finally. “That must have been terrifying for you.” For the first time, as he looked at her, he almost understood it. She was a truly devoted mother.

“It was. He's all I have,” she said honestly. “My life wouldn't be worth a damn if I lost him.” Because of his newfound relationship with Taryn, he could almost glimpse the agony it would be for him now if he lost her. And after all the years Valerie had shared with her son, the pain of such a loss didn't bear thinking. It was his first glimpse of compassion since Jimmy's accident, and Valerie could sense it, and was grateful to him.

“How long have you been widowed?” he asked comfortably. He was curious about her.

“Ten years. It seems like forever.” She smiled at him, she was a woman who had made peace with herself and the hand life had dealt her. She had surrendered to life's forces and was comfortable with them. There was nothing pathetic about her. In fact, to Coop, she seemed like a very strong woman. He had judged her correctly. “I'm used to it now.”

“Do you ever think about remarrying?” It was an odd conversation between the two of them, as they sat beneath the trees at the pool on a warm June day, thinking about life and what it meant to them. She was just old enough to be able to see things from his vantage point, but not so old she had lost her zest for life, or appreciation of having fun or being happy. Talking to her was comfortable for him, and she seemed surprisingly young to him, despite her wisdom. She was seventeen years younger than he was. As opposed to the forty that separated him from Alex.

“I don't even think about remarrying,” Valerie said honestly. “I haven't been looking. I always figured if there was another man out there for me, he'd find me, and he hasn't. I don't mind. I've already had a good one. I don't need another one.”

“Maybe someone will surprise you sooner or later.”