Jeremy did as Gunnar asked, but he was confused. “I thought you liked your mom.”
A line formed between Gunnar’s eyebrows. “Oh, I do. She’s great. I love her a lot.”
“Then why are you acting so freaked out?” Gunnar was acting weirder than when Melanie was there, and that said a lot.
“It’s just that . . . Well, you’ll understand in a minute or two.”
When he saw that Mrs. Law was still fussing and hadn’t opened her door yet, Jeremy paused. He wanted to see what the big guy’s mother looked like. Gunnar was acting too weird, so Jeremy figured he had better be prepared for anything.
But then he had to laugh when he saw her get out. Why, she was just a little thing. And, she looked pretty normal too, dressed as she was in jeans, a lavender sweater, and gold flats. She had shoulder length hair that was pulled into a ponytail. From a distance, she didn’t look much older than thirty or so.
“She looks nice, Gunnar.”
“She is. But get ready, buddy. My mom—well, my mother can be a lot.” Gunnar straightened his shoulders and walked down the steps. “Hey, Mama!”
“Oh, Gunnar. Gunnar Alexander, look at you!” she exclaimed before hugging him tight. Then she even patted Gunnar on the arm, which was hysterical, since Mrs. Law only reached his collarbone.
Feeling better, he slowly walked down the steps. He’d say hello and then go to his room.
Yeah. That sounded like the right thing to do . . .
“Jeremy!”
Caught off guard, he froze. Then, feeling awkward, he smiled, raised his hand, and waved awkwardly. “Hi, Mrs. Law.”
“No, no, no. I don’t want a wave,” she said as she waved him over. “Come give your new grandma a hug.”
His new grandma? He barely had time to give Gunnar a “help me” look before she pulled him into a fierce hug. “Oh, Jeremy. Aren’t you wonderful?”
Raising his hands, he kind of circled them around her and hung on, because she didn’t seem in any hurry to let him go. He was aware of the scent of sugar cookies and lemon and some kind of flowery perfume. The whole combination was intense, but not awful.
She was, well, a lot. Gunnar had described his mother to a T, that was for sure.
Just as Jeremy tried to crane his neck to look over at Gunnar in the hopes that he’d rescue him at last, Mrs. Law dropped her hands and stepped back.
He exhaled.
She might have been giving him space, but she was still staring at him like he was Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny rolled into one. “Oh, but you are so handsome,” she said. “Gunnar didn’t tell me that.”
“Thanks?”
“No need for thanks there. God gave you those looks, right?”
“Right.” He didn’t know what else to say, so he just stood there and hoped he could move out of her reach soon.
“Mama, I think you’re starting to scare the boy. Relax, would you?”
She chuckled. “Sorry. Now, don’t worry. We’ll get to know each other real well soon. It’s going to be so wonderful.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Now, go help your dad bring in my suitcases. Can you do that?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Mrs. Law looked around the yard. “Gunnar, you don’t have a dog yet, do you?”
“No, ma’am.”
“Good to know,” she said as she sailed right into the house.
When the screen door closed with a snap behind her, Jeremy looked over at Gunnar. “Is she like that all the time?”
“Nope. She gets quiet when she sleeps.”
Jeremy couldn’t help it. He cracked up as he reached down and grabbed the handle on a giant purple roller bag. “I can’t believe you two are so different.”
“I never needed to talk when she was around.” Picking up a tote bag and the handle on the other bag, he grunted. “Lord, but this is heavy. Be careful now.”
“I’ve got it.” But the thing had to weigh over fifty pounds.
“My mom tends to overpack. Always has, always will. My father used to say traveling with her was like bringing Kmart Supercenter on vacation. She seems to need everything on earth.”
Jeremy slowly wheeled the bag toward the house, listening raptly to Gunnar. “What was your dad like?”
“Quiet, like me. He loved her so much though. Always said she kept him on his toes. I promise, you’ll get used to her. She’s a lot, but she’ll grow on you.”
“What did she mean about a dog?”
Gunnar opened the door. “That, Jeremy, is a topic for another day.”
“Are you sure about that?” He was thinking if he and Gunnar were a permanent thing, a dog added to the mix would be awesome.
“I promise. You have no idea.”
* * *
Jeremy had expected Mrs. Law to be waiting for them in the entry way, but she wasn’t. “Where did she go?” he whispered, half-afraid she was going to bound out of a corner and hug him again.
But this time, instead of looking pained, Gunnar grinned. “She’s in the kitchen. Come on, boy. This is going to knock your socks off.”
Jeremy was too curious to even give him grief about the old-fashioned expression. He followed Gunnar through the living room, past the dining room, and then started smiling too. Because there was Mrs. Law with an apron on, already rooting around the pantry. And she had out a bag of chocolate chips.
“Do you like chocolate chip cookies, Jeremy?” she asked as she pulled out the sugar.
“Yes, ma’am.” Didn’t everyone?
She looked pleased. “I was hoping you would say that. I knew Gunnar wouldn’t have any chips so I brought a bag with me.”
“You travel with chocolate chips?”
“Only on special occasions.”
Gunnar was at the cupboard. “Want a glass of water, Jeremy? You might as well have a seat too. My mother is going to want to chat while she bakes.”
“Gunnar, I swear sometimes you make me sound crazy. All I’m doing is trying to get to know Jeremy here.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said.
Jeremy hopped on one of the barstools that lines the island and watched Mrs. Law pull out ingredients he had no idea were in the cupboards.
Gunnar handed him a glass of water, then curved a hand around Jeremy’s shoulder. “I’m gonna go take a shower. You keep my mom company, okay?”