by Nicole Ellis
The next morning, she took care of a few errands and then drove to her mom’s house. Libby’s car was already parked out front when Meg arrived, but Samantha wasn’t there yet. Meg pulled her car in behind Libby’s, turned the engine off, and stared at herself in the visor mirror. Dark crescents hung under her eyes, a testament to her lack of sleep last night.
She’d tossed and turned all night, worrying about why her mom had wanted to have her daughters over to her house. Although she’d attempted to conceal the evidence with a layer of foundation, Meg knew her mom would notice. She smiled at her reflection, hoping the forced cheer would become real.
Someone tapped on the passenger side window. Meg flipped the visor back up and opened the door.
Libby stood on the sidewalk, holding a large ring of keys. “Are you coming in?”
“Yeah. Sorry. I had something in my eye.” Meg joined her on the sidewalk. “Did you just get here?”
Libby scoffed at her. “I’ve been here for thirty minutes already. I wanted to make sure Mom had someone to help her set things up.” She gestured to her car. “I made some tea sandwiches, but I couldn’t carry them all when I got here.”
Meg raised an eyebrow. “Mom told me not to bring anything.”
“Oh yeah, she told me that too, but I figured I should bring something anyway.” Libby aimed her key fob at her car to open it.
Leave it to her older sister to show everyone else up.
“Do you need any help?” Meg asked, watching as Libby grabbed a short stack of covered trays off the floor of her minivan.
Libby flashed her a smile. “No, I’m good.” Balancing the trays in one hand, she closed the minivan’s door, then walked briskly up the sidewalk to the house they’d grown up in.
Meg followed behind her like a dutiful duckling. Her mom met them at the door, stepping aside to let Libby slip past her.
“Hey, Meggie.” She gave Meg a hug.
Meg hugged her for longer than necessary, enjoying the comfort of being in her mother’s arms. A tear slipped down her cheek, and she brushed it away before her mom could see it.
“Um, honey? Are you okay?” Her mom asked as she stepped back to look at Meg.
“I’m fine.” Meg smiled at her. “Why?”
“Because you look like you haven’t slept in a week, and your mascara is running.”
“Oh, we were really busy last night. I was too amped up when I got home to get to sleep until late. And then I got something in my eye when I was driving.” The little white lie she’d told Libby was coming in handy.
Her mother narrowed her eyes skeptically, but simply nodded. “I have everything set up in the dining room. Samantha called to say she’d be a few minutes late, but she’ll be here soon.”
She led Meg into the dining room, where Libby was busy setting up an impressive tray of tea sandwiches. “Libby made some extra sandwiches and cookies. I think she thought we were going to be feeding an army today.”
Her mom’s words were teasing, but she saw the loving glance she gave Libby. Meg winced. Although her mom had said not to bring anything, Libby never passed up a chance to show her younger sisters up.
A three-tiered cake stand next to the tray Libby was assembling held several different kinds of sandwiches, while another was piled high with scones and an assortment of petit fours. Juicy melon cut into cubes and tossed with purple grapes filled a large bowl. Smaller bowls held what Meg assumed was clotted cream and multiple jam varieties.
Meg sat down in front of the display of treats and breathed in the fragrant sweetness of the fruit, her stomach grumbling. “Wow. This looks delicious.”
Her mother’s chest puffed out. “Thank you. I had fun doing it. It’s been a while since we took on a catering job with an afternoon tea theme, and I kind of missed it.”
“You needed to take it easy,” Libby said. “Working full-time in the business would have been too much for you while you were undergoing treatments and recovering afterward.”
“Well, maybe now that she’s done, she can take on more jobs.” Meg watched her mother’s face carefully.
“Maybe.” Debbie smiled noncommittally at her. “Your sister should be here soon. I’m going to go fix the tea.”
When she was out of sight, Meg whispered to Libby, “Has she said anything about the scan results?”
Libby shook her head as she sat down across from Meg. “Not yet. She refuses to tell me anything until Sam gets here.”
The doorbell rang, and Meg heard her mom open the front door. “Do you think it’s good news or bad?” Meg asked, her eyes flickering to the dining room entrance.
A shadow crossed Libby’s face. “I don’t know.” She bit her lip and straightened a sandwich that had dared shift out of line on the second tier.
“Samantha’s here,” their mom called out from the front door.
Meg and Libby exchanged glances, and Meg steeled herself for whatever their mom wanted to tell them.
Samantha entered the kitchen, wearing a fuzzy, baby-blue sweater and denim jeans that hugged her petite figure. She smiled at her sisters before hanging her jacket over one of the high-backed wooden chairs. “I’m so hungry! Mom, you outdid yourself.” She stood on her tiptoes and kissed her mom’s cheek.
Debbie beamed. “Libby helped, but I had a lot of fun with it.” She motioned for Samantha to sit down. “I’ll grab the tea and we can start.”
Debbie returned carrying a small pot of tea in each hand. When they were all seated around the table, she poured the tea into delicate china teacups with matching saucers. “You know, I’ve been collecting these teacups since I was a little girl, and they don’t get nearly enough use. I think we should remedy that with a girls’ tea party at least a few times a year.”
“Sounds good to me.” Samantha swallowed the last bite of a cucumber and cream cheese sandwich. “Next time, I’ll make some sort of soup too. There’s a recipe for a crab bisque I’ve been wanting to try.”
“That would be lovely.” Debbie sipped her tea, but Meg noticed she hadn’t touched the scone and sandwich that she’d set on her plate.
“Mom.” Meg’s serious tone must have caught her sisters’ attention because all conversation stopped. “I’m so glad to be here with all of you, but I think we’re all wondering if you’ve heard from your doctor. It’s been a week now.”
Debbie nodded. “He called yesterday morning.”
Meg held her breath.
A huge smile spread across their mom’s face. “And I’m still cancer-free – at least for now.”
“Mom, that’s great news!” Meg jumped up from the table and enveloped her in a huge hug.
Samantha came around behind them. “I want in on this too,” she said as she wrapped her arms around them both.
Libby watched them for a moment, then stood and set her hand on her mother’s shoulder. There were tears in her eyes as she said, “Mom, I’m so happy for you.”
The waterworks started for real then, with all four women crying tears of joy. Meg didn’t usually consider herself to be terribly emotional, but right now, she was a wreck.
“Okay, okay.” Debbie backed away and dried her tears with a napkin. “Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s eat. Meg has to go in to work later, and I want to make sure we all have a chance to catch up. Everyone is always so busy I feel like I barely see you girls.”
“We saw you last week at the Wedding Crashers get-together at Cassie’s.” Samantha’s eyes twinkled. “I know you’re getting old, but is your memory going too?”
Debbie slugged her youngest daughter lightly on the arm. “Haha, very funny. I remember. Sometimes, though, I like to spend time with just my girls.”
“And we love spending time with you, Mom.” Libby smiled at Debbie.
“Enough mushiness. Let’s eat.” Meg wiped her tears away with the back of her hand.
They all sat back down, and Meg filled her plate with sandwiches and cookies, suddenly starving. Knowing her mom was g
oing to be okay was the best news she could ever ask for.
“Where’s Kaya?” Meg asked Libby. “I was hoping to see her today.” Her four-year-old niece was adorable, with blonde curls, blue eyes, and chubby cheeks. Best of all, she thought her Auntie Meg was the coolest person on earth.
“She’s with my neighbor, who has a little boy about the same age.” Libby’s gaze slid over to Debbie. “I wasn’t sure if it was appropriate to bring her today.”
Meg nodded. That made sense. If her mom had given them bad news, Libby would probably want to keep it from Kaya for a while because she was too little to understand.
Debbie wiped some powdered sugar from her mouth with a napkin and faced Samantha. “How’s Brant doing?”
Samantha shifted in her seat and stared at the table for a moment. “He’s fine. Just really busy with work.”
“Any updates on the wedding?” Debbie asked. “Now that I’m feeling better, I’d love to help you plan it.”
“No, not really any updates.” Samantha reached for a scone and spread clotted cream across the top of it. “We still don’t have a date set.”
“I can help too,” Libby said. “After all, I’m your maid of honor. Good thing you chose me because who knows if Meg will be around to help out.” She eyed Meg with a look that wasn’t entirely teasing.
Why was Libby acting like this? As far as she knew, she and her sister were on good terms. Had she missed something? “What do you mean?” Meg tried to keep her voice light and non-accusatory.
Libby sighed dramatically. “Only that you’ll probably go back to Portland now that Mom is feeling better.”
Debbie turned her head sharply, her eyes drilling into Meg. “Are you moving back to Portland?”
Meg glanced at Libby, then back at her mother. “I don’t really know right now. I hadn’t given it too much thought. Maybe? If the right job comes up. There isn’t a lot of room for career progression at the Lodge.”
“Well, I don’t want you to go, but I did like visiting you in Portland,” Samantha said. “I think what I ate at the restaurant you worked at was the best meal I’ve ever had.”
Meg gave her a faint smile. “Thanks. I appreciate that.”
“You know, Mom, that gives me a good idea,” Samantha said, mercifully steering the attention away from Meg. “We had fresh pasta with a basil cream sauce there that was astounding. Do you think we could work that into one of the catering menus?”
Debbie screwed up her face in thought. “I’ve been wanting to change out the ravioli menu with something more contemporary. That might just work.” She, Samantha, and Libby dove into a discussion about the catering menus.
While the rest of them were talking about work stuff, Meg let her thoughts dwell on her own career. She didn’t like the way Libby had insinuated that Meg wouldn’t be there for her family, but her sister had been right. Now that their mom was officially on the mend, Meg could focus on the best move for her own future.
She liked working with Taylor at the Lodge and seeing her friends there every day, but she couldn’t picture herself there long-term. Should she look into jobs back in Portland? Or a little closer, in Seattle? What would her life look like then? Her chest constricted at the thought of working for someone other than Taylor.
“Hey, Meg,” Samantha said. “Did you hear what I asked?”
Meg shook her head to clear it. “No, I’m sorry. I was zoning out a little. What did you say?”
“I asked you if the Lodge might be willing to donate a night’s stay to our school auction next month.”
“I don’t know. I can ask my boss.” Meg took a swig of her tea, which was now cool.
“Thanks!” Samantha flashed her a smile. “Every little bit helps out the school. We’re trying to raise money for a new playground.”
“That’s great. I’ll make sure to ask him when I get to work.” Meg checked her watch. “Speaking of which, I should probably head out. It’s almost two thirty.”
She said goodbye to her sisters, who stayed in the kitchen talking animatedly with each other while their mom walked Meg to the front door.
“You know I’m so proud of you, right, honey?” her mom said as they stepped out onto the porch.
Meg tilted her head to the side. “Proud of me?”
“Your dad and I love that you’re doing what makes you happy, whether that’s cooking in a restaurant halfway across the world or right here in Willa Bay. We miss you when you’re away, but we just want what’s best for you.” Debbie hugged her. “This is your life to live.”
Meg gazed out at the street. She’d tried to make an effort to see her parents a few times a year when she lived in Portland, but it hadn’t always been easy. Living in Willa Bay for the past year had brought her closer to her mother than they’d ever been, even when Meg was still living in their home.
She wasn’t sure how to respond to her mom’s comment though because her own thoughts about moving were so conflicted. She finally settled on, “Thanks, Mom. I appreciate it. And don’t worry. I’m not going to move halfway across the world.” She hugged her mom again. “But I’d really better leave for work now.”
“Love you.” Her mom waved goodbye, not stopping until Meg was in the car.
Meg’s stomach flip-flopped as she drove away from her parents’ house. They’d always encouraged all three of their girls to reach for their goals. Libby had married soon after college and settled into a house only a few blocks away from her childhood home, and Samantha had accepted a job at the local high school.
Meg was the only one who’d flown further away from the nest. It had been the right thing for her when she’d been fresh out of college, but was it where she saw herself now?
12
Zoe
The roar of a lawnmower’s revving engine woke Zoe on Saturday morning. For a moment she lay in bed, confused. Living alone on the sprawling grounds of the old Inn, she wasn’t used to hearing anyone else in the morning – but then she remembered that Shawn was staying at Celia’s place. Zoe had seen Shawn briefly at the hospital a few times over the last three days, but they hadn’t spent much time together.
She’d gotten the impression from him that he didn’t think Celia could continue to live alone once she woke up, but Zoe didn’t want to think about that possibility. The Inn was vitally important to Celia, and Zoe wasn’t sure how long she’d survive in a long-term assisted living facility. But with Celia still in the hospital, it didn’t seem like the right time to argue with him about it, so Zoe hadn’t pressed the issue.
She fixed a hearty plate of pancakes, bacon, and eggs for breakfast, then dressed for work. With both an afternoon and an evening wedding scheduled at the Lodge, she’d be lucky if she got lunch or dinner. On the way out, she stopped in front of the old inn.
Shawn was working his way up the gentle slope leading to the gazebo. She waved to him, and the mower’s engine cut off.
“Hey, Zoe.” He wiped a handkerchief across his brow as he walked toward her, his gait uneven from what he’d told her was an old war injury. “I haven’t had to cut this much grass since I mowed lawns for pocket money back in middle school. I don’t seem to remember it being this exhausting, but maybe I was in better shape back then.”
Her gaze slid involuntarily to the well-formed biceps peeking out of the short sleeves of the forest-green T-shirt he wore paired with faded blue jeans. How could he possibly have been in better shape? Heat rose up her neck and into her cheeks, and she twisted her head around to look back at the neatly cut lawn. Cassie would have a field day if she knew Zoe had been ogling Shawn’s muscles.
She turned back to face him, hoping her blush had subsided. “Celia usually hires a landscaping company, but I think she forgot this year.”
“I hope she doesn’t mind. With all the rain you’ve received, the grass has been growing like crazy. I found the mower in the shed out back and thought I’d help out a little.” He bent down to pick up a large rock embedded in the grass and threw i
t into a pile a few feet away. “Although all of the landscaping could use some TLC.”
“The whole place could use some maintenance.” Zoe eyed the fading paint on the inn’s siding. “Celia isn’t big on accepting help though.”
He nodded. “I figured. From what you’ve said, she’s one independent lady.”
“Have you heard from your dad yet?” When she’d seen him yesterday, he’d said his father might be home soon, and she was anxious for him to find out more about Celia.
“He called me back last night. I’m actually going down there in about an hour.” He toed the ground. “Did you want to come with me?”
For a moment, she considered it because she so badly wanted to know the truth. She frowned. “I wish I could, but I’m heading into work, and I’ll be staying late tonight.”
He flashed her a grin, revealing a smile with two slightly crooked teeth. “Okay. I thought I’d ask since I know how badly you want to find out Celia’s secret.”
“Call me later tonight and let me know what your dad says.” She looked up at the house. “How is Pebbles doing?” She’d intended to continue taking care of the dog while his owner was in the hospital, but Shawn had insisted on taking over the responsibility while he was living in Celia’s house.
Shawn’s face lit up. “He’s doing great. I think he misses Celia, because he always sits on the floor near the couch, but he’s been eating well, and he loves going for walks with me. We’ve been exploring the beach and some of the trails past your place.”
“Oh, good.”
“I grew up with dogs, and I’ve always wanted one of my own, but it seemed impractical when I was on active duty. I was away from home or out of town so often that I wouldn’t have been able to spend much time with a dog.” A wistful look came into his eyes. “I guess now that I’m officially retired, I can look into it.”
She laughed. “It’s weird to think of you being retired. You don’t look that old.”
“Hmm. And just how old do I look?” His eyes sparkled with mirth. “I haven’t had anyone try to help me across the street yet.”
