by Rachel Hanna
“No, please don’t. That’s not what I’m saying at all.” Dixie was so afraid she was going to pack up and take off.
“Then what are you saying?”
“Please, sit back down. Please.”
Carrie sucked in a sharp breath and sat back down on the edge of the rocker. “You know, I haven’t seen my dad much in the last few years. We had words a few times, and we’d just started rebuilding our relationship when…”
“When I came along?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
“Darlin’, you’re a grown woman. Certainly, you don’t worry that I’ll take your daddy away from you?”
“No. That’s not it.”
“Do you think I’m trying to replace your mom? Because I’m not.”
“No, I don’t think that.”
Dixie leaned back. “So, it truly is that you just don’t like me?”
Carrie chuckled under her breath. “You are a little much sometimes, with your jewelry and bejeweled sweaters. But, it’s not that I dislike you.”
“Then what is it?” Dixie asked, throwing her hands in the air.
“I guess I’ve been holding something against you, and maybe it’s not your fault.”
“What?”
Carrie set her coffee cup on the wicker table next to her and leaned back in the chair. “I’ve always wanted to take care of my dad, but we had a rift for a long time. When we worked things out, I finally asked him to come stay with me in California. I bought a house with a guest suite all set up for him. Then, he told me no. Said he’d met a woman who wanted to travel like he did.”
“Oh…”
“He’s got a disease. I’m worried about him. I want to take care of him, get him the best medical treatment…”
“So, you want him to be your patient?”
“What?”
Dixie smiled. “Carrie, your daddy is still a vibrant man. He’d never want to live with his child and be taken care of like an invalid.”
“I didn’t call him an invalid!”
“You know him. That’s what he’d feel like. Look, we both have Parkinson’s. We see skilled doctors here. And we take care of each other. We’re living our best lives! Who knows how much time we have left, but at least we’ll spend it kicking up our heels and having fun! I mean, we might fall down or fling salt all over the kitchen, but we’re living.”
Carrie laughed. “You’re quite a character, Dixie.”
“I’ll agree with that. So, can we start over? What do you say?”
“As long as you take care of Dad and always let me see him, I think we can make this work.”
Dixie smiled. “Oh, sugar, I would never try to keep you from seeing your daddy! I just want us to be friends, that’s all.”
“I need another cup of this amazing peppermint coffee. Care for a cup?”
Dixie stood up to follow her into the house. “I need decaf, because the Lord knows I don’t need an extra pep in my step before bed!”
Chapter Four
Julie opened the drapes and allowed the bright sunlight to envelop the living room. She loved early morning, especially now that Dylan was out of school for winter break. The beams of sunlight danced across the hardwood floors, warming them for her son’s fast little feet that would run across it soon.
She sat down on the antique sofa - not her favorite - and took her first sip of coffee, her slippered feet resting on the mahogany coffee table in front of her. While she loved the history of her new home, she wasn’t a fan of the furnishings. Dawson had kept them because they belonged to his grandmother, so Julie wasn’t about to say anything.
“Good morning,” Tina whispered as she came down the staircase.
They’d had a nice dinner together the night before, although Tina was definitely quiet. She was one of those people that you could tell had a turbulent history and was trying to get her footing now. Julie found those kinds of people interesting. Maybe it was because she worked in a bookstore, or maybe it was because she was writing her first novel, but she always wondered about those kinds of stories. What made people tick? What complex backgrounds had caused them to become who they were?
So far, all she knew about Tina was that she was in her early thirties, unmarried and was born in north Georgia. She’d worked in a retail store that sold women’s clothing for several years, and now she was unemployed.
“Good morning. If you’d like some coffee, I have a pot in the kitchen,” Julie offered, starting to stand up.
Tina held up her hand. “No, but thank you. Caffeine gives me migraines.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry. I can ask Lucy to brew some decaf…”
“It’s fine. Really. But thanks.” Tina walked over to the Christmas tree and touched an ornament. “Did Dylan make this?”
Julie laughed. Dylan had made a hand painted snowman ornament at school, but he’d painted each snowball a different color so it looked like the colors for his favorite team. “Yes. Dylan is very into sports.”
She turned around and smiled. “He’s a cute kid. He must keep you on your toes.”
“Oh, he does. To be honest, we just adopted him from foster care a few months ago.”
“He seems really happy here.”
“I hope so. We adore him. I always wanted a son, and now I have one. So, do you have kids?”
Tina looked uncomfortable, and Julie immediately regretted her question. “I was never blessed to become a mother.”
“I’m so sorry I asked you that, Tina. It was none of my business. I hope I didn’t bring up any pain…”
She walked to the chair and sat down. “It’s okay. Really, it is. It’s just that being here with your family has shown me what I’ve missed out on. As a kid, all I ever wanted to be was a mother. I guess it just wasn’t meant to be.”
“It’s not too late, you know. Plus, there’s always adoption. I never thought I’d become a mother again in my mid-forties, yet here I am.”
As if on cue, Dylan came bounding down the stairs. He was so full of energy from the time he awoke until Julie forced him to go to bed. She didn’t remember her daughters being nearly as energetic as her new son.
“Good morning!” he said, almost yelling.
“Good morning. Inside voice, though,” Julie said, smiling.
“Sorry.”
“Say good morning to Miss Tina too.”
He looked at her and smiled, his missing front teeth his most prominent feature at the moment. “Good morning, Miss Tina.”
She smiled. “Good morning, Dylan.”
“I think Lucy cooked you some biscuits and bacon in the kitchen.”
“Yay!” he shrieked before running through the door to the kitchen. The boy had an appetite, she’d give him that.
“I wish I had his energy,” Tina said, laughing.
“Same here. I never realized how exhausting it would be to become a mother again at my age.”
“That must be a challenge.”
“It is, but he’s so worth it.”
“Do you mind if I ask what happened to his parents?”
Julie sighed. She didn’t want to violate Dylan’s privacy, so she decided to just hit the highlights. “His father recently passed away, which landed Dylan in foster care.”
“Oh wow. That’s so sad. Were they close?”
“Honestly, I don’t know much about that, and I’ve never asked Dylan. If he wants to talk about it, I’m sure he will one day.”
“Of course. I didn’t mean to pry.”
“No worries.”
“I assume they contacted Dylan’s mother before he went to foster care?”
“I’m not sure. Unfortunately, she left a long time ago, when Dylan was very young.”
“Oh. That’s terrible. A boy needs his mother.”
Julie smiled. “Well, thankfully, he has his mother now. Love is way more important than blood.”
Tina nodded. “You’re right. I can see he’s well loved here.”
Dylan came bounding
back out of the kitchen, a biscuit in one hand and a piece of bacon in the other. Of course, no napkin.
“Young man, you get back in the kitchen and get a plate. We’re not eating like animals around here!” Julie said, pointing him back to the kitchen door. Before he could make it there, Lucy came walking out.
“I told you not to run out there,” she said, shaking her head and laughing. “I’ve never seen a kid get so excited about biscuits and bacon.”
She ushered him back into the kitchen.
Julie and Tina both laughed.
“Listen, I’m not sure what you’re planning to do today, but I’m going with my daughters and some friends to do a little Christmas shopping at the mall if you’d like to join us.” Tina looked surprised. “Really? That would be amazing. I haven’t been to the mall in a long time. Of course, I don’t really have anyone to buy for this year.”
Julie cocked her head a bit. “I thought you said you were here to visit family?”
Tina cleared her throat. “Yes. Extended family, though. Not anyone I would buy Christmas presents for.”
“Oh. I see. Well, you’re still welcome to join us.”
“I’d love to. Maybe it will put me in the Christmas spirit.”
* * *
Tucker sat at the table, enjoying a sandwich. Colleen was with her mom and sister doing some Christmas shopping at the mall. A part of him was glad to have a bit of time alone to clear his head.
He was really excited and nervous about the new partnership with Jamison O’Malley. It had grown from one toy to possibly an entire line of toys that would come out during the next Christmas season. Never in his dreams did he think he would have an opportunity for something like that.
But, if he was honest, he was questioning himself. Was he really ready for this? Was he good enough? What would happen to his name in the toy invention business if everything he created flopped?
“Hello,” Christian said, standing in front of him. He was waving his hand in front of Tucker’s face.
“Oh, hey, man. Sorry. I didn’t see you standing there.”
Christian laughed. He towered above Tucker by what seemed like ten feet. Tall and lanky, and with his thick French accent, he stuck out like a sore thumb around Seagrove.
“You looked very lost in thought.”
“I was. Please, sit down.”
Christian sat down across from him, setting his briefcase on the ground. As a college professor, he always looked the part. Dress pants, a button up dress shirt and even a sweater vest today because it was cold.
“Can I get you anything?” The server said when she walked over to the table.
“Sure. I’ll have a Cobb salad and water with lemon.”
As the server walked away, Tucker laughed. “No sweet tea?”
“Don’t tell Meg, but I still can’t get a taste for the stuff. I’ve tried, believe me.”
“I’ll keep the secret,” Tucker said, laughing.
He enjoyed spending time with Christian. Since they were dating sisters, and would hopefully one day marry them, they might even end up being brothers. Christian was a good guy, and he adored Meg.
“So, I understand the ladies have gone Christmas shopping today.”
“Yes, and I shudder to think how many packages Meg is going to come back with. She doesn’t understand that Vivi is a year old and doesn’t need fifty presents on Christmas,” Christian said, chuckling.
“You two seem very happy.”
He nodded his head. “We are. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy in my life. The only thing that would make it better is a wedding ring.”
Tucker took a sip of his tea. “Then give her one.”
“I don’t think she wants to get married.”
“Yes, she does. She told Colleen…”
Oh, no. What had he just done? In his effort to have an interesting conversation with Christian, he had somehow spilled the beans that Meg wanted him to propose.
“What were you about to say?”
“Nothing. I wasn’t about to say anything.”
Christian leaned forward, his hands clasped together in front of him. “Tucker, I know you were about to say something. Spill it.”
“It’s not my place.”
Christian stared at him. “Do you mean that Meg told Colleen she wants me to propose?”
“I didn’t say that.”
Christian squinted his eyes. “But you’re not saying that it’s not true?”
“I’m getting very lost in this conversation.”
Christian leaned back and crossed his arms. “So she wants me to propose?”
“Have you tried their tuna salad here? I hear that it’s the best in town.”
“Stop trying to change the subject. And, also, you’re a terrible liar.”
Tucker sighed. “Fine. I didn’t mean to say that out loud, but yes. Meg told Colleen that she would like to get married but she’s afraid you’ll never ask her again.”
There. He said it. There was no taking it back now.
“Oh, my goodness. All this time I thought she might never want to get married, and she’s just been waiting for me?” The smile on Christian’s face was so broad that it practically touched both sides of the town square.
“I guess this is joyous news?”
Christian laughed. “Oh, yes, this is great news. But we must keep it a secret that I know.”
Tucker shrugged his shoulders. “Of course. I’m great at keeping secrets.”
* * *
SuAnn couldn’t stop smiling. Since her dinner the other night with Nicholas, her cheeks had been hurting. He’d taken her to a wonderful Italian restaurant over in Charleston. Sitting on the veranda near the water, the Spanish moss-covered trees offering beautiful views of the orange and purple sunset, it had felt like a fairy tale.
They’d walked along the water after dinner, reminiscing about old times, and it seemed like no time had passed. SuAnn hadn’t felt this way in decades. Having Nicholas there felt like finding her favorite stuffed animal from childhood. The comforting feeling was hard to describe, which was exactly why she hadn’t told her daughters.
Now she was at the mall with them, Dixie and some stranger named Tina that had managed to get an invitation. She didn’t care much for new people, especially ones that seemed to be mooching off her daughter and Dawson.
“What do you know about this woman, anyway?” She asked Julie as they stood in line for coffee.
“She’s down on her luck, Mom. It’s Christmas. We’re just helping her out.”
“Well, you’d better give her a deadline to get out, or else you’ll have one of those cases I see on the court TV shows.”
They moved up a spot in line. “Oh, good Lord, Mom. Relax.”
“I’m serious, Julie. They’re called squatters, and you have to move heaven and earth to get them out of your house!”
Julie rolled her eyes. “Let’s change the subject. Janine and I would both like to know where you’ve been lately?”
“What do you mean?” SuAnn asked, trying to sound nonchalant. Having daughters meant that she could get nothing past them. What was it about women that allowed them to sense things that men didn’t? It really was a superpower.
Julie looked at her and laughed. “You’ve always been a terrible liar, Mom. We know something’s up. Besides, you’re getting new wrinkles from smiling so much. And pardon me for pointing out the obvious, but you’ve never been someone who smiled a lot.”
“Thanks a lot!”
“It’s not a put-down, Mom. It’s just that you normally have more of a… scowl on your face.”
“Julie! What a terrible thing to say to your mother.”
They moved to the front of the line and ordered their drinks. Julie got her regular peppermint chocolate mocha with whipped cream on top, and SuAnn ordered a white chocolate latte with light foam. Nothing ever changed.
As they sat at one of the tables waiting for their drinks, Julie continued
to press her.
“All I’m saying is that it seems like you’re happier lately, and we’d love to know why and celebrate that with you.”
“Or make fun of me,” SuAnn said under her breath.
Julie reached over and touched her arm. “Mom, we wouldn’t make fun of you for being happy. It’s okay to feel good about your life, you know.”
“Okay, fine. When I was in high school, there was a boy named Nicholas. We were very much in love and planned to get married, but things just didn’t happen the way we thought they would.”
“I never knew you had a high school sweetheart. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I married your father, and there was no use in bringing it up.”
“So he contacted you?”
SuAnn couldn’t help but smile again. Stupid happiness kept overtaking her poker face.
“He did more than contact me. He showed up at the bakery out of the blue, and we went to dinner the next evening in Charleston.”
Julie grinned. “That’s amazing!”
“He’s so wonderful, but it all seems too good to be true.”
“Mom, you deserve something great to happen. Are you in love with him?”
“Well, I used to be. But we’re older now, and I’m sure we’ve both changed. We’re going to take it slow.”
“That’s a good idea. I’m thrilled for you.”
She looked into her daughter’s eyes and saw honesty. She was genuinely happy for her.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Sure,” Julie said, craning her head to check for their coffee order.
“Would it bother you if I said Nicholas was my soulmate?”
“Why would that bother me?”
“Because of your father.”
“Mom, I know you loved Dad. But that doesn’t mean he was your soulmate, and that’s okay. You might have the chance of a lifetime here to reconnect with the man you were always supposed to be with. Don’t feel guilty or weird about that.”
SuAnn smiled yet again. “Thank you, Julie. You know, you and I have really come a long way.”
“We sure have.”
“I’m still worried about this Tina woman…”
