by Judith Keim
Lettie bent over and kissed Cami on the top of her head. “Hi, baby! Mommy and I want to see your baby doll. Will you show us Izzy?”
Distracted for the moment, Cami concentrated on picking up her stuffed doll.
“Izzy is Cami’s baby,” Lettie explained as she took a seat in a chair. “I’m hoping you’ll take a walk with me. There’s something I want to talk over with you.”
“Okay,” said Autumn. “It will feel good to move around. Give me time to get my shoes on and I’ll meet you out front.”
“I’ll bring Cami,” said Lettie. Receiving a stern look, she added. “If you’d like.”
Autumn studied her. “Okay, thanks.”
Lettie lifted Cami out of the play area and gave her a long hug. She knew she’d have only a few days more of hugs with her sweet girl.
###
Out on the front lawn, Lettie set Cami on the grass and laughed when the little girl immediately toddled over to the big, red rubber ball Rafe had given her.
Autumn had just stepped out of the front door when Rafe pulled up in his truck and got out.
“’Afe! ’Afe!” Cami cried, running over to him.
Grinning, he picked Cami up and swung her around in the air before giving her a hug and setting her down.
Autumn looked askance at Lettie. “Who is that?”
“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about,” said Lettie.
“Are you dating him,? He’s handsome, but, Mom ...”
As Autumn’s voice trailed away, Lettie studied Rafe. His dark hair, still wet from the shower, was combed away from his rugged features, and a touch of gray gleamed silver at the temples. His body was muscular and trim. For a man in his fifties, he was, as Autumn had mentioned, a very handsome man. His questioning look settled on her. She shook her head, indicating she hadn’t told Autumn yet.
His gaze swung to his daughter. A look of pride crossed his face before he quickly covered it with a more neutral expression.
“Hi, Rafe,” said Lettie, “What’s up?”
He bent down and kissed her on the lips.
Lettie ignored the frown on Autumn’s face and kissed him back.
When they broke apart, they turned to her.
“This is Rafe Lopez,” Lettie said.
Autumn smiled politely. “Hello.” Her gaze lingered on the two of them.
“Up! Up!” cried Cami, clinging to Rafe’s legs.
He laughed and ruffled her hair. “Maybe later. Right now, I need to talk to Nonnee.”
“Excuse us.” Lettie led Rafe over to the truck.
“She doesn’t know about us,” Lettie said quietly. “I was about to take her for a walk to tell her then.”
“Sorry to interrupt, but I needed to speak to you about my father. We had a long talk last night. The doctor is telling him he must slow down. Because of his heart, he’s not able to continue working for you full-time. He’s going to speak to you about it.”
“Oh, no. I’m so sorry to hear this. I hope he’ll be okay. He’s been such an asset to the winery. He doesn’t know it, but a retirement fund was set up for him a long time ago.”
“Ah, nice of you. I know of someone looking for a vineyard job. Sam Farley is in his thirties, is a hard worker, and comes highly recommended. I was thinking he could work for both of us. Would you like to set up a time to interview him together?”
“Yes, as long as it isn’t today,” Lettie said. “I need this time with Autumn.” Tears came to her eyes. “And, Rafe, in two weeks, she’s returning to Africa with Cami.”
“Aw, I’m sorry, Lettie. I’d hoped we’d have more time with her.” He reached over and thumbed a tear from the corner of her eye.
She quickly stepped away, knowing if he continued to touch her, she’d rush into his arms and sob. Today, of all days, she couldn’t allow herself that luxury. She had to navigate the time with Autumn with an inner strength she’d be forced to summon.
He shuffled his feet, stared at his daughter in the distance, and said softly, “She’s a beautiful woman. I can’t believe she’s part mine.”
“I’ll arrange dinner for the three of us, and then maybe you can have some time alone with her.”
“I’d like that,” he said. “I’ll call you tonight to see how the day went.”
“Why don’t I call you when I know we’ll have privacy,” Lettie countered.
“Good idea. Love you.” The look of longing in his eyes when his gaze turned to Autumn was heartbreaking to see.
“Love you too.” Lettie lifted on her toes and kissed him.
As they parted, Lettie noticed Autumn entering the house with Cami.
“Our daughter isn’t always the easiest person to get along with,” said Lettie. “We may have to give her time to get used to the idea of you as her father. But, Rafe, I love you, and I always will.”
“I know. Guess I’m a little anxious for it all to work out.”
“It will be fine,” Lettie said with more conviction than she felt.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Lettie entered the house and walked into the kitchen. Cami was in her highchair and Autumn was sitting at the kitchen table.
Lettie reached into the cupboard for crackers for Cami and turned to Autumn. “What are you doing?”
“Trying to figure things out.” Her dark eyes flashed. “What is this man to you?”
Lettie drew a deep breath and let it out slowly. The time had come for the truth. “He’s your father and Cami’s grandfather.”
“Whaaat?” The look of horror on Autumn’s face was hurtful. She jumped to her feet. “Is this some kind of joke? Why would you let me believe Kenton Chandler was my father?”
“Because I thought he was,” said Lettie. “Until your skiing accident, I had no idea Kenton wasn’t your father. But when I saw your blood type as O positive, I knew he couldn’t be. Kenton was AB positive and I’m A positive. I’d met Rafe about the same time I met Kenton.”
“Is that the only possibility?” Autumn asked, standing with her hands clutched at her side, looking as if she was about to cry.
Lettie gave her a steady stare. “I loved them both.”
“Sorry,” said Autumn. “I’m just so confused right now. The person I thought I was no longer exists.”
“The Lopez family is well respected in the valley. And Rafe has done very well for himself.”
“You’ve always told me you wanted me to run Chandler Hill Inn one day. Now, there’s no way I could change my mind and think of doing it. Not with what I know now. I would feel such a fraud.”
“I’m a Chandler which makes you a Chandler too.”
“But my father ...”
“Rafe and I knew how we felt about one another, but he had commitments to his family, which he honored. And then Kenton and I fell in love. Kenton and I loved each other very much. He never knew about my pregnancy. He died before I could tell him. The father you never knew was not Kenton, but Rafe. As you never had with him, you now have a chance to know Rafe as your father. I think you’ll like him. He’s smart and generous and kind. Cami loves him.”
“How could you let Cami get close to him when I never even knew about him?”
“It’s not something I could tell you on the phone or in a letter. I wanted you to be here with me to meet him, to see him for the great person he is. Autumn, he’s thrilled to think he has a daughter. You see how he is with Cami. He adores her, and she loves him.”
Autumn lowered her head into her hands.
Lettie went over to her and rubbed her back. “I know it’s a lot to take in, but I hope you’ll see how important it is for you to talk to Rafe, learn more about him, give him the chance he deserves to be in your life. His parents know and want to say hello, too. They remember you as a child, but I think they’d like to meet you as the young woman you’ve become.”
Autumn jumped to her feet. “I can’t even think now. Will you watch Cami? I need to take a walk.”
“Sure.” Lettie was
pretty certain she knew where her daughter was headed. She herself intended to visit the grove of trees as soon as Autumn was able to have a private moment.
###
Later, Lettie put Cami in her carrier and swung it up on her back. Used to going on walks with her, Cami clapped her hands with glee. “Go!”
On this June day, puffy clouds floated in the blue sky like dollops of whipped cream waiting to be scooped up. A good growing day, thought Lettie. She hoped it would also be a good day for helping Autumn find some inner peace.
As she walked past the rows of vines, Lettie thought of all she’d been given. She owed so much to Kenton and his father. They’d taken a chance on her—a young, unsophisticated girl from nowhere—to help them with their dream. Though she occasionally felt trapped by the weight of her commitment to them, and sometimes wished she could leave, she knew how lucky she was. Without them, who knows where she would’ve ended up. Lettie wanted Autumn to be grateful to them, too, but also to be willing to accept the relationship between Rafe and her.
As she neared the grove of trees, she noticed Autumn’s stiff-shouldered posture as she sat on the stone bench there.
At the sound of Cami’s excited “Hi,” Autumn turned to them.
“Mind if we sit with you for a while?” Lettie asked her. “We can leave if you want.”
“No, no, it’s all right,” she said, waving them forward.
Still wearing the baby carrier, Lettie sat down beside her. “I’ve always loved this spot. It’s where I can sort through my problems. There’s something special about the peaceful sound of pine trees singing in the breeze among the hardwoods, the smell of their needles, and the memories surrounding the two Chandler men.”
“I’m confused,” said Autumn. “You say you loved my fa ... Kenton, but you were with Rafe.”
“Rafe and I were immediately attracted to one another, and yes, we were intimate briefly. But when we realized that the relationship could go nowhere, we didn’t pursue it. Within days, Kenton asked me to go with him to the beach for a relaxing time before Christmas and his induction into the Army. Kenton had been my sweet, best friend, so I agreed to go. Alone together, we realized we wanted to be much more than friends. In a whirlwind of just three weeks, Kenton asked me to marry him, and we eloped to Las Vegas. We were both as happy as we could be about it. And we were happy together, Autumn. Even though it was a time of free love and all that, both relationships were sincere.”
“Didn’t you suspect you were pregnant before ... Kenton left for the Army?”
Lettie shook her head. “We were under so much pressure to abide by Rex’s will, to set up our own wills, and to learn from experts, I attributed any of those symptoms to stress and grief.”
“Why don’t I remember Rafe from my childhood?” Autumn asked.
“He and his wife lived in California. He might have met you briefly when they came back home. I didn’t spend much time with them. It was best that way.”
Lettie reached over and clasped Autumn’s hand. “I want you to get to know Rafe. He actually cried when he learned he had a daughter.”
“I’ll be kind, Mom, but there’s not going to be any big celebration that signifies he’s suddenly my father. He has to earn the right to that.”
“As you must prove you’re worthy to be his daughter,” Lettie gently reminded her.
Autumn’s surprise was telling. “Fair enough. We’ll take it from here. Help me put Cami on my back and I’ll carry her over to the inn. I want to see Paloma and Abby and some of the others.”
“Sure,” Lettie said. “They’ll be anxious to see you both.”
Together they transferred Cami and the carrier to Autumn’s back.
Left alone in the grove of trees, Lettie took in several deep breaths and let them out again.
###
Back at the house, Lettie went about straightening it. When she stepped into the guest room where Autumn was staying, she saw that little had changed over the years. The bed was unmade, clothing was scattered on the floor, and a laptop was plugged in on top of the bedside table.
Lettie picked up the clothes and set them on the overstuffed chair in the room, then quickly made up the bed. The house was small enough and open enough that it was important to have everything at least tidy.
Glancing out the living room window, she saw Autumn and Cami get out of Paloma’s car and breathed a sigh of relief. Of all the people who knew her, Paloma knew her best. She’d help Autumn see how precious the love was between Rafe and her.
Lettie hurried outside to greet them.
“Hi, Paloma,” said Lettie. “Come on inside. It’s about time for a glass of wine.”
“Thanks,” said Paloma. “I wanted to tell you about an incident at the inn today. I’ve taken care of it, but I think you should know about it before our usual weekly meeting.”
“Okay. I should be back to my normal routine next week, but I want these first few days with Autumn to be special.”
“Understood,” said Paloma. “You work too hard as it is.”
“Nonnee! Nonnee!” cried Cami.
Lettie reached for her, then checked her motion.
“Go ahead, Mom. She loves you,” said Autumn.
Lettie took Cami from Autumn’s arms and gave her a growling bear hug. “Love you, little one!”
Cami gazed at Lettie with wide eyes and planted a wet kiss on Lettie’s cheek.
Fighting tears, Lettie kissed her back. Too soon, she’d lose the opportunity to do so.
They went inside.
While Autumn fed Cami her supper, Lettie and Paloma took glasses of wine out to the deck.
“It’s been a beautiful day.” Paloma took a seat in one of the deck chairs.
“Yes,” said Lettie. “The weather has been cooperating. Hopefully it will be a good year for our grapes.” She sat in a chair and faced her best friend. “What happened at the inn?”
“You know how we have a policy to protect our more famous guests from being exposed? One of the new maids was overheard telling a friend on the phone that she was going to make a lot of money, that she’d taken a photo on her phone of Kimberly Cassidy at the pool.
Luckily it was reported to me. I made sure the photo was deleted from the phone and fired the maid on the spot. As you’ve said many times, we can’t ruin our reputation by stuff like that.”
“Totally right,” Lettie said. “Are we going to have any repercussions from the firing?”
Paloma shrugged. “Who knows? I don’t think so. She signed our agreement that clearly states if caught doing anything like it, the staff member will be fired immediately. For the moment, I believe the problem is solved.”
“Is the event recorded in case we need it in the future?”
“Yes, a full report was made.”
Lettie smiled at her. “What would I ever do without you? You’re the best.”
“Let’s just say we make a good team. If you hadn’t stepped in to help me, I’d probably be on the streets or dead.”
They sipped their wine quietly for a moment.
“Seems like a long time ago, doesn’t it? So much has happened since then,” commented Lettie.
“Some things don’t change,” said Paloma. “I told Autumn how it was between you and Rafe all those years ago and how happy you both are now. Not to take away anything from your relationship with Kenton. That was sweet too. But sometimes things have a way of working out like they might’ve all along.”
“Rafe’s so thrilled to have a family of his own. I hope Autumn understands how important it is for her to make time for him.”
“Yeah, I talked to her about that, too,” said Paloma. She laughed softly. “Being part of the Lopez family will be a whole new experience for her. All those people, all those kids. Cami will love it.”
Autumn stepped onto the deck with Cami in her arms.
“I hear you’re going to get a new tractor man,” said Paloma in a loud, clear voice. “It’s about time Joe r
etired. He and Rita are thinking of moving to Arizona. At least for the winter months.”
“That’ll be nice for them.” Lettie decided to set up an interview with Sam Farley as soon as possible. That would give Joe time to begin training his replacement before winter.
“Always talking business, you two,” said Autumn, smiling at them. “I’m going to set Cami down in her play area while I grab a glass of wine. Will you watch her?”
“Sure,” said Lettie. “Let me hold her. It’s been a while.”
Autumn laughed. “A few hours, anyway.”
They exchanged smiles.
Paloma stood. “I’m sorry. I just realized the time. I have to get home. Isabel is stopping by with the kids.”
“Tell her I’ll give her a call,” said Autumn. “I’d love to catch up with her. It’s been a long time. Maybe I’ll even ask her for some advice on raising girls. She has two, right?”
Paloma’s smile lit her face. “Two little angels, two and four.” She turned to Lettie. “Thanks. See you later.”
Still holding Cami, Lettie rose and gave her friend a quick kiss on the cheek. “See you tomorrow.”
Autumn gave Paloma a hug. “Thank you for talking with me today.”
“I’m so glad to have the time with you. Love you.”
As they smiled at one another, tears stung Lettie’s eyes. Through Autumn’s infancy and pre-school years, she’d relied heavily on Paloma to help her. She was glad to see they still had a bond.
After returning to the deck with a glass of wine, Autumn plunked down in a nearby chair and let out a long sigh. “What a day this has been!”
“Stressful, I’m sure,” Lettie said, commiserating with her daughter. “Let’s just have an easy meal tonight, and you can relax. I’ll take over Cami’s routine if you want.”
“Thanks, I’ll give her an early bath. She’s getting used to me, but I’ve decided she should call me Mama instead of Mommy. Mommy is too close to Nonnee, and it’s confusing.”
“Good idea,” said Lettie, pleased that she wouldn’t be asked to give up the beloved name Cami had given her.
While Autumn bathed Cami, Lettie prepared a simple salad of greens, cold shrimp, sliced eggs, and tomatoes topped with a King Louis dressing. The tartness of the dressing added a nice touch to the salad’s ingredients. On this warm evening, that salad, garlic bread, and a crisp pinot grigio would be perfect, Lettie decided.
