The Sweet Smell of Magnolias and Memories
Page 24
Jacey pushed the tissue away to reveal a beautiful gold locket. She opened it to find a tiny picture of the boys. She put her hand over her heart and felt tears beginning to sting her eyes.
“No, no, no,” Georgia said, running to fetch a hankie. “No crying. You’ll mess your up makeup, and it’s perfect. Do not cry.”
“Help me put it on.” Jacey asked her.
The locket looked beautiful with her strapless gown. She traced her fingers over it. “I promise you, Lillian, I will never let them forget you,” she whispered.
Julie stuck her head in the door and smiled. “Are you ready? It’s about that time.”
Jacey picked up her bouquet of beautiful white magnolias and smiled at her new friend. “I am,” she said.
They walked out into the hallway, and Jacey took her father’s arm. She thought back over the past couple of years as they made their way down the aisle to Colin. He was so handsome and such a good man. Their boys were standing beside him, waiting. Life was so precious and so uncertain. She’d spent twenty-five years afraid of love and afraid of taking a chance, but a flood opened her heart and filled it with more love than she’d ever known.
AUTHOR’S NOTE
After the completion of this novel, two things happened that were both tragic and coincidental.
First, a friend of mine lost her husband in an incident similar to the one that is described in the pages of this book. I was afraid this book would somehow cause her and her family more heartache, but was assured by her it would not. So I want to say thank you to Suzanne. My prayers are still with you all.
Second, the flood of 2016 devastated parts of my beloved Louisiana. It started raining one day . . . and it just would not stop. Neither my family nor I were directly affected by this unprecedented disaster, but we knew many who were. Hundreds of the flood victims are still struggling to recover. A portion of the proceeds of this book will be donated to this cause.
Below you will find the addresses for organizations that continue to assist in that recovery. Please consider lending a hand. And thank you, from the resilient, proud, and undivided State of Louisiana.
Judson Baptist Church
32470 Walker Road North
Walker, La. 70785
RE: Flood Relief
Christ Community Church
PO Box 1113
Denham Springs, La. 70727
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1.Both Jacey and Georgia help the other see things in their lives that they can’t figure out or admit on their own. Who in your life fills that role? Can you think of any significant steps in your life that you wouldn’t have taken without that friend’s encouragement?
2.Jacey is concerned that the expectations and pressure of being a preacher’s wife would be too much for her. Have there been any times in your life when you feared the expectations of a position or relationship? Were your fears worse than the reality?
3.Have you ever been affected by a natural disaster like a flood? How did you—or your community—respond?
4.Have you or anyone close to you suffered from PTSD? What advice or encouragement would you give to someone who was experiencing it?
5.Jacey ultimately adopts the boys to ensure that they are loved and cared for. Do you know anyone who has adopted a child? Was it a situation of a family specifically looking for a child to love, or more similar to Jacey’s, where they saw a need and realized they could fill it?
6.Do you think the red tape that surrounds adoption is too much, too little, or right on target?
7.Do you think Georgia should have deleted the messages on Jacey’s phone? If you were Jacey, could you have forgiven her for it?
8.Jacey has terrible allergies but doesn’t take the seemingly logical step of keeping an EpiPen with her. Why do you think that is? What things are difficult for you to remember to do even though you know you should?
9.Envision Jacey and Colin’s family three years from now. What do you think it will look like? Where do you think they’ll be?
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Once again I find it hard to accept all the accolades that come with having a book published without sharing them with my family. They are my backbone, my cheerleaders, my support system, my reality checkers, and they can put me back in my place just that fast. I adore every last one of them, even if we do move around like a weird human covey of quail . . .
Emily Davidson, if you look up the phrase best friend in the dictionary, there’s a picture of you beside it. I love you, my BFF.
JW, you thermostat-touching, muddy-boot-wearing, candy-smacking, dirty-truck-driving, last-Coke-drinking, slow-walking, slow-talking, slow-moving cowboy . . . Thank you for being the chill to my hustle. It balances beautifully in the end.
Brady and Camille, you two are the great loves of my life. This world has become magical since you arrived.
Georgia Boswell, you inspire me, you amaze me, and you make me smile. Strong women are my heroes, and you’re at the top of that list. I “heard” your voice every time Georgia spoke in the pages of this book.
And Jacey Dunbar . . . Your beautiful face just would not get out of my head. She is you.
And thank you, Courtnie Clark Graves for all your help. You sure got the best prize. Give our future all-American a kiss.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Celeste Fletcher McHale lives on her family farm in Central Louisiana, where she enjoys raising a variety of animals. Her hobbies include writing, football, baseball, and spending much time with her grandchildren.