A Year of Extraordinary Moments (A Magnolia Grove Novel)

by Bette Lee Crosby

  “Thanks for setting this up,” Tracy said, looking at Meghan. “Prescott Anderson was great. Very understanding and kind. I have no idea how much he charges or how I’m going to pay him, but I’ll worry about that later.”

  “He’s doing it pro bono.”

  Since her mouth was full of meatloaf, Tracy shot Meghan a startled glance.

  “He’s not charging you anything. When he first started at Algonquin, Dad used to run free filler ads for him all the time, so he said he owes us.”

  Tracy swallowed her food and smiled. She told Meghan and Lila about the meeting and how Prescott had the feeling it was a nuisance lawsuit.

  “What’s that?” Lila asked.

  “It’s when a person sues you for one thing, but what they’re really trying to do is back you into a corner so they can get something else.”

  “That doesn’t make any sense at all. What would Dominic want from you?”

  “That’s exactly what I told Mr. Anderson. He said we’d have to wait and see.”

  “So what happens now?” Meghan asked.

  “Nothing. Mr. Anderson said it will be a few days before he knows what judge the case has been assigned to.”

  That evening, Tracy and Meghan worked together in the Snip ’n Save office, first scouring through receipts to find the invoice for shipping Dominic’s car to Philadelphia, and then catching up on the backlog of ads. As she worked her way through the ad folder, Meghan’s mouth tightened into a thin narrow line. When she realized the file for Lucy’s Nail Salon was dated almost a month ago, she could no longer hold her tongue.

  “I understand you’ve been upset about losing Alice and everything that’s happening with Dominic, but some of these ads are over three weeks old! You promised me that you’d—”

  “I know, I know. I’m sorry. I’ve been meaning to catch up, but . . .” Tracy let the words trail off because, in truth, there was no excuse, at least not one that readily came to mind.

  “But what?” Meghan said sharply.

  Without turning to face her sister, Tracy shrugged. “There was a lot going on with the school.”

  “The school isn’t your job. This is!”

  Perhaps because the day had been so very difficult, or possibly because she had no other excuse, Tracy turned and glared at Meghan.

  “It’s my job, but it’s not my life! I’m not like you, Meghan. I’m not in love with the Snip ’n Save, and if you’d be really honest with yourself about it, you’d admit you’re not, either!”

  “What’s that supposed to mean? I’m here helping you, aren’t I?”

  “Yes, but not because you love the Snip ’n Save. You don’t really want to be doing this. Not just tonight but other days, too—days when you’re at the clinic working with the animals. You’d rather be there doing something you love, and I can understand that. I’d rather be at the school working with children.”

  A weighted silence fell between the two sisters, and it was a long while before Meghan spoke. When she did, her voice was softer and less riddled with anger.

  “You’re right. I would rather be working at the clinic. But Daddy loved this business, and we owe him—”

  Tracy cut in. “What makes you so sure he loved it?”

  “It was his baby. He took it when it was just a few pages and built it into what it is today. He always said—”

  “What he said was that he loved working from home and being with his family. That’s not the same as loving the magazine.”

  Meghan sat there, letting the silence grow heavier and heavier.

  “That’s not the way I remember it,” she finally said and turned back to the computer.

  For a long while, she worked, trying to finish the ad for Lucy’s Nail Salon, but nothing was right. The headline was clunky, the photograph seemingly out of focus. She blamed the blurriness on low resolution, but if she’d looked at herself in the mirror, she might have seen it was because of the tears welling in her eyes.

  That night, sleep was almost impossible for Meghan to come by. She lay awake, feeling the warmth of Sox at her feet and Tom beside her. It was true; this was where her heart was.

  She loved working with Tom, feeling his hand brush against hers as they passed an instrument from one to the other. She loved the rambunctiousness of young puppies that came for shots and the gratitude in the eyes of animals that came to be cured of their illness or injury.

  She did love these things more, but that didn’t mean she was willing to turn her back on what her daddy had held dear. If Tracy wanted to walk away, then so be it. If it came to that, Meghan would leave the clinic and go back to running the Snip ’n Save. She’d do it because it was what her daddy would have wanted.

  Over and over again, she reminded herself how much the magazine meant to him, but try as she might, she couldn’t recall a single time he’d actually said it. It was easy to find the memory of him sitting behind the computer, bent forward, squinting at the screen. She could see the crinkles at the corner of his eyes and recall how when she’d walked into the office, he’d set aside whatever he was working on and stood to give her a hug. She could even remember how at the end of the day he’d pull the office door closed, smile, and say, “Well, now, that’s done!”

  Was he smiling because he loved his work? Or was it because the workday was over?

  In a single heartbeat, she could find an endless strand of memories, like the times he’d held her hand as together they searched for Clancy, her dog, the one that disappeared from the backyard. She could find even more of the evenings when they’d pushed back and forth in the front porch swing, discussing her plans to attend the Grady School of Journalism. Those moments were as clear as a bell, but she couldn’t find the one she was searching for.

  She pushed aside the other memories and tried to focus on picturing her daddy in the Snip ’n Save office. In her mind, he’d said the magazine was his baby a thousand times, but this night she couldn’t find a single instance. What she did remember was the weariness she’d seen in his face at the end of a long day.

  57

  Meghan Whitely

  Last night, I barely closed my eyes. I couldn’t sleep because I was thinking about that argument with Tracy. I kept trying to remember exactly what Daddy said to make me believe he loved the Snip ’n Save. Before I sat down to breakfast this morning, I called Mama and asked if she could ever remember him talking about how much he loved the magazine.

  She laughed like I’d just told a real funny joke, so I asked why.

  “Your daddy didn’t love things,” she said. “He loved people!”

  I told her I was well aware Daddy loved people but distinctly remembered him saying how proud he was of having built up the Snip ’n Save and making a success of it.

  “Isn’t that the same as love?” I asked.

  “It most certainly isn’t.” Then she reminded me about all the times Daddy had bragged about how his girls were what made him proud.

  “Why didn’t you tell me this back when I was working so hard to keep the magazine up and running?” I asked.

  Mama took so long to answer that, for a minute, I thought we’d been disconnected. She’s the most loving person in the world, but she’s not quick to share her sadness.

  “Are you still there, Mama?” I asked.

  “I’m still here,” she said, and when she finally started to talk, her voice was shaky and sad like it had been back then.

  “When your daddy died, you were hurting so much it nearly broke my heart. The only thing that made you the least bit happy was working on the Snip ’n Save like you used to do with George. Only God knows why, but you found a little bit of your daddy in that magazine, and it gave you a measure of peace.”

  She gave a long deep sigh, then said, “After you lost your daddy, I wasn’t going to take away that last bit of comfort you had.”

  Hearing Mama’s words, I knew she was telling the truth, but I didn’t want to believe it.

  I wish I could say t
he conversation made a difference in how I feel about keeping the Snip ’n Save as part of our family, but it doesn’t. No matter what anybody says, I still believe Daddy loved it. Maybe not the same as he loved Mama and Tracy and me, but all the same, he loved it, and I owe it to him to make sure it stays alive.

  If the Snip ’n Save shut down, it would be like Daddy dying all over again, and I’m not willing to let that happen.

  I think if I talk to Tracy and explain what I’m feeling, she’ll be more likely to understand. Maybe we can both work at it—me do part, and her do part. At least until this ugliness with Dominic is over and done with.

  58

  The Snip ’n Save Problem

  Three days later, Prescott Anderson called Tracy.

  “Your case has been assigned to Judge Kingston,” he said, “and the court has appointed a psychologist to interview you, Dominic, and Lucas.”

  Tracy’s heart started racing. “But why? I thought you said this was a nuisance lawsuit, that it would never amount to much of anything.”

  “It pretty much is, but—”

  “Then why are they doing these interviews?” she asked, her voice rising a pitch.

  “It’s standard procedure. Once a lawsuit is filed, it goes through the process regardless of whether or not the case has merit.”

  “But what if I say something wrong?”

  “Don’t worry.” Prescott’s voice was steady and reassuring. “All you have to do is tell the truth. Let the psychologist see what kind of an environment you’re raising Lucas in, and that’ll be the end of it.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Nothing is one hundred percent, but I’m willing to wager we’ll find out what Dominic’s really after long before the case goes to court.”

  When there was nothing more to say, Tracy hung up the phone. Her heart had slowed, but it was still beating faster than normal. She sat there for a long while thinking back on Prescott’s words. She wanted to believe everything would be as he’d said. Trying to refocus on the task at hand, Tracy shook her head to clear her thoughts, then turned back to the ad she was working on, slid the headline into place, and closed the file without ever noticing how the graphic was sitting at an odd angle.

  The truth was that Dominic could be extremely likable when he wanted to be; she knew that for a fact. He could charm a person into believing black was white and render them blind to his faults.

  On the other hand, she knew she could come across as difficult and argumentative. Hadn’t her mama said so a dozen times? Just a few weeks earlier, when she’d wrinkled her nose and refused to even taste the brussels sprouts, Lila had asked why she had to be so very difficult. She even argued with Meghan, her own sister and best friend! They had always been so close, but now, she bristled at the least little thing. Just last night, she’d sat there stating her opinion as if it were law, not once taking into account that Meghan was trying to help her. If that wasn’t being argumentative, then what was?

  The more Tracy thought about the upcoming interviews, the more worried she became. It seemed everything was coming down on her all at once.

  She finished up the third ad and emailed Sheldon the folder. She’d promised him five, but three would have to do. There was simply no way she could focus, and it would be better to wait a week than to mess up the ads entirely, wouldn’t it? Sheldon could use filler ads for the empty spaces, and she’d make sure those other two were the first ones she did for the next issue.

  Pushing back from the computer, Tracy hurried into the kitchen where Lila was watching a cooking show.

  “Mama,” she said, “do you really think I’m difficult and argumentative?”

  Lila snapped off Rachael Ray and turned. “What on earth would make you say a thing like that?” She reached across and put her hand to Tracy’s forehead. “Are you coming down with the flu or something?”

  “No, I’m fine. But I’m worried about this thing with Dominic. Mr. Anderson says it’s just a nuisance lawsuit, so why would they send someone out here to check on me?”

  “Sit down and have a cup of tea. You’ve obviously been working too hard.”

  Before she could say no, Lila pulled out a chair and eased her into it. As Tracy tearfully explained her fear that she would alienate the interviewer by not saying or doing the right thing, Lila assured her she was not the least bit difficult or argumentative.

  “If anything, you’re too easygoing,” she said.

  “But when I didn’t eat the brussels sprouts, you said—”

  “Oh, for heaven’s sake. I should think you’d know better than to get worked up over a little thing like that. I just wanted you to test out my new buttered-sprouts recipe.”

  As Tracy sat there with her fingers wrapped around a mug of chamomile tea, her heartbeat slowed, and the throbbing behind her eyes eased. She was about to tell Lila of her conversation with Meghan, but before she had the chance, the Snip ’n Save phone rang. When Tracy started to get up, Lila placed a hand on her arm.

  “You really don’t have to answer that,” she said. “The machine can get it.”

  Tracy dropped back into the chair, but moments after the Snip ’n Save phone stopped ringing, Tracy’s cell phone started. She snatched up the phone before Lila had a chance to see the screen.

  “Hello?” she said with the phone to her ear.

  “What’s going on over there?” Sheldon asked, sounding more than a little upset.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Those ads you sent over are full of mistakes! There’s a baby picture in the ad for the shooting range, and the Border Café coupon is missing!”

  Tracy’s shoulders sagged. “Send them back. I’ll redo them.”

  “Make sure you proof them, okay?”

  “Okay.”

  She pressed “End” and slid back from the table. “I’ve got to go back to work, Mama. When Lucas gets up from his nap, would you keep an eye on him for me?”

  “Sure,” Lila replied. As she watched Tracy disappear down the hallway, she shook her head and grumbled, “It’s time for me to do a lot more than just keep an eye on Lucas.”

  Without waiting, she dialed Meghan’s cell phone, and when the voice mail came on, she said, “Meghan, this is Mama. Your sister is having a hard time, and you need to get over here right away.”

  Minutes later, Meghan called back. “What’s wrong?”

  “Tracy’s sick with worry over this thing with Dominic, and she’s not able to keep up with the Snip ’n Save.” Lila’s voice was curt, and she didn’t bother with conversational niceties. “We’ve got to do something.”

  “Do what?”

  “I think maybe it’s time the three of us sat down together and talked about—”

  “I’m not interested in selling the magazine,” Meghan said flatly.

  “That decision is not yours to make. I can appreciate how close you were to your daddy, Meghan, but the Snip ’n Save belongs to all three of us. Up until now, I saw the need for keeping the magazine, but given the way things are—”

  “I’ll take it over. I’ll do it by myself.”

  Lila did not back off. “As I said before, Meghan, this decision is not yours or mine. The three of us need to talk it through.”

  Meghan gave a great thunderous sigh. “You’ve already made up your mind, haven’t you, Mama?”

  “No, I haven’t,” Lila replied. “And I don’t plan on doing so until I know that whatever decision we reach is in the best interests of everyone in this family.”

  Meghan heard the decided emphasis that was placed on the word everyone.

  59

  Family Meeting

  The following afternoon, the three Briggs women gathered at the kitchen table. George’s sister, Phoebe, had taken Lucas to the park, and Meghan had rescheduled her appointments, so there was nothing that could interrupt the meeting. Lila was determined they would sit there until the problem was out on the table and she’d had her say. She set out a platter of sandwiche
s and a bowl of potato salad, but no one reached for either.

  Meghan’s chin was dropped down toward her chest, and her brows were so tightly knitted together they had the look of one.

  “I really don’t want to be doing this,” Meghan said.

  Lila poured three glasses of sweet tea and set one in front of Meghan. “I know you don’t, honey, but it’s something that’s long overdue.”

  Tracy’s expression was no less apprehensive than her sister’s, but for a different reason. When the phone rang, she jumped as if she were stung by a bee.

  “No one is answering the phone today,” Lila said firmly. “Whoever it is can wait until we’re finished here. Meghan, did you bring the reports I asked for?”

  Meghan nodded. “Yes.”

  “Give Tracy and me a copy so we’re all looking at the same thing.”

  Meghan handed each of them a thin packet of profit/loss statements for the past three years.

  “This just shows the actual income generated by the Snip ’n Save. It doesn’t take into account savings on homeowner’s taxes, commuting cost, and, of course, the convenience of working from home.”

  Lila eyed the figures. “So after expenses and Tracy’s salary, the Snip ’n Save only had a net profit of six thousand dollars last year, right?”

  Meghan gave an almost imperceptible nod. “But it was over eight thousand the two years before that.”

  Lila lifted the first sheet, read through the other reports, then lifted an eyebrow. “The magazine pays Tracy thirty-six thousand dollars a year. That’s a good salary, but other jobs could match that.”

  “I’m happy with that amount,” Tracy said defensively. “I’m not looking for more.”

  “You might be happy with what you’re being paid, but I’m not happy with you being so stressed out. You’re a mama, and you need time to take care of Lucas. Before you can blink an eye, he’ll be grown up and gone.” Lila’s eyes saddened. “Trust me, I know.”

  “I can take over most of the workload,” Meghan offered. “That’ll lighten the burden and give Tracy more time with Lucas.”