“When did ya get to be so smart and calm?” She chuckled, dabbing her cheek with the tissue.
“I actually really don’t know. This is kind of a new thing for me. Usually, I’m not like this.”
We both laughed.
“Well, ya certainly didn’t get it from your mother . . . or anyone on her side of the family.”
We laughed again.
“Charlie does seem like a calm person, doesn’t he? Maybe that’s it,” I said.
“He seems nice. I wish we had met him all those years ago.” She sniffed. Disappointment and guilt swam in her watery eyes, as did a look of shame I hadn’t ever seen before.
Regret often does that to someone, though, I suppose. It leaves you with unanswered questions or unspoken words of either anger or apology. Like a hollowed void, and yet, it takes up residence in the deepest parts of your soul, dwelling there at times it feels like just to hold you hostage or torture you. It’s a vile and evil thing, and it robs you of your ability to look past it at times. I loathed it more than anything.
I didn’t want to give it any more power than it had already taken, didn’t want to let it drown me for another second. I couldn’t change the past, but I could change the future by letting the past go and living in the moment. Forgetting all that she’d done. Forgetting all that I’d lost or lived without. Forgetting the fights. Forgetting the lies. Would it be hard? Yes. But would it be worth it? Yes.
“You know what I think was her best quality?” I said, hooking my arm around my grandma’s as I moved next to her. “She didn’t let anyone tell her what to do.”
“And she didn’t let anyone stand in her way,” Grandma added. “Includin’ me.”
“She was fiercely independent.”
“Almost to the point of being annoying.”
“I know you wanted her to stay in South Carolina and marry that boy. But I truly think doing so would have suffocated her.”
“Oh, I know it would have, and I knew it at the time, which is why I didn’t fight as hard as I could have when she decided to go to San Francisco. I suppose in a way, I got so angry with her when she met Charlie and got married and had you because I was jealous.” She unhooked her arm and knelt down in front of the grave. “Did ya hear that? I was jealous of ya.”
I knelt beside her, laying my hand on her shoulder. “Why?”
“Because she got to make her own choices, or she fought hard enough for herself to make them. I never did that. Oh, don’t get me wrong, I love your grandpa, but we were arranged. It took awhile for us to find our love and it was a long, hard few years together. Through it, we had Margaret, and it made it even harder.”
“I didn’t know that.”
“That’s because I never told anyone. Not even your mother.”
“What is with the secrets in this family?” I waved my arms, letting them slap down on my thighs.
She chuckled. “We all have them, dear. Even you.”
“Yeah, I suppose you’re right. I didn’t tell anyone about my divorce for several months.”
“Including us. Then we come here and find Luke . . .” She gave me a sideways glance. “Who is an amazing man, by the way. Ya should have married him all those years ago.”
“Don’t remind me. I do it enough to myself already.”
“At least ya found each other again, though.”
“True.”
“I wanted to tell ya about everything, though, so that you don’t make the same mistake.” She grabbed my hand, her face inches from mine as she turned toward me. “No more secrets. No more lies.”
I heaved a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “If we aren’t going to keep secrets anymore than I have something I need to tell you.”
“What is it?”
“I’m pregnant. Or at least, I think I am. I’m not sure. I haven’t taken any tests. I’m actually scared to. It’s such a small town and I don’t want anyone to know. Just going into the drug store is a risk for gossip.” I laid my head in my palm. “I don’t know what to do.”
Grandma rose to her feet and held out her hand. “Come on.”
“Where are we going?”
“To the drug store. I’ll drive us over there, and I’ll go inside and buy the tests for you. No one knows who I am, it will be easy for me.”
I stood, biting my lip. “You’d do that?”
“Of course.”
“But . . . I’m not married. Just like Mom wasn’t.”
Her eyes narrowed and she clutched my shoulders, leaning toward me until her face was inches from mine. “I missed out on a lot of memories with ya and your mother because of my opinions. I don’t want to make that mistake again. Are ya happy about this baby?”
“If there is one.”
“Yes, if there is one. Will ya be happy about it?”
“More than anything.”
“Then that’s all I should care about, and it’s all I will care about.”
THIRTY-SIX
“Thank you for calling the 1308 Brook House in, this is Rachel speaking. How can I help you?” My pulse deepened as the man on the other end of the telephone told me he wanted to make a reservation for him and his wife.
“So, I have you scheduled for next weekend, check in Friday afternoon and check out Sunday afternoon in one of our rooms. Are there any special needs you have, like extra blankets or pillows? Special dietary needs?”
I jotted down the answers he gave me on the notepad, ignoring the nagging feeling to start meal planning before I hung up the phone.
“Okay, well, I think I have everything. You’re all set, so I will see you Friday. Thank you. Have a great week too.”
I squealed as I set the receiver back on the phone base. “And we have our first reservation!”
Applause erupted around the front desk from Nancy, Evan, Charlie, Luke, and my grandparents who decided to stay for a couple of weeks.
“The thirteen-oh-eight inn is officially open . . . again,” I said.
They laughed.
“So, what are you going to do now?” Charlie asked.
“Well, I should say I’m going on a vacation to a fun destination, however, that’s not the case. Instead, I’m going to eat, because I’m hungry.”
They laughed again.
As we all made our way into through the dining room and out onto the back porch, Charlie held me back, laying his arm over my shoulder and stopping me before we reached the door outside.
“I’m really proud of you.”
“Thanks.”
“I also have a surprise for you.”
“What is it?”
He cocked his head to the side, narrowing his eyes while he smiled. “It’s not really a what. It’s more of a who?”
“Huh?”
He said nothing more, and instead, led me back into the foyer and out onto the front porch. A couple greeted us on the other side of the front door, and while the woman sucked in a deep breath and covered her mouth with her hand, the man wrapped his arm around her.
“Rachel, I would like to introduce you to Frank and Alice. They are my parents and your other grandparents.”
“Oh. Hi.” As I stepped forward, they both rushed toward me, each giving me a long hug. Alice cried, wiping at her tears with her hands before Charlie fetched a handkerchief from his pocket for her to use instead.
“I can’t believe we’re here. I never thought we’d see you again,” she said.
“You definitely have grown.” Frank laughed. “Of course, the last time we saw you, you were only five or six months old.”
“It’s certainly been a long time. But I’m glad you both are here now.” I glanced at Charlie. “Thank you for bringing them out.”
The four of us made our way out to the party, enjoying the sunshine and the smells of the barbecue. The perfect afternoon for such a celebration, and I wanted to soak up every ounce of it.
“Well, Miss Wilson,” Luke said as he made his way over to me, two glasses of champagne in his hands.
“What do you think we should do next?” He handed me a glass, but as he took a sip, I set mine down.
“What are you doing?”
“Come with me. I have something for you.”
“What is it?”
As I led him back through the inn and into my office, he asked the question at least two more times.
“Just have some patience, please,” I finally said as I dragged him through the door and shut it behind me. “It’s over on the desk.”
Without hesitation, he darted across the room and grabbed the small, wrapped box, tearing into the paper with one swift motion. He opened it, pausing for a moment while one of his eyebrows arched.
“Is this what I think it is?”
“Yes, they are.”
“But we . . . we were careful. Are you sure?”
“I took about ten of them I think, and you will find every single one in there.” I moved over to him, taking one of the pregnancy test sticks out. I held it up. “And they all have the same two little pink lines.”
“I thought you couldn’t have kids.”
“Well, the doctor didn’t say couldn’t. He just said it would be difficult for me to get pregnant.”
“Boy was he wrong.” Luke laughed.
“Or it was only difficult with Paul.” I winked. “I actually think God knew it wasn’t supposed to happen with him. But you? That’s a different story.”
“Well, that’s probably good since it looks like one is on the way.”
We laughed.
“I love you, you know that?”’ he asked.
“I do.” I wrapped my arms around him. “You know, Momma used to say that you need to enjoy every day for what it is because you never get another yesterday.”
“But?”
“But I feel like I am getting just that, and I don’t want to mess it up again.”
“Are you saying you think we should get married?”
“Well, we do know a great Pastor who I think would be happy to have the job.”
“Next weekend good for you?” He kissed me.
“How about tomorrow?”
THE END
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Each story in the Seashells and Second Chances Collection is about a strong woman overcoming hardships and finding her own second chance. All of the stories are standalone novels and can be read and enjoyed separate from the others
The Parking Space
Each story in The Wildflower Women Collection is about a strong woman and the adventure of her life. She stands against social norms, carving her own path in history. All of the stories are standalone novels, and can be enjoyed separate from the others.
As the Liquor Flows
A Road Paved in Copper
Through the Eyes of a Captive
Lost on the Atlantic
About the Author
Angela lies on a ranch in Oklahoma with her husband, two daughters, and many farm animals. She was born and raised in Nevada, and grew up riding and showing horses. While she doesn’t show anymore, she still loves to trail ride.
From a young age, she always wanted to write a novel. However, every time the desire flickered, she shoved the thought from her mind. Then one day, in 2009, she awoke with the determination to follow her dream.
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Copyright © 2016
Cover Design by Angela Christina Archer
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
Any resemblance to actual events, business establishments, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
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Published in the United States of America by:
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Another Yesterday Page 37
