“It’s the first Sunday in April at the Elks Club. Mark your calendar, but it’s a surprise so don’t mention it to Grandma.”
On the Saturday before the party, she was on the telephone explaining to the florist that she wanted balloons as well as flowers when Ida walked in and overheard her.
“Balloons?” Ida said. “Why on earth…”
Before she could finish the question, Darla Sue fluffed it off saying that she was working on arrangements for the next holiday fashion show.
“This early in the year?” Ida asked suspiciously.
Darla Sue just nodded and ducked out, saying she had some errands to run.
Since Annie shared all her secrets with Ida, they held off telling her about the party until the day before, and then they only did so because it became a necessity.
“Mama, Lori’s having a sleepover. Can I go?” she’d asked.
“Not this time,” Darla Sue said.
Annie argued “why not” for the better part of an hour before Darla Sue pulled her into the bedroom and explained about the party.
“But,” she said, “I’m warning you, if Grandma, gets wind of this, you’re going to lose your allowance for a year!”
“That’s not fair. What if she hears it from somebody else?”
Darla Sue eyed her with a raised eyebrow. “You’re the somebody most likely to tell.”
Annie pulled her mouth into a pout, sat there for a minute, then said, “If I don’t tell, I’m gonna be breaking a promise.”
“What promise?”
“Me and Grandma pinky sweared we’d never keep secrets.”
Darla Sue turned away so Annie wouldn’t catch her smile. “It’s not really breaking a promise, because this is something that will make Grandma happy. Happy secrets are not really secrets; they’re surprises, and those are okay to keep.”
On Sunday morning, they all had breakfast together. Then Gregg said he had something to take care of and hurried off to check on the last-minute preparations at the Elks Club. Darla Sue then suggested she take Ida and Annie to Lady Anne’s Tea Room for lunch.
“Let’s dress up in something fancy,” she said, “and make this a special girls’ day out.”
Annie giggled. “Yeah, Grandma, it’s gonna be very special.”
Darla Sue glared at her, expecting that she might say something more, but she didn’t.
Ida wrinkled her brow. “That’s a nice idea, but the tea room isn’t open on Sunday.”
That was something Darla Sue hadn’t taken into account. With no more than a few seconds hesitation, she came back saying they’d just started opening and this was their first Sunday.
After a fair bit of back and forth, with Ida arguing they should at least call to check, and Darla Sue saying it wasn’t necessary, they all climbed into the car wearing their Sunday best and started for Barston. When Darla Sue pulled up in front of the Elks Club and said she had to stop there for something, Ida offered to wait in the car. Poo-pooing such a suggestion, Darla Sue opened the car door and helped Ida out.
“There’s something I’d like your opinion on.”
Without finishing the statement, she hooked her arm through Ida’s and started for the door. Annie followed along with a grin stretched clear across her face.
As they entered the building, Ida gave a nostalgic sigh. “The last time I was here was the day of Bill’s memorial luncheon.”
“I know,” Darla Sue said. “I remember that day.” She pushed the door to the ballroom open and stepped aside so Ida could enter first.
The moment Ida entered the room, the band broke into a rousing rendition of Happy Birthday, and the crowd of friends and neighbors shouted, “Surprise!”
Ida stood there looking astonished for a few seconds; then tears filled her eyes.
“So this is what everyone’s been whispering about,” she finally said and laughed.
When they returned home that evening, the grin Ida had been wearing all day was still tugging at her face. She kicked off her shoes and dropped down onto the sofa.
“I can’t imagine anything better than this day,” she said. “It was the best birthday ever.”
“Really? The best ever, in your whole life?” Annie asked.
“Absolutely! Why, I never suspected—”
Not waiting for Ida to finish, Annie jumped up and started dancing around.
“I did it,” she shouted. “I did it again!”
“You did what?” Darla Sue asked.
“I used my wishing power to make something else come true.”
“Wishing power?” she repeated quizzically. “I don’t believe there is such a power.”
“There is, Mama, there really is. Remember in the Christmas movie, Susan wished for a house and she got it? Well, I did the same thing. I wished for a house and a grandma, and my wish came true. Then I wished the tree elves would tell Santa to stop at our house and bring presents, and that wish came true too. Last night when I was almost asleep, I wished Grandma would have the best birthday ever and she did. That proves I’ve got the same wishing powers as Susan.”
Darla Sue laughed. “Annie, Susan was a make-believe girl in a movie. She was pretend acting. I’m happy your wishes came true, but there really is no such thing as wishing powers.”
“Don’t say that, Mama! You’ve gotta really believe, or your wishes won’t come true.”
Hearing the seriousness in her daughter’s voice, Darla Sue smiled and said, “Okay then, I believe. I truly believe.”
Annie gave a nod of satisfaction. “Good. Because I’m not done wishing.”
——————
DARLA SUE PARKER CHANGED HER name one more time. It happened in June, a week after school closed for the summer and people had begun to spend their evenings sitting on the front porch or strolling into town for a soda or ice cream. That Sunday it was as if God were smiling down on them with the azaleas in full bloom and the sky an endless stretch of blue. The tiny church was filled to overflowing, and when she stepped out of the car a collective sigh rippled through the crowd. The gown, a silk taffeta with seed pearls scattered across the skirt, bared her shoulders, hugged her waist, then fell softly and danced about her ankles.
When Darla Sue started along the walkway, a springtime breeze ruffled the edge of her veil. Ginger, her matron of honor, leaned over and smoothed it. The gown had been a gift from Colette, one she claimed would be the perfect introduction to her new wedding collection.
As they neared the entrance, Darla Sue heard the organ sound the first chords of the procession music. Ginger stepped out to lead the way, and Annie followed behind scattering rose pedals from the basket she carried. She was wearing the gold locket Gregg had given her that morning. He’d knelt in front of her and asked if she would accept him as her daddy for now and evermore. As he’d hooked the clasp around her neck, she’d grinned and whispered in his ear that having him for a daddy was exactly what she’d been wishing for.
The strains of Wagner’s Bridal Walk sounded, and Darla Sue moved to the entranceway. For a fleeting moment she hesitated, wishing her father were here to accompany her down the aisle, but he’d never answered any of her letters. She then thought of William, the grandfather she’d never known but had taken to heart. It was his presence she felt beside her as she stepped into the church and began her walk down the aisle.
With every seat filled and the congregation standing to watch her entrance, she could not see Gregg until she neared the altar. When she finally caught sight of him, he was standing side by side with Phil. A feeling such as she’d never before known swelled in her heart, and for a moment it stopped beating. She knew if she lived a thousand years or ten thousand years, she would never forget the look of love in his eyes.
As Gregg lifted the veil from her face, he whispered that she was so lovely she took his breath away. He took her hand in his, and they stood together as the pastor spoke of the responsibilities and joys of marriage. After he’d led them through the vo
ws and exchange of rings, he spoke in a voice that could be heard by all.
“Today we are here to not only unite Darla Sue and Gregg in holy matrimony but to create a loving and enduring family.” He turned to Annie and asked her to come forward, then handed each of them a small beaker of sand: Darla Sue’s a snowy white, Gregg’s a pearl gray, and Annie’s pink.
“Each of you are individuals,” he said, “as unique as the grains of sand you hold in your hand. Separately you are each a beautiful color, but blended together you will create a color even more beautiful. To preserve the beauty of this thought and create a lasting memory, we will now join the grains of sand. First, each of you will pour your unique layer of sand into this jar.”
Gregg moved to the table and poured a layer of gray sand into the bottom of the jar; he was followed by Darla Sue, and when it came to Annie’s turn he bent down and asked if she needed help. She shook her head and poured a thick layer of pink sand atop the other two.
“This represents the individuality that you each have,” the pastor said. He then asked all three of them to pour their remaining sand in at the same time.
Annie looked up with a worried expression. “But it’s gonna get mixed together.”
The pastor smiled as a ripple of laughter came from congregation. “You’re right, Annie, it will get mixed together. The sand will be blended just as your lives will be blended.”
Annie eyed her mama and in a rather loud whisper, asked, “Mama, is this okay to do?”
Darla Sue nodded. “It’s a good thing; a very good thing.” She nudged Annie forward and then at precisely the same time, all three of them poured their remaining sand into the jar. Annie’s eyes lit up.
“Look, Mama,” she squealed. “It’s beautiful!”
“It certainly is,” Darla Sue replied as she looked at the soft rose-tinted beige their blended sands had created.
The pastor continued. “Love is a force more formidable than any other. It cannot be seen or measured, yet it is powerful enough to change your life and offer you more joy than any material possession you could ever own. You came here as three individuals, but love has made you one. You are now, and will forevermore be, a family, as beautiful and inseparable as these grains of sand. May God bless this union for now and forever.”
A joyous “Amen” rose from the congregation.
Gregg bent and kissed Annie’s cheek. Then he took Darla Sue in his arms and kissed her as never before. In that kiss she felt the forgiveness of the past and the promise of the future. As they turned and started down the aisle together, Annie was in front of them, dancing happily and scattering the remainder of her rose petals.
Somewhere deep inside Darla Sue’s heart, a tiny piece of Suzanna remained, and she was smiling for she had never in all her life been this happy.
——————
THE FOLLOWING MORNING WHEN GREGG and Darla Sue left for a two-week honeymoon in Virginia Beach, Ida and Annie stood on the front porch waving goodbye. When their car was gone from sight, Annie looked up at Ida and grinned. “I did it. I got another wish come true.”
“You mean getting Gregg for your daddy?”
Annie nodded. “Uh huh. Now there’s something else I’m wishing for.”
“Another wish?” Ida said, sounding surprised.
Again, Annie nodded. “This time, I’m wishing for a baby sister.”
Ida gave a big round laugh. It rolled up from her stomach and filled the air with the sound of happiness.
“I wouldn’t be one bit surprised if you got that wish,” she said. “Not one bit surprised.”
——————
A note from the Publisher…
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Other books by Bette Lee Crosby
Emily Gone
Click here to read an excerpt
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The Magnolia Grove Series
The Summer of New Beginnings
A Year of Extraordinary Moments
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The Wyattsville Series
Spare Change
Jubilee’s Journey
Passing Through Perfect
The Regrets of Cyrus Dodd
Beyond the Carousel
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The Memory House Series
Memory House
The Loft
What the Heart Remembers
Baby Girl
Silver Threads
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Serendipity Series
The Twelfth Child
Previously Loved Treasures
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Stand-Alone Titles
Cracks in the Sidewalk
What Matters Most
Wishing for Wonderful
Blueberry Hill
Life in the Land of IS
Leilani’s Gift
Find all of Bette Lee’s books on Amazon and her website.
Acknowledgments
When a reader holds a finished book in hand, they see only the face of the author, but in truth, many people contribute to the successful making of a novel. Even the most skilled storyteller is only as good as the people who support her. I am fortunate to have an advisory team that willingly reads through every draft, unflinchingly tells me where I have gone wrong, and then shows up with wine and a homemade cake to help me find my way to a new and more beautiful storyline. No words could ever express how grateful I am for my Port St. Lucie Posse, Joanne Bliven, Kathy Foslien, Lynn Ontiveros, and Trudy Southe. Such amazing friends are a blessing beyond belief.
I am equally blessed in knowing Ekta Garg, a superb editor, and extremely talented author, who somehow manages to catch my mistakes without ever losing sight of my voice. Ekta’s attention to detail constantly pushes me to go deeper into the story and I believe I am better because of this challenge.
Thank you also to Amy Atwell and the team at Author E.M.S. They are like the proverbial Fire Department, always there to help put out the fires. Thank you, Amy, for turning my manuscripts into beautifully formatted pages and for being so wonderfully organized and dependable.
I owe a huge debt of gratitude to Sue Baker for reminding me of the Miracle on 34th Street quote that appears in the front of this book, and also to the gals of the BFF Clubhouse (Bette’s Friends & Fans). Any author who has such loyal fans is truly blessed.
Lastly, I am thankful beyond words for my husband Dick, who puts up with my crazy hours, irrational thinking, and late or non-existent dinners. I could not be who I am without him for he is and will always be my sweetheart and greatest blessing.
About the Author
AWARD-WINNING NOVELIST BETTE LEE CROSBY brings the wit and wisdom of her Southern mama to works of fiction—the result is a delightful blend of humor, mystery and romance. “Storytelling is in my blood”, Crosby laughingly admits, “My mom was not a writer, but she was a captivating storyteller, so I find myself using bits and pieces of her voice in almost everything I write.”
A USA Today bestselling author, Crosby has twenty-two published novels, including Spare Change and the Wyattsville series. She has been the recipient of the Reader’s Favorite Gold Medal, Reviewer’s Choice Award, FPA President’s Book Award and International Book Award, among many others. Her 2016 novel, Baby Girl, was named Best Chick Lit of the Year by Huffington Post. Her 2018 novel The Summer of New Beginnings, published by Lake Union, took First Place in the Royal Palm Literary Award for Women�
�s Fiction and was a runner-up for book of the year. Her 2019 release, Emily, Gone was a winner of the Benjamin Franklin Literary Award.
Crosby currently lives on the East Coast of Florida with her husband and a feisty Bichon Frise who is supposedly her muse.
To learn more about Bette Lee, visit her website at: https://betteleecrosby.com
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