Page 113 of Full Circle

“So?” Wes prompted me. “Can we open the letter now?”

I smiled. He grabbed a squirming Joshua from Iris and both of them grinned at me like they were in on a secret.

Hastily, I pulled out the envelope and withdrew the letter. “UMass Boston is pleased to welcome you to the Fall semester of the Nursing Master of Science program,” I read aloud.

Iris and Wesley both whooped and hollered. Joshua set off in another round of giggles as Wesley tossed him up in the air and caught him. “Say, ‘good job, Mama!’” Wesley crowed. He handed Joshua off to Iris, who continued to dance and spin with him so that my husband could plant a firm kiss on my mouth. “I’m so proud of you,” he whispered in my ear.

Longing flooded me and I deepened the kiss. Having someone around to tell me that they were proud of me was one of the things Wesley and I had identified in therapy as a way to provide reassurance. It built up my confidence and reinforced the belief that I was worthy of love...basically a way to reprogram my brain after everything Desiree put me through. Wesley never forgot. Even if it was something as simple as trying a new recipe, he made it a point to tell me how impressed he was.

Iris came over and wrapped her arms around me. “I love you so much, Mama! This is so exciting!”

My heart soared. “Yeah? It’s going to be a lot of work. Between school and the new baby, I don’t want to take away from you.”

Her smile was identical to mine, the only time she ever resembled me instead of her daddy. “You always put me first, Mama,” Iris assured me. “I know that will never change.”

Tears of joy sprung at my eyes, but I wiped them away before they could fall. “I love you, baby girl.” She ran back to Wesley and Joshua, the three of them still carrying on like we won the lottery.

Tearful laughter was the best kind, I discovered. “We did it, y’all,” I whispered to Mama and Daddy’s gravestones. “Thank you.”

“C’mon, let’s head back over to the restaurant and share the great news with Marla!” Wesley called over his shoulder, steering the kids towards the Land Rover idling on the lane.

There was already a waiting area full of people when we arrived at Hometown Heaven. Cassidy, the hostess, proudly informed us that there was a 90 minute wait.

With the big remodel, this updated version of the restaurant was larger than before. White marble counters replaced the old Formica, including the new bakery area on the left side of the dining room. Two large, glass bake cases fenced in a large marble bar top with twirling metal barstools. One bake case displayed breakfast pastries that were baked fresh daily and the other displayed dessert items like Marla’s famous pies, cookies, brownies, and more. The flavors and variety changed each morning. Marla modeled Daddy’s old practices and sourced locally as much as possible, getting fresh fruits, flour, and the like so that everyone along the Florida-Georgia line wanted to come taste their produce for themselves.

The bakery side of the kitchen opened behind the counter so that people waiting in the lobby and sitting at the bar top could watch as bakers, expertly overseen by Marla’s watchful eye, worked to replenish the cases, fill orders, and provide items for diners. They were able to create the most beautiful designs with dough. It was like watching an artist create an edible masterpiece.

New metal tables with marble tops congregated in the center of the dining room. Since the wooden tables were burned in the fire, Marla hired Old Man McInworthe to build large booths around the outer perimeter. Fluffy cushions lined all the chairs and booths, this time in a matching gingham print. There were no longer any barstools as the countertop was long gone, but several servers’ stations led back into the kitchen.

Jesse was now the back of the house manager, supervising all of the cooks Marla could afford to hire. Mama’s recipe book was kept under lock and key in what was now Marla’s office. She was the only one permitted to look through it when the menu changed seasonally.

The best part of all was how many jobs she was able to offer to the community. Hometown Heaven was able to employ ten people full time and six people part time. Wesley helped set up a tuition program as well so that the employees could further their education at an online college or any number of the colleges in Savannah. All of them so far had done so, which I knew would have meant the world to Mama and Daddy.

“My baby girl is finally here!” Marla cried as she looked up from the butcher’s block table in the bakery area where she was kneading pie dough. She wiped her hands on the apron around her waist as she scrambled around the counter to us.

Iris immediately enveloped her in a hug, Joshua all but diving out of Wesley’s arms in his haste to get to Grandma Marla. Her smile brightened the room. She moved on to Welsey, then me. As the closest thing I had to a living parent, Marla’s hug felt like coming home. While she visited us in Boston and traveled with us on some of our family vacations, this was the first time I came home to River’s Run to see her. It was a pivotal moment for both of us. I blamed my tears on my pregnancy hormones. She didn’t have that excuse.

“Looking good, Celeste,” she said warmly, cupping her hands around my belly. I was only 21 weeks along, but I already popped enough for there to be a noticeable bump. “Are we still good for tonight?”

I grinned. “I can hardly wait!” We were going to have a family gender reveal dinner after she closed down the restaurant early. Iris already had the envelope. Marla was also going to take the kids to her house for the night. It was really Ms. Shirley’s old house, which Wes gave to her as soon as we signed the deed for the Hendricks family home. He agreed that we didn’t need two houses in a place like River’s Run and Marla had more than earned the right to have a place of her own. I couldn’t have agreed more.

Like Mama always said, when you have more than you need, you build a bigger table, not a taller fence.

* * *

Wesley

Celeste looked radiant in a floral sundress, her bump just noticeable in the flow of the skirt. Every day she made me fall in love with her all over again. Whether it was watching her be a fantastic mother to our children, hearing about her compassion for her patients, or tasting the homecooked meals she insisted on making us every night for a family dinner, there was always another reminder of what a lucky son of a bitch I was to call her mine.

I meant it when I vowed to love her for my whole life. Celeste Hendricks, now Celeste Madden, was my whole life. She brought me everything I ever needed and more.

We weren’t religious people, so I had no idea if there was a heaven, but I’d like to believe that wherever Mr. Hendricks was, he rested easier knowing I kept my promise. If I could be half the man and father he taught me to be, then I would call myself a success.

“Let’s get going,” Nana bemoaned. “I hate these old lady dresses y’all force me to wear at these shindigs.”

Celeste’s eyes sparkled as she glanced my way, clearly repressing a laugh. Nana was never satisfied unless she got to wear sweatpants and oversized t-shirts. That would never change. She even made us promise to bury her in them. Since it was technically a party, we asked her to dress up in something a little nicer and she had been loudly grousing about it since we walked through the door. Now that the party was winding down, it seemed Nana reached her limit.

“Me, too,” Iris whined. “I’m ready to go back to Aunt Marla’s.” Joshua was already snuggled into her lap, fast asleep.

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