Page 23 of The Cupid Chronicles

As I turn it over, there’s no more movement, like it’s gone back to being just a newspaper. I glance up and see that all the other newspapers have disappeared.

“Guess I only need one, huh?” I sit down on the floor of my living room and open it.

It’s not a thick paper, and it doesn’t even seem to be connected to the town of Serendipity Springs. The banner at the top saysSerendipity Hall Ledger.

I frown. Serendipity Hall?

I knew this building used to be a dorm and was converted into apartments in the 1960s. What in the world am I looking at right now?

I start to read the headlines.

Winnifred Waller Marries William St. George in Ceremony by The Springs

Advertising Mogul William St. George Credits Wife Winnifred With Award-Winning Campaign Idea

Weird. These seem to be all about the same person.

Beloved Philanthropist William St. George, Dead at Age 52

Yikes.

Winnifred St. George Will Die of Loneliness if Someone Doesn’t Intervene

My mind trips on that last one.

I re-read it, noticing that unlike the other headlines,which seem to recap what’s happened in the past, this one seems to be written about something that hasn’t happened yet.

I read on:

Winnifred St. George first came to Serendipity Springs as a young girl. She fell in love with the town, its architecture, and what she calls “the magical feeling that’s always in the air.” That magic was certainly at play when she first met William St. George while attending school at Spring Brook College.

While the two married and had a rich and full life, Winnie is now alone, living on the fourth floor of what was once Serendipity Hall, the same building her mother lived in as a student. Winnie’s charitable donations have contributed to bettering several areas of her beloved town, with a special focus on the animal shelter, as Winnie is a devoted cat lover.

For years, Winnie has been very comfortable living on her own, but in more recent months, “alone” has turned to “lonely,” leaving her mourning the many losses she’s experienced in her life. This loneliness has made the once spirited lover of opera, swing dancing, and Italian food quite withdrawn. She no longer feels needed, and the absence of meaningful connections is causing her to give up.

Lately, she’s been especially distraught over the loss of her beloved cat, Lenny, who was black with white paws and a white circle around one eye. Lenny was Winnie’s constant companion, and this loss has felt like the final straw. Winnie hasn’t left her apartment in weeks, and while she’s certainly lived a lot of years, she still has many more to live . . . On Thursday of this week, Winnie should receive assistance.

Before it’s too late.

A chill runs down my spine.

Before I set the newspaper down, I notice that all the other articles have vanished from the pages. I flip through, and the entire newspaper is blank, save for this one article.

This is what the newspaper wanted me to read.

But why?

I skim the article one more time, piecing together the life of Winnifred Waller St. George, getting a clear picture of not only her past, but—weirdly—also of her future.

I don’t understand how this one story can predict things that haven’t happened yet. And why did it land on my doorstep?

Wait. This had the brooding chef’s name on it. Was it meant for him? If it was, it’s not likehe’sgoing to do anything about an elderly widow who happens to live in the same building.

A thought hits me.

That’swhy the newspaper came to me.

Because it knows that unlike a cold-hearted man who can’t even be bothered to say hello in the hallway, there’s no wayIcan ignore this.

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