Page 29 of Rumors in Bayberry
When she glanced up, she saw her childhood home in front of her.She hadn’t had any intention of going there, but perhaps it was time to talk to her mother.
She headed for the back door.It was unlocked, and she found her mother at the kitchen table, drinking a cup of coffee with stacks of freshly laundered dish towels all folded and waiting to be put away.
When her mother looked up, a smile lit up her face.“Hey, can I get you a cup of coffee?”
Her mother was already on her feet before Sadie could answer.After grabbing a mug from the cabinet, her mother filled it with coffee.She placed it on the table before grabbing the milk from the fridge.
Sadie didn’t move.She wasn’t sure she was ready to sit down.Her insides were knotted up.Still, she’d come inside for a reason.She might as well stay for a cup of coffee.
Sadie slipped off her shoes by the door and then made her way to the table.How long had her mother know about the sale?The answer was she’d known all along.Of course, she did.
Her mother sat across from her and pushed aside her phone, which she’d been reading from when Sadie had walked in.“Talk to me.”
Sadie met her mother’s gaze.“I feel like Dad made the decision to sell the newspaper a while ago and waited to tell me.I was blindsided by my own family.”Emotions clawed at the back of her throat, but she kept them at bay.“Is this why he hasn’t gotten on board with any of the changes I’ve made at the paper?”
Her mother lowered her gaze as she stirred her coffee.“I think your father is struggling.This decision has been weighing heavy on his mind for a while now.”
“Why didn’t he just talk to me?”
Sympathy shone in her mother’s eyes.“I pleaded with him to, but he said he knew what he was doing.”
Sadie rolled her eyes.“And now he’s just going to hand the newspaper over to some stranger.”
Her mother’s brows rose.“I don’t know if you can claim that he’s a stranger after you spent the weekend with him.”
Sadie gasped.“You knew it was him.”
“I didn’t.Well, not until this morning.You certainly seemed to like him last night.And he’s really cute.”
Heat rushed to Sadie’s cheeks.“I don’t like him.”Her words were rushed.“I don’t want to see him ever again.”Not wanting to discuss her relationship with Reed or rather the lack of one, she asked, “How did you find out who he is?”
“When Carol saw him show up at the newspaper, she called me and wanted to know if I knew who he was.”
“And did you tell them his identity?”
Her mother shook her head.“I wasn’t certain.”
“You know they’re going to figure things out before lunchtime, don’t you?There are no secrets in Bayberry.It’s one of the reasons I left here.”
Her mother leaned back in her chair.“And how do you feel about Bayberry now that you’ve been back for a while?”
Sadie shrugged.The truth of it was that this place didn’t get on her nerves like it did when she was younger.She supposed she’d matured, and the gossip didn’t bother her nearly as much as it had when she was younger.It wasn’t like this town had changed much since she’d left.The gossip mill still ran strong.
With her mother sending her an expectant look, Sadie said, “It has its pluses and minuses.”
“Which outweighs the other?”Her mother arched an expectant brow.
Sadie sighed.“The pluses.”
Her mother smiled.“That’s good.You know that no one in this town has a mean bone.And they all love you.Just not as much as me.”
Sadie looked her mother straight in the eyes.“And you’re all right with Dad selling the family business?”
Her mother glanced down.And for a moment Sadie didn’t think she was going to answer her.But then her mother’s gaze rose once more to meet hers.
“The doctors told your father in no uncertain terms that he had to make changes to his life, and that means reducing his stress level.As much as he loves the paper, he realizes that he worries about it every day.Every time he calculates the monthly numbers, his appetite fades and he spends long nights at the office.It’s like he thinks if he works harder that it will fix the declining subscription numbers.It’s time we move to Florida and he takes up fishing or golfing.After all, we’re not getting any younger.”
Sadie heard her mother, but it still didn’t resolve all of the questions swirling around in her.“And if Dad’s health weren’t an issue, would you feel differently about selling the paper?”
