Page 26 of A Family Affair: The Plan
She blinked hard, her eyes grew bright, her voice cracked. “Cash was a policeman and he shot Tess’s brother. JJ was coming out of a store and he had a mask on, and…he had a gun…and… So sad.”
Talk about mystery and too much drama. Hope had heard a few things about couples in trouble, but not to the degree Lily was sharing, and not with this much emotion. “Oh, Lily, I’m so sorry to hear this.”
“Yeah, and then that mean lady came back and tried to say Mason was Cash’s son. Why would someone say that? It was all a lie and it was a very bad time for Cash and Tess. All they wanted was a baby and they couldn’t have one. And then….”
Hope had not wanted to hear this much. It was too personal and too sad. “Lily, let’s talk about something happy. Why don’t you tell me some of the really fun things that happen in this town? That way you won’t be sad. How about that?”
“Okay.” Lily bit her bottom lip, nodded. “Can I tell you about the snow angels that Uncle Harry and I make every Christmas?”
“Yes. Please tell me about the snow angels.”
“Every Christmas when it snows, Uncle Harry and I go outside and we lie on the ground and make snow angels. We lookup at the sky and the stars are so bright.” She paused, glanced at Hope and said, “You know you can talk to people that don’t live on this earth anymore, right? The dead ones?”
Hope picked up her coffee cup, took a sip to keep from having to respond. What to say to that? Fortunately, Phyllis interrupted with a plate of blueberry pancakes and a side of crisp bacon.
“Thank you, Phyllis. This looks delicious.”
Phyllis winked at Lily, snapped her gun. “You’re welcome, Lily. Enjoy. What were you telling Hope that put that look on her face?”
“I was telling her how Uncle Harry and I make snow angels and talk to dead people. I was just getting to the part about how I talk to Dad.”
Phyllis nodded, shot a look at Hope. “You said you wanted information…”
“I guess I did say that.” Hope clutched her coffee mug, took a deep breath. If she didn’t shift the conversation, who knew what Lily might tell her next? Too late.
“Do you know people come here and sometimes they meet their meant-to-be person?”
“I think I have heard that.”
“Uncle Harry said he never would have believed it, but it happened to him. He lived in Chicago and Greta was my Aunt Gloria’s cook. She wasn’t really an aunt, but kind of like one.” Her voice shifted, her face lit up. “She was very sparkly with lots of jewelry. Anyway, that’s how Uncle Harry met Greta, and he says when you open your eyes and stop being afraid, that’s when the real magic happens.” She picked up a piece of crispy bacon, bit into it. “Do you think that’s true?”
What was Lily Desantro really asking her? “I guess it could be.” Hope was not offering anything more, but it didn’t matter because Lily had already formulated her own opinion and found her next target—Hope!
The smile that spread across the young woman’s face said she had her answer, and she was going to share it with Hope. “I believe it. Pop said I’m very good at spotting people who belong together.” A nod of her dark head, and then, “Lots of times I can see it before they can. Like Vic and Rachel Tramont, Law and Ava Carlisle…oh, and Michael and Elise Androvich, They were supposed to get married, but she left him at the altar. That wasnotgood. Anyway, they worked it all out and got married right here in Magdalena. All of the men in the wedding wore pink shirts. Pop said it was a sign of their love for their partners.” Soft sigh and a wistful, “Michael and Elise live in Pennsylvania, but I think they’re going to visit this summer.”
“I’m sure you’ll be happy to see them.” Lily knew a lot about everyone, and while she might provide insight into the town and those who lived and visited, the young woman was no doubt collecting her own data—on Hope!
“Yup.” Lily reached for the maple syrup, poured it between each blueberry pancake, and then added a generous pour on the top one. “I love blueberry pancakes,” she said seconds before she dove into the stack.
Hope loved them, too, so why hadn’t she eaten them in almost a year? Well, the calorie count was a big reason, but so was the time factor. If she made her own, she’d have to buy the ingredients, make them, clean up… If she ordered them in a restaurant, there would be the drive to get there, the waiting, the eating… She forked a piece of pancake, popped it in her mouth, and savored the blend of syrup, blueberry, and pancake. Maybe she should rethink her position on blueberry pancakes as a once-a-year choice. Maybe she should?—
“I have to tell you about Grayson and Audrey Westfield. Their story is twisty-turny.” Lily’s words shot through Hope’s thoughts, brought her back to the stories. “Audrey lived here but Grayson was from New York City. Her first husband died andwhen Grayson came to Magdalena for a visit, he didn’t know how to just be himself…until he met Audrey. They liked each other, but she was afraid. Remember what I said about being afraid to open up? She told him to leave and he did and then...” She clutched her fork, leaned forward and whispered, “She got pregnant, and he didn’t know. Uncle Harry and Nate went all the way to New York City because they were so mad at him… And then they found out he didn’t even know about the baby. Then Grayson was the one who was mad. Oh boy. Lots of fireworks there, but he came back, and when Audrey stopped being afraid and opened her heart…magic. They’re married, have a baby girl, and they live here and in New York City. The baby issocute.”
This was the type of information Hope wanted. People who came to this town and left but came back. It did seem to be the sense of community that brought them back and maybe made them stay. She forked a piece of blueberry pancake, eyed Lily, and asked, “People do that a lot, don’t they? Come and go, stay, revisit?”
A double nod, followed by “Uh-huh. Lots.”
Hope pondered that as she ate a piece of blueberry pancake, savored the sweetness. Once the town welcomed a person, they considered them one of their own, and she could see why people would revisit, and sometimes even move here. It would be tricky to find such a place for their company, but if Martin were serious about emulating Magdalena, then he would be willing to invest the resourcesandthe time to do it. It could be a gold mine, but in ways that were about a lot more than money. Their company could provide opportunities for people to experience real small-town life in a welcoming environment, and maybe even a chance to consider a different way of life. Why not?Why not?Hope was considering how to present this concept to Martin when Lily slipped through her thoughts.
“So, what about you and Sam? Do you think you’ll move here when you guys get together?”
“What?”
Lily pointed a piece of bacon at her, brows drawn together. “You and Sam. You’re the next meant-to-be. Everybody can see it. Can’t you?”
“No, that’s not…”
“Sure, it is, but don’t be afraid.” A tiny smile inched across her face. “Remember what I said. Once you stop being afraid, you can open your heart and let the magic happen. Uncle Harry knows these things and I know them, too. You and Sam Harrington are Magdalena’s next meant-to-be.”
