Page 23 of Christmas at Pine Ridge Inn
“How sweet,” Sophie said, coming up to join them. “I should buy one for my son and daughter-in-law. They’re expecting their first.”
“Congratulations,” Carol said, but her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Your first grandchild, what a blessing.”
“It is,” Sophie said. “She’s been trying for a couple of years and was just getting ready to try IVF when it happened the old-fashioned way. Poor thing had a miscarriage early on, so we all held our breaths the first few months of this one.”
Carol’s eyes were welling with tears as she fingered the edge of the baby quilt. “Tom and I tried for years after we got married,but it just wasn’t meant to be. Sometimes I think about the children we might have had, wonder what they would have been like.”
Lila’s heart sped up. Had Carol gotten pregnant with the “bad boy” boyfriend and given the baby—her—up for adoption and then regretted it when she couldn’t have children with Tom? She wracked her brain for a way to ask that wasn’t obvious, but she came up short.
“You would have been a wonderful mother, sweetheart,” Sophie said, placing a hand on Carol’s arm. “That must have been heartbreaking.”
“It was. Still is, sometimes. But you learn to find family in other ways.” Carol’s smile returned, but a single tear streaked down her cheek. “Tom and I have been blessed with so many wonderful people in our lives though—Brady, our guests who return year after year, friends like Sarah here.”
Sarah had a faraway look in her eyes, and Lila wondered if she was regretting that she never had children. It didn’t sound like she’d had much interest in remarrying after her husband passed, even though she’d still been young.
She recovered, and Sarah reached out to squeeze Carol’s hand. “And we’ve been blessed to have you both.”
“Should we look at some of these other booths?” Carol asked, forcing a smile. “I want to show you the pottery display. Martha’s work is absolutely stunning, and she always has some items that make great gifts.”
The conversation had started even better than Lila could have scripted it, but she hadn’t been able to steer it where she wanted it to go. Now, Lila couldn’t push further without seeming rude or unfeeling. She’d have to find another way later.
They spent the next hour browsing various displays. Carol was in her element, greeting vendors and festivalgoers by name, sharing stories about different artisans and their work. She wasclearly beloved by the community, stopping every few minutes to chat with friends or admire someone’s children.
“Carol’s really something special, isn’t she?” Sarah said quietly as they watched Carol kneel to talk to a little girl who was showing off her face painting.
“She really is,” Lila agreed. “I can see why you keep coming back here. She and Tom make everyone feel like family.”
“They do.” Sarah’s voice was soft with affection. “Carol especially has this gift for seeing what people need and providing it, even when they don’t ask.”
They continued walking, and Lila found herself studying every interaction Carol had, looking for clues about her past. All she saw, however, was a woman beloved by her community who remembered even the smallest details of each of their lives, asking about their pets, children, and grandchildren all by name. Sophie was right that Carol would have been a wonderful mom. But Lila had a wonderful mom, and maybe the most motherly thing of all had been Carol knowing she couldn’t be that mom when the time had come, even if she had become that person later.
By midday, they’d made their way through most of the booths and were settling at a picnic table with hot cider and festival food. The rest of the group had caught up with them, and the table was full of chatter about their various purchases and discoveries.
“The woodworking booth had some beautiful pieces,” Sophie was saying. “I bought a jewelry box for my daughter.”
“And did you see the handmade ornaments at the far end?” Kimberly added. “I may have gone a little overboard, but they were all so unique.”
Brady appeared with a tray piled high with food, having finished his morning volunteer duties. “How’s everyone enjoying the festival?”
“It’s wonderful,” Kendall said. “I can’t believe how much talent there is in such a small town.”
“Wait until tonight,” Brady said, settling beside Lila on the bench in the only open seat. “The tree lighting ceremony is really something to see.”
“Will the whole town be there?” Lila asked.
“Pretty much. It’s the highlight of the holiday season here.”
Brady’s shoulder brushed hers as he reached for his drink, and she felt a flutter of awareness. She silently cursed Jenna for planting the hot lumberjack seed in her head.
“Carol usually says a few words before they light the tree, since she’s been so involved in organizing the festival over the years,” Brady continued.
Sarah nodded. “Carol has such a gift for bringing people together. I think she understands better than most how precious these connections are.”
“What do you mean?” Lila asked.
Sarah seemed to choose her words carefully. “I just think when you’ve experienced loss or difficulty, you develop a deeper appreciation for the people who show up for you. Carol’s been through her share of challenges, and it’s made her incredibly generous with others.”
Before Lila could ask what kind of challenges Sarah meant, Tom appeared at their table.
