Page 113 of The Shell Collector
“I feel well.”
Amanda paused. “Maeve, I want to talk to you about our discussion yesterday. Were you serious about us moving here?”
“Very. I’ve got an appointment with my lawyer in the morning. I want to be sure no one can hassle you about it. I talked to Tug about it too.”
Hailey clenched her fists, her feet swinging so much she practically wiggled out of her chair. “I’m going to be able to live inthishouse with the shell room?”
Maeve nodded. “Will you take care of all my treasures?”
“Forever!” She crossed her heart. “I promise.”
Maeve leaned over and hugged Hailey. “You are as special as your mother. Don’t let anything or anyone change you.”
“Yes ma’am, and I’m going to love Methuselah for you too.” Hailey straightened in her chair, glancing at Amanda in a way that told Maeve she’d been encouraged to be on her best behavior.
Amanda put her forearms on the table. “I thank you so much for the generous offer. I’d love to take you up on it. I promise we will take wonderful care of it and carry on the kindness you’ve shared in this town.”
“I have no doubt that you will, and Hailey, too, as she grows up.”
Amanda grabbed Hailey’s hand. “I’m as excited as she is.”
“Can I go tell Methuselah?” Hailey pointed to the scruffy dog lying in the shade in the backyard.
“Yes. He should definitely hear it from you,” Maeve said.
Hailey raced down the ramps to the backyard. Her feet pounded on the boards.
“Maeve, how will I ever thank you?” Amanda lifted her hair off her neck. “There’s so much room here, and air-conditioning too.”
“Oh goodness, you don’t have air-conditioning down there? Amanda, you all need to come stay immediately. It’s so muggy this time of year.”
“We’re fine. I promise. I have a little window unit and fans. The kids haven’t even complained. We’re managing.” She leaned back in her seat. “I do want to ask you a favor, though.”
“Okay.”
“I’d like for you to let me talk to your sister.”
Maeve wasn’t so sure about that. She took a deep breath in, but before she could respond, Amanda rattled on.
“I’d love to accompany you to Georgia, Maeve. Please? We could make a girls’ trip out of it. I was thinking it would be a much nicer ride if we split it into two days.”
Maeve agreed that two short days in the car would be easier than one marathon ride.
Amanda continued. “I want to leave here on Friday and take you to Charleston. I want you to see the trees and all the Spanish moss. We’ll stay the night. I’ve already looked into it, and Paul will stay here with the kids. Then we’ll drive the rest of the way the next day after a nice leisurely morning. Please. Please say yes. I promise it won’t be a lot of walking, and if you’re tired, you can just look out the window at them.”
Maeve lifted her glass to her lips, then flopped back into her chair. “That might be the kindest thing anyone has ever thought of doing for me.”
“Please. It will be wonderful. A memory I can cling to, and you too. Please?”
Maeve sat there, rubbing her finger along the condensation on the side of her glass. “Yes. Yes, we should do that. I feel good enough to do it, but frankly the long trip, sitting in a car all that time, did seem a bit daunting even if Judy was going to send a limo.”
Amanda squealed, leaping to her feet and running around to the other side of the table. She wrapped her arms around Maeve, laying her head against her shoulder. “Thank you! You won’t regret it. Thank you!”
The helper stepped outside with the soup.
“I’m so excited!” Amanda scurried back to her chair. “This is wonderful!”
The woman placed the soup in front of Amanda and another bowl on the table for when Hailey returned.
