“Yeah, it came a couple of days ago.”
“You didn’t open it, did you?”
“No. What is it?”
“What it is … is a surprise!” Annie waited for a moment. “OK?”
“OK. I wasn’t going to tell him, you know. So are you coming or not? The party’s on the tenth. You could come a few days before and stay until the Monday after Thanksgiving.”
“That’s a pretty long time. I was thinking I’d come a day or two before Thanksgiving and leave a couple of days after. How’s that?”
“Herb’s going to be pretty disappointed.”
Annie laughed. “Who all is coming to the party?”
“Everybody. Herb’s family and ours, and some neighbors and a lot of the people from church and from his office.”
“It sounds like he’ll be so busy with all his guests that he won’t miss me at all.”
“But I miss you, Mom. The twins miss you.”
Annie wished she could reach out and hug her daughter right through the phone. “I know, sweetie, and I miss you all. You don’t realize how much. But I still have a lot to do up here, and it’s just not practical for me to be coming back there all the time. It would be better for me to get this done once and for all, right?”
“I suppose. It just seems like it never gets done. I mean, you did all that research to find out what happened to your friend Susan, and then the minute you know, you’re totally obsessed with these Maxwell people. I just don’t like it.”
Annie could picture the pout that went with her daughter’s tone of voice.
“I promise I’ll come for Thanksgiving, and we’ll cook up the greatest meal ever, OK?”
“OK, Mom.”
“And I’ll spend the rest of the time spoiling my grandbabies.”
LeeAnn chuckled. “You do enough of that long distance.”
“In the meantime, you make sure to tell Herb I wished him a happy birthday, and that I hope he likes the present I sent him. But he can’t have it before his birthday!”
“Don’t worry,” LeeAnn assured her. “He doesn’t even know you sent him anything yet.”
“Good. That way he won’t be nosing around for hints. Now you’d better let me go so I can get back to work.”
“All right, Mom. Talk to you later.”
“Give the twins a big hug for me.”
“I will. And Mom?”
“Yes?”
“Be careful.”
Once she had hung up, Annie sat for a moment, just staring at the telephone. LeeAnn and the kids were so far away. She missed her church and her friends in Texas too. And she missed the home she and Wayne had shared. Yes, it was painful to be there and feel so keenly his absence, but it held his memory too, and it had been her home for so long.
But Gram’s memory was here at Grey Gables along with all the memories of Annie’s childhood summers. And Alice was here, and Mary Beth and all the Hook and Needle Club ladies, and all the friends from her new church. And—
Annie felt a furry little muzzle poke itself into her hand.
“And you, Miss Boots.” She pulled the cat into a snug embrace. “For now, we’re just going to enjoy ourselves. We’re going to get the house fixed up and sort through Gram’s things and have fun with our friends. And we’re going to try our best to be friends with Sandy Maxwell, too, because everybody should have a friend.”
The thirty-year-old memory of lonely little Susan Morris standing on the beach watching the other children play came back to Annie’s mind, and she held the purring cat closer.
“Everybody should have a friend.”
The telephone beside her rang, and she put the cat down on the couch. She picked up the receiver. “Hello?”
“Hi, Annie. This is Clara Robbins. I just wanted to remind you about the meeting we’re having on Thursday to plan the harvest banquet. I hope you’ll be able to join us.”
“I’ll sure try, Clara.”
“Oh, and mum’s the word, but the banquet is also going to be a surprise party for Pastor Wallace’s 25th anniversary with the church. We want it to be extra special.”
Pastor Wallace. Of course!
“That’s wonderful, Clara. I’ll definitely be there. See you soon.”
Annie hung up, unable to keep from smiling. Why hadn’t she thought of Pastor Wallace before now? He might remember Susan, and he might have some good advice about what to do about Sandy Maxwell. Annie had to go into town to order some new checks, anyway, so she might as well take care of that tomorrow.
It was just a short walk from the bank to the church.
12
“Mrs. Dawson! Good morning! Annie turned to see Pastor Wallace standing under one of the enormous oaks that, in the summertime, shaded the church grounds. He was leaning on a rake beside an impressive pile of red and brown leaves.