One Day in Apple Grove(92)
Cait noticed what she hadn’t the last few weeks—exhaustion pulling down the corners of Peggy’s mouth and darkening rings beneath her friend’s eyes.
“Kate and I have been talking about hiring outside the family to give us more time in the kitchen—me for the pastries and baked goods and Kate for the rest.” Peggy paused. “It’s hard to think of someone besides a McCormack manning the counter and serving our customers.”
Cait laid a hand on Peggy’s arm. “I know exactly what you mean. Most days I feel like a dog chasing after my own tail, trying to keep up with the work orders for repair jobs, hoping I’ll have enough energy to work for a few hours at night on the furniture I’m building.”
“Are you thinking of hiring outside the family?” Peggy asked. “Is your dad OK with that?”
Cait shrugged. “I don’t know. Grace and I have been trying to think of a way to broach the subject. He can’t come back to work full time, even if he swears the heart attack scare was just that.” Cait felt moisture fill her eyes and blinked. “We can’t lose him too.”
Peggy wrapped her arm around Cait and let her head rest against Cait’s. The bond of friendship forged so long ago eased the worst of Cait’s fear. She sighed and confessed, “We want to ask him in such a way that he’ll have to say yes.”
“Hedging your bets,” Peggy said what Cait was thinking.
“Exactly.”
“Peggy, Cait?” Mrs. McCormack called out. “We’re ready to get started.”
Cait sighed. “If you come up with the perfect way to tell your mom, let me know.”
“Same goes.” Peggy paused in the doorway. “Maybe we should have a meeting down at the diner, your dad, my mom—”
“Things’ll be crazy until after Mitch and Honey B.’s vow renewal. How ’bout if we plan to get together then?”
“Good idea.”
Mary Murphy was looking over her shoulder at them when Cait and Peggy walked into the room. “Now then, let’s have everyone give an update, so we know where we stand and what we still need to address. We want Founder’s Day to run as smoothly as ever.”
The ladies took turns catching Cora up while at the same time including her in the plans. Cait could feel the strength of the friendship these women had developed over the years; it filled the room and felt like a hug from her mom.
It was the same as always—well, at least as far back as Cait could recall—Miss Trudi organizing the floral arrangements for the tables and around the gazebo in the town square, the McCormacks and Mrs. Winter handling the food, and finally Mary handling the advertising, decorating, and setup.
“Now,” Miss Trudi said, while Cora and Cait sliced cake and poured coffee, “I want Honey B. and Mitch’s day to go off without a hitch. Agreed?”
Everyone did. “Fine then,” Miss Trudi said. “If someone will take on the duty of organizing clean up from the picnic, then, weather providing, I’ve got my grandnephew, Dan, and his soccer team to lend a hand rearranging all the tables and chairs—those boys will do anything for him.”
“It’s a great idea to have their vow renewal the day after Founder’s Day, don’t you think?”
Everyone started talking at once, caught up in the prospect of two of the town’s favorite people, Honey B. and Mitch, publicly proclaiming their love for one another in front of their friends and neighbors.
Cait was about to speak up when Jack, Doc Gannon, and her father walked into the room. “Did I hear a call go out for manly muscle?” Jack grinned at her.
“You’re such a good man, Jack,” Miss Trudi said with a smile. “Now,” she said, “being that Honey B.’s still not feeling up to snuff, I told her to let me take care of the food and the cake.”
“But I thought—” Peggy began, only to fall silent when Miss Trudi waved her hand in Peggy’s general direction.
“Everyone knows that you and your sister volunteered to bake the cake. Where else would we go for the perfect cake but the McCormack sisters?” Miss Trudi said, while Mrs. McCormack smiled.
“Can you tell us what color it’s going to be?” Joe asked, letting his gaze slide over to where Mary sat with a soft smile on her face.
Peggy laughed. “Not a chance. It’s a surprise.”
“But—” Cait’s dad fell silent when Miss Trudi glared at him. “Joseph, let the girls have their fun.”
Her dad smiled and nodded.
“Do you need us to do anything else that day?” Jack asked.
Her father and Doc Gannon shared a look and Cait suspected the two were up to something that involved Jack. She’d have to pry it out of her dad later.