Surrounded by brick and glass and the power of politicians, it was much easier. They could take it. They were taking it.
Tears gathered and fell as she drove ten minutes to an outdoor shopping mall. She didn’t much feel like meeting Mia for lunch, but it was too late to cancel now. Plus, if she did, Mia would be doubly concerned. She sniffed and wiped at her eyes.
Think it through, be positive. She reached back to years of counseling.
She could get a job as a regular physical therapist, get an apartment, or, God forbid, live with her brothers—they’d never let her be homeless. If she could afford to board her horses somewhere else, if she worked awhile and saved up…then maybe. But just boarding and caring for Winnie would be costly.
She blinked back a new round of tears thinking of the young faces she would have to tell, the disappointment she’d dole out.
Arriving, she parked, made sure she didn’t look weepy, and got out. It was a nice area complete with coffee shops and a café, small tables and cherry trees dotting the brick walkway. She spotted Mia midway down, under the shade of tiny pink blossoms. Before she reached the small iron table, two women stopped beside it.
As she got closer, she smiled, trying to hide her surprise. “Hi, Abby. Hi, Lizzy.”
“You know each other?” Mia asked.
“The party I went to,” she answered, feeling the burn in her cheeks. She had nothing to be embarrassed about. Except she’d been rejected by the same man twice in less than two weeks. But maybe they didn’t know.
“Stephen’s my brother,” Lizzy said, to Mia’s further confusion.
“And my brother-in-law.”
“Oh. I didn’t realize.” Mia looked at Hannah. “Lizzy and I belong to several of the same psychiatric organizations.”
“Oh, well, why don’t you join us?” Hannah invited.
“Yes. Sit.” Mia moved her bag from the fourth seat. They dropped purses and scooted chairs around, then gave the young server their orders.
“So, how do you two know each other?” Abby asked, also making connections.
Hannah froze and before she had to say she was a patient, Mia answered. “I’ve known Hannah for years. I…dated her brother. Nick.”
Hannah caught the flash of sadness even though Mia covered it well.
“Huh,” Lizzy said. “Small world.”
Both women clearly got the past tense on dated and dropped it there.
“Hannah was so sweet to have Gracie out to ride horses.” Abby smiled across the table. “You know, she hasn’t stopped talking about it since.”
“Of course. I can always find some time. She’s such a sweetie, but I have to tell you, I might not be there much longer.” The reality of the words stung.
There was obvious surprise and she explained about the land and the letter, giving a recap of her recent meeting.
“That’s a shame. What do they want to do with it?” Abby thanked the server and lifted her glass.
“I don’t know. Sell it, I assume.”
Mia glanced up, stirring in her sweetener. “Can you work with the kids somewhere else?”
“I’m looking into it.”
“Well, I was going to ask you if you had a spot for lessons for Gracie. Annie wants to come too, and you’d definitely let me pay you.”
“That’s an idea,” Lizzy said. “Maybe you could offset the costs of a new place by giving lessons.”
“Maybe, but no amount of lessons would add up to what I’d need to buy the land outright.”
“You could fight it,” Mia offered.
She could try. But lawyers cost money and what the man said made sense. It hadn’t been left to her, not legally. The truth hurt.
The server appeared with their lunch and they paused to comment on one another’s orders. Lizzy sipped her tea, a thoughtful expression on her pretty face. “What if you could somehow persuade the city not to take it?”
“And just let me use it for free? I don’t know. I showed him letters, pictures. He barely looked.”
“Maybe he’s not the one who needs to see,” Lizzy said.
“You mean take it to someone else?”
“No, I mean, what if everyone saw? Public opinion can be a powerful motivator for politicians. I mean, what is the government doing? Just sitting around waiting for people to die so that they can snatch up property?”
Abby paused with her fork in the air. “What if you did something like, I don’t know…an awareness day or something?”
“Yes!” Mia pointed at Abby. “Make it big. Show off the horses and your patients, open it up to the public for the day. It’s not a piece of property just sitting there. It’s vital, providing a service to this area.”