Chapter 5
CHAPTER 5
E vie woke up the next morning, momentarily confused as to where she was. Then she remembered. Nana’s. The silence of the cottage surrounded her. There was no sound of Nana’s cheerful humming or bustling movements coming from the kitchen.
She slid out of bed, determined to shake off the melancholy that threatened to settle over her. A sudden thought popped into her mind. Why not go out for breakfast? She could see if Magic Cafe was still here. She’d loved going there with Nana. And the cafe was always filled with people, and chatter, and laughter. Just what she needed right now.
She slipped on shorts, a T-shirt, and sandals and headed to the cafe, pleased to find it still here after all her years away.
Pushing open the door, she was greeted by the comforting aroma of freshly brewed coffee and baked goods. The interior was just as she remembered—cozy and inviting, with a touch of coastal charm in its decor. Tally, the owner, stood behind the counter and looked up as she approached.
“Good morning. Welcome to Magic Cafe.” Tally smiled at her, then the dawning of recognition spread across her face. “Evie? Is that you?”
“Yes, it’s me.” She grinned at the fact that Tally still recognized her.
“Evie, dear, it’s so good to see you.” Tally came around and wrapped her in a big hug. “Oh, honey, I was so sorry to hear about Genevieve. She was such a special lady.”
Tears crept into the corners of her eyes and she wondered if she was ever going to be able to hear about Nana or talk about her without tears threatening to fall. A lump formed in her throat at Tally’s kind words. The genuine compassion in Tally’s expression comforted her grieving heart. She offered a grateful smile in return. “Thank you. She was special. And Nana loved to come here. It feels good to be back.”
“You come on in. I’ll get you a table right by the beach, just like you always liked.”
“Thanks, Tally.” She followed her out across the wooden deck to a table near the edge of the beach. As she settled into her seat, the clink of coffee mugs and murmured conversations filled the air around her. The gentle hum of life in the cafe wrapped around her, grounding her in the present moment.
She glanced at all the Christmas decorations on the railings and twinkle lights hung from the ceilings. Tally noticed her perusal and grinned. “Yep, still go a bit overboard for Christmas.”
“It looks great.” Looks familiar. Just like she remembered. And the familiarity was comforting.
Tally poured her a cup of coffee and handed her a menu. “Menu is mostly the same. We don’t like change much around here.”
“I’m finding I don’t like change either.” She took the menu from Tally.
“I’ll be back in a flash to get your order. Then I think I’ll sit down with you if you don’t mind and we’ll catch up.”
“I’d like that.”
She ordered an omelet and hash browns, and soon Tally brought it out and sat across from her.
“Feels good to sit down for a bit,” Tally said as she took a sip of coffee. “So, tell me what’s new with you.”
“I’m here to deal with all of Nana’s things. I admit, it’s a bit overwhelming. I’m not making much progress.”
“There’s no hurry to it, is there?”
“Well, if I want to get it on the market, I’ll need to clear it out.”
“You selling it?” Tally raised her eyebrow. “I just figured you’d keep it as a vacation place, if nothing else.”
“I don’t really need two places, and I have my condo back in Baltimore.”
“I guess you do need to get back to your job.”
She sighed. “Not really. I got let go.” Lost Nana, let go from her job, and her boyfriend dropped her, all in a two-week span.
“I’m sorry. But I’m sure you’ll find a new one lickety-split. Genevieve was always bragging about the promotions you were getting.”
“Hope so. But I have to admit, this little break from… well, from everything is nice. And it’s nice to be back on Belle Island, even under these circumstances.”
“We’re glad to have you back.” Tally reached over and patted her hand. “So, how’s the sorting out of the cottage going?”
“It’s a lot to handle. And I found the most interesting thing in Nana’s storage closet. A wooden box with a Christmas design carved on top. It has a bunch of wrapped items in it. I’m not sure where they’re from or why she had them.”
Tally shrugged. “I’ve sure got no clue. But they must have been special to her for her to keep them.”
“I should unwrap them and see if I can figure out why she had them all tucked away like that.”
“You could ask Randy, your neighbor. He and Genevieve were great friends.”
“Oh, I met him. He helped me out at the market, then we talked for a bit last night.”
“He’s a nice man. Lived here all his life. He’s really into island history, too. He and Genevieve were always researching something or other. Randy volunteers at the historical society.”
“Thank you. I’ll talk to him.”
Tally stood. “Well, I better get back to work. I hope you come back often. It’s great seeing you.”
“I’m sure I’ll be back soon.”
Tally walked away, stopping to talk to each table on her way back toward the kitchen. Not much had changed here at Magic Cafe, and she liked that. She needed some stability in her life right now.
Evie walked down the sandy path toward Randy’s cottage, the wooden box tucked under her arm. It was impossible not to notice the festive atmosphere surrounding his home. Strings of colorful Christmas lights were draped along the deck railing, twinkling in the early evening light. Randy, perched precariously on a stepladder, was in the process of hanging yet another strand when he spotted her. He waved enthusiastically, nearly losing his balance in the process.
“Whoa there,” she called out, quickening her pace. “Don’t go falling on my account.”
He chuckled, regaining his footing. “I’ve got it under control. Trust me.”
She walked up to the base of the old wooden ladder and wasn’t entirely certain she believed him. She set the box down. “Here, let me hold this steady for you. Don’t need you taking a tumble.”
“Thanks.” He grinned down at her, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “I appreciate the help.”
As he continued to string the lights, she glanced around at the abundance of decorations already in place. Wreaths hung on the windows, and a large reindeer made out of a split log adorned the edge of his deck. “You really go all out for Christmas, don’t you?”
“I haven’t hardly started yet. There’s still the tree. Two, actually. One out here on the deck and one inside.” He grinned again. “It’s a tradition I’ve maintained ever since I moved into this cottage. Have to keep up with Miss G’s decorations, you know? She always had the most festive place on the island.”
She nodded, surprised that the mention of Nana didn’t bring the usual fight with tears, and instead, a feeling of nostalgia swept through her. “Nana did love Christmas. I remember helping her decorate when I was a kid. We’d spend hours untangling lights and hanging ornaments.”
“She had a way of making everything feel magical,” Randy said, climbing down the ladder. “I always admired that about her.”
“Me too.” She picked up the wooden box, running her fingers over the intricate Christmas design of wreaths and holly carved into the lid. “Speaking of Nana, I actually came over to ask you about something I found in her storage closet.”
His eyebrows rose in interest. “Oh? What did you find?”
She held out the box. “This. It’s filled with wrapped items, but I have no idea where they came from or what they mean. I’ve never seen the box before. Tally mentioned that you and Nana were close, so I thought maybe you might know something about it.”
He took the box and shook his head. “I’ve never seen this before, but it definitely looks like something Miss G would have treasured.” He glanced up at her. “Why don’t we go inside and take a closer look? I need to take a break, anyway.”
“I don’t want to stop you from your decorating extravaganza.” She grinned at him.
“Oh, you’re not. I promise you the decorating will continue. For days.” He winked at her. “It’s just what I do.”